Well this was a night of surprises. The original opening act, and rising local hero, Matt Scott had been bumped from bottom of the bill to the top due to the amount of tickets that he had shifted.
A nice reward for the effort he had put in to promote his appearance, and one that if repeated elsewhere would maybe go some way towards counteracting the negative aspects of what is little more than a pay to play exercise.
However the newly appointed opening act 'The Sundancer' were taking the shuffle in their stride and played a bit of a blinder.
It's a simple set up of a single vocal being backed up with an acoustic guitar and djembe, but between the two members of the band they manage to give out a very rich and textured sound.
There's a definite hint of a sixties psychedelic vibe that threads its way through much of the material, but it's a far cry from sounding dated.
If Donovan was to write something that smacked of the present then it would probably sound like a track from The Sundancer, and based on this performance I'm going to have to see what I can pick up and take a little paisley patterned trip through their back catalogue.
The following act 'Rhiannon Garity' was an anticlimactic experience.
It was all looking good as they set up, but once they started all I could think of closing time at Butlins.
The single solitary singer in the spotlight, her fingers dancing over the keys, a backing band going through the motions and a disco ball casting little diamonds of light onto a virtually empty dance floor.
It actually made me feel a bit sad.
Rhiannon had a nice enough voice and the band were competent enough, but I wasn't getting anything apart from a healthy does of melancholy from it.
Others seemed to be enjoying themselves though
Once again it's down to the old adage 'horses for course' and I wasn't getting it so I retreated to the downstairs bar.
By the time I had returned Folks were on their penultimate song of the evening and I could have kicked myself as they were ticking all the right boxes.
They've got that Manc rock and roll attitude going on. The sort of 'Look at me not giving a fuck' coolness that Buzzcocks had and was registered as a trademark by Oasis.
I felt like I was watching the North of England's answer to Primal Scream.
They must be on the cusp of bigger and better things and the support slot to Noel Gallagher at the tail end of October may just be the catalyst that will enable them to jump into the wider public's consciousness.
Now what can be said about Matt Scott that wont sound like he is paying me to heap praise on him?
It's going to be difficult, but I Don't have a doubt that we have something petty special on our hands here.
In the seventies Scotland had the likes of Frankie Miller showing the rest of the world how bluesy rock music could be imbued with soul to the point that it was impossible to see where one style merged with the other.
It was akin to musical alchemy.
In the present you can hear it in some of the material that Paulo Nutini does, but while Paulo reaches into the past to pay homage to that style Matt Scott sounds like it's at his fingertips.
While one is creating a facsimile of it, the other is the living and breathing embodiment of it.
His original material sits comfortably next to a sublime cover of The Kings of Leons 'Trani', a track that is allegedly one of Bob Dylan's favourites, but while it is done with a great deal of passion the highlight of the covers is the Frankie Miller song 'Drunken Nights in the City'.
It's on this song that the past and present come crashing together and the path ahead for Matt is lit in neon.
This last minute headlining slot at King Tuts is a testament to his pulling power.
Friends and family can only take this so far, but when you have 60 plus people personally turning out to see an act that was originally on the bottom of the bill then that is telling venues and promoters something.
Matt Scott has that something that people want, and it wont be long before a higher profile slot will be offered and after that it is all in the lap of the gods.
The future could be very bright.
(Photograph provided by Ronnie Munro. All rights reserved)
Didnt arrive till late but caught the same song and a half of folks, seemed a bit lack luster to me and very much Stone Rose/oasis clones didnt inspire me, sorry.
ReplyDeleteThe main feature for me was Matt and boy he didn't disappoint, his seemingly laid back attitude to headlining his first appearance at Tuts astounded me. I would have been nervous as hell but that's why I was watching and not performing I guess. His voice would melt your heart and with looks to match I think he has a big future, well he has in my house hold lol
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ReplyDeleteSycophantic crap bigging up the "rising local hero".
ReplyDeleteThere's better talent in Ayrshire who don't get a look in because they aren't part of your little clique of mutual ass fuckers.
Okay. I deleted the original comment because I didn't feel that it had any basis in truth, and as such was just a bitter attack on Matt Scott and myself.
ReplyDeleteHowever as you are so intent in getting your point across that you went to the bother of resending it I'll allow it to go out publicly and answer you.
1) I've met Matt Scott once face to face and spoke to him for a matter of less than two minutes in total.
