Glasser @ The Captain’s Rest 20/2/11 + interview

Cameron Mesirow aka Glasser has been getting nothing but praise since her debut LP, Ring, came out in September. From before the album’s release she had been getting comparisons with a whole range of enviously talented female artists and since being thrown in at the deep end, supporting The xx on their UK tour as her first tour outside of California, she has done nothing but thrive.

Tonight she visits Glasgow for the first time on her own headline European tour and the prospect of a hot and sweaty Rest tonight has most people appetites wet.

The somewhat bizarre image of Glasser’s three-piece band emerging on stage in matching boiler suits is only topped when Mesirow takes the stage herself in rather kooky stage attire complete with helmet like headwear and garnished with pompoms.

The dress is eye catching to say the least but it is what has brought the crowd along tonight, it is the material from Ring, which gets full airing tonight. The almost tribal sounding, double drummer attack on album standout ‘Apply’ gets the set going and from then on Mesirow and co. look set to cruise.

Mesirow’s quirky almost trance driven dances fluctuate between instrumental sections only for her to regain focus from nowhere to fill the room with her angelic voice. Mesirow bobs, ducks and sways around the stage, amid glitchy synth croaks giving the occasional yelp drawing attention but it’s always a pleasant surprise when she draws back into her mesmorising vocals.

There is a touch of nerves kicking about this evening, the delicate beauty of the songs seems to have the crowd pushed a step away from the stage, almost as if they fear they might break it. This doesn’t seem to worry Mesirow as she banters about her grandfather being from Glasgow adding, “everybody thinks I’m Irish” before going into the delightful ode to her best friend, ‘T’.

Tracks like ‘Home’, ‘Glad’, ‘Tremel’ and ‘Mirrorage’ finish off the rest of the set each emphasising the talent Merisow has in putting together mystical elctropop gems.

As Merisow shyly reemerges, minus headwear, she explains she never intended to do an encores on this tour, stating they’ve played the whole album which receives a heckle of “play it again” that she giggles off before gaining composure.

She explains she is going to do an a’cappella performance of a folk song called ‘Let No Man Steal You Time’, which receives another shout of “can I steal you time?” which receives a blunt “no”. The song itself goes some way to justify that “no”, as the haunting splendor of her vocals silences the whole room, leaving everyone expects Mesirow herself breathless.

Before the show tonight we had caught up with the genius behind Glasser, Cameron Mesirow, to talk about the tour and what she thinks about all the comparisons and praise she has been getting.

Q: This is your first headline tour in Europe, how has it been so far?
A: The shows so far have been ok, I’m not going to rave about them but it’s been a pretty good tour in terms of how we’re all feeling. Hopefully Glasgow will show up those down in England, it seems like a good crowd down there already.

Q: This is your first time in Glasgow, have you had a chance to see much of Glasgow while you’ve been here?
A: Not really, we took a little walk to Òran Mór and tried a few different whiskeys’, we were told that is what they are famous for, that’s all we’ve seen just the walk from here to there. I’m kind of excited to be here anyway, my grandfather came from here, he wasn’t a performer like my parents but his name was Cameron like me.

Q: Could you give us a description of your sound for anyone unfamiliar with it?
A: It sounds just like The Rolling Stones basically! (laughs) No it’s really hard to know how to classify, it’s electronic music that doesn’t sound like electronic music.

Q: There have been a lot of comparisons being banded about with a lot of varying different female artists, what do you make of this?
A: I think what stands out the most is that the comparisons are female, I doesn’t seem to matter what the music is like as long as there’s a female vocalist

Q: How have you reacted about the across the board positive reviews Ring has been getting?
A: I have barely seen a review myself I try not to read too much about it.

Q: How did you enjoy making the album?
A: I think with anything you’ve wanted to do for a long time and feel intimidated about doing there’s a lot of brow beating and questioning, if you’re doing a good thing or not. I can’t say it was the happiest experience that I just skipped though but I do feel good about it.

Q: You’re playing Primavera in the May, the line up looks amazing, anyone you fancy seeing while you’re there?
A: I’m really curious to see Pulp, is Suicide playing? I think Suicide are playing and I’m really excited to see Echo and the Bunnymen, I think they’re playing Ocean Rain, which is my favourite.

Q: What sort of stuff do you listen to while you’re on tour?
A: We listen to all kinds of things in the van, today we listened to Micachu and the Shapes who I’d never heard before, Sam Cooke, Lil Wayne, some techno from Berlin, D’Angelo so lots of different stuff.

