The Bluetones - Glasgow - ABC - Thursday 17 September 2015
Back in ‘95 The Bluetones broke into the Top 20 Singles Chart with their hit ‘Bluetonic’ and followed that up in ’96 with a re-issue of the Britpop classic ‘Slight Return’ propelling them all the way up the charts to number two where they were eventually denied by the force that was Babylon Zoo and their hit ‘Spaceman’. There were no such denials with their debut album with Expecting To Fly knocking Oasis from the top spot (albeit What’s The Story would return a week later). In doing so, The Bluetones started to carve out a loyal fan-base and nearly twenty years on a packed ABC suggests many of those fans want the journey to continue or at the very least reminisce on days gone by.
Some unexpected events lead to me missing the support acts and having caught The Standard Lamps on The Who Hits 50 tour last year I was more than a little disappointed about missing their set. Fortunately, Mark Morriss and his band did a great job in lifting my spirits. The set kicked off with ‘Are You Blue?’ with the packed crowd on it from the off. Fan favourite ‘Cut Some Rug’ followed giving the crowd a chance to bellow their lungs out. The impressive ‘Mudslide’ followed and having only bought the first two Bluetones albums this was a song I had not heard previously but thought sounded great live.
Billed the 20th Anniversary tour, the band were intent on satisfying everyone in attendance and delivered big time by playing all the back-catalogue favourites. ‘Putting Out Fires’ was one of many highpoints and along with ‘Slight Return’ highlighted exactly why The Bluetones continue to pack out venues after all these years. ‘Never Going Nowhere’ closed the opening set before the band returned to the stage for two encores (only Paul Weller is allowed three) ensuring all went home with a smile on their face.
Catch The Bluetones on tour now or if you fancy a spot of Mark Morriss solo he returns to Glasgow for a full band gig at Stereo on 19 December.
Words: Bazza Mills
Twitter: @bazzamills
Back in ‘95 The Bluetones broke into the Top 20 Singles Chart with their hit ‘Bluetonic’ and followed that up in ’96 with a re-issue of the Britpop classic ‘Slight Return’ propelling them all the way up the charts to number two where they were eventually denied by the force that was Babylon Zoo and their hit ‘Spaceman’. There were no such denials with their debut album with Expecting To Fly knocking Oasis from the top spot (albeit What’s The Story would return a week later). In doing so, The Bluetones started to carve out a loyal fan-base and nearly twenty years on a packed ABC suggests many of those fans want the journey to continue or at the very least reminisce on days gone by.
Some unexpected events lead to me missing the support acts and having caught The Standard Lamps on The Who Hits 50 tour last year I was more than a little disappointed about missing their set. Fortunately, Mark Morriss and his band did a great job in lifting my spirits. The set kicked off with ‘Are You Blue?’ with the packed crowd on it from the off. Fan favourite ‘Cut Some Rug’ followed giving the crowd a chance to bellow their lungs out. The impressive ‘Mudslide’ followed and having only bought the first two Bluetones albums this was a song I had not heard previously but thought sounded great live.
Billed the 20th Anniversary tour, the band were intent on satisfying everyone in attendance and delivered big time by playing all the back-catalogue favourites. ‘Putting Out Fires’ was one of many highpoints and along with ‘Slight Return’ highlighted exactly why The Bluetones continue to pack out venues after all these years. ‘Never Going Nowhere’ closed the opening set before the band returned to the stage for two encores (only Paul Weller is allowed three) ensuring all went home with a smile on their face.
Catch The Bluetones on tour now or if you fancy a spot of Mark Morriss solo he returns to Glasgow for a full band gig at Stereo on 19 December.
Words: Bazza Mills
Twitter: @bazzamills