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It has been some time since I have seen InMe live, so how have they faired in the years in-between, and can they still cut it live in a music business that has changed dramatically since they started treading the boards?
The first support tonight came from Ashes. This Mancunian four-piece kicked things off in good style. They were on early, which is a shame, as a number of people missed their excellent performance. They are classed as a Melodic Rock band but do not let that fool you, as they are pretty heavy live, with some excellent riffs and vocals. Watch out for the set closer of “End of the World” as this is a top drawer tune.
They are on the full Inme tour, and are also supporting Heaven’s Basement, so go see them and do yourself a favour, and splash out £5 on their EP, on sale at all of the shows.
I first caught The Dirty Youth on the Fozzy tour earlier in the year, and they impressed me so much I bought both CDs that night. After being able to listen to the albums since that show, I have been itching to see them live again, so I was delighted to see them second on the bill here. The latest album “Gold Dust” has just been released, but has been on sale at shows for a while, and I thoroughly recommend this one. It is solid piece of Pop Rock with some outstanding tracks, a few of which are aired tonight.
The Welsh, female-fronted band were on fire again tonight, a hard working young band, with a professional yet fun approach to life. They obviously enjoy what they do, and all hang out together before and after the show. The new songs played tonight were definitely the class tracks from the album, so be prepared for ” I’m Not listening to you”, “Alive” and the jewel in the crown that is “Bury Me Next To Elvis”.
Half an hour is just not enough to even get started with this band. It was all over before it began, but very, very memorable, and at least I know they are back in this city for two dates in August. The only downside to the show tonight was the omission of “Requiem of the Drunk”. How can you come to Scotland and not sing this song of depravity and bad choices? You only have to go outside the venue doors and see it in 3D clarity… and it is a school night!
Now before I review InMe, I have to make a confession. I am dragging out the shrink’s bench, lying down and clearing my head. As this gig was approaching, and as I have been playing their CDs, a huge slice of guilt has been weighing me down, and I need to release it before I can enjoy tonight’s show.
I used to love InMe. I was there at the start, as this young band released “Overgrown Eden” way back in 2003. They hold a special place in my heart, as this album was one that my eldest daughter also loved. It was a sort of ‘yeah, the parenting has gone well’ sort of feeling. I finally dragged her kicking and screaming away from the likes of Peter Andre and onto a righteous path.
Now for the guilt (head droops in shame). I have somehow let this band go, over the years. I haven’t bought all the five albums they have released, and I feel dirty now. I feel like I should have all of them spread out in front of me, silently pointing to each missed CD and a quiet ‘sorry’ said directly to the band.
Phew! I feel better now, and I am glad I have done it, as the band kick off in style, and almost immediately remind me of what I have been missing. We get some new tracks, and some banter, before we get an introduction to “Firefly” from Dave about how he was informed on facebook, from some fans, that recent gigs were great but I didn’t know the songs. He goes on to say who is to blame for that? Imagine that. A band playing songs they wrote, how stupid. I never realised they were also as funny as that.
The band are extremely tight live, even though Greg is playing with a torn ligament in his finger, which Dave says was done by either masturbation or tucking his shirt in, we have to choose. They are also enjoying this to the max, and dripping with sweat early on, so it was a shame they never requested towels and ended up using kitchen roll to try and stem the flow from their heads. The songs were solid, the vocals were spot on and the technical ability outstanding. Premier musicians, who know each other inside out, and know how to put on a show, no matter the size of the stage.
As expected the songs from the first album went down the best with the crowd, but the rest were not just fillers. The band demanded your attention, and repaid it with a gutsy, balls out, down to earth, hard graft, type of show. Go see the guys on this tour as it is a brilliant show, and forced me to love them all over again.
We finished on, what else, but “Underdose”, which blew the doors off the place! Prior to the song, Dave informed us that two of the band have full time jobs. As I was travelling after the show, this hit me hard. How must these guys feel to have started out at 16 and grabbed the limelight, only to have to walk away from it to normality?
I bow to these guys, to still be going strong, and still holding onto it after all these years. I feel as if this was partly my fault, along with all those others who abandoned them over the years, but to put things into perspective, as a kid my dream was to be on that stage. I realised quickly that my demon talent on xylophone and triangle were not going to cut it in the metal world, and at 14, my angelic voice was taken from me by the dropping of certain male appendages, so I had nowhere to go. The best I could do was pay my money to see my favourite bands live. I now get the chance to write about them, and take photos, and I am happy with that. I get that bit closer to my heroes, but at the end of the day, myself, and the whole crowd behind me are on the other side of that barrier, watching them and dreaming.
Keep the faith guys, keep going, and always remember you make a lot of people happy, and I for one will be back to see you live, and will definitely be buying the new trilogy of music you are going to release.
Check out the full gallery HERE.
Review and Photography by Ritchie Birnie
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