Added on Sunday 14 Nov 2010
The basement of Maggie Mays isn't really comparable to Vietnam but there I was anyway pondering the long awaited release of Apocalypse Now on Blu-ray (OK, only in America but where there is a technological means, there is a way) when I was struck down by a spot of movie dialogue paraphrasing. Eyes left. Eyes right. I love the smell of DKNY in the evening. It smells like victory to me.
The music. As God was being kind to me tonight, I had missed most of the first band's set. Their name, I think, was The Hype but it might just as well have been called The Generic. All the standard indie rock influences were present and correct with nothing added and nothing taken away. If you had their music playing at full volume whilst flying up the Mekong delta in your attack chopper then, quite frankly, no one would notice.
Possessed of considerably more impact were Less Than Sober. So much more impact that the obvious conclusion was that they weren't from Glasgow. Indeed this band hail from Saltcoats - a town that is apparently a lot less fun on a Saturday than Saigon - and they stomped it up big time. Admittedly, there were a bit wooden for a fair chunk of their set but from "High Heeled Sinner" onwards their star quality shone through powered by a solid drummer (how bad are bands in Glasgow when having a drummer who can keep time is worthy of comment?) and a front man in Kristoffer McDowall who knew that he had an audience to capture and entertain. I hope they do well for the simple reason that they are a band that deserves to do well.
Back down to earth with John's Weans. OK, we are talking indie rock, and the cheeky chappie sub genre at that, so not much was expected but, even then, it would be hard to find an excuse for their shabby performance. Their songs were actually alright for the most part with the proviso that they all seemed to require more musicianship than this band were in any danger of delivering. More time in the rehearsal room might help, of course, and I happen to know a good one. It's just the other side of this minefield...
Ramping things back up again were Miscued Vein who, tonight, were launching their self titled mini LP. Purveyors of big rock songs with big sing-along choruses, they were the band that the audience had come to see tonight and they duly set about delivering what could genuinely be called the goods. Obviously well rehearsed, Miscued Vein did the tank thing and ran over all the obstacles with "Triplet of Ugly Sisters", something of a theme song for them, helping them complete the process of achieving their tactical objectives.
One final thought. Why is there a picture of John Lennon on the gent's toilet door in Maggie Mays? A feel another bout of paraphrasing coming on. All I am saying is give pish a chance, perhaps?
Reviewer: Handsome Bluesbunny
Review Date: 13 November 2010