Live Music Roundup for March
The Rakes will no doubt take the roof off the Barrowlands when they play out songs from forthcoming album Ten New Messages on 21 March
| 12 Mar 2007
Edinburgh
He may be looking a bit worse for wear these days, but there's no denying that Steven Seagal's decision to abandon action movies in favour of blues music is both surprising and endearing. The self-styled Mojo Priest brings his guitar and his fabulously named Thunderbox backing band to the Queens Hall on 11 March (following a gig at The Ferry in Glasgow on the 10th). You'll go for the irony but stay for the surprisingly infectious licks. Fingers crossed the merch store will be selling his own-brand Lightning Bolt energy drink!
Mancunian legend Mark E Smith will put the Liquid Room to rights on 12+13 March (plus 16+17 at The Ferry in Glasgow), assuming the daft sod doesn't sack his entire band (again) or decide he feels like going to the pub instead. Touring in support of their new album, Reformation! Post-TLC, it's always worth taking a gamble on The Fall - Smith remains one of music's most consistently unpredictable talents.
You're probably sick of hearing us go on about them, but we're going to keep pestering you to go and see the Howling Bells until you love them as much as we do. Beguiling, catchy and unconventionally beautiful, you ought to see them when they play Cabaret Voltaire on 15 March (following a gig at Glasgow Classic Grand on the 11th). They should shine in such an intimate venue.
Scotland's own wee national treasure, Camera Obscura, will bring their shimmering, melodic indie pop songs to the Liquid Room on 27 March (following a show at Glasgow ABC on the 21st). Tracyanne Campbell's songs are both personal and poignant, and recent album Let's Get Out of this Country saw the band's songwriting and arranging skills reach new, dizzying heights. This promises to be an intimate, memorable gig.
Glasgow
Trans Am kick things off in Glasgow with a gig at ABC2 on 3 March. This intriguing threesome have appropriated many styles and forms over the years, with last album Liberation comprising a mostly instrumental response to George W's ongoing attempts to fuck up everything, everywhere, in any way he can. I honestly don't know what to expect from this gig - and how many bands can you say that about?
!!! (aka Chk, Chk, Chk) play ABC2 on 19 March to promote their eagerly anticipated new album, Myth Takes. Nick Offer and his sizeable posse of punk-funk visionaries realise that good dance music doesn't have to be dumb or digital, and to this end they will attempt to hijack your synapses with their frenetic, ecstatic sound. Few bands are as genuinely, dangerously enthusiastic about their art as this lot. Expect fun and frolics.
The cream of the 'the' band crop, The Rakes will no doubt take the roof off the Barrowlands when they let loose songs from forthcoming album Ten New Messages on 21 March. There's an air of purpose and intensity about these lads that sets them miles apart from their ten-a-penny contemporaries, and their witty take on modern Britain is a refreshing change from the po-faced angst of Bloc Party et al. Gig of the month?
It's hard to believe that the brilliant See This Through and Leave was
released almost five years ago, but the Cooper Temple Clause will look to prove that their best days aren't behind them when they play QMU on 25 March. Ambivalent critical responses to recent album Make this Your Own will no doubt have put the bit between the band's teeth. Expect them to be hungry - it'll be worth it to hear Panzer Attack.
He may be looking a bit worse for wear these days, but there's no denying that Steven Seagal's decision to abandon action movies in favour of blues music is both surprising and endearing. The self-styled Mojo Priest brings his guitar and his fabulously named Thunderbox backing band to the Queens Hall on 11 March (following a gig at The Ferry in Glasgow on the 10th). You'll go for the irony but stay for the surprisingly infectious licks. Fingers crossed the merch store will be selling his own-brand Lightning Bolt energy drink!
Mancunian legend Mark E Smith will put the Liquid Room to rights on 12+13 March (plus 16+17 at The Ferry in Glasgow), assuming the daft sod doesn't sack his entire band (again) or decide he feels like going to the pub instead. Touring in support of their new album, Reformation! Post-TLC, it's always worth taking a gamble on The Fall - Smith remains one of music's most consistently unpredictable talents.
You're probably sick of hearing us go on about them, but we're going to keep pestering you to go and see the Howling Bells until you love them as much as we do. Beguiling, catchy and unconventionally beautiful, you ought to see them when they play Cabaret Voltaire on 15 March (following a gig at Glasgow Classic Grand on the 11th). They should shine in such an intimate venue.
Scotland's own wee national treasure, Camera Obscura, will bring their shimmering, melodic indie pop songs to the Liquid Room on 27 March (following a show at Glasgow ABC on the 21st). Tracyanne Campbell's songs are both personal and poignant, and recent album Let's Get Out of this Country saw the band's songwriting and arranging skills reach new, dizzying heights. This promises to be an intimate, memorable gig.
Glasgow
Trans Am kick things off in Glasgow with a gig at ABC2 on 3 March. This intriguing threesome have appropriated many styles and forms over the years, with last album Liberation comprising a mostly instrumental response to George W's ongoing attempts to fuck up everything, everywhere, in any way he can. I honestly don't know what to expect from this gig - and how many bands can you say that about?
!!! (aka Chk, Chk, Chk) play ABC2 on 19 March to promote their eagerly anticipated new album, Myth Takes. Nick Offer and his sizeable posse of punk-funk visionaries realise that good dance music doesn't have to be dumb or digital, and to this end they will attempt to hijack your synapses with their frenetic, ecstatic sound. Few bands are as genuinely, dangerously enthusiastic about their art as this lot. Expect fun and frolics.
The cream of the 'the' band crop, The Rakes will no doubt take the roof off the Barrowlands when they let loose songs from forthcoming album Ten New Messages on 21 March. There's an air of purpose and intensity about these lads that sets them miles apart from their ten-a-penny contemporaries, and their witty take on modern Britain is a refreshing change from the po-faced angst of Bloc Party et al. Gig of the month?
It's hard to believe that the brilliant See This Through and Leave was
released almost five years ago, but the Cooper Temple Clause will look to prove that their best days aren't behind them when they play QMU on 25 March. Ambivalent critical responses to recent album Make this Your Own will no doubt have put the bit between the band's teeth. Expect them to be hungry - it'll be worth it to hear Panzer Attack.