Romy's Club Mid Air @ Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, 14 Dec

Romy bookends her own night with a DJ set to open and a live set to close, bringing last year's Mid Air album to life on a night of unbridled freedom

Live Review by Tara Hepburn | 17 Dec 2024
  • Romy

Entering Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket minutes after doors opening, it's a surprise to see Romy already on stage. The singer-songwriter bookends the evening, acting as her own warm-up DJ for the final night of her Club Mid Air tour. Taking to the decks at a small pop-up stage at the back of the room, her musical choices are straightforwardly fun and set the tone for an evening of unpretentious dance pop. Songs such as All Fired Up by The Saturdays and Bleeding Love by Leona Lewis are well received as people find their spot on the dancefloor and begin what will be – for some – four hours of nonstop dancing.

The simple act of sticking a second stage at the other side of the room has a surprisingly powerful effect on the vibe. By pulling people out of the habit of lining up side by side to wait for performers to start, a genuine party vibe establishes itself, as though the crowd were at a mini-festival. Groups are mingling while solo attendees chat and form connections. The crowd is impressively multi-generational, and the dress code is all over the place – different people look like they're heading to entirely different events. At one point, a couple cheer and it isn’t long before news spreads through the crowd of who has won this year's Strictly Come Dancing final. What on earth is this place? This is Club Mid Air.  

Released last year, Romy’s solo album Mid Air is a feelings-forward collection of songs about love: yearning, shyness, acceptance, celebration. The Club Mid Air live concept was born in Ibiza, and fully realised at Glastonbury earlier this year. It takes the DNA of the record (infectious, loving, euphoric) and turns it into something collaborative, which taps into each city’s local queer community. As a result, no two Club Mid Air gigs are the same.

Curated by Romy herself, each night of the tour features support sets from local DJs and performers. Tonight, support is provided by Lezzer Quest and Vic Lentaigne. Lezzer Quest’s position in the heart of the Glasgow club scene is well known, as hosts of Sub Club’s legendary queer night Dopplebänger. Their set is a deliciously danceable mix of stuff which leans into Club Mid Air’s spacey uplifting brand.

By the time Romy takes to the main stage, the crowd is ready to sing and dance and she's happy to indulge them. As a performer she seems more comfortable on stage than ever before. Her occasionally self-effacing presence on stage with The xx seems a distant memory now, as she twists and dances freely, matching the music’s synthy grooves.

Closing the night with two of the record’s biggest songs: Enjoy Your Life and Strong, Romy leaves her audience with both euphoric self-belief and quiet consolation. With the Club Mid Air concept, Romy has created a place which perfectly brings to life the spirit of the album and provides a night of unbridled freedom and safety for queer people.

http://romyromyromy.com