Friday, 20 July 2018

Martin Metcalfe & The Fornicators @ The Bungalow, Paisley. Fri 20th July 2018


I loved Goodbye Mr. Mackenzie when I was a youth, travelling across Scotland to go to their gigs. I was at Tower Records in Argyll Street when they launched 'Hammer and Tongs' getting my cassette tape insert signed by all the band. I even attended their last ever gig at the Garage in Glasgow, hoping Shirley might return but she didn't.
I didn't know their main man, Martin Metcalfe, was still gigging until I saw the advert for tonight's gig on FB. Snapping up two tickets for what turned out to be a less than sold out performance (with a bit of confusion in advance over whether a Paypal receipt counted as a ticket - I didn't know the Bungalow didn't send out confirmations), I went along to my first ever gig at this particular venue.
It is small. Intimate might be a nicer description. From the back of the room to the stage is maybe ten feet (and still some plonkers stood right in front of us - serves me right for wanting something to lean on).
The support act, 'In the Plughole', came on at 8.30pm and played some neat punk tunes for about 45mins. The big bloke singing had a great earthy voice and sweated like a fountain. His obesity had me worried he might suffer a coronary. Enjoyable though - the tunes, not the fear of a heart attack.
When I saw Martin walking about near the merch table, I didn't recognise him with his long beard, bald head and sunglasses. Dressed all in black, he could have just been some tall, trendy punter. Then I heard him speak, his East coast brogue still strong, and it clicked who he was.
Playing a semi-acoustic set, Martin and his three Fornicators began at the beginning with the first Mackenzie album. Hearing him sing sent me back in time. My body remained planted in the present, jiggling and singing along, but my mind went back to 1989, listening to those tapes and later CDs, the lyrics coming back like it was yesterday.
They played lots from the first two albums plus an Angelfish track, the title song from the "New Town Killers" soundtrack, which Martin co-write with director and Skids lead singer Richard Jobson, and a cover of Walk on the Wildside, finishing on a rousing 'Amsterdam', all in giving us almost ninety minutes of fresh memories.
The crowd, no more than two-score-and-ten in number and probably mostly around that in age, were suitably appreciative, with only a little jeering over Martin's frequent mentioning of Glasgow instead of Paisley.
A good night.
The one thing I didn't understand was why the venue didn't turn off the flat screen tv that was beside the stage. My eyes were often drawn to the BBC News channel with its live subtitles distracting me from the performance. I didn't need to see the latest Trump fiasco, the Novachok victim tributes or the Open highlights. It was a gig. Give some respect to the band. Seeing the clock was handy though.
(photos not great as I had to zoom between the four heads in front).




Friday, 6 July 2018

TRNSMT Fri 6th July 2018: Queen + Adam Lambert, Texas, Alabama 3, The Darkness, The Temperance Movement.

3.20pm-4.00pm THe Temperance Movement: First time I've seen them, good sound, great singer, gruff in the style of Frankie Miller.
4.30 pm - 5.15pm The Darkness: one song wonders that have extended the joke so long they've forgotten where the line between pantomime and farce is. Only enjoyed their last song, I believe in a thing called love.

5.45-6.20pm Alabama 3: missed most of them because I went for food and the queues were loooooong. Bizarre act with some groovy tunes. They look like they were either assembled from failed American Idol acts or are a modern-day PC version of the Village People. Enjoyed.
7.05-8.05pm Texas: Sharleen got her home crowd wowed with a run through of the hits, both modern and old, with a bit of banter and singalong. Finished with a crowd pleaser - Suspicious Minds - Brilliant.


8.50pm-10.50pm Queen - Amazing. They might be dinosaurs but with a new genetically modified lead singer in place, they really kick it out there. Adam has style, charisma, a strong voice with a huge range and fits in well, while still giving the original members their place as elder statesmen. You can't lose when the back catalogue is this immense, his singing is superb and the visual elements are like the cherry on top. My voice is hoarse from singing along.
The end of this gig might be the only time I sing God Save the Queen and mean it.
Fan-wise, the only trouble we encountered was with a flag lady, who really got on the nerves of the punters behind us. She eventually got doused with what I presume was beer. It might have been salted. She lowered it shortly afterwards.
Some toddlers played some mean air guitar on the shoulders of their parents and gave it the devil horns to salute their heroes.
Worryingly, the festival site was infiltrated by aliens with glitter cheek insignias from 1960's Dr Who. It must have been contagious as some of the men who had fraternised with said ladies showed sparkly facial symptoms later. One lady looked like her condition had spread to her entire dress. If any of those with this dermatological symptom present at the pharmacy tomorrow, I'll need to refer them to the RAH.
Finally, thank you, Alison Boyd, for allowing us to share your spot on the rear barrier. The shade, raised platform and backrest proved very effective and the view was still very good.
Tonight I did have a good time. Thank you Queen.
(Sorry GUN, but I didn't want to miss the main act).

Queen's Setlist

Seven Seas of Rhye (first two verses only)
Tie Your Mother Down 
Play the Game
Fat Bottomed Girls
Killer Queen
Don't Stop Me Now
Bicycle Race (without first verse)
I'm in Love With My Car
Another One Bites the Dust
I Want It All
The Bonnie Banks o' Loch Lomond ([traditional] cover)
Love of My Life (Brian May solo acoustic, with a live clip of Freddie Mercury)
Somebody to Love
Crazy Little Thing Called Love
Drum Battle
Under Pressure
I Want to Break Free
You Take My Breath Away (snippet)
Who Wants to Live Forever
Last Horizon (Brian May cover)
Guitar Solo
The Show Must Go On
Radio Ga Ga
Bohemian Rhapsody

Encore:
Day-Oh
(Freddie Mercury sing-along from Live at Wembley '86)
We Will Rock You
We Are the Champions
God Save the Queen (Thomas Augustine Arne song)