One of the secrets to a successful relationship is occasionally attending concerts that aren’t entirely about your own musical tastes. Fortunately, that’s not much of a hardship when the artist in question happens to be Blanco White. Emma had become a big fan, so I decided that taking her along to see him in Glasgow would help keep me in her good books for a little while longer.
As it turned out, it was a very good decision.
Before Blanco White took to the stage, we were treated to support sets from Rory Butler and M Field. Unfortunately, we only managed to catch the tail end of Rory Butler’s performance, which was a shame because what we did hear suggested we would have enjoyed the full set. M Field, meanwhile, made a strong impression and proved to be an excellent choice to warm up the audience.
One of the things I enjoy about gigs like this is the opportunity to discover artists I might not have actively sought out myself. Emma had done the groundwork in this case, and I was more than happy to reap the rewards. Blanco White has developed a distinctive sound that blends folk influences with Latin American instrumentation and rhythms, creating music that feels both familiar and refreshingly different. It’s easy to understand why he has built such a loyal following.
The atmosphere throughout the evening was superb. Some concerts rely on spectacle, volume or elaborate production. Blanco White achieved much the same effect through songwriting, musicianship and the connection he established with the audience. Watching the crowd respond to the songs, it was obvious that many people in the room felt a genuine attachment to the music.
The vlogs and footage below capture some of that atmosphere, but as always, being there in person told the full story. There was a warmth and intimacy to the performance that doesn’t always translate through a camera lens.
Of course, the highlight of the evening from Emma’s perspective came after the show. Somehow I managed to help arrange a photograph with Blanco White himself, which immediately elevated my status from “guy who drags me to obscure gigs” to “acceptable boyfriend” for at least a few days. Unfortunately, I couldn’t resist sticking my own face into the photograph as well, ensuring that what should have been a perfectly nice picture of Emma and Blanco White became a permanent record of my inability to stay out of shot.
Looking back, this was one of those concerts where everybody won. Emma got to see one of her favourite artists, I discovered an excellent live performer, and we both came away having enjoyed a genuinely memorable evening. That’s a pretty good return on a concert ticket.
The videos, photographs and vlog footage below capture a wonderful night of music and a performance that more than justified Emma’s enthusiasm. Every now and again it’s worth letting someone else choose the gig.
Rory Butler
M Field
Blanco White
As you can tell from the footage Blanco was great and I even managed to get Emma a photo with him at the end, not without me sticking my big mug into the shot also though.
The Photos
Check out the artists websites at
Cheers!
Donate
