On a bitterly cold winter’s night, there was no better place to be but in the o2 Academy in the city with the return of Shed Seven to the venue. The mercury levels were rising with the anticipation of the bands eagerly awaited show at the academy.
First up to help raise the temperature was support band The Twang fronted by Phil Etheridge, who took to the stage to a rapturous welcome and did not disappoint the fans that had arrived early to catch the band. Opening their set with the excellent “Wide Awake”, they made sure their audience was paying attention with the blistering “Barney Rubble”, having the Glasgow audience sing along with the band. Phil said to the audience it is great to be back in Scotland we hope to be back in the city early next year, before treating the fans to “Everytime”, “We’re a Crowd” and “Loving State”. The set was short and powerful as they made their mark on old and new fans before closing with the epic “Two Lovers” and “Took the Fun” before making their way off the stage, showing without a doubt that they were back with a powerful set, that certainly warmed up the Glasgow faithful on this cold winter’s night.
The time has come to welcome Rick Witter, Paul Banks, Tom Gladwin, Joe Johnson and Alan Leach to the stage for the first of two night in the O2 Academy Glasgow. As the band members took their places on the stage the lights still semi dimmed, it was time for Rick to take his welcome from the Glasgow audience, as the opening chords of “Room in My House” hit a crescendo, tonight there was no room left in the venue as the sold-out show was rammed from top to bottom. Rick nodding to the Glasgow audience and taking in the venue, the atmosphere was electric. Playing hits from the past to the present featuring “Where Have You Been Tonight?”, “Enemies & Friends” & “Dolphin”. Rick said to the audience it is great to be back in Glasgow, it is always a great night, you could easily see Rick was really enjoying every minute of the set.
If you have not seen Shed Seven before, they are full on energy, swagger and in your face indie rock in the best possible taste, giving 110% and rewarding their fans with an epic night of music from past to present. The set continued with “Better Days”, “It’s Not Easy” and “High Hopes”. The audience in full voice and raising the rafters of the venue with their singing, the venue was more like a sauna now as the temperature in the room was rising with the dancing and vocals from the band and in the crowd.
It was closing in on that time when u knew the end was getting closer, the band started pulling out the big hits like “Bully Boy” and “Going for Gold” before ending the set with “Parallel Lines”, making their way off stage, it wouldn’t be long until they were back as the audience would not let them leave the night like this… the venue lights stay off and the stage lights phased gradually on when Rick and the boys came back on stage. They looked grateful as they came back on as the atmosphere was electric, starting with “Invincible” the audience relishing every second, and every gasp of the lyrics, you could see they did not want to let the occasion go. It was becoming apparent that time was here as the band introduced “Chasing Rainbows” to the audience, it was instant karaoke, Rick could have took a step back and let the audience go, singing the classic, this he didn’t , he put so much energy in to the song you could feel every word bouncing off your chest. An emotional return to the venue for Rick and the boys on the first of two sold out shows at the O2 Academy, waving to the Glasgow crowd before leaving the stage.
There is three words that could describe this show, “Emotional”, “Epic” and Entertainment” Rick and the boys are not Chasing Rainbows no more they are making dreams come true.
