One of the things I’ve always tried to do through BillyWatson.tv is support artists who are prepared to challenge mainstream narratives and think for themselves. Whether people agree with their views or not, I respect musicians who are willing to speak honestly about what they believe. That’s one of the reasons I had been following Hi-Rez for the previous couple of years and why, when he announced a Glasgow date at Broadcast, I decided to take Emma along to see him.
Hi-Rez had built a sizeable online following through a combination of independent thinking, outspoken lyrics and a willingness to tackle subjects that many artists prefer to avoid. Whatever your opinion on the issues he raises, there’s no denying that he has managed to connect with an audience looking for something a little different from the mainstream music industry.
Before the headline set, the audience were treated to a performance from Avery Harden. Support acts can sometimes find themselves overshadowed by the anticipation surrounding the main event, but Avery did a great job warming up the room and setting the tone for the evening. By the time his set finished, the crowd were more than ready for the main attraction.
When Hi-Rez eventually took to the stage, it quickly became apparent that he wasn’t operating at one hundred percent physically. After several consecutive nights on tour, his voice had taken a bit of a battering. Lesser performers might have struggled under those circumstances, but to his credit he pushed through and delivered a strong performance regardless. In some ways it probably made the show feel even more genuine. There was no lip-syncing, no backing-track trickery and no pretending everything was perfect. Just an artist doing his best to give the audience the show they had come to see.
One of the things I enjoy about smaller venues like Broadcast is that there is a real connection between performers and audience. The distance between stage and crowd is minimal, which often creates moments that would never happen in larger arenas.
Sure enough, during the show Hi-Rez spotted my T-shirt in the crowd and gave it a shout-out from the stage.
Now, I would love to tell you that this was because of my magnetic personality, undeniable charisma or years of dedicated support. The truth is that the T-shirt simply caught his attention. Nevertheless, I was happy to accept my brief moment of recognition.
Emma seemed suitably amused by the whole thing.
Looking back, this was another example of why I continue to enjoy attending gigs in smaller venues. The performances feel more personal, the interactions feel more genuine and you leave with stories that simply wouldn’t happen elsewhere.
The mobile clips below capture some of the atmosphere from the evening. Despite battling vocal issues from the previous dates on the tour, Hi-Rez still delivered a memorable show and gave the Glasgow audience plenty to enjoy.
And for a few seconds at least, my T-shirt became part of the performance.
Then it was time for Hi Rez to do his stuff and he certainly done well considering his voice was shot from the previous nights of the tour.
Here are the mobile clips of the night.
At one point Hi Rez noticed my T-Shirt in the crowd and gave a shout out for it.
Check out Hi Rez at his website here.
The Photos
Cheers!
Donate
