The joys of the Wold Cup. You get to see England playing on the (very) big screen in the company of amateur drinkers. Looking on the bright side, you think that maybe one day you’ll get to see Scotland play in that most revered of competitions? There’s a real legacy to leave your children or grandchildren or, let’s be realistic, great grandchildren. Football, however, is not really my thing so outside Capitol for a seat in the sun I go so that the first Guinness of the day can be properly savoured. Free entertainment out there as well as a table full of inebriated (English) tourists fails to understand cultural differences in an encounter with a Glasgow beggar. The beggar looks at them with justifiable contempt and staggers off to his next mark.
Next stop is the Wise Monkey out in the West End. At least the match will be over by the time I get there. Get a beer, find a seat and watch a band. It’s a simple plan I’ve often followed and sometimes it works out well. Sometimes it doesn’t, of course, but not tonight for on stage are Suspire and Suspire are an interesting band. It would be easy for the casual observer to dismiss this band as just another indie rock pretender given the near pretentious level of shoegazing insolence shown by lead singer Paul Duffin (think you mean he has attitude? – Ed) if he were not sharing the stage with the most solid, and yet fluid, drummer and bass player pairing that you’re likely to hear in this no mean city. Even in their most conventional moments – such as “Legislate For Luck” – Suspire easily entertain your mind as well as they entertain your ears. Sunshine or Suspire. Either will bring light into your life.
The Twisted Melons were on next. I like bands named after fruit as they can count towards one of your five a day and therefore can save you from having to eat anything that grows on trees. The first thing that struck me about this band was just how polished they were. So much so that a name change to Mr Sheen would be justified and that same quality of musicianship had me thinking that they might even be Americans on tour. Tight sibling harmonies and big choruses reinforced that opinion leading to the conclusion that college radio in the good old USA would surely adopt them.
Two good bands then but there can only be one winner. I think the Twisted Melons would be a one night stand while Suspire would be the one you fell in love with, the one you stalked for a considerable period of time and the one that got the restraining order against you.