There’s always a lot to do in Glasgow on a Saturday night, however, it was Saint Luke’s that was the place to be on this occasion. A venue that always elevates its performers with its beautiful setting, there was no better setting for a Brownbear gig. Having been a fan of his work from early incarnations of his band, I was ecstatic to get to see him in action again.
Opening the night were Mark Sharp & the Bicycle Thieves with a set of pop-rock combining the best parts of Two Door Cinema Club and Stereophonics. Melodic guitar lines, syncopated drum parts and catchy singalong choruses were only some of the elements keeping the crowd entertained and warmed up for the main event. Moonshine, Today. Tomorrow. Forever., and Superman highlighted strong points in their writing; songs which wouldn’t feel out of place in a stadium.
Then it was time for Brownbear. Where many bands have looked to play one album in full as part of a tour or one-off gig, Brownbear went one step further, playing both of his releases back to back. Tonight was a celebration of his musical career so far.
Album 1, ‘What Is Home?’ has a folk-pop sound reminiscent of his even earlier works when he was first starting out. Despite the 2018 release date, this album brought an extra level of nostalgia for Brownbear in the early 2010s. Covers and Only for You were fun upbeat tracks whilst crowd favourite Olive Tree was dedicated to a fan who’d recently passed away, delivering one of many emotional moments of the night.
Album 2, ‘Demons’ showcased Brownbear’s growth as a musician, introducing influences from reggae, gospel and soul in amongst the American Authors-esque power-folk-pop sound. This section of the evening really allowed his backing band to truly shine, particularly his backing vocalists who really lifted a lot of the songs. All I Want was an explosion of energy whilst Spin Another Web brought another tender moment of the night, with Brownbear behind the piano.
Overall, this was an astounding evening of musical talent with a positive atmosphere throughout the whole venue. It’s truly refreshing to see an artist put so much heart and soul into their work. Already a very talented musician and writer in his own right, having a full band of this calibre behind him really brought his work to a whole new level. Brownbear spoke of taking some time away to be with his family, recently becoming a new dad. We wish him all the best and look forward to seeing what may come from a third album sometime in the future.
Enjoy the whole evening in playlist form below!