ROCK & BLUES
ROCK BLUES
RIDAY 7 Glasgow
I Runrig Barrowland. 244 Gallowgate. 552 4601. SOLD OUT. Almost as inevitable as the Gary Glitter gangshow is the Runrig seasonal outing. this year coming a bit earlier. but then Christmas has been advancing into November for years now. Cans of lrn Bru aloft and tartan scarves in the air fora Yuletide Highland fling. and hope that‘s your lot till well into 1991.
IThe Fall Strathclyde University Union. 90John Street. 552 1895. 8pm. £6. Students and guests. lt‘s nearly a year since Mark E. Smith oozed sardonic charisma over Scotland. but this visit still feels long overdue. Fingers crossed for a greatest hits package tonight. since this series of Fall dates isn't promotingthe usual vinyl accompaniment. Which is strange really. because it must be at least ten minutes since the last Fall album.
I The Bridewell Taxis Videodrome. 33—39 York Street. 221 0441. 10pm. £3.50. After what seems an age without recognition. The Bridewell Taxis seem at last to be making a sizeable impact on the independent charts with their danceable guitar pop. And just to prove they‘ve not got all their eggs in one basket (marked Leeds. east of Manchester). they smother their records in warm. irresistible trumpets. giving them the enormous advantage that their songs are instantly recognisable as their own.
I St Etienne Joy. Sub Club. 22Jamaica Street. 248 4600. 11pm. £3.50. They do say all music journalists are just frustrated musicians at heart. Bob Stanley. baggy king of the inkies. sees fit to endorse this by combining cool. charming pop tunes with mid-paced electro arran rements to create mellow. lazy club grooves. And even more important than the aehingly sweet vocals is the fact that right now they‘re frighteningly hip.
I Hideaway Blues Band MacSorteys. Jamaica Street. 221 8499. 8. 30pm. Free. Residency. Blues and soul.
Edinburgh
I Rhythm Ghillun Wilkie House. Cowgate. 10pm—3am. £3. Their 50th gig approaches. This isn't it. but the Edinburgh group won‘t stint on their absurdly infectious brew of funk and rap. Shout for ‘Johnny Two Hats‘. Assistance. should any be needed. comes from the Cool Blast lnc sound system.
I Texas Breakfast Preservation Hall. Victoria Street. 226 3816. £1 after 9pm. Blues.
I The Rivals Negociants. Lothian Street. 225 6313. 9.45pm. Free. Blues-and country-influenced material with medium-paced rock.
I The Rootsies Duo Globe. West Port. 229 4553. 9.30pm. Free. Residency. Taking time off from The Rootsie Tootsie Blues
Band. Ron Tate on vocals and harmonica and Jim Condie on guitar play blues. gospel and a bit ofjazz.
I Gordon Campbell Blue Lagoon. Angle Park Terrace. 337 9922. Free. Residency. Known chiefly for his work at R. E.L. Studios and West Lothian Music Management Course. Campbell is an experienced and accomplished songwriter.
I The Spanners Trading Post. The Shore. 553 5153. 9pm. Free. A duo with drum machine. keyboards and guitars doing a whole range ofcovers — up to and including the Postman l’attune.
I Los Supremos Leith Oyster Bar. The Shore. 554 6294. 9pm. Free. Residency. Rock and blues covers.
I Live music Basin Street. Haymarket Terrace. 337 1006. A slight hiccupin operations has meant we weren’t able to find out Basin Street‘s programme for this week. Check with the venue. as there could well be something on that you‘ll be soooo pissed off if you miss.
I Live music Leadbelly's. South Clerk Street. 662 4731. 9pm.
SATURDAY 8
Glasgow
I Status uuo SECC. Finnieston Quay. 248 3000. £1 1 .50. Tickets from Just the Ticket. Virgin. Union Street. 226 4679. What surprises will the Quo have in store tonight? Will they play the one that goes ehugga-chugga-chugga. or the one that goes chugga-chugga-chug? Will they wear the jeans with the ripped knees or theones with the ketchup stains? Will everysick mother‘s fantasy Francis Rossi tie his hair back or leave his greasy locks flowing? So many questions. so little time. And anyone who still carries a flame for ‘Pictures of Matchstick Men‘ — forget it.
I The High Mayfair. 490 Sauchiehall Street. 332 3872. 7pm. £5.50. Ticketsfrom Just the Ticket. Virgin. Union Street.226 4679. Unfairly dismissed as faceless Stone Roses copyists — bear in mind that guitarist Andy Cousens was once a Rose himself- Thc High have a haunting charisma allof their own. largely due to singerJohn Matthews‘ sweet voice and eyes—front. other-worldly stare. Not sure ifthe Mayfair is the right environment for their classic janeg pop to be best appreciated. though.
I Something Wild King Tut‘s Wah Wah Hut. 272a St Vincent Street. 221 5279. 10pm. £3. Not as much ofan unknown quantity as appeared at first. This crowd used to be Farewell Parade. able to turn in a fair crowd whenever they played.
