My Latest Novel - Errors - Sons & Daughters: Paisley Town Hall 12.11.2008

VERY quick review of the gig I'm just home from then, for the simple reason that I'm fairly lucid due to Tennent's being both horrible and £3 a pop, reason enough to stay sober at a gig. Somewhat ruined by going to another pub after the gig and drinking real beer though, so it may verge into incoherence.

My Latest Novel: opened the show. It's been a few years since I saw them, last time was at the launch party for their debut album. Oh holy Fuck, this band is brilliant. That was my first impression of My Latest Novel and to be honest tonight just reminded me that. Splitting the set half and half between the debut album and songs from the new forthcoming (I want it NOW dammit) album was possibly a brave move, especially when you are a band from Greenock playing in Paisley (football wise there's no love lost. Me personally? I don't give a toss. Greenock isn't the nicest place on Earth but hey, Paisley is a Hellhole). Disappointing for me was the lack of some songs from the first album, but in a half hour set there's only so many things that can be crammed in.
The Reputation of Ross Francis, The Job Mr. Kurtz Done and Sister Sneaker, Sister Soul are still good enough songs to send tingles up my spine and make me wonder why this band aren't already huge. Scottish Arcade Fire? Fuck off, hasn't that lazy description been passed on to Broken Records now (who it doesn't fit either, but that's a whole other post) Seriously, if the new album is anywhere near as good as the live stuff, it'll be brilliant.
Special mention goes to the first pretty girl of the evening (I know, this is stunningly misogynistic, but still...) Laura you can be entirely forgiven for the over the knee socks and snug backless dress look for the simple reason that your violin skills are undoubted and you are not a bad singer either.
So, yeah. My Latest Novel were very, very good. The only disappointments for me were the lack of a few personal favourites from the debut album, but that is hardly their fault given the time allowed for their set.

Errors Honestly I can't say much about their set. It was good, don't get me wrong, but at the same time it was just kind of there.
Again, there was nothing at all wrong with the band, or their set, and I enjoyed it, but it didn't move me like My Latest Novel did.

Sons & Daughters were great, as always. Pleasant surprise of the evening was Ailidh (please tell me I'm spelling that right) being present on bass. Alaidh recently gave birth to a son who's name I do not know, so I didn't expect her to be back at work quite so soon. I'm never going to get through a Sons & Daughters writ-up without mentioning how gorgeous Adele and Ailidh looked, so I'll go ahead and get that out of the way now. Don't worry, Scott was also as handsome as always too.
On to their set, it wasn't massively different from the last time I saw them in the ABC at the start of the year (Hell, I'm fairly sure Adele had the same dress on, and thank God she wears shorts under it, since Paisley Town Hall has quite a high stage and if she didn't, well, this review might get filthy) Throwing away Johnny Cash as your second song is a ballsy move, but one that couldn't be faulted as the band laid on a cracking set, mostly drawn from the most recent album This Gift. Early on Adele apologised for never having been to Paisley before. On behalf on Paisley I'd like to assure her that's a wise move, but to please come back sometime anyway. Adele & Scott dealt well with a few over eager audience members (although to be fair, I struggled to avoid joining in the requests for Killer at time) and the entire band as always put on a cracking show. My one problem with This Gift is always addressed live, Scott sings more. I miss him on the album, the melodies live make the songs much better.

All in all then, was it worth my £12? Fuck yes. I'd pay that to see My Latest Novel or Sons & Daughters headlining a show of their own, having Errors tosses into the mix late sweetens the deal on my end even more.

Nitpicks? Well, I'd have liked to see My Latest Novel play longer, I'd have liked the beer not to have been so expensive (and horrible, but I just don't like Tennent's) and finally, I'd have LOVED the guy and girl who were in front of me for the first hour to have shown some fucking decency and not (a) chattered through the band and (b) stopped chattering long enough to snog the faces off each other. I dearly hope someone stabs both of you in the eye with a fork.

Finally, a big "Well, I didn't expect that" to the sound tonight. I've been to a ton of gigs in my life and way over half of them have had awful sound, but tonight - even though I was concered by the venue's huge hugh celing - someone out there played a bloody blinder. Sound was perfect throughout, for all three bands. Cheers Soundmen!