Ashley Collins, Gillian Christie, Gary Mulligan live at the Black Sparrow, Glasgow
Hey, let’s hide in another basement. Escape the sunshine to a sanctuary for the alcoholic vampire. Red lights and black flock wallpaper – that will stop the amateur drinker from licking the walls – add to the ambience. Pretend it is just another acoustic night if only the facts would add up.
Vampire or sacrifice? Perhaps a tasty snack for the dwellers of the night, Gillian Christie sings sweetly and neatly but the vampires ignore her and go about their god forsaken business. She defends her honour with an acoustic guitar and brings a much needed feeling of purity to the room. Stepping up the pace on her last song, you just know she’ll go down fighting.
Gary Mulligan is an obvious plant. The assembled undead whoop and cheer but it is way too clear that they know the songs he plays far better than he does. Someone whispers that he is actually the guitarist in a metal band. Maybe it is someone who looks like him as this skill free strummer’s set would drive even the most pious amongst us to search for a wooden stake.
All bright eyed and bushy tailed is Ashley Collins. She clearly doesn’t belong amongst the dwellers of the night and easily fends off the forces of darkness. Armed as she was with the secret weapon of a charity single called “Loving You”, she set about enhancing the reputation of the powers of good by throwing in a Blondie cover and a splendid piece of pop Boursin called “Super Diva”. Ms Collins brought sunshine into the room and vanquished the vampires.
Time to escape back into the night and get on to the path to redemption. Redemption has a name and it has been too long since I’ve seen her.
Photos courtesy of Andrew MacDonald
Reviewer: Handsome Bluesbunny
Review Date: 3 June 2010
Websites
Gillian Christie
Ashley Collins
Permalink
Back to live reviews list