It's perhaps appropriate that Californian bluesy-rock troupe, Howlin' Rain, wound up playing in Glasgow on one of the wettest days of the year so far. Thankfully, there was nothing wet about the explosive performance from the Oakland based quintet.
Regarding the support act, I'd love to think that Ayrshire boy John B. McKenna will prove me wrong but I hear little potential in his experimental folk-pop. Cutting an isolated figure onstage, McKenna began with the "Series of Revelations - a song with lyrical worth that was lost on a largely indifferent audience - and battled right through to "Eternal See You Soon". While this young man can wax poetic, his ineffectual delivery leaves him sounding like a poor man's King Creosote and that may prove to be his downfall.
It could've been 1973 all over again as Howlin' Rain stormed through an hour-long set of vigorous psychedelic blues-rock. Fans of Comets on Fire will surely have caught on to the wonderfully infectious jam band mentality that made this performance so strong. Evoking thoughts of The Faces, the band sounded fresh off a bender with Jim Morrison having battered the Kings of Leon along the way. While a full Hammond organ was not present, the sound was closely imitated on keyboard and bore considerable worth to the band's blues maelstrom sound.
By the way, it looks like the quality of the tap beer in Sleazy's has to be called into question again. Despite this setback, a good night was had by all in attendance.