They'd kicked in by the time I arrived at the venue. Inside, I was frisked and then asked to confirm I wasn't carrying any weapons (I resisted saying just my wits). After a brief pause to have my ticket scanned at the foot of the stairs, I was allowed up the steps. On the dancefloor. I picked my spot ready to watch the first support act, Lola in Slacks. The band were good but I didn't warm to the singer. She reminded me of a slowed-down, Glaswegian Stevie Nicks. Not in appearance. More in the way her deep voice droned. The songs were okay but nothing special. You could tell the singer was thrilled to be playing the Barrowland. A real wow moment for her if not for me. I did like the band though. Very tight.
While I was waiting for the next support, Callum Easter, I flicked through Facebook only to look up and see two giants had taken root between me and the stage. Time to move to another location. Fortunately, the dancefloor was relatively empty with plenty of spaces. I selected another position behind three shorter ladies of rather plump dimensions. No one was going to push in front of them, thus protecting my view.
Callum had problems with his backing-track machine and lots of the sound crew were shining torches and pulling cables and twisting wires to get it to work again before he could begin his set whereupon a stand-up drummer joined him to belt out the beat. Callum does a poor Jack White impression on the guitar, using lots of distortion and feedback on his voice, possibly deliberately. A few isolated souls were really into him, dancing along and I really wanted to have my Blues Brothers hit-by-the-spotlight moment so I could join in but it didn't happen. I sense Callum is a triumph of confidence and swagger over talent.
Goodbye Mr Mackenzie were on top form, Martin Metcalfe acting as the maniac ringmaster to us, his circus of freaks. This felt like a gig of old with them playing the special songs they love rather than just the crowdpleasers from the first two albums. I felt the audience was a bit muted early on. The song Hard used to get a mosh on but this crowd were appreciative rather than active. Possibly down to their age or lack of Co-Codamol consumption. Later, they did find their voice and their bouncy feet and by the finale, the place was jumping. Indeed, I found my shoulder was often being used to support the gentleman beside me as he bounced and bounced like an inebriated Tigger.
My voice is hoarse but it was worth it. Highlights for me: Hard, Face to Face (because I didn't think they played it anymore), Goodwill City and the eponymous Goodbye Mr Mackenzie to finish.
Ticket Price: £27.50 plus £2.50 booking fee, £1.00 transaction charge
Total £31.00
Setlist
His Master's Voice
Open Your Arms
Hard
Working On The Shoo-Fly
You Generous Thing
Sick Baby
Love Child
Blacker Than Black
Niagara
Amsterdam
Face to Face
The Way I Walk (Jack Scott cover - Big John on vocals)
Normal Boy
Now We Are Married
The Rattler
Encore:
Goodwill City
Goodbye Mr Mackenzie
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