(BUT OTHER MUSICAL GENRES ARE AVAILABLE)
2025 was another great year of music, catching some old favourites live in concert and a lot of new (to me) acts, particularly at the Download Festival in June.
The listening adventures started way back in March with a gig at the Queen’s Hall in Edinburgh to enjoy a concert by the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra, with their special guest Trilok Gurtu, the Malaysian percussionist who can even get a tune out of a bucket of water.
April followed with three great concerts. The first by Irish singer, Mary Coughlan, an old favourite of the Hunters, again, at the Queens Hall, but it was over to the jam-packed Hydro in Glasgow for a concert by the mighty Ghost, accompanying my daughter and some of her friends – boy, those girls can certainly scream. I think my ear drums have finally recovered. A concert of a total different kind was the third of the month and the band Spicy Li’l Devils, a new gypsy jazz band fronted by Scottish singer Ali Affleck.
May brought a special birthday treat for Hunter and son, in the shape of Steven Wilson at the Royal Concert Hall, touring with his new album, but also throwing in some other songs from his solo career and the Porcupine Tree days. As expected, the music and the visuals were stunning, all with the added bonus of Nick Beggs on bass. Music aficionados will know that Nick Beggs was the bass player in Kajagoogoo – yes, that Kajagoogoo, but I prefer to remember him from his Ellis, Beggs and Howard days.
June means Download, a three-day whirl of too many bands, more on that to follow, honest! But June also brings the Jazz Festival to Glasgow, including an appearance by Newcastle’s very own Smoove and Turrell at The Hug and Pint, which might have been the smallest venue they have ever performed in.
A late birthday present in July took the form of a ticket to see Geoff Tate, former Queensryche singer, who still has the voice, but has ditched the old heavy metal togs for sunglasses, a hat, and occasionally, some very loud shirts.
August for the Hunters means the wonderful East Neuk of Fife and the Pittenweem Arts Festival and a performance by the Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble that included some great singing from Paix and Emilie Boys and thumping saxophone solos from Harry Weir.
Also in August was the Wha’s Like Us Festival, a one-day prog festival at the Drygate brewery in Glasgow, consisting of an all-Scottish prog line-up of The Wizards of Progg, Alan Reed (and friends) Long Earth, Ebb and Comedy of Errors. For me, the highlight of the day was the almost all-female group, Ebb, who have a male bass player surrounded by a lively bunch of ladies playing guitar, keyboards, drums, or singing solo, aided by puppets, and even an appearance by the devil who didn’t seem too keen on the band.
October brought a Music in Lanark gig by Katie Ware who was given the nickname Cockney Sparrow by Guy Garvey of Elbow fame, and that has led her to performing as Little Sparrow along with Sarah Dale on vocals and cello.
For the uninitiated, Glasgow has a brilliant venue in Bath Street called King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, better known as simply King Tut’s which in November hosted the musical polymath that is Emma Jane Thackery on her WEIRDO tour (that’s the name of her latest album, honest) for a night of great singing, trumpet and guitar playing and a mixture of soul, R &B, jazz funk and jazz fusion.
For us, the year ended with two great gigs. The first was another Music in Lanark gig delivered by the Scottish gypsy jazz band, Rose Room, led by violinist and singer Seonaid Aitken who used to host BBC Radio Scotland’s “Jazz Nights” programme for six years before it was cruelly axed by the station. It was a great gig made up of classic gypsy jazz standards, a Disney film song and some festive favourites.
The band Saving Grace finished the year, consisting of four great musicians – Oli Jefferson on drums, Matt Wroley on banjo, strings and occasional vocals, Tony Kelsey on guitars, and cellist Barney Morse-Brown, as well as two great vocalists. The first being Suzy Dian who also plays the accordion, and another singer you might have heard of called…um, Robert Plant, whose name sounds familiar. But seriously, it was a night of great singing, great musicianship and a scattering of old Led Zeppelin songs like “Ramble On”, “Friends”. “Four Sticks” and “The Rain Song”, all stripped back and reinvented for a new audience 50 years after they first appeared.
