Scotland vs. Croatia. A football match made of mediocrity and even the fine Deuchars IPA served in the State Bar could not raise the Bluesbunny's spirit. And it's raining. It is always bloody raining.
So there you have it. A Bluesbunny on the verge of depression. Walking down Sauchiehall Street in the rain. The rain. The rain. The music. The music? Those super sensitive Bluesbunny ears have detected music. There is always time for just a little more beer so veer right into Box. For some reason they make the bands perform in the window at this venue. Suppose it allows perfect strangers to answer when you ask if your bum looks big in this.
What subtle pleasures had our ears detected? It was the Ten To Five Project. There are a lot of them on small stage and despite the lack of a sound check (you don't even have to be a football fan to have your day ruined by the Scotland team) they show more than a bit of class. Kathryn Orr is petite and sweet and knows a melody when she meets one. There are quite a few of those here tonight. This is a band with a happy sound and a quirky edge to their well crafted tunes. "Little Yellow String" jumped about joyously in that vaguely camp way that French pop music used to do way back in the sixties. More up-tempo pleasures followed with "Mother's Pride" and the little minx really gets into the swing of things turning into an undercover knife wielding desperate housewife. Dammit, I think I'm in love!
Coming all the way from Ayr tonight are the next band, The Hostiles, and they are not going to be ignored. Mixing up rock and ska to impressive effect, they overcome the limitations of the sound to get the crowd's attention. Steve Bruce and Tony Adgent make a powerful contribution to this as the horn section that takes no prisoners. Add in some suitably macho guitar riffs and this band makes one hell of a party favour. Right up there with adding an extra bottle of vodka to the punch, you get the feeling that they will be welcome anywhere where the party spirit and a large dash of excess is needed. You also get the feeling that they will only stop when somebody shoots them and not before. In case you are interested, the offbeat syncopation of "Suffer in Silence" did it for us. Guaranteed to move beer over any bar, that one.
Time for the last bus and some more rain. Think I'll dream about girls in bikinis who like to play with guns tonight. Thought you'd like to know that.