Q: Finally, are you going to get out in Glasgow after the show?
A: I can’t go out because I’ll loose my voice, I have to go home all the time after the shows, I’m trying to be a professional.

Photo: Stewart Fullerton

Twin Shadow @ Captain’s Rest 27/1/11

It’s rare you see someone appear as laid back as support act Chad Valley, last time he played in Glasgow he played to next to no one now he’s at a sold out Rest, so it’s a pleasant change for him, nice to see he’s put in the effort.

Banter flies comfortably back and forth exchanging comments surrounding his appearance in the Guardian, the G2 crossword being good and Sudoku not being cool, only to find Joe Strummer died while reading the Guardian and having to dedicate a song.

The music doesn’t let down either as his beautiful take on chillwave sets toes a tapping from the off. Dabbling through his sound experiments, throwing in a touch of disco here and there he provides a delightful start to the night.

Still, it is Twin Shadow people are here to see and the Dominican born artist, full band in tough, in not going to let down. George Lewis Jr., who adopted the persona Twin Shadow following a move to New York, exudes charm telling the crowd they are “exceptionally good looking” can’t go really go badly.

Twin Shadow has been receiving nothing but praise since last year’s debut, Forget. The album breaks down genres confidently and borrows brilliantly from a selection of different movements it’s easy to see why the show sold out way in advance tonight.

Early highlights like ‘Tyrant Destroyer’ capture the audience to perfection as Lewis and co. drag a packed Rest along for a new wave tinged ride as they take the record up a notch and unleash it on the crowd almost forcing everyone to get their dancing shoes on.

“What do they put in the water in Glasgow that they don’t in Manchester?” Lewis questions as he watches his captivated crowd, he even has the confidence to quip: “You have that here too? Annoying guy at the front” taunting a somewhat over eager fan.

‘Castles in the Snow’ is arguably the highlight of the night as he takes one of the most emotionally touching songs on the album and brings it into this upbeat live environment perfectly.

Lewis apologises for having no time to hang out after the show and as the encore approaches they come to the dilemma of leaving the stage. Lewis states: “I’m not going to lie to you, it’s physically difficult to leave the stage, emotionally yes! Physically no!”

They finish off the set with ‘Slow’ and ‘Tether Beat’ tying together an attention grabbing set that really hits the floor running for the new decade, leaving the crowd in the mood for some more dancing, whether they’ll find anything that matches this is very doubtful.

Photo: Euan Robertson

The Walkmen @ Oran Mor 19/1/11

The Walkmen are now into their second decade as a band and after years of consistently quality releases they are finally getting the spotlight they have earned. Tonight they play a packed Oran Mor in this Celtic Connections showcase, and although they don’t really fit in the traditional mould for the festival not one person is complaining.

Support this evening comes from Glasgow’s own Laki Mera, who performs a charming set of indie electronica that easily caught the ears of a few new fans tonight.

Tennessee’s Mona is some thing different altogether, the classic rock four piece has been hyped ridiculously at the start of this year. On first impressions they clearly think they’re better than they are and that impression sadly doesn’t let up.

They give that ‘we want to be stadium rockers’ vibe and I’m sure would be more at home supporting Bon Jovi, as they try to encourage the crowd to sing-along it becomes all too cringe worthy for my liking so I have to wander off.

Looking around the crowd tonight it’s clearly not cool to like The Walkmen, there’s not a scenster in sight instead a more mature audience fills the venue, surely a positive impression on the quality of the band if anything.

From the second the band hit into oldie ‘Everyone Who Pretended To Like Me Is Gone’ heads start a nodding and they pretty much don’t stop the entire set. Frontman Hamilton Leithauser snarls into the mike with entrancingly heartfelt enthusiasm throughout the early point of the set, which includes ‘In The New Year’ and newbie ‘Angela Surf City’.

Leithauser’s electrifying presence is easily the most enticing thing about The Walkmen’s live show, as you feel he means every word he sings. Announcing they are going to sing a song about a Harlem street where they all stayed together the set takes a more chilled turn, ‘138th Street’ is followed by arguably new album standout ‘Blue As Your Blood’.

‘Victory’ sees the pace boosted again, before Leithauser tells us a girl had told him “this place is very good for sex/drugs parties”, Oran Mor doesn’t seem the likely place but a guy in the crowd replies “some room in back” keeping up the illusion.

‘Juveniles’ closes the set before the band reemerge to perform a rip roaring rendition of possibly their most well known song ‘The Rat’ and ending on the heartfelt bliss of ‘We’ve Been Had’.

