It’s fair to say that Strahaven isn’t the easiest place to get to, especially if (a) you’ve never been there before and/or (b) it’s dark and rainy! It also doesn’t help when Google maps tells you take a turn off that didn’t show up on the route previews or on my visualisation reccie! Thanks for nothing, Google! Instead of approaching the hotel from the North, I somehow managed to arrive from the South, after a none-too-fun detour through the B-roads of South Lanarkshire. Not a journey I wish to repeat any time soon. Despite the nervy trip, I got there in time to be about 7th in the queue. I’ll take that! I got there about 10 minutes ahead of fellow gigging Fifer John and I said I’d save him a seat.
This was the first time I’d been to one of the FRETS Concerts so I wasn’t sure what to expect, nor the layout. Parking wasn’t an issue as there’s a big car park, although it was rather dark. I needn’t have worried (even though I always do) and found myself (and John) a seat on the front row. The seating was set up like a wedding and I imagine the space is normally reserved for matrimonial matters rather than rock’n’ roll. I was glad of a seat although I found them on the small and slightly uncomfortable side.
First up was a two-person edition of the BMX Bandits, featuring Duglas on vox humana and kazoo, with Rory on guitar. Stuart Kidd joined on drums for the last 2/3 tunes. I’ve seen various incarnations of Duglas, with or without the Bandits, over 20 times. Always musically magnificent and lightly seasoned with a healthy sprinkling of between-song banter. The last time I saw a full-band version of the BMX Bandits was in 2023 when I saw them at two gigs within a month of each other at either end of the M8. A show at the Voodoo Rooms, at which Duglas, dedicated a song to me, followed by a set at Glas-Goes-Pop, a festival I’ve had a love-hate relationship over the last few years.
The set was a mix of old favourites, new songs and a 60s cover, co-written by Lynsey DePaul. In full, the set list was: The Sailor’s Song, The Scalawag Song (Leslie-Anne Down cover from the film Scalawag (1973)), Serious Drugs, Storm in a Teacup (The Fortunes cover), Foggy, Little Hands, Not Knowing You, No Matter What You Say, The Crofter’s Wife. Duglas pointed out on Facebook that he wasn’t sure why they didn’t have No Matter What You Say written on the setlist! Good job I was taking notes.
Jonny, consisting of Norman Blake, Euros Childs and, yes, it’s that man again, drummer-for-hire Stuart Kidd, were our headliners. A number of false starts and faux pas littered a fun set of originals and covers, including songs from their respective bands. Although Norman and Euros are both members of the same Teenage Fanclub line-up now. This would be my fourth Jonny gig. I first saw them at the ABC in Glasgow in early 2009, when they supported Attic Lights and the BMX Bandits, with Boa Morte also on the line-up. Nine months later, they were once again a support act to Attic Lights, this time at a charity event organised by Idlewild’s Rob Jones called Music Like a Vitamin. It took place at Edinburgh’s Picturehouse – sadly now a soulless Wetherspoons – with Rod Jones and Frightened Rabbit also playing. The event was part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival. I remember this because the poster is one of the ones framed on the wall of my mancave. My third Jonny gig was when they played Platform at Easterhouse, alongside Adam Stafford and Snowgoose in February 2011. Pre-gig, my good friend Ally Gourlay (sadly no longer with us) interviewed Norman in his car in the car park for Ally’s radio show. Norman sat in the back as Ally and I were in the front. This was when we first heard about the Joe Meek covers album he and Euros had made. Fifteen years on, we’re still waiting.
During tonight’s set, Jonny played one of those Joe Meek covers – Summer Without Sun – and the audience was assured the album had not only been mixed but it would be with us “very soon”. Set list: Candyfloss, Waiting Around For You, Wich is Wich, You Was Me, Gloria, Circling The Sun, Summer Without Sun (The Charles Kingsley Creation cover), English Lady, Dark Clouds, Bread, Baby Blue (Bert Jansch cover), Three Black Ravens, Let Those Blue Skies, Cave Dance, I’ll Make Her My Best Friend. Encores: Back To The Light, Her Ways.
While eight of the tracks were from Jonny’s debut album and a download-only 4-track EP available from Turnstile back in October 2010, there were also Teenage Fanclub and Gorky’s Zygotic Mynki tunes, as well as Euros Childs solo songs and a Bert Jansch, which took two bites of the cherry to get through.
Thankfully, the journey home was a lot more straightforward, with no weird turn-offs. Nice to say hello to Murray and Carla Easton, as well as Duglas. Well done to FRETS Concerts for putting on an excellent show. Would I return? Probably, depending on the headliner but, unless it was summer, I’d probably take a half day and drive there in the daylight. I don’t need any more wild rides round the South Lanarkshire countryside, thank you very much.
Paul
Jocknroll Ain't Noise Pollution 