Glasvegas & Angela McCluskey @ Bowery Ballroom – pics

photos by Ryan Muir

my eyes!

Glasvegas, the hyped-up Scottish band who already have a larger Webster Hall show scheduled, headlined the smaller Bowery Ballroom in NYC last night (1/6). It was the first time I saw them after missing their previous NY shows at Radio City and Mercury Lounge.

I left the Bowery show about as neutral as I was going in. The Glasvegas album doesn't get me as excited as NME, bit it doesn't offend me either. The live show wasn't bad, but it wasn't great. Actually, I decided I wasn't sure if they were really playing live. At times I was convinced they were just moving around a lot (the guitarist & bassist mainly), on a dark stage full of flashing and blinding lights (seriously, those lights were made for a stadium or something), to distract everyone from the fact that they weren't actually playing their instruments, but then I decided I'm probably just paranoid. Maybe there was a backing track. Either way, I liked the set better as it went on - after I stopped worrying so much about what they were doing, and when I heard the few songs I like the most. Maybe the band loosened up a bit towards the end too....

They could have played longer, but I wasn't sad they didn't. They went on (in total darkness and with intro music) around 10:40, played 10 songs, and no encore.

After the show one person said they liked them better live. Another said they liked them better on album. A third I talked to went in knowing nothing, and left a fan. "Anonymous | January 7, 2009 1:07 AM" "thought the show was very dull".

Angela McCluskey opened. I missed the beginning of her set, but what I heard was okay - I wish she had better songs to showcase her amazing voice. More pictures and the setlist, below...

Angela McCluskey...

Glasvegas...