The Meffs
The Meffs’ debuting Glasgows’s OVO Hydro delivered a sharp burst of punk to kick off an evening headlined by the legendary Alice Cooper.
The two-piece punk band have been building a reputation with their raw, no-nonsense sound, and they most certainly did not hold anything back at the Hydro. Whilst their set was short, it was packed with superb guitars riffs, clearly politically charged lyrics, and positive attitude that resonated with the crowd in attendance.
The Meffs’ performance left an impression on those already familiar with their music and also on those discovering their music for the first time. Some of the crowed were clearly impressed with the cover version of the Prodigy’s “Breath” and this will have no doubt picked them up a few new fans.
With songs filled with modern day social commentary, the Meff’s punk sound fitted in with vast arena setting which went some way to proving that their brand of music can hold its own even in larger venues.
Primal Scream
Primal Scream took to the stage at the Hydro as part of their tour supporting Alice Cooper for what was to be a blend of nostalgia and a rekindled energy with 3 tracks in their short set being debuted this evening.
With the release of new single “Ready to Go Home” from their album “Come Ahead” being one of these new tracks, it was clear that the band’s still wanted to explore new music whilst offering a mix of new material with the classic hits as crowd pleasers towards the end.
As Primal Scream’s performance neared its end it was the classic tracks of “Loaded”, “Movin’ On Up” and set closer “Country Girl” which reminded those present of the heights this band achieved in their heyday.
Perhaps with the release of the new material Primal Scream may well once again gain new followers of their music.
Alice Cooper
Alice Cooper’s “Too Close for Comfort” arrived at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, and delivered everything fans have come to expect from the shock rock legend whose career has spanned more decades than many remeber.
The show at the OVO Hydro was jam packed with the theatrical flair that people have come to expect from and Alice Cooper gig and featured his usual trademarks of snakes, guillotines, and monsters.
Spanning his vast career of classic tracks, the setlist mixed perfectly with the Cooper brand of shock, horror and humour and included material from his new album, “Dark” alongside the expected hits such as “Poison,”, “No More Mr. Nice Guy,”, “Billion Dollar Babies”.
Cooper’s performance remains as energetic as ever, even after all the years he has been touring and his band are just as tight and hard-hitting as ever featuring guitarists Ryan Roxie, Nita Strauss with bassist Chuck Garric and drummer Glen Sobel completing the line-up.
The well thought out use of giant video screens at the rear of the stage mixed the evenings live performance with pre-recorded footage that assisted in enhancing the experience for the audience.
By the time the inevitable sound of a school bell rang out and the opening notes of set closer “Schools Out” we’re being played, the audience reached the absolute pinnacle of the evenings excitement as the venue decended into a mixture of lights, sound, massive balloons and soap bubbles.
Cooper, backed by musicians on top of their game, prowled the entire stage, now resplendent in white top hat and tailcoat with a sword at the ready to pop the balloons, each one filled with glitter and confetti, as they floated towards him.
With band introductions and a snippet of “Another Brick In The Wall” thrown in for good measure, the set came to its close and the band Tok their well deserved applause.
This a singer and a band at the top of their game and the years seemed to fall away from Alice Cooper this evening as he provided the crowd with exactly what they wanted before heading off home into the dark.
Review & Photographs by Gavin Ross