The Walkmen may not be the most euphoric live experience but they have that charm that has seem them build a loyal fanbase over the last decade and now, after all their consistency, they are just starting to see the fruits of their labour.

Photo: Ingrid Mur

Saint Etienne @ ABC 16/12/10

It was 20 years ago the Saint Etienne first gave us their brand alternative dance pop, 1991’s Foxbase Alpha may not have been their most successful on release but now there is no doubt about its status as their best, a fact this is clear from tonight’s setlist.

However, there is time for Swedish trio The Radio Dept. to woo an, at the time, sparse audience with some chilled out dream pop. TRD have been going nearly as long as tonight’s headliners and despite not gaining as much commercial coverage they have received much critical acclaim perhaps no more so than with latest album Clinging to a Scheme.

Tracks like ‘Heaven’s on Fire’ and ‘Never Follow Suit’ form highlights of a beautiful yet short set, and as the band leave a fuzz filled stage one by one you can’t help but hope they return to play a headline slot in the near future.

Tonight though is about Saint Etienne, and the trio originating from Croydon don’t let down. Sarah Cracknell and co may not have the youth they once had but there is no argument that their songs are still relevant today, so much so that Girls Aloud could easily release these tracks and no one would bat an eyelid.

They open up with the disco driven ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ before a projection of wonderfully fun looking scenes from the ‘60s. The electro beats of ‘Burnt Out Car’ keep the constant pop bliss oozing until Foxbase Alpha tracks kick in with the captivating ‘Spring’, which was remixed brilliant by Air France earlier this year.

Christmas fever has certainly hit Saint Etienne this year. The release of album A Glimpse of Stocking, a selection of festive merch and Cracknell’s constant chats of the season shows excitement is clearly apparent. It appears now Cracknell has two young children the Christmas period is just as exciting for her as no doubt it is for her children.

The band’s first single, Neil Young cover ‘Only Love Can Break Your Love Heart’ proves the set highlight, as the former dance chart no.1 sets toes a tapping and demonstrates why Saint Etienne were equally as important in the dance movement as they were in the sugar coated, C86 pop scene.

After a couple of encore’s including another dance chart no.1 in ‘Nothing Can Stop Us Now’ and a wee Christmas ditsy in keeping in the theme, the band call it an evening. A surprisingly early finish isn’t met with much disdain as Saint Etienne prove once again they and their music can capture an audience just as it did a couple of decades ago.

Photo: Stewart Fullerton

The Yummy Fur @ Stereo 15/12/10

“Never playing this city again, it’s the new Edinburgh” John McKeown quips after reemerging for an unexpected encore. Strangely enough his statement may be correct, albeit not for the lack of cheering for an encore, but because this is to be the last ever Yummy Fur gig, whether we believe this or not is questionable.

The Yummy Fur reformed to much excitement in the Glasgow scene back in late 2009/early 2010, a sold out Sleazy’s gig was followed by trips to London and a first ever visit to the States.

Now, less than a year on the clock they have decide to retire the band again, not that McKeown or indeed Paul Thomson, whose quiff tonight is phenomenal, will become strangers with duties in 1990s, Correcto and of course Franz Ferdinand to tend to.

The show at Sleazy’s was an undoubted success however tonight has disappointingly undersold but this does not stop the boys putting on a top show. The set is as close as you could get to a best of The Yummy Fur set and tops the previous show in that respect despite the crowd not being quite as cosy.

Tonight is clearly on to please a hometown audience, the band seem unprepared as cues get confused and after attempting to start ‘Deathclub’ for the fourth time McKeown quips “I knew six hours practice was too much”. Nonetheless the set is thoroughly entertaining if it is more for its content than its preparation.

The highlights of the set come in tracks that a Glasgow crowd hadn’t heard in over ten years; tracks like dark tinged ‘Canadian Flag’ and the electronic brilliance of ‘Shoot the Ridiculant’ really capture those assembled. And as the band demerge for their encore to play the snarly sing-along ‘Policeman’ and oldie ‘Chinese Bookie’ everyone is left more than satisfied.

The Yummy Fur don’t need to do much to prove their worth within the Glasgow scene, you just have to look at their collective CV’s. Still whether this will be the last we see of them is questionable, and with the projected remaster and release of their discography in the new year potentially giving them a new set of fans, we may not and hope not to have seen the last of them.

The National @ Glasgow Academy 26/11/10

If New York based Matthew Houck, aka Phosphorescent, is still building a name for himself in the UK then some seven years into his career under this alias he has got his break.

