Barrowland Ballroom, GlasgowWith founder member Gerard Love leaving after this tour, Teenage Fanclub spent three nights revisiting the bubblegum glory of their classic yearsHarmony has always been a useful word when it comes to describing the evergreen…
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Alt-J review – woozy harmonies and fibre-optic fantasies
SEC Armadillo, GlasgowThe trio’s finicky electronic pop can feel like sonic morphine, but they can pack a polite punch when they bring out their bluesy sideNo strangers to fermenting together disparate ingredients, it was probably only a matter of time…
Read moreJeff Lynne’s ELO review – interstellar joys from prog’s enduring astronaut
Hydro, GlasgowOnce an Alan Partridge punchline, Jeff Lynne’s prog-pop band have become a retro-futurist joy, full of fierce licks and luxurious arrangementsEven when the Electric Light Orchestra were in their 1970s pomp – baroque visionaries belting ou…
Read moreJason Derulo review – full-beam charisma machine comes on strong
Hydro, GlasgowEffortlessly combining ballet and kung-fu high kicks, the pop preener’s bare-chested show finds some poetry in priapismWith his laser-sculpted facial hair and endearing habit of singing his own name at the top of songs, Jason Derulo once …
Read moreShania Twain review – barnstorming, thigh-slapping spectacular
SSE Hydro, GlasgowBrash staging, old-school charisma and a bulletproof back catalogue power an energetic performance from the Canadian superstarHer 2017 comeback album was titled Now, but Shania Twain is taking a moment to revisit the past. Thanks to l…
Read moreGarbage review – scrappy cyberpunks make a strident homecoming
Festival theatre, EdinburghCelebrating the 20th anniversary of Version 2.0, Shirley Manson’s ‘mongrel pop’ band channel robotic beats into an endearingly human performance‘We love you Shirley!” This excitable shout from the stalls is a reminder that, f…
Read moreTracks of the week reviewed: Disclosure, Bring Me the Horizon, Train
Disclosure crank out another new one, there’s a swaggering outing from the Brit metallers and Train keep the pallid calypso-pap coming Continue reading…
Read moreKids’ play: why are children soundtracking our favourite TV shows?
Jean-Marc Vallée’s new show Sharp Objects is the latest series featuring kids with eclectic tastes beyond Kidz BopThe opening credits of Sharp Objects begins with a record needle dropping. Based on Gillian Flynn’s zig-zagging bestseller, scenes in this…
Read moreMadison Beer review – Bieber protege comes of age credibly
ABC2, GlasgowThe American teenager pulls off somersaulting vocals and pin-drop performances with regal poiseIn 2012, aspiring pop star Madison Beer got a vertiginous career bump from Justin Bieber after he gushingly shared a clip of her covering Etta J…
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