Glasvegas Returns to Seattle - Concert Review

Rock band Glasvegas returned to Seattle Monday night for their second show in the city in the past three months. I've been keenly interested in this Glasgow, Scotland-based band for about a year - starting with their first single "Geraldine" and through the release of their first album, Glasvegas last fall. My review of the CD is here.

My above average attraction to this group is a direct result of their ability to write articulate, realistic and heart wrenching lyrics backed with a powerful sound that I feel is quite different, if not unique, in today's rock scene. I mean, who sings songs about social workers, the possibility of getting stabbed, the realization of one's "own cheating heart" being the problem in life, the loss of a father, the murder of a loved one, the beauty and purity of an ice cream van in our all too "F-ed up" world?
(Below: Glasvegas on stage at Nuemo's)

Nobody but Glasvegas. And who in today's scene is hip enough to have lyrics like that paired with music that rocks and much as it wails, rolls as much as it soars, and drives as much as it touches? Nobody but Glasvegas.

You are moved by these songs. At least in my opinion.

Which is why I gathered up some buddies and went to see their performance last January at Chop Suey in Seattle. My review of that gig is here.

Based on what we heard and saw at that concert, as well as meeting the band afterwards at a bar, I decided I wanted to see them when they around again - which luckily happened to be this past Monday at Neumo's in Seattle's Capital Hill neighborhood. Along for the ride this time were my buddies Sean and Levi. A set of pictures I took during the show are here.

Opening Act
As we drifted into Neumo's, the sounds of opening band Von Iva could be heard throbbing through the hallway. I have to say that this band was a pleasant surprise.

A three-woman outfit out of San Francisco, Von Iva features a singer who can really belt out bluesy-style rock - along with a powerful, hard-hitting drummer and a keyboardist who doubles as "guitar" and "bass" (among other instruments) by laying down thick, heavy and aggressive lines of thud/buzz sound. Sounds like a racket, right? Not so. Very cool and good to see a unconventional lineup. Anyway, the band impressed our little crew and I'd recommend checking them out live or on iTunes. (Right: Von Iva opens the show)
Questions Take Shape
After Von Iva wrapped up its set - and after talking to their lead singer for a moment - a few questions about Glasvegas began to form in my mind. Would a group that's been on the road non-stop for months put forth a genuine and compelling effort as they neared the end of their tour? Would singer James Allan's voice sound OK given how many shows he's performed so closely together? Would they perform and encore - something they glaringly omitted at their Chop Suey gig? Would we hear any new material?

The Crowd
At this point I also assessed the crowd. I estimate that on this Monday night, the club clocked in at about 80% full as there appeared to be empty space at the back of the main room while the rest of the floor and balcony were full up. In terms of who attended, it was about 70% guys, about 95% white and varying in age. I was impressed that a few men and women certainly older than my 39 years were plastered right up against the stage. I salute them and hope that I'm as hip in 10 to 15 years. Meanwhile, the youngins were in the house too. As I turned from the bar after buying my crew a round, a kid (to me a 21 year old is a kid) knocked into my arm and spilled a bit of one drink. He looked at me and said, "I'm sorry sir." Well, that made it official. I'm old. But, not too old to have a good time.

The Main Event
Recharged with a fresh beer and back in place near the stage, I watched as the lights dimmed again and a faint set of notes could be heard and then rose into a melodic noise as the band came on stage to cheers.

They quickly launched into their single, Geraldine. After that it was a steady run-through of most of the songs from their debut album, plus a couple off their Christmas-time CD, A Snowflake Fell (And It Felt Like a Kiss). Beyond Geraldine, the set included fan favorites Flowers & Football Tops, Daddy's Gone, Go Square Go, It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry and others. The PA system sounded right on the money. I've seen shows at Neumo's at which the mix proved horrible - making it hard to hear the singer or overpowering you with one instrument or another. Not so with this gig...and no ringing ears afterwards. I also thought the light show added to the ambiance, although the fake fog might have been a tad overdone.(Above: Glasvegas on stage at Neumo's in Seattle)

Questions Answered
So, how did the band do? Could they answer my questions through their performance?
In my estimation, Allan and Glasvegas performed each of their songs with decent yet not spectacular energy. Allan's voice sounded fine as he modulated between smoothly delivered verses and throat straining choruses. Meanwhile, guitarist Rab Allan put in the effort as he spun around, moved about the stage raising his guitar high and dropping it low all the while. The other two band members delivered solid if not overy flashy performances.

