Tom Andrews’ band, Meanwhile, kick of tonight’s gig in sublime, freak-funk, disco-gyrating fashion.
There is not much messing around in the chit-chat department as Meanwhile thrash through their six song set, opening with ‘Luvletta’ (issued earlier this year to a flood of praise) and finishing off with ‘AAIU’.
Considering Glasgow is the first night of the tour, the band, and in particular Andrews, ooze a confidence that never quite reaches arrogance, but sits in a nice little pivot allowing for equanimity between humble musings (between songs), and over-zealous musicianship during their performance.
One of Andrews’ top influences is Danny Elfman (legendary film composer), so it’s pretty funkadelic hearing some of Elfman’s influences creep up through their pop sensibilities.
Meanwhile have been compared to Prince, and it is an easy comparison to make, but there is much more to Meanwhile than being a young British incarnation of Prince.
They’re a tight unit, and for their first gig of the tour, it is a splendid performance.
La Roux lets us all down gently with Elly Jackson’s opener not so much as emanating some much-needed additional spunk amongst the Glasgow crowd, but commanding a subconsciously “we paid for tickets, so let’s have a great time,” kind of response.
Jackson delivers a crisp pop-tinged, neo-disco repertoire of soon-to-be dated tracks from her new album Trouble in Paradise and seamlessly mixes them with older hits such as ‘In For The Kill, and ‘BulletProof’.
The fact that newer tracks, like ‘Kiss and not Tell’, ‘Sexotheque’ and ‘Tropical Chancer’, seamlessly work into the older material is testament that there is nothing radically different being offered tonight.
The stage props and the new vibe to suit the album add a nice touch, and although it feels like we are back in 2009, the sentimental aspects and the vibe are good, as are the band (and the pre-recorded vocals that come from absolutely nowhere).
However, nobody seems to notice any of these negative aspects and the gig is a mediocre success, ‘I’m Not Your Toy’ and ‘Colourless Colour’ are highlights that nobody else seems to share or agree with.
Guess everyone is just waiting on the hits, and when they come, the crowd looks like they are enjoying themselves (at least that’s the impression one gets).
Words: Derek Robertson
Photos: Jayjay Roberston