I Midnight Crisis Halt Bar. 160 Woodlands Road. 332 1210. 9.30pm. Free. Commercial. but not terribly contemporary. pop in the Simple Minds tradition — a big sound with lavish keyboards and ringing guitars.
I Bo'Weevil Blackfriars. 36 Bell Street. 552 5924. 9.30pm. Free.
I Peter Goes to Panick Studio. 12 Shuttle Street. Paisley. 889 6867. 9.30pm. Free.
I Jam Session Studio. 12 Shuttle Street. Paisley. 889 6867. 3pm. Free.
Edinburgh
I The Big Dish and Howie J. and Co (TBC) Amphitheatre. Lothian Road. 2297670. Noon—2pm. The latest in Radio Forth‘s series of gigs at the Amphitheatre. Tickets : from the venue or by calling Radio Forth ; at the prescribed times. See preview. i I lied Dogs and Garrison Bedrock Club. Venue. Calton Road. 557 3073. Fiona reckons the Red Dogs are The Ouireboys. That‘s as may be. I'm just wondering what happened to Garrison. the Fife-based rockers who were tipped for the top more than. . . well. it wasn‘t yesterday.
I Jayne County Basin Street. Haymarket Terrace. 337 1006. The history of transcxuals in rock: l)Wayne/Jayne
County; 2) Er. that‘s it. Always nice tosee a trash-queen in the neighbourhood. especially ifshe‘s got a mean band playing behind her.
I Blueiinger Platform One. Rutland Street. 225 2433. Sax-toting 505- and 6()s-influenced rock‘n‘roll band.
I Tom’s New Shoes Negociants. Lothian Street. 225 6313. 9.45pm. Free. Energetic band. bringing to mind a more restrained Cateran with (perhaps) slight shades of REM. Could be just the sort ofthingyou want to hear tonight.
I The Junkyard Angels St James Oyster Bar. Calton Road. 557 2925. 9pm. Free. Oyster Bar regulars Sandyman and The Lost Soul Band join forces for a folky. harmonious acoustic set.
I The Rootsie Tootsie Blues Band Trading Post. The Shore. 553 5153. 9pm. Free. Rockin’ blues band. incorporating. naturally enough. The Rootsies Duo.
I The Troubleshooters Preservation Hall. Victoria Street. 226 3816. £1 after 9pm.
I The Strat Boys Globe. West Port. 229 4553. 9.30pm. Free. Residency. Rock and blues covers.
I Buy Me an Umbrella Queen Street Oyster Bar. Queen Street. 226 2530. 9.30pm. Free. Residency. Spanish rhythms. bongos. electric and acoustic guitars. with an alleged vocal similarity to U2 on topof it all.
I Live music Leadbelly's. South Clerk Street. 662 4731. 9pm.
SUNDAY 9 Glasgow
I INXS and Absent Friends SECC. Finnieston Quay. 248 3000. £14. £12 plus booking fee. Tickets from Just the Ticket. Virgin. Union Street. 2264679. Only single seats left. Punchy. funky pop with a nippy tang from Kylie's current lap-dog. the Farris brothers and. cm. the rest ofthe guys. Possibly the only megastars who
IN ASSOCIATION "13 WITH 1TB
15th DECEM EDIN
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TICKETS
could walk down a street and pass largely unnoticed. And yes. that is a nice way of saying that. Michael Hutchence aside. this band have the charisma of a veggie pic.
I The Bad Dog: and Indian Angel Videodrome. 33—39 York Street. 221 0441 . 8pm. £2.50. Never ones to make lazy and constricting comparisons (cough). The List can now reveal that The Red Dogs virtually are The Ouireboys. Support comes from local rockers Indian Angel.
I Batmobile Rooftops. 92 Sauchiehall Street. 332 5883. 10pm. £2. Holy hairspray — l spy some mean slamdancing quiffs in the area. Time for the psychobillies to crawl out of the woodwork for some gratuitous aggressive uplift.
I The Bad Men. Barfly and Kindred Spirit Stigma. Tuxedo Princess. Anderston Quay. 204 1150. 9pm. £2. This gig is not recommended to those ofa sensitive persuasion. The Bad Men are reputedly the most politically unsound band in the universe. responsible for such sicky anthems as ‘Rock Hudson‘s Dead Because He Slept With Men In Bed‘. Barfly are OTT transexual glam and Kindred Spirit are . . .extremely ordinary by comparison. playing passion-filled pop/rock.
I The Right Stuil Studio. 12 Shuttle Street.
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RlPPlNG RECORDS EDINBURGH AND ALL TOCTA OUTLETS THROUGHOUT SCOTLAND. CREDIT CARDS 031-557 6969. POSTAL 8. OTHER INFO 031-556 1212.
The List 7 - 20 December 1990 39