Locals need Love
My recent gig at the O2 Academy in Glasgow seeing one of my favourite 80’s punk bands, The Psychedelic Furs, was a loud, booze-fuelled cacophony of sound. I enjoy that sort of thing, but so do peoples’ parents. It got me thinking not only about the clear generational gap at gigs, but also that I never saw anyone of my own age in that whole building.
Ok, to sound like less of a dad after having too many pints with his curry, the many gigs I went to at the Kelvingrove Bandstand to see bands of a similar era had supporting acts of local, young new-generation punk bands born and bred right here in Scotland’s very own Sin City. That example was a bit exaggerated but it is true that Glasgow is famous for its entertainment, so why is it that our Glasgow-local bands are merely supporting acts rather than bands putting Glasgow on the map of upcoming music hotspots?
It’s quite simple really. Artists like Drake, Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran are taking Glasgow’s SSE Hydro by storm with the masses of tickets they are selling to young people. I have nothing against these artists, in fact I quite like some of them, but they are causing the aforementioned local artists to be left trailing in the dust of Drake’s Rolls Royce. But why are we still going to these concerts when local gigs are obviously so much better?
For a start, The Hydro is a massive, grey circle in the middle of a motorway, there’s no spirit in the big money-maker. But say we take the Kelvingrove Bandstand, an open amphitheatre in the middle of Glasgow’s West End, the city’s culture capital, right at the gates of Kelvingrove Park with a view of the University. Heart and soul was put into its creation so that us rowdy Glaswegians could enjoy where we were along with what we were there for. During the summer, it’s a prime location for gigs that let you enjoy yourself and support the local music scene. Funny how everything works out isn’t it?
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a massive fan of Glasgow’s local punk scene, bands like The Vanities, The Dunts, and Voodoos etc. Bands that would not have made it without local venues like the Bandstand. It’s these venues that make their gigs what they are – beer-chugging, head-banging, ‘dance however the hell you want’ kind of gigs – because corporations like the SEC who own the Hydro have to be such sticklers for health and safety that they may as well go straight to selling tickets for your Gran, going to see Countryfile live or something (that may or may not exist).
Ok, maybe huge indoor venues like the Hydro are very forgiving when the horrific Scottish weather gets unleashed and we can all enjoy live music as it was supposed to be enjoyed, dry. But there are still local indoor venues that support the local scene. And anyway, summer gigs are just better.