Scottish Gig Highlights – December 2014
Whether you’re pro-yuletide or a sulky wee scrooge, December’s always a bit of a write-off. For the Crimbophiles, it’s the only time of year that daytime drinking from a tsunami of mulled wine is encouraged, office desks can be festooned and everyone’s a bit more spirited in their patterned thick-knits. For most others, it’s the only time of the year you’d ever submit to eating a mince pie so not to look like a Grinchy prick, regretting the act immediately when it sinks into the ol’ cavities. Everyone’s too busy dodging or indulging to accomplish much, so best put that month-long Friday-feeling to use and get stuck into the musical advent calendar lined up for December.
2014 brought in a tide of glittering female vocals, and those who’ve revelled in the divine triad of breathy harmonies and lily-pad rhythms balanced on silvery electro will lap up two-piece Death Rattle. In Shade, released last month, has all the sullen pride of Banks, all the sex of FKA Twigs, all the tweaky beats of Lykke Li and Little Dragon. The lyrical motifs stick to your mind and won’t peel off for weeks. Catch them at Bar Bloc on 4 Dec.
Metronomy (AKA the chicest project in electronic-rock) will be nonchalantly shoulder-jutting in synchrony once more before our very eyes on 4 Dec. We should think ourselves pretty lucky too – they’ve been racing all over the world from Brazil to Australia to Switzerland, and will be playing only three home dates before hitting Berlin and beyond. Cash in on your last opportunity to see them live this year at ABC Glasgow.
Sadly, we’ll be waving 'catcore' three-piece Deathcats goodbye on 5 Dec at Stereo. Music like a gigantic lo-fi puddle of reverb and songs about being turned on by jaguars, they’re the funnest thing in post-punk, an example of the exciting things that happen when bands shun the battle to dip their toes in the mainstream. They aren’t sure when they’re coming back, so join their 'reverb militia' for a knees-up while you can. You’ll also get to see the gorgeously raucous Pinact, along with fellow 'wegians Secret Motorbikes and The Rockalls – the best fiver you’ll spend in ages.
Following the release of their Birthday Club EP last month, Shy Nature are ambling down to Nice 'n' Sleazy to deposit some of their pretty rock rhythms and fuzzy riffs into your ears. With lyricism inspired by The Beatles and Joni Mitchell, expect tracks about lifeboats, birthday clubs and “dark angels wearing suncream,” with some pretty fresh organ too. Last December they treated their fans to a festive track released on Christmas Day, so who knows what they’ll have all wrapped up for you on 7 Dec…
Manic Street Preachers might have just released their love letter to 80s Europe (Futurology), but the prolific Welshmen aren’t preoccupied with that right now. Instead, they’re tangled up in 20th anniversary celebrations of The Holy Bible, performing the austere post-punk classic in its entirety this month at the Barrowland. Recently lamenting the British political gridlock, they’ve been vocal about their disenchantment with Labour. It seems their decision to perform the cult record is both a nod of respect to Richey Edwards, their estranged lyricist, and an artistic offering to a new generation of the disillusioned. The angsty, the curious, and diehards should all make their way down on 8 Dec.
Name-dropping a minimum five states per track, Sun Kil Moon’s Benji is like an aural North-American road-trip, complete with stop-offs at motels where Mark Kozelek will talk you through a pile of Polaroids of his cousins and comrades. With a voice that oscillates between grizzly and serene, at 47 the veteran songwriter is on the form of his life. Head over to SWG3 and let Benji blanket you in strummy nostalgia for the childhood in Ohio you never even had. 20 Dec.
Malcolm Middleton completely dropkicks any expectation that his tracks, his records and his career should follow any particular route, or be cloaked in any thematic uniform. He’s an artisan of plainly heart-wrenching lyricism, writing songs that are enhanced twentyfold by his glorious rhotic murmurs – but he carousels through genres and moods. Luckily, he’s got a double-bill gig lined up, so get yourself to King Tut's on 13 Dec for a plugged-in band set, or if you’re a sucker for the acoustic experience, head over to his stripped-back gig on 14 Dec.
Sticking with Scotland's own exports, we turn our attention to Glaswegian band of five Olympic Swimmers. Prolific as session musicians and producers in a multitude of other projects, they’ve kept a low profile since the 2012 release of Flags Will Fly, but have announced they’re shining up some lovely new material for us in the coming months. For the moment we can refamiliarise ourselves with their folky chants and warming thrum on 21 Dec at Nice 'n' Sleazy, along with support from the beguiling Tangles.
Between wry quips about their moniker on social media, the irreverent Thin Privilege have been promising Glasgow a goodbye show since July, and the time has arrived to bid farewell to their colossal sound. Anti-rhythmic and thrillingly noisy, their self-titled EP is a treasure for all whose heads must bang, so respectfully bang them at Bloc+ on 30 Dec. They’ll be joined by the 'brutal pop' noise of Black International, along with metal band Shudder and Leeds-based screamo Piss Kidney. It’ll be massive.
DO NOT MISS: RUN THE JEWELS, GLASGOW GARAGE, 10 DEC
When EI-P produced Killer Mike’s album R.A.P. Music, their mutual magnetism led to the birth of hip-hop project Run The Jewels. Mounting a trend for unorthodox album-release, the duo dropped their eponymous LP as a free download, and in doing so established a cult appreciation of their relentless loops, growling bass and tightly wound lyrical commentaries which spring open as the beats drop. This October saw their return with Run The Jewels 2, released this time through Mass Appeal Records. It was embraced with critical acclaim for its fierce damnation of an increasingly dystopian America and guest appearances from Zack de la Rocha, Travis Barker and Gangsta Boo. The Garage, Glasgow is where you should be on 10 Dec for a slick night of solidarity and filthy hip-hop.