I haven’t previewed any gigs for some time, but there are two this week that I must bring to your attention.
On Friday, Lorraine McCauley and the Borderlands play The Old Hairdressers in Glasgow, and if you haven’t seen them yet they get my highest recommendation. Their new album, Light In The Darkest Corners, is a superb collection of folk songs which blend Celtic and eastern European influences into something modern yet out of time.
The album will be more fully reviewed in the roundup of November’s new music next month, but trust me when I say that while it is a great record, you really should try and catch them live if possible as Lorraine’s striking vocals are backed by a band who obviously love playing together, and whose musicianship is unquestionable. What you’ll get is a night of music which is dramatic, passionate, melancholic yet uplifting, and that’ll do me nicely.
Tickets can be bought on the door or you can book by email from lorraineandtheborderlands@gmail.com
If you can’t make the Glasgow gig, they are touring elsewhere in Scotland at: Fife – 22nd Nov
The Elm House Concert – 7.30pm
£10 donation, BYOB, call 01334 829288 or message to reserve a place Dundee – 28th Nov Beat Generator – Lorraine solo – 8pm £4 on the door Edinburgh – 29th Nov Edinburgh House Concert – 7.30pm £10 donation – To book email lorraineandtheborderlands@gmail.com
Here’s a bit of music to get you in the mood and give you a flavour of their sound. Taken from Light In The Darkest Corners this is Belong:
However, if you can’t wait for Friday, tonight (Thursday 20th) the excellent Scandinavian band Honeymilk are playing their first gig in Glasgow at The Cathouse (7.30pm, £6). From what I’ve heard so far this is a band to keep an eye on. If you can imagine Wilco or Lambchop with the lolloping bass and drums of The Happy Mondays and with Graham Coxon on guitar, you have some idea as to what’s occurring.
As a taster, here is their latest single, ‘A Scene In Between’, taken from their EP Sanguine Skies:
You can find out more about them at http://www.honeymilkband.com but if you’re footloose and fancy free why not head down to The Cathouse and give them the warm welcome they deserve.