Mogwai – Barrowland Glasgow 23rd December 2022
A wet night in the city as Mogwai prepare for their 2nd night in the famous venue. As the crowd flock to the venue the queue outside forms as the fans enter. The excitement is building and creating an amazing atmosphere.
There were no frills to the stage set up with the band preparing to let this music talk to the fans than an explosion of light. Instead, we have a show filled with amazing soundscapes that capture the imagination of the audience. The fans eager and waiting for the band as they take to the stage under the cover of blue lights, intrigue positioned in select places to capture the band members silhouettes. The band opened with the excellent Boltfor that really captured the fans attention from the off with the epic song. As the opening chords of How to be a Werewolf sounded from the Hardcore Will Never Die, But You will Album, the crowd were going to be in for a real treat tonight and early Christmas present.
Stuart Braithwaite and the boys were on top form as you manage to catch a look at the band through the occasional flash that lights the stage up for a second or two. The band playing with passion the songs and music that builds on the atmosphere within the venue as the band play Hunted by a Freak and Don’t Believe the Fife, they are mixing the songs well to deliver a power filled set. With it being close to Christmas it was time to pull a suitable Christmas song out of the bag in the way of Christmas Steps a 11-minute instrumental that had the Barrowland crowd captured with the enthusiastic performance of the track. The band were on a roll as they brought an epic performance to the venue it was just wonderful to see the passion and the energy of the fans come together through the amazing music from the band. The band known for its extreme loudness didn’t disappoint as the volume levels were turned up to the max as rattled the old venue’s structure.
The band played a good range of their back catalogue including Drive The Nail, Party in the Dark and the epic Remurdered before delighting the audience to Ratts of the Capital before brining their set to a close with the impressive Like Herod before the band left the stage. Going off to a rapturous applause we are sure the band will return for an encore on the last night of this tour.
The band returned after a show break and opened the encores with the Ritchie Sacramento from As The Love Continues album delighting the fans from the front to the back of the venue. This is a song that delivers the power and passion of the band and has becoming a real fan favourite and if tonight is anything to go with you can see why it would be. As the band moved into the final song of the show My Father, My King was just the perfect way to close a remarkable show by Stuart Braithwaite and Mogwai. Tonight, was special, it had everything from the festive spirit to the atmospheric ambiance of the historic venue and the powerful energy that emerges from the band to they audience. This was a beautiful night filled by the soundscapes of Mogwai to close their tour in the famous venue. If you get a chance to see the band, go to the show with your mind wide open and let the power and the energy pf the band’s music capture your vision and emotions.
Review and photographs by James Edmond
