Rudebeard

McChuills, 25 January 2025

It’s Saturday night after Storm Éowyn has battered the country during the previous 24 hours. It’s nearing the end of January and there’s a chill in the Glasgow air.

Yet, as I walked into McChuills for the very first time, it’s as if nothing of note has happened. It’s jam packed, a mix of regulars and those heading to some of the other musical attractions that Celtic Connections and other promoted gigs had to offer.

Almost exactly to the day the #AtoZMusicalTour began at The Bungalow in Paisley, I’m back to watch Rudebeard, along with support acts The Longshots and The Owls, play a mix of Ska, Punk and Rock’n’Roll. Like a year ago, the visits to both venues mark new territory for listening to live music. Like last year, I came away quite content with my night out.

Those who had ventured into the venue space at the side of the bar were in for a treat or three it seemed.  The occasion was to mark the launch of Rudebeard’s latest single Toepokes and Tragedies, possibly more than a passing reference to Dundee United’s Davy Narey’s scorching drive against Brazil in the 1982 World Cup. What followed thereafter was a football tragedy for Scottish fans. Musically though, tonight hit the top corner.

There’s nothing over complicated about Rudebeard, though seven trying to share the stage may limit what scope they have had in any case.

As for the music? If you like a bit of Ska, a bit of Punk and want to listen to some toe tapping music then you were in the right place on Saturday night?

Personally, the brass section within the context of the music I’ve been known to prefer, makes for a better musical experience. There’s something uplifting to the music when the brass is to the fore and, throughout their set, the songs were livened up by little solos from the brass trio here and there.

The setlist was itself littered with catchy little tunes evoking a very Scottish spirit on Burns night along the way. Better Than A Smack In The Puss you might say.

Rudebeard ended the night with the Meat Loaf and Cher cover Dead Ringer for Love, an entertaining ending to a fun filled evening and not a real tragedy in sight.

Support Acts

Support band Longshots may have been performing their first gig as a band, yet it was difficult to believe that individually, if not collectively, they hadn’t performed in public before. While the set was filled with covers, particularly of The Skatellites, it was a session that would be enjoyable at any other time should they stick together.

And, as the saying goes, every day is a school day with some newfound investigative work required to find out a little more about the circumstances of Patrice Émery Lumumbas’ assassination. It was the best track of their set too!

Unlike Rudebeard or The Longshots, The Owls didn’t appear to fit into the Ska / Punk setting of the evening, not a sign of a brass instrument in plain sight, yet they formed a dynamic link between the opening and closing acts.

While a mix of cover songs were lively and executed well, the best tracks were saved for their single Two Tone Summer with Skandal on the B-Side released by Last Night From Glasgow.

In summary then. A new venue, a couple of new bands and a headliner that more than made up for the hoolie that threatened to wreck the weekend.

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