Emmylou Harris – Glasgow

The night I went to see Emmylou Harris happened to coincide with one of the biggest Scotland football matches in years.

Scotland were playing the Netherlands in the second leg of a European Championship play-off. We’d won the first leg 1-0 and suddenly people were daring to believe that qualification was possible. Friends and family were all heading to pubs to watch the game unfold.

I was heading to see Emmylou Harris.

Some might question that decision.

As it turned out, it was absolutely the right one.

At the start of the concert, Emmylou joked that she would keep the audience updated with the score throughout the evening. It seemed a thoughtful gesture given how many Scots were probably wondering what was happening.

Then she never mentioned it again.

Not once.

The next time I heard anything about the match was when I got back to the car afterwards and switched on the radio.

Scotland had lost 6-0.

Suddenly missing the football didn’t seem like such a sacrifice.

In fact, it felt more like an act of self-preservation.

The support act for the evening was Jim Lauderdale, who did an excellent job warming up the crowd. I’ve always enjoyed discovering artists through support slots and Jim’s mix of country, folk and Americana proved the perfect opening for what was to follow.

Then Emmylou took the stage.

I’ve often said that she possesses one of the finest female voices I’ve ever heard live. Even after all these years, I’d comfortably place her in my top three alongside Sinead O’Connor and Barb Jungr.

There is simply something magical about the way she sings.

The clarity, warmth and emotion in her voice seem effortless, yet very few singers can achieve anything close to it.

When Emma and I first started going to gigs together, I knew she would appreciate Emmylou if she ever got the chance to hear her. So when Christmas rolled around, I surprised her with a ticket.

She seemed slightly shocked.

I suspect she wasn’t expecting a country music legend as a Christmas present.

Not that it mattered. I was taking her anyway, so I figured I might as well make it festive and kill two birds with one stone.

This wasn’t actually my first experience of seeing Emmylou live.

Years earlier I’d seen her twice at the Armadillo, including a remarkable charity concert featuring Steve Earle, Nanci Griffith, Elvis Costello and John Prine. That’s the sort of line-up that still seems almost unbelievable when you write it down.

This evening was different, however.

The venue was the Emirates Arena Velodrome, which, if I’m being honest, is not somewhere I’d choose to watch music. During the show Emmylou told a story involving the legendary Glasgow Apollo and seemed to be gently suggesting that some venues are more inspiring than others.

I suspect many people in the audience agreed.

The velodrome felt more like an aircraft hangar than a concert hall. Emma and I were seated high up in the stands towards the back and, for reasons that were probably related to safety regulations, the lights remained on in our section throughout the entire performance.

It completely destroyed any sense of atmosphere.

Instead of becoming immersed in the music, you constantly felt aware that you were sitting in a large sports venue.

Eventually I found my own solution.

I closed my eyes.

The moment I did that, the venue disappeared.

All that remained was the music.

And Emmylou was magnificent.

Looking back, I barely remember the building. I barely remember the seats. I certainly don’t remember wishing I was in a pub watching Scotland concede six goals.

What I remember is one of the finest singers I’ve ever heard delivering a wonderful performance and reminding me why her voice has remained so special for so many decades.

The videos below include Jim Lauderdale’s support set and footage from Emmylou’s performance. If you’ve never heard her sing live, you’re missing one of the great voices of modern music.

And unlike Scotland that evening, she never let anyone down.

I first saw Emmylou at the Armadillo, in fact I saw her there twice as she was part of a night with Steve Earle, Nanci Griffith, Elvis Costello and John Prine doing a charity show. Emmylou told a story about the Glasgow Apollo and I think she was maybe saying how good that was compared to The Emirates velodrome, the air hanger she was now playing. We were sitting in the stands way at the back and they left the lights on there for the whole gig. Probably a safety reason but still, it killed the ambience. I just closed my eyes for most of the gig and Emmylou was fantastic.

Here are some videos from fans that were closer than us.