At least it isn't raining. Well, at least it's not raining much. But it is actually raining so there is legitimate cause to stop walking the streets - the doctor had said to get regular exercise - of Glasgow and seek shelter. Those super sensitive Bluesbunny ears detected a sound on the wind. The sound of the blues.
Drawn down into the seedy basement of Nice and Sleazy by this aural temptation, what would be found there? My Old Blue Terraplane for a start. They are a 4 piece band that plays the blues like they were in a bar in the south side of Chicago with plenty of that down home guitar to get to your soul. A perfect accompaniment to beer and you honestly wouldn't think they came from Glasgow.
Talking of coming from somewhere else, next on were Meat Pie. Again, they just didn't seem to behave like they were from Glasgow. Their natural home would surely be the late night clubs in New Jersey where bands play till the beer runs out or their fingers fall off. Best described as funk with a bit of jazz thrown in, this band delivered a performance - and make no mistake, it was a performance - that hit the room like a runaway train. Musically, they were spot on and they possessed great entertainment value as well, as the lead singer broke the microphone stand, tried to reassemble it (much to the amusement of the rest of the band) and then dropped the microphone anyway. Then he picked up his drink (and his microphone) and moved on to the next song. Shambolic and yet compelling, this is just the kind of band that you want to encounter when you are out on the town.
Headlining tonight were Izo Fitzroy & The Royal Bastards. Sounding urbane and civilised, they even had their own backdrop. But, as Ms Fitzroy herself remarked, following My Old Blue Terraplane and Meat Pie, would be no easy matter. Nevertheless, credit where it is due, with the able support of the two Royal Bastards, she belted out a set featuring songs with real melodies and astute lyrics. She's more Pinot Noir than bourbon and beer but she's got class. Judging by the applause, the audience recognised that too.
Given that Sleazies is still on a yellow card for the quality of its Guinness, it was time to retire to the State Bar for "one for the road".