Day 6: Glasgow
Nau mai
Yesterday we played our third show of the tour in Glasgow, Scotland.
I began my day with a powerful breakfast to fuel me for the five hours I would be sitting in the back of our van. Not far from our hotel was a restaurant called Bruncho, an establishment that was steeped in the fine tradition of breakfasts containing two poached eggs but at the same time had its gaze set towards a future where a food menu is more than just a piece of paper that lists the chef’s creations. This menu was something I could participate in, an activation of the senses, a way to interact with your meal before you physically interact with your meal. When I ordered the Turkish Eggs, I had already examined this dish from every possible angle, seeing a bed of whipped garlic yoghurt contained within a large Yorkshire Pudding, poached eggs, microgreens, sumac sprinkles, chili oil, and slices of Turkish Sausage. When it arrived at the table I felt like I was reuniting with an old friend.
The weather had made some major changes overnight and there were clear blue skies to accompany us on our journey into the north. We drove along the smooth dual carriageway of the M6 motorway, passing through a countryside of lush green fields stitched together with drystone walls and decorated with sheep and wind turbines.
Stopping at the famed Tebay Services for a cuppa.
Glasgow was basking in sunlight when we crossed the River Clyde later in the afternoon and the city was celebrating. We drove along Argyle Street and found a thrumming stretch of cafes and bars spilling out onto the footpaths, enjoying the warm afternoon. Our venue was SWG3 (pronounced swedge), a repurposed warehouse building set in the old Clydesdale Galvanizers Yard, a small part of the tapestry of retired heavy industry that lines the banks of this great river.
A friendly bunch of venue workers came out to greet us and soon we were underway with the business of the day, rolling our cases up ramps of extruded aluminium to assist their journey into the building and up to the stage. What was once a large brick factory building was now a state-of-the-art large brick factory building with a PA and a very comfortable set of dressing rooms tacked onto the back. Despite the curtains hung along the walls it was a loud and echoey room and Gabe worked hard to sculpt a purity in our sound.
Gabe takes a moment to listen to the front fills (speakers that service the front few rows of the audience).
Tristan left the venue for an hour after soundcheck and came back completely enamoured with the waterfront structure he had seen.
“Tristan here, Ben has only allowed me 120 blog words in which I may express my love for Glasgow Tower.
Magnificent 127m tall buttressed beacon gracing the banks of the river Clyde. ‘The tallest fully rotating free standing structure in the world’ Guinness record. Vertical aerofoil shape, designed to face into the wind. Can rotate 360 degress on its base. Once a year, the tower is lifted up on jacks to maintain the 65cm phosphor-manganese-bronze alloy ball and cup pivot bearing.
Words low, sad stuff - original architect denounced tower before its completion because subpar build quality. Missed opening date. People stuck in lifts. Alarmingly wobbly observation deck. Closed 2010-2014, reopened three days then caught fire. Monument to science & innovation.”
Dateline opened up the show a few hours later with another powerhouse performance. Singer/guitarist Katie Everingham showed fierce determination in the way she played her instrument, refusing to let her guitar pick get in between the strings and the tattered flesh around her fingernail. About halfway through our set I looked down at an empty spot of the stage and saw a blood-spattered guitar pick, waiting to be discovered like a piece of evidence in a crime scene.
We expect great things of Glasgow crowds, and they have never failed to meet that expectation. They were respectfully rowdy and delivered some great chants. It felt like everyone in the room had a great Sunday evening.
