As the wind guzzles down and a few smuttered snowflakes begin to lie on the streets, it is hard to imagine being anywhere else tonight other than lapped up in front of the telly watching Eastenders and Family Guy.
There are around 2000 people tonight in Glasgow who completely missed the memo as they stand in an orderly queue outside the Academy in the blistering cold.
With good reason to, The Gaslight Anthem is in town tonight, having released fourth LP Handwritten last summer, the New Jersey quartet have finally got round to playing a completely sold out UK tour, two of those dates take place here in Glasgow.
There is a swarming of anticipation as the crowd chatter among themselves outside the venue about comparisons of tonight’s headliners and rock legend Bruce Springsteen.
In a few hours time those links would be proven completely premature, but in the mean time, there is a festival like buzz simulating through the air as the venue begins to pack.
Up first tonight is the Canadian duo Japandroids who saunter onto the stage clutching two bottles of beer and a glass of water.
Having witnessed these lads for the first time just over four years ago in a dimly lit Captains Rest supporting A Place To Bury Strangers in front of around six people and an apprentice sound guy, tonight feels somewhat of a strange experience.
Not that you could tell as the fuzz punk heroes rip through a mixture of material ranging from last years fabulous Celebration Rock to the innocently abrasive numbers off of 2009 debut Post Nothing.
It takes a couple of tracks for the pair to assimilate enough of a racket to not only challenge the notoriously clumsy and soulless Academy, but also contagion an energy which can tackle a bunch Gaslight Anthem fans who are largely disinterested at first.
Thankfully anthems such as ‘The House That Heaven Built’ and ‘Young Hearts Spark Fire’ are designed for such occasions and as handclaps begin to take shape during the former, Japandroids can leave tonight feeling happy with their shift.
After a half an hour interval of overpriced beverage, the stage lights dim once more.
After a forgetful opener, The Gaslight Anthem make amends by ripping into a soulful and eclectic rendition of 2009 smash ‘The 59 Sound’.
This is where the problems begin, rolling out the biggest hit so early on can make or break a bands set, for those in the world class performer bracket, it can be used as a pedestal to usher a consistent level of energy matched by crowd and band alike, in cases like tonight, however, it is a mere disaster.
See, despite possessing an arsenal of technically well-arranged folk punk songs, the band does not have more than a few memorable songs.
This is the sort of set that they could have got away with had they been playing down the road in Tut’s, but in front of 2000 people desperate for a sing-along and a bit of drunken debauchery tonight just does not cut the mustard.
It would be an absurd exaggeration to suggest the band are not comfortable with their new found fame and position, because as vocalist Brian Fallon demonstrates more than once tonight – he is a more than accommodating and charming front man.
There is something missing tonight, though, mainly down to the fact that this set feels like it is composed of two-thirds filler.
After almost dozing off into a comatose of rasping strained notes for around half an hour, the band smash home a couple of consolation goals in the shape of the stomping ‘Handwritten’ and foot tapping ‘”45”’.
It is a shame that these are simply diamonds in the rough and neither a fair or accurate representation of what the band has brought with them to the windy streets of Glasgow tonight.
Bruce Springsteen? On the evidence of this set, The Gaslight Anthem would struggle to fill the void of Kenny Loggins.
Words: Chris Kelman
