Half the polis - that's the constabulary for you posh folk - in town are at Glasgow Cross. That's not a good omen…
Time once more for a visit to Barrowland 2, the venue with the most dismal bar in Glasgow. The reason for this visit? Beautiful By Design, Red Light Exit, The Hardlines and Sweet Williams Ghost for there is a review to be written.
Beautiful By Design are on first. They fit very snugly into the indie pop genre. So snugly in fact, that they could well be regarded as the perfect example of this much maligned genre. Despite the best efforts of lead singer Steve to incite a reaction from the audience, it's clear that the mainstream is not where it is at tonight.
The Hardlines again suffer from the lack of audience reaction. They also suffered from a certain lack of adventure sticking too close to the safe ground of the Oasis clone. That's a shame as the musical ability is certainly there with the bass player showing what clearly was class. If this band concentrated on their individuality and on what makes them special then they could well have a prosperous future.
Red Light Exit were something of a curiosity. For a band playing so determinedly in the indie pop genre, they seemed unconvinced of their own abilities. The catchy songs were there but they too seemed to lack a sense of adventure making me wonder if they would ever get further than the end of their street. It would be a shame if they didn't.
Making a musical right turn were the final act, Sweet Williams Ghost. They've got a drummer in a dress (thankfully a woman) and an oblique approach to performance that would be best suited to more cultured venues in the west end. Their songs were high on atmosphere but said songs would - in best art house tradition - just die without warning. Economy was also a key word in the performance. I doubt that there were more chords on display than you would find on a Status Quo album track, for example. However, that sense of adventure lacking in the other bands was here in abundance with a surreal, laconic take on the Human League hit "Don't You Want Me" standing out. Not the best venue for this band but I'd like to see them again.
It's quarter past ten and, yes, it is all over.