Tonight, I did something I don't recall ever doing before: I bailed on a rock gig mid-headliner set.
Background Context:
The torrential rain had paused temporarily, leaving pockets of flooding on the roads, especially deep under the railway bridge near St Mirren's stadium. When I arrived at the venue, I was pleased the queue was short, and it was dry, though the clouds threatened another deluge. It did begin to spit as the doors opened, but I got in without getting drenched.
Inside, past security, up the stairs, ticket scanned, up more stairs into the performance room, I saw the barrier was already claimed, so I tried upstairs. A staff member was giving a couple grief about using the seats, so I turned about, figuring they were all reserved, and picked a spot downstairs against the wall. The place began to fill up. The gig was a sellout.
Grand Slam took the stage at 7.30 pm and sang a vaguely familiar tune. Then I realised who they were: Phil Lynott's side project band from the 80s, obviously minus Phil, who died in 1986. Their current singer hacked his way through that first song, making it his own (putting it kindly), but didn't improve as the set progressed. The singer had no range, pulling any note he wasn't comfortable reaching. He was a good frontman, full of personality and knew how to work the room, but that can only go so far when the noise coming out of your mouth is defective. I began to take offence at the way they were murdering covers I remembered fondly. I really missed Phil's smooth vocals.
"Dedication",
Yeah, that's what you need when ability and talent are lacking.
That didn't set me up well for the main act. The crowd got really busy. I kept getting nudged by the person who pushed in behind me, his mates crowding in beside me. Others were pushing forward into any perceived gaps. I was on edge.
Magnum came on at 8.30 pm. The sound wasn't great at first, but got better as levels were adjusted. The fan ahead of me with the mohican, who had raised his phone so high during Grand Slam's final song that he blocked my view of the stage, was at it again. I only managed to snap a couple of pictures. No chance of videos, despite my location.
The next few songs were unfamiliar to me, as I haven't followed Magnum closely since the 80s. As such, I was hearing what was being played and sung without the filter of already knowing the song. And Bob Gately's vocals sounded awful. He was approximating singing, sometimes not even attempting to hit the notes. He had the arm gestures, the pouts and the presence of a lead singer, albeit a geriatric one, but not the vocal ability to do justice to his songs. The bassist did the heavy lifting on backing vocals, his voice strong, clear, and note-perfect.
By the time they reached "How Far Jerusalem", I was contemplating leaving, and this tipped the balance. Only, the fans were packed in so tightly that I had to force my way through them and met quite a bit of resistance, partly because some had nowhere to go and others were pissed off at me for pushing past, even though I was going in the opposite direction from the stage. Maybe they thought I was going to the bar. Even in the corridor beyond the door, fans had gathered, trying to see in, unable to find space in the room.
I felt relief when I exited the building, not even bothered that it had been raining or that an angry man was kicking off at security outside the doors after being expelled from the gig for his behaviour.
I don't understand why so many people loved that performance. Alcohol? Goodwill? I felt like the little boy pointing at the Emperor, saying I can see his cock. Sometimes, rock royalty, albeit distant cousins to the throne, should retire gracefully and keep their legacy intact. Or is it just me? Burnout from too many gigs?
On the way home, I listened to These Wicked Rivers' new album, Fire and Folklore, as a palate cleanser.
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| Bugger! Barrier already claimed. |
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| Grand Slam (keyboardist out of shot on the right) |
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| Magnum |
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| Someone getting their marching orders |
Grand Slam Setlist:
Nineteen (Phil Lynott song)
Gone Are the Days
Dedication (Thin Lizzy cover)
Spitfire
Military Man (Gary Moore cover)
Crazy
Sisters of Mercy
Whiskey in the Jar ([traditional] cover)
Magnum Setlist:
Days of No Trust
Lost on the Road to Eternity
Wild Swan
When We Were Younger
Run Into the Shadows
How Far Jerusalem
(this is where I bailed)
Soldier of the Line
The Tall Ships
On a Storyteller's Night
Midnight (You Won't Be Sleeping)
All England's Eyes
Vigilante
Kingdom of Madness
Encore:
Sacred Hour
When the World Comes Down
Ticket Price: £32.50 & £3.25 Booking Fee & £2.90 Postage = £38.25 from Tickets Scotland (02/07/26)
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