THE longevity of the Jesus & Mary Chain’s career can be largely attributed to an effortless ability to continually inspire new generations of alternative acts. Returning with a new album entitled Damage and Joy after 20 agonising years, the East Kilbride natives are out to reaffirm their legacy which has seen them cited as an influence by everyone from The Pixies right through to Richard Hawley.Tonight’s support act are a testament to this. Expanding their repertoire at a similar rate as their reputation as one of Scotland’s most promising acts continues to pick up steam, The Van T’s are not only a logical but formidable choice to support Scotland’s resident noise pop icons . Singles such as ‘Laguna Babe’ and ‘Fresh Meat’ acquire a heightened intensity on the bigger stage with the sonic progression they have undergone of catatonic proportion.
Before long the venue is packed out with eager long time devotees of the JAMC, many of whom could have been evading the Glaswegian police forces since their attendance of the band’s riot evoking tours in the mid-eighties. By the end of tonight’s show, pogoing is mandatory amongst the grey army.
Introducing tonight’s proceedings with the pomp of Damage and Joy’s opening track Amputation, the band’s social commentary is now set to a largely motorik backdrop of drum machine and synthesiser juxtaposed with the astringent, fuzzed-out lead stylings of William Reid. It is immediately apparent that the Lou Reed-esque spoken word delivery of sibling and frontman Jim Reed is largely intact from the band’s initial inception into the alternative scene through their seminal debut Psychocandy.
Crowd pleaser Head On, notably covered by alt-rock luminaries The Pixies, is dropped into their set early on along with the Velvet Underground meets Ronette’s stomp of Some Candy Talking.
lsewhere the krautrock, feedback laden assault of new song All Things Pass is very well received as is the Bernadette Denning duet of Always Sad. Fan favourite Just Like Honey rounded off tonight’s main event before two rapturous encores.
The crowd dispersed to a cover version of The Beatles’ Goodnight booming through the sound system providing further insight into the inspiration of a band who’s influences often seem intangible. Goodnight indeed, but not goodbye just yet.
