The Garage, Glasgow
06/07/23
Two whole decades ago, my first Scottish girlfriend, a great Belle & Sebastian fan, started playing a band call’d American Football in the car – I were like, that’s pretty good that, not realising just how good the music was that I was listening to. Yes, its very clever stuff indeed; with unusual time signatures, guitars in different tunings & mood-altering lyrics all heaping layer upon layer of sonic sophistication into our ears.
American Football are definitely a musician’s band, they do reyt interesting stuff we’d all love to do, but just can’t find the key, or the rhythm, or whatever it is that makes American Football tick. They are also growing in legendary stature, one could stay – the main room of the Garage was pack’d to the rafters last night, the gig having been moved up from G2, because the band’s cultish star is way in the ascendency. There’s no word in the English language that describes their unique take on math rock – so I made one up – Tinkledrone.
Glasgow knows its music, that is a certified, bona fide fact – & if the house is full that means the band is bangin’. Its been a slow burning journey for American Football to really begin its audio conquest of the world – but an interesting one to boot. An album & an EP at the turn of the Millennium – then nothing for a decade & a half but an empty void slowly being fill’d up by squadrons of new fans, wanting to diversify, willing to listen, & wantonly falling in love.
Then came the holy reformation in 2014, follow’d by two more albums entitled exactly the same as the first, & then today, when full atmospheric maturity is taking place & the Garage went appreciatingly ballistic for every tune, & as Steve Lamos put down his drums & started looping his trumpet, I were like, that’s reyt good that is & whisper’d to myself its – so as not to disturb the trance we were all in – its onwards & upwards for American Football!
Damian Beeson Bullen
Mumble Music 