Sounds in the City
Glasgow has established an international reputation for its pulsating live music scene, but with up to 100 bands playing across the city most nights of the year, the choice can be overwhelming and the quality can vary wildly. In her regular listings column, Shannon Travers, host of a new independent internet TV show that highlights emerging Scottish music talent, suggests some choice upcoming shows to suit a range of budgets and tastes. This week:
The Cult
O2 Academy Glasgow | Sat 29 Jan | £28.00 (ticketweb.co.uk)
Best known for the singalong 1980s anthem ‘She Sells Sanctuary’, post-punk stalwarts The Cult have regenerated more times than the average liver. Their current incarnation does, however, include original singer Ian Astbury, who spent most of the last decade fronting a new version of The Doors. They come to Glasgow at the end of the month.
The Walkmen & Laki Mera
Òran Mór, Byres Road | Wed 19 Jan | £12.50 (celticconnections.com)
What, you may ask, do New York garage rock band The Walkmen have to do with Celtic Connections? Well, since they started out alongside The Strokes in the early noughties, the band have slowly evolved a more traditional, experimental sound (their most recent album features mariachi horns) that fits snugly into the inclusive festival’s 2011 lineup. Glasgow ‘folktronica’ specialists Laki Mera join them on the bill.
Sick Puppies
King Tut’s, St. Vincent St | Fri 21 Jan | £8.00 (kingtuts.co.uk)
Australian trio Sick Puppies don’t live up to their name. The ‘free hugs campaign’, in which individuals are encouraged to offer complimentary embraces to strangers, came to global prominence via their 2006 music video for “All The Same”, which has racked up 66m views on YouTube.
Their unashamedly upbeat pop provides a welcome remedy for those January blues. Electro-rock newcomers The Feud support.
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