Seriously mate there wasn't enough time to get our kits off an indulge in any sort of mutual ass fuckin at all, and as it was in the middle of a crowded Jolly's Sports Bar I don't think living out your homoerotic fantasies would have went down well.
2) What is your problem? How is praising someones talents sycophantic. Once again I find myself defending an opinion. That's what the review is. Simply a subjective opinion. One that seems to be shared by a number of people though. Over sixty people bought tickets to see Matt play. No one was coerced into parting with their cash, no one was bribed to make the trip from Ayrshire to Glasgow.
3) Who is this better talent? Now I've never stated that Matt is the best talent, but instead I will go on records as stating that he is up there with a large group of individuals and bands who are currently providing us in Ayrshire with the most vibrant local music scene that I have ever witnessed in thirty years of attending shows locally. I'll even name names unlike yourself who seems to prefer hiding behind a cloak of anonymity. Tragic OHara, Little Fire, Colin Hunter, Ross Gilchrist, Cal Murray, Roscoe Vacant (solo or with his Gantin Scriechs), Fatherson. Mechanical Smile and the Girobabies. There are probably more that will spring to mind, but there's a few who along with Matt are walking the walk and not just talking the talk.
None of them appear to be operating in the vacuum of a clique, but I would hazard a guess that you might think they are because either a) you are a musician that isn't of their calibre, but thinks you are, or b) have a mate who could be described as such.
Either way you sound as bitter as fuck.
Perhaps if you opened your mind and stayed for Rhiannon and the new town collectives performance you would have seen the sheer brilliance of song writing skills and musical talent from the band also. Its a shame that you have to stick to what you think is cool. Instead of listening to the whole set which gave hints of soul,jazz,indie and folk a new fresh and different band in Glasgow finally, no you went downstairs and came back to another copycat band with the typical (mick jagger) front and the same sounds as most manchester bands.Where was the originality in that? I hope you enjoyed your pint downstairs because a band like the 2nd act dont need closed minded people who think that soul is depressing. I think if you want to be a critic you should have a well rounded taste in music before you write such garbage about music you clearly cant appreciate. Your loss.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome to your views. They didn't do it for me. It's a shame that you consider that your opinion holds more validity than mine as I don't consider that expressing mine trumps yours.
ReplyDeleteSadly I appear to be in a minority in the freedom of expression stakes.
Ive looked through your blog and I cant find one complaint about a positive review. I will keep looking.
ReplyDeleteI know. Very strange isn't it.
ReplyDeleteHow many gigs have you been to this year Mainy. How many last year and the year before that.
ReplyDeleteYou must have 30 years of going to gigs logged.
You should tell these idiots about how you have promoted gigs. Put out CDs. Wrote press releases for bands and had your reviews and interviews printed in magazines here and in america.
What's the point mate. When I get comments disagreeing with me that's fine. I honestly don't mind. The abusive crap and threats can be wearing but I'll live with it, and the opinions that I don't have a rounded understanding of what music is sounds like the knee jerk reaction from those who hate anyone having a different opinion than themselves.
ReplyDeleteIt's not exactly balanced.
The rough translation is 'you talk shite because you aren't saying what I want to hear'
Dear anonyMOUSE aka Taylor Buntain of 13:45 & 14:56, Oh where to begin the deconstruction of your ego.
ReplyDelete"sycophantic" I think would be as good a place as anywhere I guess.
I have been keeping an un-observed eye on your of late. I can't help but notice that you exist in a little enclosed imaginary lilliputianesque world where you surround yourself with younger people in the hope that their inexperience can be exploited to inflate your ego. It seems to be the norm in your day to day life.
So perhaps you like "sycophantic" a great deal more that you let on!
Let move onto my the whole "upstairs, down stairs local music thing now." (oh don't be afraid, the truth will only hurt if you resist it, the truth is force of good and change is good if you face the facts and embrace them)
For the the past few weeks you and your un-merry band (can 6 people be called a band?) of young cronnies have been giving a lesson on the benefits of advertising and using the web as a tool to inform and impart info rather than in your case a tool using the web to impart his wish to attain status without merit.
I understand you bitterness towards the local music scene for your don't really have a place in it, do you?
Your just some silly C*nt a boy who thinks he's a king. I would add that your anonymouse-ly posted comments from your shadow lurking hiding hole proves the true measure of your worth as a man and your current anonymouse place in the local music scene is richly deserved. So rather than keep yourself away from normal people who could TEACH you to become not only a better person but, a better musician you complain about the scene you so wish to be a part of.
