Venues, Glasgow Music

Glasgow Hydro audience

Glasgow named as City of Music

 

Glasgow is a vibrant and exciting city of music, with the diversity and range of music venues. It has a slightly wild, irreverent and challenging side. Many musicians also say Glasgow audiences are the best!

 

From the concert hall to the modern 14K seater Hydro; iconic mid-size venues and the large number of small venues. World renowned venues include – the Barrowlands, King Tuts, Oran Mor and the Old Fruitmarket. These venues offer a close up and intimate live music experience.

 

There is also the unusual and historic venues – the Tall Ship, on the Clyde, the Macintosh church, Nice n Sleazys, St Lukes, Brel. All this matters in terms of building a healthy and active grassroots music scene for the future. Plus a number of busy folk clubs, jazz bars and more.

 

The Arts and music is a huge industry for the UK and for Scotland. 

 

Glasgow boasts lively Trad sessions, decades of history, iconic venues, intimate gigs,

 

 Outstanding festivals, passionate audiences, record shops, 

 

 

Mary Chapman Carpenter and Friends

Del Imitri Hydro

MY MUSIC PHOTOGRAPHY

Over the past years I’ve been to many memorable concerts and taken photos of my musical heroes. I saw my music and lyrics hero Bob Dylan on the Braehead arena - I have to assume he found the large SECC arena impersonal and remote for his previous gig here. I went with my teenage son and his audience is certainly a broad church – from the dedicated disciples who go every concert to the curious. At 70 Dylan is a proliferate as ever with a new album release in 2020, with his stunning, immersive songs.

 

Another icon was Paul Simon, Clyde Auditorium, which was uplifting and joyous. Plus Fleetwood Mac, Elton john, Neil Young. Paul McCartney.

 

On the smaller stages – Arcade Fire, Barrowlands, Admiral Fallow, King Tuts, Hiam, swg6, 

Oran Mor, Emeli Sande. Karine Polwart, Tall ship.

 

I’ve seen other folk heroes at both Celtic Connections and Milngavie folk club - notably the legends Dick Gaughan. Dougie Maclean, Rab Noakes, Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis. And Blue Rose Code (Ross Wilson) was another favourite.

 

Plus the excitement of taking photos at the Royal Albert hall London for Emeli Sande!  2012. I’ve taken photos at many top class gigs – its often been a thrill and an honour with the buzz of the pit and the adrenalin rush to try to capture the right image, that not only tells the story but the artist expressing their innermost reflections..

Music photography expresses my passion of both art and music.

King Tuts famous steps!

Music Photography

Broken  Records Queens Hall

Mumford  ABC Glasgow

Viking Galaxy Classic Grande

Michael Marra

Sometimes at gigs something magic happens…. the audience is really up for it, as are the musicians on the stage.  It is as if it all comes together in that one time and place. And it is at these rare gigs that I am able to  get a good position and shot unobtrusively for the entire gig – and I am not restricted to those ridiculous 3 songs (which I know matter for the bigger stages).  The trouble with restrictions is it creates a ‘manic’ grab for photographers while it can be an adrenaline rush. Also I am not sure it’s the best situation for portfolio images or a quality photoshoot. Sometimes.

I got into music photography by chance. I took some photos at a gig several years ago and realised I had a talent for capturing the right moments. While I should add I have studied art and portraiture many years, so perhaps photography is a natural progression. Also as I am a huge music fan it made sense for me and music is my motivation - from Mozart to pop.

Snowpatrol Bellahouston