In a fitting commemoration to the 100th anniversary of Bloody Friday The Wakes took the stage at King Tuts Wah Wah Hut & stoked the fires in the bellies of a new generation of liked minded social activists. A night of true celebration of how far marginalised communities have come in our modern world & the realisation that so much more still needs to be done to overcome an oppressive political & media narrative.
With 4 albums in the books The Wakes have a musical manifesto to support any live show. Telling the stories of political struggles from Glasgow to Dublin & Jarama & to the middle east & back again but these are not just words to the band, these are causes to believe in & a purpose to fight for change.
Kicking the night off with No Irish Need Apply & The Battle of George Square, followed by a tribute to those two ground breaking Scottish socialist stalwarts James Connolly & John MacLean defined the score for the session.
Still beaming from their recent exploits in London with fellow peoples poet Billy Bragg, the Glasgow folk rockers blew the roof off the Hut as they led the sell out crowd through a medley of melodies, song & stories to lift even the most weary soul. Playing for just over 90 minutes & squeezing in 20 plus toe tapping, fist pumping sole searching anthems, The Wakes shone as a finely tuned musical movement in unison with their fans.
The musical arrangements from nine piece band delivered a pulsating folk / rock, ska infused message. The traditional mandolin & whistle sounds of the world of folk were complimented to incredible effect with the addition of the brass section of trumpet & trombone, never forgetting the impact of the flawless harmonica. The line-up only changing briefly for the haunting rendition of Gutter to the Whitehouse with Paul on guitar & Chris backing on sax.
The instrumental introduction to Peat Bog Soldiers raised the decibels another couple of notches as the night flowed into a crescendo of football & Anti-Fascist call & response between band & audience. From Bella Ciao to The Pirates of the League, the rousing unity between band & comrades in the crowd was stirring.
Its not all politics & football though, there is still plenty of room for party tunes as the band Set you Free and take you to a Discoland & back to 8:30am at Glasgow Cross as part of a frenzied set finale & encore.
Walking back downstairs to the bar with the concert finished the singing continues amongst the crowd. Smiles & clenched fists salutes greet you to the sound of Viva la Quinta Brigada.
Often listening to the stories of struggles & fight for equality can be difficult, but The Wakes triumphed in bringing these stories to life whilst keeping the burning desire for a better society at the forefront of an enthralling night of music.