How long would you say you should wait before the truth sinks in that nobody is coming to your open mic on a friday for a reason, so rather than attempt to bring every thing down to your level and rubbish the vibrant local music scene. why not step out of the shadow of resistance and adopt not so much a "Man who would be king" attitude but, more of a Boy Who would be accepted modus operandi.
The little singular road of fools is strewn with the corpses of the unreal dreams of the unworthy so time to change your path before it's too late and many more of your peers, aka the good people within the local music scene, see you for what you are. Or I suppose you could keep living the lie and celebrate by taking your little group of mates for a happy meal and an hour at the soft play.
Before you consider replying. I ask that you bear in mind... MY FATHER'S HOUSE HAS A FIREPROOF FLOOR AND MY LOCAL PUB HAS A SHITE PROOF CEILING.
Ouch. Okay then. Now I am not saying that Taylor Buntain (a local musician) made the comments referred to.
ReplyDeleteThe reason I have accepted the post above is purely down to keeping things open.
If anyone cares to have a look through comments in the blog they will see that in the interests of free speech I have allowed many negative comments about myself to be seen.
If Taylor wishes to respond in part, or in full, then of course it will be upped.
The only rule is that while I can laugh off threats aimed at myself any aimed at a third party will not be be made public.
So play robustly, but play nice-ish.
I am not going to hide behind any anonymous nonsense,this is Munro.I happily and freely admit that Mainy is one of my good friends and of course I will back him up.Setting our friendship aside what he does with his blog and the gigs he puts on,which are in his own time and sometimes out of his own pocket,is done through his love of music. He is an honest guy and writes about what he sees and hears,I don't see any vitriol in his reviews and I know that nothing would delight him more than a local act,any local act,making something of themselves.Any gig goer or music lover could see that Matt Scott has talent that is without question the same goes for Tragic O'Hara,Colin Hunter,Cal Murray,Roscoe Vacant and Ross Gilchrist so why should he say any different!If Mainy gave me a bad review,which by the way he would do if he thought it was due,I would be dissappointed but not angry with him,I may ask him why and he would tell me,something to work on for me,but it would only be his opinion so I wouldn't need to take his advice unless I wanted to.As for Mainy not being open minded and being sycophantic you obviously don't know him at all as he is neither.Why post as anonymous just be honest and open if you believe what you say,we are all up for debate.The Ayrshire music scene,of which I've been involved for 28 years,I started when I was 10!,is a very small scene,and people should be pulling together not pulling apart!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Munro. I'll ignore pretty much all of the stuff about me and just agree with the last wee bit.
ReplyDeleteAs two ol' guys, (or gays, ya big sexy badger), I think we could both agree that over the years there has been points in time when the pool of talent has ebbed and flowed locally. Our little shallow end of the gene pool may have spewed forth the Trashcans Sinatras, Baby Chaos and Biffy Clyro, but they are the exceptions rather than the rule, and for every good band there has been often enough a raft of shit ones floating past.
There was a point when Southern Approach, Longhorns, Termites, Badger Sisters,(Docs band with Boabie on bass whose name eludes me) and more where kicking about that I have always said was the golden era for original, exciting, and passionate bands locally, and I genuinely never thought we could have revisited those times, but in the last two years we haven't just hit that level again, but instead reached a point where the current crop of talent is putting the glorious efforts of the past into the shade.
The one downside for me is that we do appear to be rather top heavy in solo acts rather than bands, but that's just an observation rather than a gripe.
Anyway my point is that I think we can have quite a good over view of what is going on and while our opinions are just that, they are rooted in a long time love for music in all its forms, and an understanding of the rich local history we have.
I honestly don't see any evidence to support the allegations that anyone is excluded from what is currently going on, and as support slots, favourable reviews and comments come from people like ourselves who are virtually a generation seperated from the young lions strutting their stuff and have no relationship to them I can't see how nepotism is involved either.
If anyone does feel excluded then they may be better considering what it is they have to offer, if it is good enough, if people are keying into it, or even if an attitude is holding them back.
This is really where the problem could lie.
Having anonymous digs at local artists and those who support them really isn't the way to go is it?
old cunts who have been there and done that. wnakers.
ReplyDeletewnakers?
ReplyDeleteI've done a lot in life, and some things I'm not that proud of, but I don't think I've ever wnaked.
I'd love to hear what it is though.
