Oran Mor, Glasgow,
Celtic Connections, 2025
The Oran Mor is an outspoken venue for the yearly Celtic Connections in Glasgow. It is perched at the top of Byers Road (another go-to of the City) in the shape of a renovated church; it was given a renewed life in 2004, turning it into a pub, restaurant, and night club. The club in the basement is used for gigs and weekly theatre with fresh writers, setting a scene full of revelry.
This was a Thursday night gig as the Festival winds up to it final and most celebratory presence. This gig was only two and a half hours but it celebrated an age in its musical magic. The list showed 4 acts; Port Sulphur, The Cords, Mackenzie, James Kirk and the guitar magician Davy Henderson. On the stage second an interview between pivotal artists who talked about movements, genres and documenting Glasgow’s thriving music world. The annual Connections collaborations are impressive every year.
Up first on stage came a well known musician song writer by the name of Port Sulphur, his instrumental set brought forth a perfect energy in the shape of jiving and kicking the event off, a sound of music as warm as it was welcoming. The evening was set to be an ever circling of favourite genres such as soft rock, imbued from the late 1980’s Indie to the pure punk and with rock n’ roll, the stage looming in its lighting into a gracious spectacle.
There was an intensity of kinship all around the gig with interesting take’s and fascinating compositions billowing from the stage with copious joy and love for music. As I was enjoying my seat, on came 2nd and innovative act ‘The Cords’. As a duo, a female lead singer on guitar and hidden behind her playing his socks off the mesmerising percussion. The driving intensity grew quickly with her fresh and young perspectives really put a lid on this evening regarding her talents as a writer and sultry performer.
Easy speeds were kept in a very refreshing momentum which held a creatively powerful engaging element in what felt like a near flawless Connections concert. And of highly talented writers with their debut album soon to hit the Web available through spotify, Instagram and other online sights, no doubt it’ll go far, I was a fan.
The ideas behind the evening’s wonderful performances had next band ‘Mackenzie’s’ offering up a well experienced but youthfully vital vocal whose singer did well as a great front man. Conducting the sound, great and viable lyrics put to melodies sung with depth and revelry. In the general presence of the evening there was the great popularity of three legendary acts, stretching back to late 1980’3 Indie who held open an invite in a generously fresh talent to join them for what would be boundless music.
And as the night unified under the great swings of this punk rock sound, carefully thought out and intensely entertaining, the stage was alive and buzzing to the full and for the duration on an international stage of the festival. Smoothly crooned, a dynamic jive shaped by the rock of 2 electric guitars, bass, drum, Sax and jovial front men and eclectic taste.
In the act of all of its swapping, the heart of the stage burst into style’s converging with a 7 piece song after a duo, lead vocals shared with fresh faces leaving and arriving on stage. It was a relaxation in this punk/country style with very jovial song writing with satisfyingly energetic performances.
James Kirk’s band (who on this eve collaborated with a return to stage of Port Sulphur) were also joined by the mysterious vocals of one Kate. The band Kirk 1980’s contribution to music, live and recorded, happened in the Indie industry. They had song’s that didn’t miss a beat, nor opportunity to do anything less than portray a scene very well developed. And by this time the themes and reiterations of a very swell punk and soft rock sound filled the room and escaped through the door.
As Davy Henderson (known for guitar) stepped on bringing back a full band including Port Sulphur, Kate, he gestated and crouched while singing his great numbers to a very satisfied crowd. Now in full rapid flow the mighty offering of mystical punk, rhymes of rock, and high flying front men with attention paid in a realism of vocals, a perfect and local Concert was achieved.
Daniel Donnelly
themumble.uk 