Rose Tattoo / Girlschool: live review

Rose Tattoo / Girlschool: live review
SWG3 Glasgow
6th September 2018

I always knew that Glasgow was the arse end of the world. But I did not know that there was an arse end of Glasgow. But there is. And that’s where the relocated Rose Tattoo show was following the fire damage to the ABC2. Even a city centre taxi driver refused to come here. Remarkable.

But I got there in time for Girlschool, which was a tad bittersweet, as the last time I saw Girlschool live I was with the late Mrs H at what turned out to be her last ever concert. So a few tears rolled down my face as I watched the ever reliable band pumping out a fine set of tunes. I first saw them the same year I first saw Rose Tattoo in 1980mumble but as the brought the house down with a closing barrage of ‘Yeah Right’, ‘Race With The Devil’ and ‘Emergency’, it was as if the decades had never passed. If only I still had that poster of Kim that was on my wall when I was fifteen!

Then it was Rose Tattoo and they were taking absolutely no prisoners as they blasted off with ‘One Of The Boys’. It’s another almost new lineup with Angry Anderson the only survivor from the early days. Slide guitarist Dai Pritchard has been round for a decade or so but ex Skyhooks / The Angels guitarist Bob Spencer, former AC/DC bass player Mark Evans and (son of rock legend Jimmy) Jackie Barnes on drums are all recent arrivals. But you’d never guess as they put on a rollicking performance of blues drenched rock and roll. Angry Anderson may have celebrated his 71st birthday the month before but you’d never have guessed as his vocals and stage persona remain unaltered as he conducted the crowd in a chorus of Happy Birthday in honour of Girlschools 40th as well as pulling out a “hot” member of the local stage crew to take a bow. And, fair play, the bloke in question was a good looking guy!

They played everything you could want from their glory days so 80% of their debut album was dished up alongside a selection from “Assault and Battery” and “Scarred For Life”. As well as a song from their “ten years old” new album! It’s hard to pick highlights but hearing ‘Juice On The Loose’, ‘Branded’ and (hold my breath!) ‘Remedy’ alongside the stone cold classics ‘Rock’n’Roll Outlaw’ (surprisingly early in the set), ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Is King’, ‘Bad Boy For Love’ and the obligatory closing barrage of ‘Nice Boys’ showed just how many great songs they put out back in the day. This was the opening night of the tour so miss them at your peril. Dates below.