Oh wait a minute. You mean wankers don't you.
I should have thought of that.
My brain must be siezing up with old age.
It's not really up there with a secret code that would need enigma to break though.
In fact I managed to suss out what you meant without even having to dig out my old Captain Awesome decoder ring.
Try this.
Fcuk ofo yuo tssoer.
I'll give you half an hour, and yes, you can use a dictionary, phone a friend, etc.
All you do is go to gigs Mainy. How many this year?
ReplyDeleteLast year was the first time that I noted them down due to having the blog, and that was 54 gigs and 1 festival.
ReplyDeleteI reckon I must have seen about 200 seperate bands.
This year I've been to 39 gigs and 1 festival.
Make that 40 gigs as I'm at one tonight.
Unless someone is in a band that is constantly gigging, work in a venue or are part of the industry and it is there job to see bands then I doubt that many put in the hours Kel and myself do. We are a dying breed.
Just to help keep things easier to follow my name is Ronnie Munro .. can I just clarify that I am not the "Munro" who commented earlier. I dont want to get tangled up into differances of views here, I just want to make sure there is not any confusion as to who is who thats all. I took the pics at Matt's gig as a friend of the family simple as that. I dont know Mainy personally but two days ago we did link up as "Facebook Friends" to make access to gig photos etc easier as the guy had the good grace to ask before he used my pics and credited them at the foot of the review. Hope that clarifies who I am,I dont know who the other Munro is , none of my own family, again in fairness just to be clear for you all so that this thread is easier to follow and also avoid any confusion as to who is who. I just enjoy music,simple as that really.From an unbiased view its a good thing that there are people around that are passionate enough about music in Scotland to take the time to put thoughts to words whatever side of the argument they are on. You people obviously care and thats the main thing, its apathy that destroys growth of music not fiery disagreements. All the best to everbody. Ronnie Munro.
ReplyDeleteI really don't know where the competition is anywhere in the music scene at the moment. Perhaps i am naiive, probably as a result of just getting into this 'properly'. I am just thankful that there are people out reviewing gigs on local bands/artists etc. I think its pretty cool in honesty, seeing a professional write-up of people you may actually know and that. I'm also simply thankful for the support i recieved at Tuts, was a great night and got the impression that everyone else really enjoyed it, so as far as i can see, it was a success. So cheers everyone. Particularly 'anonymous comment one', that made me blush :) haha.
ReplyDeleteMatt Scott
Mainy, 40 gigs and 1 festival this year????
ReplyDeleteGod your getting old I done that in last month lol never mind us young ones will take up your flag and fly it high.
Matt, not be the first time I made you blush ;) i just ruined that for you didnt i lol
Some bitter souls out there right enough, maybe if they put that passion into their music and performances and stop dissing the folk that want to help them then who knows what might happen. xxx
cheers for the review, i'm glad you enjoyed listening to the sundancer at king tut's - i'm actually from ayr though i've mostly lived and played in edinburgh and glasgow over the last ten years. have a listen to some of the music on reverbnation/thesundancer. orrabest, paul
ReplyDeleteI have been listening to it and enjoying it very much.
ReplyDeleteMy girlfriend was won over to.
Bit skint just now, but as soon as I have some cash I'll be picking up some stuff, and that's not a hint for a freebie. We firmly believe in supporting independent artists.
We will try and get along to something else in the future as well.
...and check out SuCasa in Ayr. You would suit a gig there. Seems to be a nice set up.
ReplyDeleteWho is the Anonymous cunt calling me a so called Anonymous cunt? I'm right here you fucking worm.
ReplyDeleteSay your piece and un-sand your fanny.
Taylor Buntain
Plus the sheer irony of slagging my apparent anonynimity when your post is prefixed with "Anonymous said..."
ReplyDeleteYou sound far too personal so be a big girl and talk to me about it rather than post on an unrelated blog under the pretense of some hunch you have that I'm noising Mainy up on his blog.
I'm on here, on Facebook, out & about the town at all times. Why don't YOU "get it off your chest?"
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ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletePrevious two posts have been removed at the request of the poster while they edit their comments.
ReplyDeleteNothing sinister.
Had a sleep and been able to look at this with different eyes.
ReplyDeleteMr Anonymous, whoever you may be. You've clearly got a bit of an axe to grind here. You've almost tripped over your own feet just to have that rant at my expense, not pausing for a nanosecond to consider something absolutely theoretically impossible, something only found in Lucas-esque works of science fiction such as... I never posted the original comment.
