Some gigs begin the moment the band walks on stage. Others begin in a petrol station car park while you’re desperately trying to figure out why the air pump isn’t working.

Emma and I very nearly missed this one. On the way to Glasgow I discovered I had a slow puncture and just enough air left in the tyre to reach a petrol station. After several increasingly stressful minutes wondering why nothing was happening, I eventually realised the machine required a pound coin before it would spring into life. By this point panic was starting to creep in, but thankfully the tyre cooperated long enough for us to make it to the Barrowland in one piece and catch the fantastic Hot Chip.

Here is a quick vblog of the evening.

I’ve always thought the Barrowland is one of the best venues in the country and Hot Chip felt perfectly suited to it. Over the years they’ve developed a reputation as one of Britain’s most inventive live acts, blending electronic music, indie rock, funk and pure pop into something that’s impossible to stand still to. Their records are excellent, but it’s on stage where their music really comes alive.

Before the main event we were treated to a set from Rosie Lowe. Support acts often have the difficult job of winning over an audience that’s eager for the headliners, but Rosie had no trouble holding everyone’s attention. Her soulful vocals and distinctive songwriting provided the perfect start to the evening and set the mood nicely for what followed.

As for Hot Chip, I have to confess I didn’t spend much of the evening concentrating on filming. My intention had been to capture plenty of footage for the site, but once the band got going that plan quickly fell apart. Instead I spent most of the concert jumping up and down with the rest of the crowd, which probably tells you everything you need to know about how good they were. The Barrowland audience absolutely loved it and so did I.

I suspect Emma briefly considered disappearing into the crowd when I started getting a little overenthusiastic, but she needed the lift home so she didn’t have much choice other than to stick it out. Looking back, neither of us realised there was an even more chaotic concert experience waiting for us in Dunfermline not long afterwards. Had she known what was coming, she might genuinely have headed for the station and taken the train back to Bathgate.

The videos and photographs below capture what I managed to record between bouts of enthusiastic dancing. Hopefully they give you a flavour of a brilliant night at one of Scotland’s greatest music venues.

I think Emma considered backing away into the crowd when I started going really mental but she needed the lift home so had to hang around beside me hoping I would calm down a bit. Little did she know or I know what was to come at a gig in Dunfermline not long after cause if she did she may have indeed bolted and got the train back to Bathgate.

The Photos

Hot Chip Night Out
Cheers!