One of the greatest gigs I’ve ever attended was Primal Scream at the Barrowland on the XTRMNTR tour.
It had everything.
Bobby Gillespie at his swaggering best, Mani on bass, Kevin Shields on guitar and a wall of sound powerful enough to rearrange your internal organs. More than twenty years later, it’s still one of the benchmark gigs against which I measure others.
So when My Bloody Valentine announced a Glasgow date, there was never much doubt that I would be there.
Now, I should point out that I am not a fan of the Hydro.
I’ve tried.
I really have.
But every now and again an artist comes along who is important enough to overcome my reservations. Mark Knopfler managed it. The National managed it. The Doobie Brothers managed it. Slayer managed it.
My Bloody Valentine definitely qualified.
Partly because I wanted to see Kevin Shields performing in his natural habitat rather than as a member of somebody else’s band, but mostly because I love the music. Their records have a unique quality that nobody has ever successfully replicated, and I knew that hearing those songs live would be less of a concert and more of a full-scale sonic assault.
I was absolutely right.
There was an added bonus before the show even started.
I’d been bidding on tickets for both Throwing Muses and Dinosaur Jr., which unfortunately fell on the same night. Throwing Muses eventually won that particular battle, meaning I missed Dinosaur Jr.
So I was delighted to discover that J Mascis would be opening this show.
Result.
His set was excellent, although my enjoyment was somewhat hampered by one of my recurring concert frustrations.
People.
More specifically, people who spend money on tickets and then proceed to talk endlessly throughout the music.
J Mascis was standing on stage producing beautiful noise and subtle guitar magic while sections of the audience seemed determined to discuss absolutely anything except what was happening in front of them.
It drives me up the wall.
Eventually I decided enough was enough.
Thankfully there was a relatively empty area towards the back of the venue, so I made my escape. I found what was probably the most isolated spot available and settled into a seat on the back row, far away from the endless chatter.
Peace at last.
Well, almost.
The venue also had a strict no-filming policy.
Not that this is unusual these days, but on this occasion it was being enforced with particular enthusiasm by one member of staff who appeared to have made it his life’s mission to prevent anyone from pointing a camera towards the stage.
To be fair, he was certainly dedicated to the cause.
While he was busy scolding other offenders, however, I managed to capture a few bits of footage of my own.
Timing is everything.
Then My Bloody Valentine arrived.
And the world disappeared into noise.
Trying to describe a My Bloody Valentine concert to somebody who hasn’t experienced one is almost impossible. Their music isn’t merely heard. It’s felt physically. Waves of guitar sound wash over the audience until the distinction between music and atmosphere begins to disappear altogether.
At times it felt less like watching a band and more like standing inside a giant amplifier.
The famous volume was everything I had hoped it would be.
The textures, the drones, the melodies buried beneath mountains of distortion — everything that makes My Bloody Valentine unique was present in overwhelming abundance. It was loud, immersive, hypnotic and utterly magnificent.
Exactly as it should be.
Looking back, the Hydro still isn’t my favourite venue and the audience still tested my patience more than once, but none of that really mattered once the music started.
I went there hoping for a sonic boom attack of the highest order.
My Bloody Valentine delivered one.
The videos below include J Mascis’ support set and some footage from a concert that proved once again why Kevin Shields remains one of the most influential and innovative guitarists of his generation.
Just don’t tell the security guy I filmed any of it.
The Photos
Cheers!
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