GIVE THIS GUY A MEDAL

This is a guest posting.......

At the beginning of 2012  JC and I embarked upon a mission to attend a gig each week over the course of 2012.

 Beginning in the dark nights of last January with an unforgettable introduction to the Glasgow hip-hop scene and ending (for me anyway) with folk music at my recently opened local neighbourhood venue. It's been a hell of a journey in between....

An undoubted early highlight for both of us was the Twilight Sad at the Grand Ole Opry, a band on top form at a wonderfully idiosyncratic venue.

Other early highlights included Wet Nuns (playing to the sparsest crowd of the year), Glasvegas' hugely enjoyable hometown gig at Classic Grand, the Monochrome Set (and some high quality vodka) at Edinburgh's Voodoo Rooms, and a tremendous gig by Frightened Rabbit, backdropped by a glorious sunset over the Clyde at Gourock.

Over the summer due to a combination of holidays and other commitments meant JC's gig going was somewhat limited, however, I managed to keep up the momentum. Gigs by Dexy's at Cottier's and the Lovely Eggs at Nice n' Sleazy being standouts during this period. The only gig of the year which required a ferry was the trip to the Queen's Hall in Dunoon to see Primal Scream who were in cracking form. Shortly after this I ventured down to Derbyshire for the Indietracks festival, a small scale fest on the site of a heritage railway, where this time the means of transport for getting to the gig was by steam train. I can't recommend this event enough, especially if you like your music twee and shambling. It was a superb weekend topped off by a storming performance from the Vaselines on the Sunday evening.

JC emerged from his hiatus for the journey through to the capital for what we both agreed was an outstanding show by the one and only Moz at the Usher Hall. The initial target of 52 gigs was revised towards the end of the year to a nice round 50, and I began to cram in a number of gigs including hugely enjoyable sets by Meursault, Beth Jeans Houghton, Palma Violets and the Vaccines.

Alas the magic 5-0 escaped me, stalling at 49, having run out of time and gig options. The whole project was massively enjoyable, if tiring at times, with lots of great memories, though I don't think I'll be setting any targets for 2013. It has, however, rekindled my love of live music and proven that its well worth taking a chance and getting along to your local venue even if you've never heard of the bands on the bill.

And finally I wasn't going to do lists, however, a number of folk over the course of the year had asked what the best gigs I'd seen were, so just for the record and in no particular order:

1. Twilight Sad - Grand Ole Opry/Barrowland - both epic shows, the Barras gig probably the loudest all year, and they also get the award for live song of the year - the rendition of Cold Days from the Birdhouse was just stunning.

2. Dexy's - Cottier Theatre - had very little idea of what to expect from this and what was delivered was astonishing, witnessed nothing like it all year. Albeit the show in Edinburgh later in the year didn't reach the same heights.

3. Lovely Eggs - Nice n' Sleazy/Wee Red Bar - one of my personal highlights of the year was discovering this band, I had a smile on my face throughout both of their gigs. Band of the year.

4. Primal Scream - Queen's Hall, Dunoon - my previous experiences of Mr Gillespie and co had been more miss than hit, so my expectations for this were somewhat low, however, a blistering romp through their back catalogue was the highlight of one of the most memorable weekends of the year.

5. Morrissey - Usher Hall - predictable perhaps but deserves to be on the list without a doubt, Moz was on top form in great venue, allied to a top notch setlist, I've scarcely enjoyed a Morrissey gig ore than this one. 

And those 49 gigs in full:

1. Jakeybytez - 13th Note
2. From Our Hearts - 13th Note
3. Cornershop - Platform
4. Chemikal Underground Night featuring Rick Redbeard, FOUND and Malcolm Middleton - Brel
5. Twlight Sad - Grand Ole Opry
6. Sweet Sweet Lies - King Tut's
7. Wet Nuns - Roxy 171
8. Veronica Falls - Stereo
9. WU LYF - SWG3
10. White Hills - Stairway
11. Plimptons - Stereo
12. Glasvegas - Classic Grand
13. Butcher Boy - Cottier Theatre
14. Monochrome Set - Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
15. Frightened Rabbit - Cafe Continental, Gourock
16. Close Lobsters - Stereo
17. Brewdog AGM - AECC, Aberdeen
18. Happy Mondays - O2 Academy
19. Dexy's - Cottier Theatre
20. Lovely Eggs - Nice n' Sleazy
21. Divorce - Old Hairdressers 2
22. Stag and Dagger (Django Django, Conquering Animal Sound, White Denim, Bwani Junction) - Various Venues, Glasgow
23. Jim Bob - Old Hairdressers
24. Charlatans - Barrowland
25. Primal Scream - Queen's Hall, Dunoon
26. Garbage - Barrowland
27. Indietracks (Tender Trap, June Brides, Just Joans, Allo Darlin', Veronica Falls, Vaselines) - Midlands Railway Centre, Derbyshire
28. John Knox Sex Club - Nice n' Sleazy
29. Holy Esque - Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh
30. Morrissey - Usher Hall, Edinburgh
31. Meursault - Stereo
32. Rustie - Glad Cafe
33. Sleigh Bells - Liquid Room, Edinburgh
34. Tom Hingley - ABC2
35. A Place to Bury Strangers - Nice n' Sleazy
36. Dexy's - Queen's Hall, Edinburgh
37. Beth Jeans Houghton - Stereo
38. Palma Violets - Stereo
39. The Walkmen - ABC
40. Levellers - Academy, Manchester
41. The Fall - The Arches
42. Vaccines - Academy
43. Gallon Drunk - Nice n Sleazy
44. Lovely Eggs - Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh
45. Shed Seven - Glen Pavilion, Dunfermline
46. Songs of Leonard Cohen - Mono
47. Twilight Sad - Barrowland
48. Father Sculptor - Hear Glasgow, George Square
49. Alasdair Roberts - Glad Cafe

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As Aldo says, this was an adventure I failed in.  I had great plans for 2012 but I ran out of steam all took quickly and never quite got my total enthusiasm back.  I've not even been to one single live gig yet in 2013 whereas this time last year it was sitting at almost ten.  It will be about quality rather than quality this year and most likely from now on.

Big tip of the hat to Aldo.  It's a very impressive list....49 gigs and probably well over 150 acts when you add in support group and the festivals.

On thing I always wind Aldo up about is that he was just too young ever to have seen The Smiths.  He gets particularly annoyed when we go along to the Barrowlands and I point put where I stood on one occasion and unknowingly got myself into footage that was later broadcast on UK telly.  Nor does he appreciate that I mention I was at this gig:-

mp3 : The Smiths - Hand In Glove (live - QMU 1984)
mp3 : The Smiths - Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now (live - QMU 1984)
mp3 : The Smiths - Girl Afraid (live - QMU 1984)
mp3 : The Smiths - This Charming Man (live - QMU 1984)
mp3 : The Smiths - Pretty Girls Make Graves (live - QMU 1984)
mp3 : The Smiths - Still Ill (live - QMU 1984)
mp3 : The Smiths - This Night Has Opened My Eyes (live - QMU 1984)
mp3 : The Smiths - Barbarism Begins At Home (live - QMU 1984)
mp3 : The Smiths - Back To The Old House (live - QMU 1984)
mp3 : The Smiths - What Difference Does It Make? (live - QMU 1984) 
mp3 : The Smiths - Reel Around The Fountain (live - QMU 1984)
mp3 : The Smiths - You've Got Everything Now (live - QMU 1984)
mp3 : The Smiths - Handsome Devil (live - QMU 1984)

They don't make them like that no more.........