Dropkick at the Glad Cafe

 

A cold Saturday night saw me making the short journey to the Glad Cafe on Glasgow's South Side (thanks for the lifts Mrs CC!) to see Dropkick for the second time this year and the third time in total.

There were two good support acts. Airdrie singer/songwriter  Adriana Spina was the first act up and delivered some excellent Americana style songs. She advised that she had taken part in a songwriters course led by Dar Williams and followed this up with a powerful song about the death of  Sheku Bayoh . She was also raising money for a stroke charity so clearly someone with a social conscience.

Adriana was followed by Neil Sturgeon & the Infomaniacs who I had seen supporting Dropkick the first time I saw them. They delivered a high energy set of what I would describe as pub rock in the style of Dr Feelgood and Graham Parker and the Rumour. I had to send Mrs CC a picture of Neil as he is a doppleganger for John the Joiner who did our kitchen!

Dropkick are currently a threesome with songwriter Andrew Taylor on drums and vocals, Ian Grier on bass and  Alan Shields on guitar and vocals. As you might expect there were a good few songs from their current album The Wireless Revolution but there were plenty more from over the years including one which Andrew and Ian had performed as pupils at Arbroath Academy over 30 years ago!

The chap sitting next to me, who was from Carlisle, said they reminded him of a Toronto band  called the Paperboys. I wasn't aware of them but have since given them a listen and I am not convinced. I responded that they were similar to the Jayhawks (who he hadn't heard of!) and this was seconded by the lady in front of us. To back up my claim Alan delivered a cover of Save it for a Rainy Day about 10 minutes later.

All in all another excellent evening.

Dropkick - Don't Give Yourself Away

Dropkick -Feeling Never Goes Away