Del Amitri - Hydro, Glasgow, 24/1/2014
by Tony Gaughan
published: 23 / 2 / 2014

intro
Tony Gaughan watches rock/country outfit Del Amitri play a fantastic set of their classic hits on a home town gig at the Hydro in Glasgow in the opening show of their first tour in ten years
This Celtic Connections Festival this show was completely sold out and highly anticipated. The O's hail from Texas but, having recently signed to Electric Honey, local Glaswegian college Stow College's label, they merited a place on this bill. The duo, Taylor Young and John Pedigo, were showcasing their latest release ‘Thunderdog’ armed with an acoustic guitar, a banjo and a kick drum. Yes, it was country, it was folky and it was stompy, and they wasted no time in winning over the crowd with ease. Firm Glasgow favourites the Big Dish were next up with a set of their old classics from debut ‘Swimmer’ to the last studio album ‘Satellites’ and even a new track ‘Cherry Blossom Falls’, their first since they reformed after an absence of twenty years in 2011. ‘Slide’ from the debut was slick. They opened with ‘Swansong’. Other highlights included ‘Big New Beginning’, while closer ‘Swimmer’ was a fitting finale. Del Amitri were assured a warm welcome, and the set was astonishingly brilliant considering their long hiatus, this time of over a decade, as a band. They opened with ‘Always the Last to Know’ and early hit ‘Kiss This Thing Goodbye’. The Dels stormed through a blistering set of classic hits including “taxi drivers' favourite”, according to singer Justin Currie, ‘Spit in the Rain’, ‘Be My Downfall’ and the amazing ‘Nothing Ever Happens’. Currie exchanged plenty of his patter with the crowd and ‘Driving With the Brakes On’ and oldie ‘Drunk in a Band ‘were given a dust down, both ending a fantastic show. They, however, reappeared for three encores including the magnificent ‘Move Away (Jimmy Blue)’. Photos of Del Amitri and the O's by Melanie Smith www.mudkissphotography.co.uk
Band Links:-
http://www.delamitri.info/https://en-gb.facebook.com/DelAmitriOfficial
https://twitter.com/delamitrinews
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