The latest gig on our A to Z Musical Tour was ……
After 5 months on the A to Z Music Tour we final manage to head to one of Glasgow’s iconic venues.
We’ve been fortunate to see many a good act over the years, though also seemed to have missed the bands that made then went on to have big breakthrough!
Support act – Nadine Khouri
Support act Nadine Khouri wandered on to the King Tut’s stage, plugged her guitar in, gave the thumbs up to the sound engineer and proceeded to deliver a solo performance of thirty minutes or so built around a set of beautifully crafted songs in the blues tradition.
The audience, which grew by the minute in anticipation of Barry Adamson, all warmed to her performance, having a respectful interest in the stories she wove into the chords being strummed and rewarding her with generous applause as each song tailed to an inevitable end.
In doing so, the appreciation seemed to visibly relax her allowing the guitar playing to complement her beautiful singing. All in all, an ideal warm up for the main act and definitely filed away in the ‘looking forward to seeing her again’ folder.
Barry Adamson
As he reminded us, it’s been a while since he last played in Glasgow and we all know the world has changed dramatically during the interval.
What hasn’t changed though, is the showmanship and professionalism Barry Adamson brings to his performances.
In our review of his latest album, Cut to Black it’s evident how the songs reflect his love of cinematic soundscapes. Big sound productions, choirs, brass and so much more.
Those familiar with the King Tut’s stage will recognise anything more than a six piece act probably requires the Health and Safety Police permission to perform!
Yet, tonight he sauntered on to the stage with only a drummer and bass player for accompaniment.
It has to be said they were good …. very good. And there was also a fourth more discrete member of the band. A backing track machine that, when required, filled the air with the missing brass, keyboards and other sounds that have become the hallmark of Barry Adamson’s solo work.
This wasn’t a Top of the Pops miming show though. There was genuine added value, with the songs being able to sound as they were intended and originally recorded. He did acknowledge that maybe its saved a few bob too!
In the time he was on stage he demonstrated why he has been one of the cool cats of the music scene for several decades now. He has the persona of someone who has been there, seen that and, more importantly, done that too whether with Magazine, Nick Cave, who got a few name checks during the evening, and the countless collaborations he has been involved with over the years.
With a mix of songs from the latest album, classic renditions of musical memories from his past catalogue and a crowd pleasing, crowd sing-a-long cover of T.Rex’s Hot Love, it all added up to another superb show.
Barry, we hope it won’t be another while before you’re back in the city and, for this writer at least, it was the perfect ending to the working week.
About the venue
King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
272A St Vincent St, Glasgow G2 5RL
Since its inception in 1990, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut has been at the forefront of the Scottish live music scene and continues to be one of the most celebrated venues in the world.
King Tut’s is an exciting showcase for new and emerging bands and is the venue that supported some of the music industry’s biggest names at the start of their careers: from Oasis (who were famously signed by Alan McGee at the venue in 1993) to Radiohead, The Killers, Juliette Lewis, Pulp, My Chemical Romance, Florence & The Machine, Biffy Clyro, Manic Street Preachers, Snow Patrol, Frightened Rabbit and Paolo Nutini plus many, many, more.
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