It was a balmy summer evening at the Kelvingrove Bandstand, with the smell of food drifting through the air as gig goers bought cold pints and friends saved seats for each other in anticipation of the night ahead. Tonight was to be no ordinary concert; not only were we celebrating 30 years of headliner Idlewild, but it was also lead singer Roddy Woomble‘s 50th birthday.  

Support act Sorren Maclean, who has co-written several of Roddy Woomble‘s solo albums, travelled over from Mull to perform. The band provided a gentle start to proceedings, though it wasn’t without some Scottish humour; when someone in the crowd shouted, “Glad you’re here!”, Maclean’s dry “Aye, thanks” raised a laugh from the crowd. 

When Idlewild took to the stage, the affection between the band and the Glasgow crowd was obvious from the start. Dedicated fans lined the barrier, while Roddy reminded everyone that Idlewild had played the Bandstand ten years earlier. When he asked who had been there, the response was enthusiastic (and also gives away the age of most of the people there. Yes, myself included…).

As it was Roddy’s birthday, there was an extra sense of celebration. The crowd sang “Happy Birthday”, while former bassist Bob Fairfoull, who had turned 50 the previous week, also received a birthday mention. Before the encore, a birthday cake even appeared, accompanied by a round of, “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow”.

The band themselves were on form. Rod Jones, on guitar and backing vocals, was like a man possessed. Throwing himself around the stage, he was incredibly exciting to watch. 

Roddy’s rapport with the audience was equally impressive. The crowd sang enthusiastically along to “American English”, creating a beautiful moment made even more atmospheric by the creative lighting from the stage. 

The set covered Idlewild’s career and the appearance of Hannah Fisher, the fiddler who played earlier with Sorren Maclean, added another interesting dimension to some songs.

There were a few memorable crowd moments too, including one enthusiastic fan being reminded by security that seats are for sitting on, not standing on… Mostly though, the audience simply sang, danced and celebrated a band with whom many clearly have a long history.

During the encore, “Let Me Sleep (Next to The Mirror)” produced a huge cheer before the band eventually played their final song, “In Remote Part/Scottish Fiction”, while a sea of phones glowed like candles across the Bandstand.

On a beautiful Glasgow night, it felt like a celebration shared between band and audience, and a very good reason to save those seats for your pals!

Article: Kim Sabetelli