The Icicle Works – Stereo – Glasgow

Emma and I had previously seen Ian McNabb in Edinburgh on my birthday back in 2022.

It was one of those intimate gigs where we ended up sitting right at the front of the stage, and afterwards I handed him a copy of my book, Buckin’ Cunny Funt. As is usually the case when I attend gigs by artists I like, I also left with a small pile of CDs.

Well, perhaps not that small.

So when The Icicle Works announced this tour, there was a good chance I’d be attending regardless. Ian’s solo material had already won me over and, although I wasn’t nearly as familiar with The Icicle Works catalogue, what I had heard suggested it would be another excellent night.

An added attraction was that Ian had announced he would be performing a solo support set before the main show.

At least, that was the plan.

He had performed the support slot on the opening date of the tour, but unfortunately he had been struggling with back problems and by the time the tour reached Glasgow, the solo set had been dropped.

A shame, but entirely understandable.

Anyone who has suffered back trouble knows it’s not something you can simply ignore and power through.

The back issues also meant Ian spent much of the evening seated.

Fortunately, that wasn’t a problem for us.

Having secured seats in the front row, we had a perfect view throughout the show. In some ways it probably made the evening feel even more intimate, as Ian chatted comfortably with the audience between songs and seemed determined not to let a bit of physical discomfort spoil the occasion.

And spoil it he certainly didn’t.

What struck me most was how effortlessly the songs filled the room. While I may not have known every track as well as some of the die-hard fans in attendance, it quickly became obvious why The Icicle Works built such a loyal following in the first place.

The songs were packed with melody, atmosphere and hooks.

The sort of songs that remind you just how strong much of that era’s songwriting really was.

Ian remains a hugely engaging performer too. Whether singing, telling stories or simply chatting to the audience, he has a natural warmth about him that makes every gig feel personal.

It’s one of the reasons I’ve enjoyed seeing him both solo and with the band.

The audience clearly appreciated the effort he was making given his condition and responded warmly throughout the evening. There was a real sense that everyone wanted him to take it easy while simultaneously hoping he’d play for another hour.

A difficult balancing act.

Looking back, while it would have been nice to catch the planned solo support set, there was certainly no feeling of disappointment by the end of the night. The Icicle Works delivered a fantastic performance, Ian’s voice sounded great and the songs more than justified the trip through to Glasgow.

As an added bonus, the merchandise stall was selling CDs for a fiver each.

That sort of pricing is dangerous for somebody like me.

Needless to say, I returned home with considerably more CDs than I arrived with.

Again.

The videos below capture some of the evening and provide a glimpse of a band that still know exactly how to put on a memorable show. Even seated for much of the night, Ian McNabb proved that great songs and great performances don’t require standing up to make an impact.