Also, James Allan was a bit more interactive with the crowd than he was at the January show when he mustered maybe one "thank you" at the end. While you'll never mistake him for a stage-front chatterbox, after shedding his leather jacket about a third of the way through Monday's gig he did thank the crowd several times. At the end of the show he made a point to shake hands with each guy within reach of the front of the stage and delivered polite kisses to the hands of the women.(Right: James Allan belts one out at Nuemo's in Seattle)

We did not hear any new material this time. While songs such as Fuck You It's Over (yep, that's the name of the song and it says it all), Ice Cream Van and Please Come Home made the set, those are previously released songs. So, nothing new - despite that I hear the band is working on songs for a follow up album.

The band did come back on for an encore. This was a glaring omission at their January show and it was good that after a few minutes of fans stomping feet and clapping that Glasvegas came back on stage to perform a few more songs - topped by Daddy's Gone. While I know there are other songs they could have performed, I think building in an encore section of their show proved a smart move and left the crowd pleased and wanting more.

Criticism
Not much from me, although the "arts editor" over at the Seattle Fine Arts Examiner was not too impressed with either Von Iva or Glasvegas. This just shows you that two people can see the exact same show and come to different conclusions. It happens. Usually the difference lies in what the expectations are. At any rate, I'll stake my observations on having seen Glasvegas twice within three months, meeting each member in person and the ability to compare and contrast their style with the many other good and poor rock performances I've seen in person going back to the mid-1980s.
Anyway, for me, I like a band that interacts a bit more with the audience - it just helps make more of a connection and adds to the experience. Given the subjects Glasvegas sings about, you might think they would say some more about the songs. It also might endear them more to fans over the long haul. As nice and approachable as the members of Glasvegas are in person, their on-stage personas don't seem to lend themselves to much interaction during the gig. This is a band on the way up, so their approach may be on purpose to create some sort of image, or it could just be honest shyness or personality. All this is not too big a deal to me. I've been to a lot of shows and seen all different types of performers. I realize that just because I want the band to talk to the crowd means they will.

The Big Sum Up
This was a good show - up and coming band, small venue, close to stage, quality sound, good support band, $20. What's not to like? Our three-man party had a great time. I'll continue to follow Glasvegas and check out their next offering. But, that might not be for a while as they are the opening band for U2 at a number of shows this summer. At any rate, you can currently get their CDs on iTunes and Amazon if you haven't heard them yet. And finally, if they ever come to Seattle again, I'll be looking for Glasvegas to up their game even more with some new songs, more interaction with he crowd and...who knows what else.

Glasvegas Release Album - It's Good. Real Good.

The band Glasvegas have finally released their debut album - self titled Glasvegas.

As you may have read from previous posts, I'm real high on this Scottish group as generating raw, passionate, well constructed and meaningful rock and roll in a day and age of samples, sugar pop, fluff and DJs. Sure enough, the album debuted at the top of the UK charts upon release.

With their initial set, the Glasgow-based band puts forth a complete document. It's a record you can listen to from beginning to end. Rock rave ups, slow epics and mid-paced tunes - the album has it all. Many of the songs here were also released in a very limited vinyl run in the UK earlier this year, and the versions here are slightly different. Equally good, but just slightly richer on the new album.

Cover art above. (Artwork created by Glasvegas.)

The group's sound is a a fresh and intriguing mix of Phil Spector "wall of sound," rock, do-wop, Clash-style passion, Jesus & Mary Chain ambiance and Scottish folk. And that would be enough to take note, but on top of that the band's leader, James Allen, pens and delivers lyrics in a Scottish accent that tell stories that for the most part you haven't heard before in song - tales of social workers, murder victims, fatherless homes, liars coming to grips with their life and more. This is another element of creating great rock music in my mind - writing about what affects you, what you see in your life and what you have to say about it.

Joining Allen in the lineup are Rab Allen on lead guitar, Paul Donoghue on bass and Caroline McKay on drums.

(Picture above right NOT taken by me.)

Without further ado, here is a track-by-track review for your consideration:

1. Flowers and Football Tops - A song about a parent who has lost his or her son. While the lyric doesn't say if it's violence 0r an accident, what's clear is the parent is destroyed by this death. The title of the tune references beautiful and fun things that don't matter any more now that the son is gone. "No sweeping exits, no Hollywood endings, flowers and football tops don't mean a thing." A sad subject to be sure, but on the other hand the music is propelling and James Allen's delivery very convincing. All in all, a song that tugs at the heartstrings.
2. Geraldine - The first single from the album, and perhaps the best song of them all. See my review here. You can also hear the song and see the video at the band's site here. Just click on the "Glasvegas Media Player" on the left side of the site.
   
