The LGBTQ+ folk of Glasgow gathered at the Barrowland Ballroom last week to see the awe-inspiring Girl In Red for her comeback tour, ‘I’m Doing It Again, Baby!’.
The opening act of the night was Nieve Ella, an up-and-coming indie/pop sensation from London. Before even reaching the stage, the crowd was roaring and ready for her. Opening with her debut song ‘Girlfriend’, which features on her first EP ‘Young & Naïve’, she really set the tone for the night ahead. I hadn’t heard much from Nieve before the gig, but I found myself really enjoying her set. With her infectious smile and contagious energy, it was impossible not to dance along. Her songs told stories of her youth and her relationships throughout that time. The lyric that stood out to me most was from ‘Car Seat’ as she asks her lover, This feels right, but are we fighting the same
side? It’s such a profound question that I don’t think can ever be answered properly. During your first listen to her music, you’ll mainly pay attention to the catchy indie beat and her striking vocals but once you pay attention to her lyrics, it’s like you’re listening to a completely different song.
During the short break between the opener and the main artist, the excitement really started to set in. I saw Girl In Red two years ago at SWG3 and so knew I was in for a great show. When you see an artist live that has such a passionate core following, it’s almost impossible to not get caught up in the pure emotion that’s shared in the room.
Her set started with eye-catching visuals and guttural screams from the energetic crowd. She began with her new title track ‘DOING IT AGAIN BABY’ which seemed like a perfect song for the moment. She then went on to play some of her most popular hits like ‘bad idea!’ and ‘girls’ before interacting with her fans. Even though it was a short and sweet talk, you could tell just how thankful she was that she was able to play to two sold-out crowds in a venue she described as “a home for rock and roll”. She continued to play a mix of her music ranging from her first EP to her newest album. Before playing ‘I’m Back’, she told a story about meeting a man called Zach in a random pub that he
visits every day after work. She vulnerably shared how she recently started new antidepressants and her conversation with Zach opened her eyes to new experiences that she’d never thought of before. She even jokingly changed one of the lyrics to I’m Zach, Yeah I’m Zach.
She carried on with hit after hit, from calm acoustics numbers like ‘we fell in love in October’ to high tempo pop singles like ‘Serotonin’, there was something for everyone to nod along or tap their feet to.
The lively Norwegian used her songs as an excuse to run around the stage with happiness and smiled through every word she sang. On many occasions she encouraged the crowd to jump and “keep the night alive” as she performed like her life
depended on it, thankfully the springboard floors were able to keep up with the amount of movement from the Barrowland patrons.
As we reached the last song of the evening, I found myself not wanting it to end. There was a small part of me that wanted to try and find a ticket for the next night just so I could experience the evening all over again. Described as “the song that started it all”, she finished with ‘I wanna be your girlfriend’. After encouraging the crowd to jump yet again, she instructed us to separate down the middle so she could come down and dance with us all. Once down on the floor, she paraded up and down until the chorus and the crowd came together and danced with
the singer that they had never met like they were all long lost friends.
When Marie climbed back onto the stage and said her goodbyes, I reflected on the set I had just seen. Girl In Red’s music is a safe space for so many young, queer people and
it’s been a pleasure to watch her go from strength to strength in the last few years. All I can really say is that I’m extremely excited for whatever she does next.