Niall Connolly and The Album Club at The Glad Cafe review Pat Byrne

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Niall Connolly and The Album Club at The Glad Cafe review Pat Byrne

What a treat – a Saturday afternoon gig at The Glad Cafe. with Niall Connolly. Jim and I first saw Niall perform back in 2011 in New York City and again in Glasgow at The Dram in 2016.

the album club and niall connolly

This time we caught him in Glasgow at the start of his UK and Europe Tour 2026 – I really like The Glad Cafe and this definitely counts among the gigs I have most enjoyed there. The gig opened with The Album Club, an alternative rock and indie-pop collective from Glasgow, featuring Rhona Dougall, Douglas Maxwell and Adrian Osmond. The band grew out of a collective of friends and music enthusiasts who met in The Laurieston pub in Glasgow’s South Side to dissect and discuss albums. These accomplished musicians should definitely perform live more often.

niall connolly

Niall Connolly

Niall, Cork born but living in Brooklyn, is a true entertainer. A talented songwriter with a lovely voice, he’s also kissed the blarney stone and effortlessly engages with his audience. At The Glad Cafe he immediately drew the audience in by first performing sitting at the piano in the corner of the room, playing quietly with his back to the audience before taking to the stage.

Often described as a songwriter’s songwriter – his performance has been described by John Platt, Fordam University Radio, New York (WFUV) as “A masterclass in songwriting and performance”. A combination of talent, sincerity and a unique ability to connect underpins Niall’s approach.

He has no trouble making you feel something of what he feels about the world –expressed perfectly in ‘I Wish There Was A Way‘ we could be nice to each other again…. ‘We Don’t have To Talk About It‘ captures the importance of friendship and the need to let people around you know you are there for them. It’s not too often songs at a gig give you a bit of a shake and make you pause for thought.

Still there was much more than angst in Niall’s performance and considerable audience participation. He is full of humour and in typical Irish fashion not a bit scared of taking a hand at himself. Neither does he shy away from mixing music and politics. ‘A Song For James Connolly‘ is an exceptionally beautiful and touching song about the Scots born Irish republican and trade union leader, who was executed for his role in the 1916 Easter Rising. Niall is a great storyteller and we were entertained by his account of how James Connolly’s great-grandson enjoyed the song at a gig and bought one of Niall’s albums, which sadly did not include the song.

One song I particularly liked was ‘It’s Your Birthday Tomorrow’ – it has wonderful lyrics full of longing and emotion. He performed this near the end of the gig but Niall has a very steady grasp on how to put on a show and the gig ended on a joyous note when The Album Club joined him back on the stage to round off a great afternoon of fine music.

I really hope we’ll see Niall back in Glasgow before too long.

You can catch him tomorrow night, Sunday 20th September, 2026: Nicky-Tams Bar Stirling

Pat Byrne, 19 September, 2026