I don’t know if you have ever wondered if there were an alternative use for those wedge shaped monitors that they have on stage. OK, I doubt that you have and, truth be told, neither had I until tonight. However, with this being Friday the 13th, there would be black magic and consequent knowledge enhancement at work. Where was I or, more correctly, where should I be? Man don’t need no sat-nav to answer that one.
Basement in the 13th Note time again. A band called Fat Janitor on stage. European post rock triumphalism was their game. Clearly. Though big on endings, this local band did sometimes seem to get lost on their way their destination but their determination to escape the accusation of being instrumental indie on a trajectory to Scandinavian melodic metal was noted. Favourably.
Oh, those monitors and the concept of alternative usage. Miss The Occupier’s ever eyecatching singer divested herself of her killer heels and placed them atop one of those very monitors for safe keeping. Speakers and shoe storage all in one – why had no one thought of that before? Musically, Miss The Occupier fought a valiant battle against a diffident sound guy to get their songs across and, three songs from the end of their set, they finally got to hit their post punk groove and hit it well.
Last on were Swedish band From Our Hearts. Maybe we only get the best bands from other countries but, yet again, I have to observe that the standard of musicianship was simply so much higher than you get from your average Glasgow band. Using their drummer as more than a breathing metronome marked this band out as something special while Sara Jansson’s voice was the sugar coating on a cupcake made of melodic pop and post punk wholesomeness and, during “Sunn 636”, I began to believe in the power of magic again.
Anyway, I also have a magic watch. No matter what time it actually is, there is always time for one for the road…