Monday 5 July 2010

Commercial Alternative: All day alternative music fest at Mono


Great day, poorly attended (I'm assuming) due to crappy weather, but to be honest, c'mon Glasgow! It was an indoor festival!

My personal highlights were Remember Remember and The 1990's, as they were so bloody tight - Remember Remember had the most amount of folk I've seen in it yet, was bordering on epic, and was great to meet Graeme's Mum who was the most vibrant one in the crowd - go Margaret! I can definitely see RR headlining a main stage somewhere. Top class.

Was the second time I've seen The 1990s live, and I really want to see them again. They just blast energy off the stage and they just meld together so well. Great songs, music, musicianship, presence and engagement with the audience. Bloody brilliant. When oh when will they play the UK again?

Great to discover Astral Planes, and finally hear/see Girls Names, Golden Grrrls, and Peter Parker. (Numpty that I am I completely didn't recognise Roz from Peter Parker who also plays in Miss The Occupier. Different hair, though I had my sneaking suspicions it was the same girl from photos of PP I'd previously looked up! Twat-head strikes again.) Peter Parker snarl out a sexy fifties rock/punk flavour, delivered in tattoos, scratches and pouts. Like it, a lot.
Astral Planes was also sexy and snarly reminding me a bit of Chrissy Hind, Patty Smith and The Kills. Girls Names produced really creative and mesmerising sounds and songs - Beautiful!
Golden Grrrls I've been meaning to see for a while now, with their drummer Eilidh who is great and has been with other bands I've meant to see but never managed. Looking forward to where they head with this.

In all, it was a quality line-up and I would definitely see them all again. If I hadn't been experiencing the mother of all stomach cramps and wanting to vomit for the latter half of the night, it probably would have been one of my best days in the year, especially if I hadn't retired at the end of the night and gone home. I mean seriously, what a lame-ass.

Mono is most definitely one of the top three magnetic poles for experiencing GREAT music in Glasgow if not the UK. The building doesn't provide the best accoustics, but for the consistently great gigs that play there, the fantastic music shop, expos, food, top class beer as well as their own home-made ginger beer, best drinking sun-trap courtyard and the relaxed atmosphere, you really can't beat it.

(Drawings will come)

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