Live Reviews


  Futuristic Retro Champions, The Cinnamons, Feature86 and Suspire live at The Admiral Bar in Glasgow



Running late again. You'd think that, after all this time, I'd remember where all the venues in Glasgow are located. I thought The Admiral was somewhere near a car park but there are many car parks and they all look the same. It has, of course, started raining.

Better late than never. That's how the saying goes. Having only caught the last two songs of their set, Suspire sound like they should fall into the indie rock genre only they sound a just little too dirty to keep company with the moody haircut brigade. I might only have got a snack tonight but, even so, I'd come back for a meal.

Feature86 are on next. There has always been pure rock music in Glasgow and Feature86 are a pure rock band. Power chords? Check. Pounding drums? Check. Throbbing bass? Check. Posturing lead singer? Check. No artificial colours, flavours or preservatives? Check. They might not ever be fashionable but they aren't faking it.

Then it was time for The Cinnamons. The singer takes his shoes off. Red painted fingernails dance over the keyboards. Catchy melodies fill the room forced outward by that driving, compulsive beat. "Analog Man" is the song that doesn't know when to give up. You know it will follow you home. Electro pop meets indie rock but it works. It kind of made me wish I hadn't thrown out all those old A Flock of Seagulls LPs. What am I saying? I don't throw anything out.

The electro pop gets purer as Futuristic Retro Champions entice the audience closer to the stage. They're light and fluffy and really quite endearing. They're cute to the point of cheesiness and you just know that they will jump into silver spandex jumpsuits as soon as fame and fortune beckons. The songs shine though. "You Make My Heart" is so eighties that you will feel an overwhelming urge for an unfortunate encounter with hair gel. As for "Jenna", it's so damnably catchy that you'll be singing it all the way to the chip shop. Even in the rain.

Half heard conversations. Did you sleep with him? The brunette is curious. The blonde with the unfeasible bosoms isn't sure. It's life, Jimmy, but not as we know it.



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