Last Night From Glasgow

The 10th gig on our A to Z musical adventure was ……

The birthday bash for Glasgow record label and shop, Last Night From Glasgow, with Gates of Light, Port Sulphur and the Filthy Tongues.

Last Night From Glasgow

The number of acts signed to the label has increased, not just with new bands coming on board to start their musical career but also acts from days gone by re-issuing their earlier output under the sub-brand Past Night From Glasgow, a unique endeavour to capture and/or re-capture vinyl albums from the days of our youth. For some it’s also been the impetus to record and release new music after many years in the relative wilderness.

This gig was a celebration, not just of the label’s inherent good intentions, but also an opportunity to watch and listen to three acts who have thrived within the Last Night From Glasgow family.

I’d recently seen Gates of Light support HiFi Sean and David McAlmont at Saint Lukes and The Filthy Tongues headline a show at Oran Mor, so for me Port Sulphur was actually the big draw for buying the ticket.

And so to the gig.

Warren Starry Sky

MC for the evening was Warren Starry Sky who did his best to keep everything on schedule, entertain us with some songs and patter of his own and keep a semblance of order with the audience, even changing his last tune to a singalong version of the classic song, ……… I’m afraid I can’t remember now. Answers on a postcard please!!

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Gates of Light

I first saw Gates of Light a few weeks ago supporting HiFi Sean and David McAlmont at Saint Lukes. A good set then and a good set again last night. The blend of electronic wizardry and Louise Quinn on vocals makes for a very entertaining mix and certainly looking forward to hearing the album when it’s released by Last Night From Glasgow.

Set List

10,000 Years

Make It Real

I Keep Reaching For The Sun

Advance

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Port Sulphur

Until last night I’d never seen Port Sulphur, though do have their album Speed of Life released a few years ago now.

To an outsider like me, one of the key influencers of the local music scene appears to be Douglas MacIntyre who has been in, or associated with, a number of Scottish bands who certainly left a mark on my musical education over the years. He also curates a series of fantastic gigs at The Strathaven Hotel under the Frets Concerts series.

For me they stole the show last night from the opening chords of their driving instrumental track Baader Grove, what a fantastic entrance to any gig, to the cover of Silver Machine at the end of their set. A combination of experienced musicians and youthful backing singers made for a brilliant set and already looking forward to seeing them again at some point in the near future.

Filthy Tongues

I originally became aware of The Filthy Tongues when I interviewed Fin Wilson’s daughter for a job with Think Different Events. Just one of those random breaking the ice conversations…..

“So have you get anything planned for the rest of the day?”

“Yeah. Going to see my dad play with The Filthy Tongues, they all played with Goodbye Mr Mackenzie.”

“Is that right. When can you start!!!”

Have really enjoyed their albums to date, but it’s only been in the past few weeks I’ve seen them live, first at Oran Mor and now at Webster’s.

There’s no doubting the togetherness of the band and each live track was sung and played to perfection to what can only be described as an adoring fanbase.

While there are the obvious gothic influences in the music, the one thing I’ve taken from the last two performances is that whatever the set list, they will deliver a dynamic performance that just makes you want more.

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About the venue

Date Friday 1 March 2024

Websters was built as Lansdowne Church in 1863. It is described by architectural historian Gordon Urquhart in his book about the building, ‘A Notable Ornament’, as an “Icon of Victorian Glasgow”. Its tall slender steeple, complemented by the steeple of St Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral, forms one of the most distinctive architectural landmark features of Glasgow.

The building, considered to be Glasgow’s finest example of Gothic Revival churches, is also notable for its refined carved stone detail and its exceptional stained glass. When the church was completed, it was fitted out to the highest standard with a certain amount of good quality stained glass.

The large north and south transept windows were not adorned by distinctive stained glass at that time and it was not until 1913 that Alf Webster was commissioned for this purpose. The windows that he undertook have since been recognised as the culmination of the career of a creative genius, a career that was cruelly brought to an end when Webster died of wounds received at Ypres in 1915.