Stag and Dagger, Glasgow: Take Two

May 23, 2009

Following on from successful legs in London and Leeds, with better line-ups than Glasgow, some might have you believe Stag and Dagger’s final UK stop was Glasgow (another review can be found here). With acts like Wintersleep, Evan Dando and King Creosote at both Leeds and London, you’d be forgiven for thinking they had a point. But as I briskly stride uphill to collect my wristband, I decide that anything Leeds or London can do, Glasgow can do just as well. Armed with my schedule, notepad and ink-filled vessel, the saga begins.

First stop, NME Stage at the Captain’s Rest, and I indulge in some 5pm drinking, as I will do many times before my student status is cruelly rescinded in July. I catch the last song of Over the Wall, whose mix of electronic drums, keyboards and guitar has attracted a bumper crowd despite it being early in the day.

Next up is Glasgow’s very own French Wives who since I reviewed them eight days ago, leave little new to report. Stuart’s had a haircut, they still sadly don’t count Sarkozy’s missus or that one out of the Clio ad among their number- though they are still undeniably brilliant. Deliberately detaching myself from what I generally look for in their performance, I notice drummer Jonny’s exemplary bass pedal work and Stuart’s superb lyrics. The lyrics really speak as a snapshot for the city which shaped him. Each song stands as an image as iconic as the Clyde tower, The University of Glasgow or the Kelvingrove art museum, they speak for the city, almost as well as Alex Kapranos did on Franz Ferdinand’s debut.

No sooner has the French Wives stellar crescendo died down and it’s time to hot foot back to the ABC for Frightened Rabbit, made possible by a scheduling change, who are performing a special two-piece brothers set. The ABC is surprisingly barren upon arrival but quickly picks up during the first two tunes, from first album Sing The Greys as Scott announces, “So, this is what we sounded like before anybody liked us”. A flippant crowd member replies “no one likes you now”.

This is clearly untrue, the crowd swells and becomes more receptive as more familiar tunes from The Midnight Organ Fight are rolled out from ‘Fast Blood’ to ‘Keep Yourself Warm’ to the delight of the crowd, inspiring mass sing-a-longs among all present. Grant looks possessed from behind the kit and the entire set, though wrought with technical problems, has a rawer edge and evokes more aggression than the more rounded sound when performing as a four piece. Frightened Rabbit’s widespread appeal is sadly displayed as a mullet-adorned ned swaggers around and punches the air, as though a hybrid of Danny Dyer, Liam Gallagher and the singer from Kasabian – ergo the worst man ever to live.

There is barely time to catch breath before the second part of the Fat Cat double header, The Twilight Sad, take to the stage. Several members of the band are sporting a new look since last I saw them, guitarist Andy guitarist has taken a bic to his hair and combines that with a beard, while bassist Craig wears a positively terrifying all encompassing head mask. Thankfully, this is all that’s changed; the set opens with recently leaked new song ‘Reflection in the Television’ it’s the first new song played in a set peppered with new’uns. These songs offer an optimistic slant regarding the imminent release of second studio album, Forget The Night Ahead, due in September.

The set doesn’t forget how good their debut, Fourteen Autumns and Fifteen Winters, was though playing through several old favourites such as I’m taking the train home and Walking for two hours. They are still impeccable anthems and despite an overly grandiose finale, which irked some onlookers, it was a real statement of intent particularly in the face of reported tension between members.

I dash, full tilt from the ABC back to the Captain’s Rest and as I scoff down a Ham and Mustard sandwich in 11.4 seconds I wonder if Usain Bolt could pull off such a feat. My thoughts then wander, as my lungs greedily steal the oxygen from my brain, to whether or not I’ve inadvertently stumbled across a new Olympic sport which I may bring home the Gold at London 2012. I decide on a two hour a day training strategy with a range of different sandwiches, a sponsorship deal with Subway before recovering my sanity to watch Paper Planes.

Paper Planes are snappily dressed for the occasion and on great form, they are a band I have meant to see for several months and the danger is that the experience is built up too much in your head, so as you can’t help but be disappointed, not on this occasion. Front woman Jen Paley dances about the stage, intermittently yelping over the music in a manner which defies her tiny stature. The conventional wisdom would suggest comparions to Yeah Yeah Yeah’s and you can certainly see the similarities, an excitable, American front woman and the coolest group of guys in Glasgow behind her. The sound owes a lot more to traditional punk, there’s certainly a kinship with the sound of Blondie with the elaborate fuzzy bass lines and reverby surf sound of the guitar, from songs Studio 45 to Diamond Diner, the band radiate energy and effortless cool. With an appearance at T in the Park and a support slot with The Horrors at Tut’s next week booked, this band is certainly one to watch.

I stick around at the Captain’s Rest for Tubelord, on the basis alone that they’ve toured with Tellison, who are simply magnificent and my faith by association is rewarded. The young band, who sound like they’re from London, summarise their sound through two of the tee shirts the bands members wear. The drummer is clad in a Fall of Troy shirt, while the afro-headed bassist wears a shirt proudly displaying the name Sky Larkin. It’s between these two bands sounds that Tubelord find themselves in, so halfway between Washington based experimental noise-niks and Yorkshire based intricate, hard pop. Think Johnny Foreigner, Forward Russia complicated guitar led pop, with a southern accent.

Next, a dilemma, selfish scheduling demands I watch EITHER Cursive or Danananananakroyd, having flip-flopped over the decision throughout the day, now, I can flip-flop no longer, nor sandal or any other implement of summer footwear. Armed with prior knowledge of how warm the Captain’s Rest gets, I decide on Cursive at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy’s and make a dash for the door. Again running full pelt I pass a gang of neds playing football who predictably shout “Run Forrest!” I contemplate stopping to point out that given my hair, attire and awkward running style, Napoleon might be a more apt insult, ultimately deciding this may exacerbate the situation, I concentrate on not falling over. I get to Woodlands Road and realise it’s not too late for one more flip-flop. I turn on my heels and head back the way I came, somehow slipping by the aforementioned neds unnoticed. I arrive back at the Captain’s Rest just before the one in one out policy results on queues around the building.

Danananananakroyd’s set is opened with album opener ‘Hey Everyone’ before launching headstrong into Watch This! quite literally. It takes lead singer Calum about three bars of introduction to throw himself headfirst into the crowd. It serves as a missile of interaction which is present throughout the entire set, Calum spends more time on the crowd’s outstretched arms than on the stage, a feat made all the more impressive when you consider how low the Captain’s Rest ceiling is. His summary is: “it’s nice to be back home, but why do we have to play in a shoebox?” It’s a set as full of energy as anyone would expect from Danananananakroyd set who has any prior knowledge of their self branded “fight pop”. The start is delayed because of the tricky stage dimensions not being ideal for their two drum kit set up, though when get going the crowd is about the most receptive I’ve seen all day, hits from their debut including ‘Pink Sabbath’ and ‘Infinity Milk’, among the biggest crowd-pleasers.

I dash up The Halt on Woodlands Road to see Paper Planes’ second show in as many hours before heading the deserted Art School for a nightcap and to watch CLARK spin some records before home, and I’ve made it. So what have we learned:

1. Glasgow has needed a festival like this for ages.
2. The Captain’s Rest has learned the definition of the word capacity.
3. The Art School is usually a bad idea.
4. The new Twilight Sad record is going to be sublime.
5. Frightened Rabbit are best as a quartet.

The End.