It's the start of the month, and you know what that means. Another long month ahead, another wage packet that evaporates all too soon. However, when a band like Proud Mary comes to town, all thoughts of frugality go right out the window.
Those loveable Scuffers began the evening with a set that won the applause of every soul in the room. Honky-tonk and country music are not usually associated with Glasgow but The Scuffers look to change that. They know how to entertain. "Hope They're Here to Stay" sounds like it was stolen from some the notebook (or napkin) of some long forgotten country singer. Whether you like country music or not, when you see The Scuffers, you'll dance, you'll sing, hell, you might even cry. On the basis of this performance, this band may well be headlining at this venue in times to come.
Next up was Ronelles main man Raymond Meade. He climbed onstage with a reputation behind him, and didn't disappoint. Ronelles staples like "Ol' Horses Eyes" were met with great enthusiasm by the crowd just as Meade showed enthusiasm in his delivery. Dedicating a song to Zenit St Petersburg is perhaps not the smartest idea in the world but even the Rangers fans who booed him before "Hide and Seek" were applauding him afterwards. Halfway through the set Meade was joined by a Gretsch-sporting Rod Stewart lookalik, and from thereon in the sound was more Small Faces than Bob Dylan. A rendition of "Dead Flowers" brought an end to an assured set.
So that left Proud Mary. Sporting a depleted line-up - Greg Griffin and Tony Auton - it was nonetheless a verification of their following. As was to be expected, the duo treated fans to an array of old favourites, while throwing in a couple of new Griffin-penned songs for good measure. Auton's enthusiasm sometimes got the better of him with some of his solos sounding too outlandish but that's a small complaint to make. Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" was given the Manchester treatment, while the biggest cheer of the night came when the band, having been harassed all night to play it, sang "Mexico".
The crowd were in good voice all night and it's no less than each act deserved. Shame on any who missed The Scuffers or Raymond Meade - it's your loss, not theirs - and if you didn't know Proud Mary before the show, you will now.