The JD Set at ABC2 - Glasgow
Music and alcohol has since time began, been an undoubtedly winning combination, from sipping wine at a classical recital to chugging beer at a festival. It would just be down right rude therefore, for Jack Daniels, a beverage with a colourful history in the music scene, not to join forces with some of current music’s key artists to create a night dedicated to performing some of the century’s most iconic sounds. The JD set does just this, and by doing a tour each year of key cities, we see some of music’s titan’s such as the Pixies, David Bowie and The Smiths get their songs a modern reworking by fresh, new, upcoming artists.
After successfully kicking off the tour in London, where Tim Wheeler, joined by The Crookes (head over to www.buskingforjapan.co.uk to see their amazing Pixies cover filmed in Glasgow for charity), And So I Watch You From Afar, Ma Mentor, Emmy the Great, and, as a bonus, his Ash band mates, paid homage to ‘The Pixies’, a band that’s influence has had a far reaching catalytic effect on today’s music scene, the bar had been set and it was Glasgow’s turn to host a unique gig. Returning to her home city where she formed her hit band Texas, Wednesday the 20th saw the now solo artist, Sharleen Spiteri create a vibrant dedication to the work of the master of musical rejuvenation David Bowie. With the venue, Glasgow’s ABC2, decked in black and white Jack Daniels posters and banners depicting legendary musicians, the lighting dimmed and the Jack Daniels flowing, the scene was set in expectation of what Spiteri would produce on her home turf.
Stalking on to the stage, Spiteri took ownership immediately, speaking in her broad Glaswegian accent she welcomed everyone to what was going to be a night dedicated to a man whose songs need no introduction, David Bowie. Despite having admitted that she found Bowie’s songs difficult to sing due to their complexities, she launched into his famous ‘Ziggy Stardust’ with a resounding confidence. Following this mega hit, Spiteri, after deftly quietening some hecklers like only a fellow Glaswegian could, welcomed Steve Mason from ‘The Beta Band’ fame, to the stage where he and Spiteri collaborated brilliantly on the crowd pleasing ‘Rebel, Rebel’, which was then followed seamlessly by Mason’s rendition of ‘Queen Bitch’.
Diversifying the show striking by aligning both past and present music scenes, new up and coming Scottish band ‘Kid Adrift’ were next to the stage to provide a sharp modern reworking of ‘Ashes to Ashes’, ‘Kooks’ and ‘Andy Warhol’ songs that allowed them to impart some of their own erratic, electronic style onto the iconic songs. Ramona, another fledgling Scottish band then demonstrated their musical prowess with Karen Anne’s voice providing a sultry, new age feel to her renditions of ‘Five Years’ and ‘The Man Who Sold the World’.
Quirky pop sensation Kate Nash, dressed in a white jumpsuit that Bowie himself would have been proud of, graced the stage next to perform the many times reworked hit ‘Under Pressure’, to which she managed to give yet another lease of life with her sweet yet edgy London voice. After performing ‘Oh you Pretty Things’, she was then joined by Spiteri for the massively successful ‘Life On Mars’. Following the sweet musical styling’s of Kate Nash, the set reshuffled again, back to a performance from a past music generation hero, Ian McCulloch who fronted Echo & the Bunnymen. Having not let his rock persona slide since his hay day, McCulloch, in his gravelly tones, performed ‘The Prettiest Star’ and ‘Jean Genie’ in shades with a glass of Jack Daniels in hand. The set finished with Spiteri and McCulloch’s collaboration on ‘Changes’ before, following the inevitable chants of ‘one more tune’, he returned to the stage to play his psychedelic ‘Echo & the Bunnymen’ hit, ‘Lips like Sugar’.
Taking to the stage to play the show out, Spiteri gave everyone what they wanted to hear and played the ‘Texas’ super hits, ‘Black Eyed Boy’ followed by ‘Inner Smile’ which inspired a flurry of nostalgic fist thrusting and exclaimed ‘YEAHS’. With Spiteri and the crowd dancing like it was 1997, the show closed on what was an undoubtedly fitting tribute to the legendary David Bowie.
To get involved and register to get tickets for future shows, see gig footage, pictures and more, visit www.thejdset.co.uk.
By Caroline Gauley
