O2 Love Music Column – March 2013

First off, the young ‘uns. British singer-songwriter Jessie Ware has been wowing those paying attention to her accomplished 2012 debut album Devotion. Having appeared on SBTRKT’s critically acclaimed, eponymous debut, the Scottish-born Ware had already achieved some underground kudos before her fully-fledged first album drew comparisons with the mighty Sade. Commercial clout with genuine critical acclaim? Check for yourself at the 02 ABC on 8 March.

Dubbed by MTV as the “best musical talent since Michael Jackson” the plaudits, not to mention the pressure, is on Abel Tesfaye who goes by the handle of The Weeknd (02 ABC, 21 Mar). His collected trilogy of mix-tapes, anonymously uploaded to YouTube in 2011, were the centre of such glowing praise for his singular, eerie, genre-blurring soul. Now Tesfaye is set to test his chops in a live setting, with the considerable buzz from his underground rise to fame sure to make this an exciting night.

Moving towards the more established acts, Eels (02 Academy, 18 Mar) returned last month with the decidedly raw and scuzzy Wonderful, Glorious. It marked a line in the sand for enigmatic front-man E after 2010’s Tomorrow Morning bookended his Hombre Lobo trilogy. It would be rude then not to give such a release a vigorous live work-out, and it seems Mr E. is in complete agreement, coming to Glasgow for this only Scottish date of the tour. It’s a rare enough opportunity to shake yourself out of that winter gloom for sure.

Fellow alt-indie veterans Yo La Tengo (O2 ABC, 22 Mar) are also heading this way on the back of thirteenth studio album Fade. Like corduroy, the Hoboken trio have never been particularly in or out of fashion but remain an essential part of any well-rounded, indie-loving individual. With a musical style that veers from soft, lilting and harmonic to loud, brashy and cacophonic, they should prove as predictably unpredictable in the live setting as they do on their impressive and lengthy back catalogue. 

Eclipsing all the above for longevity and influence though are Culture (02 ABC, 24 Mar). Even the death of founder member and lead singer Joseph Hill in 2006 hasn’t halted the Jamaican-based reggae troupe, with Hill’s son Kenyatta assuming his father’s mantle, most prominently on 2011’s aptly-named Live On. And living on they certainly are, with this upcoming Glasgow appearance spearheading a run of reggae acts coming to the city in the summer months. No better time then to loosen yourself up and kick back to these good-time vibes. Booshmaclot! [Darren Carle]