‘Summer Nights on the Southside’ is a cracking few days of music situated, funnily enough, on the Southside of Glasgow. It’s also a few days that played the weather lottery.
It rained. And rained. And then, just for good measure, rained some more.
Thankfully, the promoters had a winning weather lottery ticket, as the irrepressible Scissor Sisters were safely ensconced beneath the enormous big-top tent at Queens Park, surrounded by a fervent following who had clearly arrived with one thing in mind: a party.
Rain? Pah, what rain!
They got a party. And then some.
Gates opened at 4pm, with the entertainment getting underway shortly afterwards. Two acts had already done their bit by the time our intrepid reporter/photographer arrived, and by all accounts had got the evening off to a suitably lively start.
By the time Django Django took to the stage as main support, the crowd was still relatively sparse, with plenty of punters taking advantage of the refreshment concessions outside. Quite possibly an attempt to stock up on energy reserves before the chaotic carnival that was about to unfold.
Based in London, Django Django brings a curious blend of art rock, electronic rock, and neo-psychedelia (at least according to Wiki). Whatever label you want to slap on them, one thing was obvious: they were bloody good at getting a Glasgow crowd moving.
Singalongs and clap-a-thons (yes, I’m claiming that as a thing) were deployed with considerable success as the band set about dragging everyone from their rain-soaked stupor into full-on warm-up mode.
One track appeared to last approximately forever. A megamix if ever there was one. Lots of multi-instrument displays and and almost as much drumming as you’d find in a live Christian Eigner drum solo…
Their nine-song set nevertheless delivered a bit of everything promised on the tin, plus something else I can’t quite put my finger on. Whatever it was, it was definitely there.
The applause at the end was well deserved, and the band made sure everyone knew they’d be back in Glasgow soon to headline their own show. One to watch out for.
Then came the wait.
Scissor Sisters were initially due on stage at 8:45pm. That became 8:50pm. Still nothing.
The crowd waited.
By 9:10pm, one would have thought that patience was beginning to wear a little thin… but no, nothing but unabashed fan love!
This, though, had better be worth the wait.
It was.
The opening notes of ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancin’’ detonated across the pavilion, and any lingering doubts about the delay disappeared instantly. A UK number one hit as an opening salvo? That’ll do nicely.
And where do you go from there?
Jake Shears arrived dressed in sequined dungarees and what can only be described as a wonderfully ridiculous top-hat-type thing, immediately taking command of the stage. His cohorts were far more than a backing band; they were every bit as involved in the mayhem, going full throttle from the first second to the last.
Even the Duracell Bunny would have been asking for a sit-down by halftime.
Amber Martin and Bridget Barkan spent the evening operating somewhere between whirling dervishes and human firecrackers, dancing, singing, and screaming their way through the set with seemingly limitless energy. The audience, for the most part, matched them stride for stride.
Bono once described Scissor Sisters as “the best pop group in the world.” On tonight’s evidence, even a King’s Advocate would struggle to argue the point.
The temperature inside the pavilion steadily climbed as the fans clamored for more.
They got more; Then more became even more. Was there any more to give?
Well… This high-energy juggernaut blasted through a 15-song set that felt less like a conventional gig and more like an enormous, glitter-covered celebration. It was part concert, part theatre, part disco and part glorious piece of pop art.
As a grizzled old gig-goer and reviewer, I can be pretty critical at times.
Not tonight… This is how you put on a show.
The carefully judged setlist naturally included the hits, but even those familiar favourites were given enough of a twist to make them feel fresh. There was genuine excitement from the stage, as if the band were rediscovering these songs alongside the audience.
And that joy was infectious.
It travelled from the stage into the crowd and back again. There was an almost telepathic understanding between band and audience, with fans instinctively knowing exactly what to do and when to do it. Like musical twins finishing each other’s sentences.
‘Take Your Mama’ is a belter on its own. Add George Michael’s ‘Freedom!’ into the mix and suddenly it becomes something else entirely. Wow!
Then came ‘Comfortably Numb,’ the Pink Floyd cover that played such an important part in Scissor Sisters’ early story. ‘Any Which Way’ followed, providing the opportunity for the band introductions—particularly useful for those of us who aren’t fully paid-up members of Team Scissor Sisters. Although, by this point, I was definitely considering membership.
As gay scene icons, Scissor Sisters have long shared an affinity with another much-loved icon of the scene, the late, great Dolly Parton. So it was fitting that the main set closed with ‘I’m Going Home’, their affectionate nod to Dolly and Tim Curry.
It was poignant without becoming maudlin, celebratory without losing its emotional weight and, fittingly, euphoric.
Then came a two-song encore before the metaphorical curtain finally fell on what was undoubtedly one of the most joyous shows Glasgow has seen in recent years.
Outside, the cowboy hats and sequinned trousers began their journey home, the crowd dispersing towards cars, taxis, buses and whatever other form of transport could be found.
They left musically and aesthetically sated, their energy reserves somehow replenished rather than depleted. There was a palpable buzz hanging in the air; the sort of post-gig excitement that refuses to disappear the moment you walk through the exit.
Everyone had played their part.
The band; The crowd; The enormous tent on the Southside of Glasgow.
Scissor Sisters didn’t simply play a gig tonight.
They threw one hell of a party: a cabaret, a riot of colour, glitter, and unapologetic pop…
Blooming superb!
Review and Photographs by John Brown Photography