Aye, I know, That's an absolutely Earth shattering revelation, seeing as you were quite happy to be "Judge Judy" & executioner and declare me innocent until guilty. Or rather until never-proven-guilty-because-it's-an-anonymous-comment-that-no-one-will-own-up-to.
Anyway, from what I gather, I don't know you. I may never have had a conversation or even clapped eyes on you, yet you've got this ill-informed bank of saved up surveillance & second hand attained information on me that you regard as damning, demoralising and ultimately character summarising, you and your ever unobserved eye. Where's the validation? Let's pick out some key points of your wee PMT induced rant:
1)"I can't help but notice that you exist in a little enclosed imaginary lilliputianesque world where you surround yourself with younger people in the hope that their inexperience can be exploited to inflate your ego."
Well for starters it's news to me that my circle are all younger than me. I'm 22 and most of my friends actually fall within the mid-twenties bracket. And for the few that are younger, the bare minimum age we're talking is of legal drinking age, so you're saying 4 years is enough for me to justify some kind of Gulliver status to my Lilliputian followers? Is there now to be a maximum lower age radius of 4 years for friends in case you exploit the difference of youth and perception in those 4 years?
Catch a grip and stop sounding like such a misguided idiot.
2) The Jolly's thing. Fair call, it hasn't been so good one or 2 weeks and is now no more. I'm guessing you haven't attended and have again just heard indistinct details on the grapevine. For a couple of weeks it ran fairly busily and successful, with all parties (audience, players & bar staff) being quite chuffed. Other nights it ran hum-drum as expected. Getting people to a weekly night isn't always the easiest, especially when you do more than one and everyone is a bit skint by Friday. Plus there are nights when pay day is far away, the weather is shite, there's something else on etc. Regardless, the crowd that come week after week (not just to Jolly's, I take it you haven't accumulated any attendance figures on my other nights? Thought so) do so because they enjoy the spontaneity and excitement of a live music anything-goes forum. Not because they enjoy brown nosing me (which they don't at all. Again I've absolutely no clue what scenario you're fairly imaginative mind has painted here), but because they just enjoy it. That really difficult to grasp, or you still happier holding onto this Hyronymous Bosch painted image of me running about with horns and a pitchfork making everyone miserable whilst they tongue my gigantic flaming red anus?
ReplyDeleteDid I fuck your sister in a past-life and not send her a parchment or something? What is your deal little man?
3) The blind accusation and subsequent trial & verdict (all carried out in less than 10 seconds in your head no doubt) that I'm an anonymous troll causing bother. Based on what? Some arguably similar comments I've made in the past about the nature of Ayrshire's scene sometimes? I stick by those and was perfectly content to post them on a page with my name right at the top, unabashed and awaiting replies.
But naw, yet again Mr Private Detective here in the invisibly cloak knows me better than anyone and has branded my with a flaming hot iron, enblazed with the words "jealous cunt."
Had you actually done a bit of REAL investigating into the rhymes & reasons behind this whole shitstorm, you'd know there are a few artists & fans who have been VERY vocal (in the exact same ways posted on this blog, down to the grammar & terms repeatedly used) who fit the bill more than I. I took the option to opt out, fearing that I wouldn't articulate a point properly and annoy someone. Fat lot of good that did when there's some shrouded bawbag in the mist gunning for me. Aye, you.
Any of the people with the gonadotrophic organs to use their real name on this blog (Mainy, Cheryl, Munro, Matt Scott) all know me on a face-to-face basis, and I'd like to think know me well enough to know I wouldn't put this whole elaborate triple-bluff together just to cover up an early outburst of un-detained spite. It's not my style whatsoever.
But I guess you never thought of that, since you know everything about me.
Quit venting spleen for no reason & stand by your convictions (however off the mark they are) with a name at the least. Your point is invalidated from the first letter you type when you hide under the all-encompassing banner of "Anonymous."
I don't feel jealousy or negativity to any fellow artists. I don't feel inferior (nor do I feel superior) to other artists. I'm an artist in my own right. Do I think I'm an incredible performer? Of course not. Just another bizarre idea you've conjured. Fact is I work with what I have, no matter how little it may be, and people give me feedback at every gig I play, whether it be a room full of strangers in Irvine or Glasgow, or on my own turf. When The smiles, sing-along and complimentary comments after a set stop, then you've become the majority vote.
Taylor Buntain