Anyone would be mad to turn down a support slot with the hottest US indie rock band to emerge in recent years, and while he and his four-piece band don’t quite have the same presence of the headliners they do more than justice for themselves.

Houck and co. are not set back at all by the massive crowd assembled to see The National and the audience in turn are comforted by the band’s ease. Houck clad in leather jacket and baseball cap looks remarkably relaxed in his groove as the rest of the band plough through some delightful alt-country.

New album, Here’s to Taking it Easy stand out ‘The Mermaid Parade’ brings their set to a rousing ending, surely capturing a few hundred new fans in the process. Look out for a headline show in the near future, as Houck and co. are hitting their stride some five albums into their career.

To say anyone here is not here to see The National would be a huge misconception the band have surpassed pretty much all their contemporaries and latest album High Violet’s No.5 charting just goes to show the attention they are receiving, not to mention the Academy was sold out months in advance.

Appearing in front a haunting black and white backdrop the band start up with the beautifully arranged, melodic ‘Runaway’ which gives the crowd their first taste of the powerful, heartfelt vocals of remarkably dapper dressed frontman Matt Berninger, who remains the main focal point for the rest of the set.

It is difficult to pick an early stand out, each and every track flows perfectly and injects something into as near a perfect indie rock show you will see. ‘Bloodbuzz Ohio’ sees the crowd swooning into a mass sing-along with every lyric lapped up while the slow building heartfelt anthem ‘Afraid of Everyone’ sees Berninger atop a pedestal screaming ”I don’t have the drugs to sort it out”.

The band aren’t afraid to chat to crowd either as they tell tales of their greatest low point when they stayed at the Glasgow Euro Hostel quickly followed by Berninger screaming “I’m evil” at the top of his lungs during a passionate performance of ‘Conversation 16’.

Despite the new album heavy set it is ‘Mr. November’ from 2005’s Alligator gains one of the most rousing receptions from the crowd and indeed from the band. Berninger launches himself into the crowd, ending up as far back as the sound desk shouting “I wont fuck us over I’m Mr. November” and still returning to the stage for more.

‘Terrible Love’ sees Berninger standing wonderfully profound above the crowd before the band bring the crowd down to a calm soothing sway with oldie ‘About Today’ that ends in a massive crescendo of pure euphoric sound.

As the band explain they are going to do something that they have only tried a few times, and most of those times it hasn’t worked, you can’t help but think “don’t ruin it” but also have that sheer optimistic feeling that at perfect shows like this nothing can possibly fail.

And it doesn’t fail better yet it proves the highlight of the night, as the entire band collect centre stage and take on a completly acoustic performance of ‘Vanderlyle Crybaby’. Berninger looks in his element as leads the crowd in a mass tearjerking sing-along climaxing in enthusiastic chants of “I’ll explain it all to the geeks”.

There isn’t really much more that needs to be said about The National, they fully deserve every ounce of praise and popularity they are receiving. Tonight is all the evidence needed to pin point an exact reason why they are fast becoming the world’s biggest indie rock band.

Gruff Rhys @ Vic Bar Art School Glasgow 23/11/10

Super Furry’s frontman Gruff Rhys takes to the stage at the Art School tonight to a crowd packed full of dedicated SFA fans. The Welsh singer looks perfectly at home a he perches on the front of the stage sporting a jumper and bobble hat behind an array instruments.

Downstairs at the Vic bar isn’t the best venue for a gig, with upstairs more suited to shows with larger audiences with its elevated stage, however everyone is in high spirits to see what for many is their personal musical icon.

Rhys announces casually that the set is going to “start miserable and get less miserable” and he isn’t exaggerating, the set is pretty much downbeat all the way through. Still despite the misery in the content there is no feeling of sadness detected in the crowd.

The singer lifts the majority of his material from his solo work with tracks from upcoming release Hotel Shampoo. Many Welsh language tracks, from 2005’s Yr Atal Genhedlaeth appear, which despite not being understood don’t fail to charm his adoring audience.

The main noticeable absence comes in the form of 2007 single ‘Candylion’, probably down to the lack of a female singer to accompany the track. Still we aren’t short of a duet as Rhys is joined on stage by support H. Hawkline for an encore.

Standout track of the night comes in the form of new album lead single ‘Shark Ridden Waters’ which ups the tempo for a short while towards the end of the set.

Still despite the majority of the set being downtempo the Welshman’s charm leaks through. His refreshing banter could win over any crowd, during the set he comments, “it’s a cold, cold night” but it’s a night that everyone would happily bare to see there him.

Photo: Stuart Westwood