GRADUALLY establishing itself as one of the most pivotal events of Glasgow’s long-running West End Festival, Oran Mor’s special All Dayer has amassed a reputation for allowing the city’s music lovers to not only bask in the glory of seeing some of their favourite homegrown talent up close but also the chance to stumble upon a new act to devote themselves to.
Now in its 5th year, the well-known event and its organisers have delivered another eclectic line-up which will appeal to a varied range of tastes, age ranges and cliques.
With an emphasis on providing something for any music fan to immerse themselves in, here’s (in no particular order) our recommendations or this Sunday’s Byres Road centered festivities.
BE CHARLOTTE
A young singer/songwriter that has left skeptics and admirers equally awestruck with her almost prodigious levels of talent and ability to infuse any given genre which may take her fancy into a track, Be Charlotte has been turning the heads of insiders and musos since emerging from Dundee with ambition, drive and determination.
Wasting little time in making her ability all too clear to those who came into contact with her, performances at our very own Tenement Trail and a triumphant turn on 2015’s T Break Stage gained her swathes of new converts and ensured that she commanded a large following by the time she released ‘Discover’ on Electric Honey Records back in April. With enough energy and exuberance to penetrate even the most hardened exterior, her live show has became an integral cog of any self-respecting inner city festival in recent times as her star continues to rise.
PRONTO MAMA
A band that perhaps typifies the eclecticism and unbending creativity which the festival champions, Pronto Mama’s appeal is one that is entirely of their own devising and unique within Glasgow’s ever-evolving music spectrum.
Known for their uncanny ability to pull all of the most pertinent and non-cliched aspects of modernrock ‘n’ roll before aligning them with a whole host of more unexpected instrumentation or flourishes, the Marc Rooney-led outfit have marked themselves as an eloquent, witty and thoroughly restless group that seem to have a constant urge to refute common perceptions of what they should sound like before delivering something which leaves listeners marveling.
After taking a brief sojourn away from recording new material to host their literary-minded Beatnik Retreat, they’ll no doubt relish the opportunity to return to business and continue to leave audiences mesmerised with their sharp, soul indebted take on indie.
MARK MCGOWAN
Armed with a gravelly, world-weary voice that you’d expect to emanate from well-travelled bluesman from the delta, Mark McGowan has found himself in a immensely favourable position. Never shying away from the more macabre side of life within his themes and lyrics, McGowan is an artist that has the songwriting chops to keep listeners engaged for an entire project and is equally gripping in the live arena. Combining folk, soul and even hints of americana, if this is a name that’s yet to find its way into your list of Glasgow’s hottest prospects then there’s no better time to check him out than at the all dayer.
CRASH CLUB
With every indication suggesting that they’re on the cusp of a fully fledged breakout, Scotland’s premier dance/rock & roll hybrid Crash Club have taken huge strides in recent years.
Incorporating euphoric, hands-aloft dance music with the raw, guttural tones of rock ‘n’ roll in a primal and unpretentious form, the Kilwinning/Glasgow based act have grown from a band with a bit of buzz to one of Scotland’s most imposing live acts and a group whose studio material continues to become more and more dynamic with every insight that’s provided.
Fresh from playing at the world famous Isle Of Wight Festival, there’s no telling how far that their unique concoction of influences and intangible ability to coax joy from everyone that crosses paths with their sound can take them.
With a new EP set to emerge in the near future, it’s hard to think of a band more suited to sweaty, packed venues filled with rowdy Glaswegians than Crash Club and you can rest assured that they’ll once again deliver the goods on Sunday.
CATHOLIC ACTION
A band that seem to have found the secret formula to creating engaging, multi-faceted rock ‘n’ roll without conforming to every well-trodden trope in the playbook, Catholic Action’s ascent has been something to behold in recent years. Rising from the ashes of prominent groups such as Casual Sex and The Male Pattern Band and building a name for themselves whilst aligned with DIY label Fuzzkill Records, their buzz grew exponentially thanks to tremendous sets at T in the Park, Electric Fields, Wickerman, Gentleman Of The Road and more as well as supporting groups such as The Libertines, Swim Deep and FFS. Having released the definitive version of glam rock stomper ‘LUV’ via London based imprint Luv Luv Luv, recent times have seen them floor audiences at Radio 1’s Big Weekend, The Great Escape and more. Simply put, if you haven’t seen Catholic Action yet then this is the perfect opportunity to acquaint yourself with one of Scotland’s finest bands bar none.
LEWIS CAPALDI
Elusive and cagey in many ways, young singer/songwriter Lewis Capaldi has remained something of an question mark. Cultivating an air of mystery around himself after abruptly removing all of his music from the internet, the lack of information which we’ve been made privy to and the fact that he recently played his first sold out show in The Garage’s Attic Bar attest to the fact that less can be more in this era of information overload. Reportedly courted by a slew of major labels, his recent demo of the magnificent ‘Something In The Water’ exhibits his unadulterated vocals and songwriting chops that are no doubt the envy of musicians many years his senior.
THREE BLIND WOLVES
Steeped in the lineage of rock ‘n’ roll’s great storytellers ranging from Springsteen to Tom Waits and John Martyn, Three Blind Wolves have long been regarded among the nation’s most cohesive and consistently impressive outfits. Known for their emotive, touching and uncompromising tales of heartbreak, despair and the fleeting moments of elation which we all find in life, their sound is one which is as sincere as any that you’ll find.
Capable of veering into both the territory of energetic indie and the lovelorn laments of contemporary folk, this year saw the band return from their self imposed hiatus with their well received The Bridge EP and are likely to have an equally renewed passion for the live arena.
ERRORS
Signed to Mogwai’s Rock Action label, Glasgow based trio Errors have made their name from a remarkable brand of electronica which both pleasantly confounds and uplifts in a matter of a few bars. A staple of Scotland’s musical landscape for numerous years, their whip-smart Lease Of Life LP from 2015 netted them a well deserved SAY Award nomination and proved that their vitality continues to grow as they progress up the ladder.
An act that the organisers have claimed that they’ve hoped to secure for years, their headlining set at the Oran Mor’s venue is sure to be nothing short of jawdropping and the ideal way to round off what promises to be a spectacular day of Scotland’s best music.
Any remaining tickets for the all dayer are available now via Ticketweb.