3. It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry - This song centers on the guilt felt by a deeply insecure person who has covered up for these shortcomings with a life full of lying and cheating. Finally, he is now seeing for the first time the hurt he has caused others and himself. Swept up in an epic and melodic tune, the singer admits a series of sins in the first part of the song. Then, all of a sudden the moment of reckoning comes - "where the outcome unfurls and the truth is being told." This is the singer looking his dishonesty and guilt straight in the face - the "grand finale and crescendo of demise" where, as the music builds to a dramatic peak, he ultimately exalts that it's his "own cheating heart that makes" him cry.
4. Lonesome Swan - This a straight forward "don't get yourself too down little girl, tomorrow's gonna be fine" song that, while sporting a compelling and moving tune, doesn't particularly rate among the album's best. But, having said that, it's still a very listenable tune and a good bridge between the previous and next track.
5. Go Square Go - This is a song about standing up to bullies. In this one, Allen articulates the words a son is hearing from his Dad as he tells his "square" boy to stand up and fight those who are pushing him around. And Dad ain't taking no for an answer. "Don't you make me come down to the pub with all my mates knowing some individual smashed you up." At the end, the square speaks for himself and agrees his "dad is right" and that "this bullying has got to stop tonight." In that last line, one wonders if the square is saying he wants to go after his father the bully just as much as anyone else.
6. Polmont On My Mind - This song is about a man in jail thinking about his situation in life and his regrets. Building from a slow start the song reaches critical mass in the latter third for a powerful ending.
7. Daddy's Gone - The second single from this album. See my review here. You can also hear the song and see the video here.
8. Stabbed - While you gotta love a song that takes on the subject of the inevitability of getting stabbed in Glasgow (apparently quite a problem there), this one is a little out of place given the that the lyrics are a bit spotty and the dirge of a tune tires a little by halfway through. A previous version of this song was radically different - a musical rocker. I like that version better.
9. S.A.D. Light - It's a winter landscape in this song...both musically and lyrically...as the heavy hearted protagonist wanders alone in the cold, dark night looking up at the constellations and contemplating life.
10. Ice Cream Van - A very light hearted title for a serious song about the evils of intolerance and racism. The "voice" in this one is sitting on the pavement curb of some gray, stormy city waiting for the one true and good thing he can count on in this horrible, screwed up world - the ice cream van. The call at the end for "active citizenship" and "pure community" as a storm is building on the horizon either signals hope or is a rally cry to the barricades of goodness in a hopeless situation.

It's interesting that some other great songs by this band such as Legs 'n Show, Colin the Copper, Whitey, The Prettiest Thing on Saltcoasts Beach, and a cover of Be My Baby were left off the record. Perhaps they will surface as b-sides in the future.

To summarize, I highly recommend Glasvegas. Buy it to get Geraldine, Flowers & Football Tops, Dady's Gone, It's My Own Cheating Heart and Go Square Go, and because this is what I'd call a complete album...enjoy the other five quality songs as a bonus.

If I was a music magazine I'd give it a five stars out of five rating.

Glasvegas Issue Single - You Should Listen

One of my fave new bands, Glasvegas, has come out with their first widely available single.

The song is called Geraldine, and I suggest you check it out. Their music is part rock, part do-wop, part Jesus & Mary Chain, part Phil Spector wall-of-sound...but it the case of Geraldine it adds up to a unique and passionate song, especially compared to what else is out there. Meanwhile, the lyrics take you in a different direction. As in, when was the last time you heard such a good song about a social worker?

The single is available at US and UK iTunes. Just search for "Glasvegas." It's also on Amazon as an MP3 download.

Also, some of this band's demos and previous singles (UK only and hard to get) can be found on this cool blog. Just scroll down until you find the write up on the band and a link to download Home Tapes by Glasvegas. Word is that the band will put out a full album later this year. I'll be buying.

Anyway, it's great to see in this day and age of mass produced, pre-thought-0ut pop/rock and hip-hop that at least someone out there is coming up with something fresh and compelling.

NOTE: The picture in this post was NOT taken by me.