I wanna be a barfly. When I grow up, I wanna be a barfly. No that I am going to grow up, of course. A pink drink in a glass is called a Cosmopolitan. I know that because I asked. I asked her. She's my favourite personal pronoun and she knows things. Including what's pink and goes in a glass.
But we are here for the music. It's in a good cause after all. It's for Yorkhill Hospital. They do good things there. First on is Scarlet Shift. They are a duo with basically drums and a guitar to back up the vocals and occasional harmonies. A good response is evoked from the audience but they do not stray far from the norm.
Culann strike out next. And strike out they do. Showing a confidence - and a notable degree of musical adventure - they evoke thought of bands like Radiohead and The Killers as they experiment with complexity. Not everything works but you have to admire this band's ability to drag a bundle of influences into their set without actually seeming to be a repeat. Quite impressive, really.
Spin yourself round for a moment. Metaphorically, that is. Nail Expanding Demands to your wall. They occupy a hinterland between electro pop and indie pop just like the eighties had received a forcible and masculine update. Only a bout of self indulgence derails their attempt at room domination.
It's a good cause but it has got to end sometime. Tonight it ends with The Only Jones. Showing that melodic indie pop can work well, they show a welcome degree of poise in their performance. They generate energy and pass it on to the audience and you can't really ask for more than that. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to see a stadium in their future.
Counting beers is not the sport of kings. Think the sport of kings is something else like polo. Not mints. Not a Volkswagen. Probably something to do with ponies. And a good education.