Tonight I made my first central belt journey of the year to one of the most underrated venues in Glasgow: Saint Luke’s. This was my first time back in the venue since my visit to see Phoebe Bridgers back in 2018, which was nothing short of a spiritual experience. With that also being a sold out event, I was shocked to see the room was much smaller than I remembered but this added to the intimate atmosphere of the room. A great booking choice by The Feeling to get their tour started.
Special guest and opener of the evening was Scottish songstress Sandi Thom. She set in motion the night of nostalgia armed only with a harmonica, stomp box and 12 string electric guitar. Women who were in their teenage years in Scotland’s north east in 2006 may recognise what I mean when I say her 20 year old debut album ‘Smile…It Confuses People’ truly had a hold on me, so I was ecstatic to get the opportunity to finally see her in action.
Sandi opened her solo set on harmonica before moving to guitar to play one of my personal favourites: What If I’m Right. Those less familiar with her work were kept happy with two classic covers: November Rain (thankfully not in full or we’d not have heard much original material) and Gnarls Barkley‘s Crazy which she proudly announced she knocked off the number one spot. Asking for a singalong, the crowd did struggle to join her intricate and decorated vocals which were a challenge to keep up with for those not blessed in the singing department because she was just so impressive.
Sandi closed out her set with foot-tapping chart-topper I Wish I Was a Punk Rocker (with Flowers in My Hair) explaining probably not for the first time that she knows punk rockers do not wear flowers in their hair – it’s a metaphor guys – a wish for a time that came before, much like what the audience may have experienced with their trip back in time this evening.
After a half hour changeover which encompassed throwback musical gems of the mid-late 2000s, it was finally time. The lights went down and what the audience first heard were a string of reviews about ‘Twelve Stops and Home’, honing in on its pop perfection for better or worse – there were certainly a few winks and nudges towards the meaner critics who were less enamoured by their clean cut polished pop sound. The joke was on them as the album is now certified 3x platinum in the UK!
It was no surprise to the audience that the album would be played in full from start to finish – we knew what we were signing up for. Still, I was not prepared for how strong an opener I Want You Now would be live. The Feeling brought pure joy in the form of power pop hooks, three-part harmony backing vocals and masterful guitar solos.
It’s hard to believe there were five successful singles from this record, which were all remembered fondly by those in the audience, seen in the enthusiasm of the singalongs. Never Be Lonely provided a lovely opportunity for a two-part harmony split in the audience which was a resounding success. Sewn also allowed for a moment of reflection with lead singer Dan Gillespie Sells recalling the first time they experienced a crowd singalong to their music when playing the track at V Festival. The album came to a close with a bang with the underrated rip-roaring Helicopter followed by the ceremonious crashing of cymbals in Blue Piccadilly. Thankfully, we did not have to wait the usual length on the album to receive hidden track, Miss You, which Dan delivered from the piano.
After the album we were then treated to a four song encore starting with second album’s lead single I Thought It Was Over and Still Want You More, a track which was written around the same era as their debut but was unfinished at the time. Curveball of the night was a fun cover of The Buggles‘ Video Killed the Radio Star in which they brought out local heroes Eddi Reader and Jill Jackson to sing the iconic backing vocals. Finishing up with Join With Us, Dan’s voice was beginning to show the strain of their first show out. Hopefully this won’t impact the rest of the tour, because the show Glasgow got was an outstanding example of how to celebrate your successes of the past.
Enjoy the full set below.