The Barrrowlands was a huge building, the first impressions you get aren’t the best, the Barrowlands looks really tacky from the outside, huge 30.ft illuminous lettering !.  We walked in got a little search and headed up to the merchandise stall where we had to meet Pammy and Ashley.  I went to the bar, which was dark and very dingy, had to que for a good few minutes so I ordered me and Debbie double brandys to get us going.  It was now after 9.00 Mansun were due on at 9.15.  We headed through to the main arena and walked straight over to the left hand side of the stage, infront of the left stack, great, perfect view, and very near the bar !  while we stood and settled in the Sex Pistols blasted from all around.

The lads sauntered on to the stage, took their places, and burst into a cracking rendition of ‘Negative’. Then straight onto the album edition of ‘Being a Girl’ I love the breakdown in the song, and as for that bassline ! by now the crowd was in full swing - crowd surfing in abundance …

‘Stripper Vicar’ was next on their hit list, with Paul teasing the audience with bits of the song, whillist Chad was changing his guitar.  Having just learned Debbie the words an hour ago in the car, we were singing along to our hearts content.  Debbie likes Mansun, even more so know, but she had just heard stuff from me and she was at the Aberdeen gig earlier this year with me.  Meanwhile Pammy and Ashley were amongst the moshers in the pit……   ‘Everyone Must Win’ a favourite of Paul’s, I might add, just continued the madness with that Sex Pistols opening riff.

‘Special/Blown it’ oooh just wonderful …. was to follow with even more surfing that before, oh no more overhead missiles, one just narrowly missing Paul.

The new album stuff is instantly sounding really great live, that album was indeed meant to be played live….   Mansun were only a few songs into their set and already this was turning out to be the gig of the century…

‘Shotgun’ which was performed with style, gave the up-for-it Scottish crowd a breather but not for long ! and now for ‘Wide Open Space’ their most recognised song to date - the words goosebumps and hair standing on end spring to mind……. I could swear the roof crashed in at some point, everybody in the Barrowlands just lost it completely !!

The squealing guitar fest that is ‘Television’ followed and was given a humorous touch by Chad saying "This is Sky News" for backing vocals !.

‘Mansun’s Only Love Song’ I exclaimed to Debbie "yes, I love this, I never thought that they would play this one!" (the lads looking sexy in their shirts they shine…..) was almost a lighter waving affair (thankfully not), what with Paul’s vocals and Chad’s soaring guitar I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house…   ‘Six’ proceeded and was purely just mind blowing, that chorus gets me every time.

Now for ‘She Makes my Nose Bleed’ which was just sheer class.  Ooh watch your head for overhead mortars !  we just got showered in beer, luckily not as much as them in front !  Chad used his red Gretsch Country Gent for most of the gig but he also used a blue telecaster, a very nice one too.

‘Taxloss’ they went for an extra long version of this, pure madness ! Stove grinned during this and that shows how good it was ….  Paul kept losing his guitar lead and the Guitar Tech Mick had to keep adjusting him.   Just as the crowd reached the pinnacle of madness Paul walked over to the edge of the stage and poured a whole bottle of water over the first few rows, much to their appreciation. Then they walked off..  with everyone just standing about, looking well astounded..   Next up chants of "Mansun" Mansun" "Mansun" joined with loud stomping of feet and cheering, which just echoed throughout the hall……

Now all we could hear was the beautiful strings of ‘The Chad Who Loved Me’, the haunting melodic Bond inspired epic, with that the lads made their entrance and waltzed back on stage and once again welcomed with ecstatic cheering.  Following that ‘Drastic Sturgeon’, with that cracking riff, Paul actually managed to remember all the words for a change.  The lads practically had the audience eating out of their hands, with that captivating onstage charm they possess.

Now the heart wrenching brilliant ‘Legacy’.  Everyone chanting "no-body cares when your gone"…   And now for the grand finale ……

‘Take it Easy Chicken’ cant believe they played this !!  it was great the crowd just went even more ballistic as Chad played the opening riff (I am sure the people of Scotland enjoyed the England’s shit bit) and then the pure madness escalated into a total frenzy as Chad collapsed onto his knees, giving it everything he had, Paul jumped up on the drum riser, then sat in Andie’s seat, started drumming, Andie picked up Paul’s guitar and started thrashing and hitting it against one of the amp stacks, then Paul kicked the drum kit in and sent it flying, knocking it all over the shop !.  Andie stood with the guitar a loft with a triumphant grin and dropped the guitar onto the stage…….. thus ending this immense gig off on the right pitch.  They waved their goodbye’s  and Paul said "they always told me this was the best venue, thanks Glasgow, goodnight !" which was welcomed with an enormous cheer, then with a flick of his hair it was all over, the people of Scotland could go home to recover, apart from us as we were just starting ! as we headed to the aftershow party, everyone wondered out looking completely bewildered but wholly satisfied..…  there was just a mass of carnage hundreds upon hundreds of empty plastic cups, yes empty because most of them were used for missiles, the hall just emptied, many people standing about, some pretending to do ballroom dancing, too funny.  We walked over to the backstage area on the way playing football with the plastic cups…   Marks out of 10 ? I would not even dignify that with an answer, and as for the Barrowlands being the best venue - I think Paul could be right……..

Written by Genine and Pammy B  - E-mail : dandysgirl@yahoo.com

 

LIVE PHOTOS TAKEN FROM THE GLASGOW BARROLWANDS GIG BY GENINE AND SCANNED BY PAUL ANNETT (THANKS!!)