Nice n’ Sleazy, Glasgow
February 8th, 2024
Things felt good last night as I made my way to Sauchiehall streets Nice n’ Sleazy bar and venue. I had not been there forever as I descended to the basement for a midweek gig by three acts. The layout hadn’t changed much having red light to set the scene of bar to the left and stage straight ahead. I took a seat and scanned the room waiting for the evening’s music to happen.
The venue plays host to a great variety of music but the night was filled with grunge type sounds, it put me back to the 90’s when grunge was the love bug for many young souls ready to mosh to its loud, long haired anti-establishment.
First on the famous stage came a band called ‘Seagulls Birthday’ who played in this style and it felt like there hadn’t been a 20 year gap for this live vibe. It was a pleasure to have my ears tested and my love for this expression of overdrive guitar celebrated. Their set up was spread across the stage, behind the amp, electric and bass guitar booming with the ironic impossibility of following their lyrics, but they shared vocals for different songs.
The room was about a third full but the music magic brought out that way of dancing that was then so popular, head banging and kind of jerking. A band called ‘Blow up dog’ appeared and it wasn’t long before sweat poured out. The singer put so much in from the get go that he could have done with a towel. This young vocalist had figured out to a good extent how best to express himself, clutching the low ceiling and leaving the stage to dance among the crowd.
The loud style of this music seamlessly went together, when I say loud the amps were turned up to eleven on bass and guitar, the drums heaved rapid beats and the vocals were antagonising and also hard to make out lyrically. No matter but we can tell a little from titles of their singles ‘Portrait of an Animal’ and ‘Dive in’ Soundgarden and Nirvana back on stage with the same spirit, young, great, a band in their height and full of confidence.
It was an evening at Sleazy’s for young fresh talent, with strong sounds and a good audience support. Gigs can change depending on where you take them in so being in the small crowd greatly benefited my experience there.
‘Feral Family’, who were the main and last act, had 45 min to make an impression. The four of them threw caution to the wind, kept up the incredible volume of noise which was fun to pry into. The bass just flung the room apart, almost like a motor cycle bike, the clothes and appearance were cool, and the attitude was there.
They are so new that recording their music is something yet to happen. But musically they certainly happened last night. Having worked it out together it was obvious that music was back in the pocket of having great fun. Music for what it is, I particularly enjoyed the good news that what happened in the 90’s still reverberate because for me it was a great and inspirational period that the whole world seemed to be aware of.
Bands that rock through youth perform as grunge and groove with the flavour of punk, happily restless at a gig in this artful venue.
Daniel Donnelly
Mumble Music 