BMX Bandits - Oran Mor, Glasgow, 23/1/2011

  by Tony Gaughan

published: 21 / 1 / 2011

intro

Tony Gaughan finds indie local pop legends on exuberant form as they celebrate their 25th anniversary with a gig at the Oran Mor in Glasgow

BMX at 25! Yep ,the 25th Anniversary Banditos show and tonight's gig is crammed with an enthusiastic audience keen to see what treats enigmatic front man Duglas T Stewart has for us. Let's face it anything could happen, as newish recruit and Pearlfisher David Scott announces before proclaiming rather proudly he is the 345th band member, but then claims every other band in Scotland could also be a member, his tongue entrenched firmly in his cheek. The Bandits have indeed had many members over the years and the family tree could be an everlasting on. Tonight's line-up, as well as Stewart and Scott includes Jinky Gash, the Soup Dragons' Jim McCulloch, Rachael McKenzie and there's more.... The band kick of with 'Students of Life'. With Duglas it's never a dull moment with hearty guffaws aplenty for the crowd as he introduces 'Mr Apple'. The band are clearly up for this as they sail through 'Gettin Dirty' and 'The Sailor's Song' before tonight's first guest is announced, Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake takes to the stage to a huge cheer for 'Serious Drugs' and promptly picks up duties for brand new song 'Like the Morning Sun' before there is more audience banter from Duglas. 'Take Me to Heaven' from 2007's 'Bee Stings' album is next. Further guests include support band members from Randolph's Leap (perhaps new recruits) and Soup Dragons' front man Sean Dickson' The Bandits are on the form of their lives and enjoying every minute of this. Encores of 'The Day Before Tomorrow' and the classic' E102' end an epic event.

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