Yulia reviews the Liverpudlian rock band at their Glasgow show.
Tucked away behind a modern façade is a wholesale fruit market, refurbished as a hotspot for a range of events, from banquets to music concerts. This November, the spotlight fell on the latter, with the Lightning Seeds rocking the stage with their guest band, Badly Drawn Boy (Damon Michael Gough’s busker-esque style greatly contrasted Ian Broudie’s more “classical” or Liverpudlian fashion). Venturing on their UK tour, with 14 cities pinned on the map, Glasgow came among them a lucky 7th.
What both bands share in common is the mood brought by their music. There is a touch of misery here, and a rueful smile there, but the tempo lets you chill down. Then, a couple of songs in, and you are frozen in the moment that has no end or beginning. Ignorance or bliss – however you choose to describe it – the nostalgia will submerge you deeply in the present. You can stop looking back, or forward, at whatever makes you anxious.
Broudie confessed to “being a miserable bastard” earlier this year in an interview with the Independent. Exposing the melancholy behind songs like Sugar Coated Iceberg and Perfect, as they played at the Fruitmarket it was hard not to reflect on their less optimistic backstory. They touch on topics like feeling frozen on the inside, or letting your partner get away with dishonesty and betrayal (because it gives you more hope than the thought of breaking up). Some may find the confession disappointing: as the cost of living crisis eats through our souls and wallets, people are looking for ways to forget about it, not to be reminded of the hardships that life has in its sleeve. Others will see it as an opportunity to reconnect with the songs they have been listening to. After all, what if not difficulties unite us together as human beings?
As for the venue, there is nowhere better in Glasgow for the passionate performance. Not only are the staff friendly and helpful, but the chain of cafes and restaurants nearby in Merchant City ensures you can digest the performance on a full stomach. As its name suggests, the Old Fruitmarket retains its period features: a vaulted roof, cast iron columns, and a balcony, while market stalls with boldly printed names make the concert hall nothing short of wonderful.
Wish I’d been there (on a full stomach)