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Boo Hewerdine and Darden Smith at the Fallen Angels Club, Admiral Bar

(Photo by Jim Byrne)

The Fallen Angels Club in Glasgow’s Admiral Bar played host to Boo Hewerdine and Darden Smith–a night of song, wry banter and even a reading from Darden’s new book, ‘The Habit of Noticing: Using Creativity to Make a Life’. The audience was rapt.

So relaxed was the atmosphere that it could well have been two old friends sitting down at home to play their favourite songs. And the audience was clearly in on it; taking the role of family hosts – giving back an extraordinary level of warmth and love to the songwriting duo.

From the number of familiar faces I noticed, this was an audience full of songwriters – there to see one of their own – the UK’s very best. It’s not often you get to see an Ivor Novello winner so close up; Boo Hewerdine is that winner; writing ‘Patience of Angels’, a hit for the folk singer Eddie Reader.

That hit came early in the first set which gives you a sense of the quality of song that was on offer. The set was made up of the songs co-written with Darden Smith and songs from both Darden and Boo’s solo albums. Co-writes included ‘Reminds Me (a Little Of You)’, ‘Evidence’and the singalong ‘Oil On the Water’ that finished the night. From Darden we got ‘Soul Searching’ and his top 10 hit ‘Loving Arms’.

In truth there was a bit of ‘the odd couple’ about them. With Boo being the straight man to Darden’s more animated entertainer. As good a night out as you are going to get in Glasgow. Top notch songwriting and a fully rounded performance. Everyone left happy, including Boo and Darden. This was the last night of their tour.

Jim Byrne, June, 2019

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