Texas
Kelvingrove Bandstand, Glasgow
The 2017 Summer Nights at the Bandstand season kicked off in good-natured style with the first of three homecoming gigs by Texas. Sharleen Spiteri, the consummate frontwoman with extra gallus swagger on her old stomping ground, had the audience instantly on their feet as Ally Mcerlaine teased out the twanging dustbowl blues intro of their debut hit I Don’t Want A Lover.
Texas have long moved on from its polished angst to become a sleek disco-influenced pop band, as showcased on recent Chic-referencing single Let’s Work It Out, retooled for the home crowd with a burst of Orange Juice’s Rip It Up. But the fans also kept the old faith, and Lover was later reprised to general glee following a request from the floor.
Spiteri was in her element throughout, comically sparring with the crowd and one unfortunate security guard in front of the stage, but never derailing the pop momentum of a two-hour set of solid hits and bonus tracks. Highlights included the slinky disco of Summer Son, newer number Can’t Control - ironically an immaculately controlled stealthy pop prowl - and the sultry Sleep, on which guitarist Tony Mcgovern ably deputised for Spiteri’s original duet partner, Paul Buchanan.
The elusive Buchanan may have been absent from the gathering, but their old mucker Bobby Bluebell was on hand for an encore guest spot, leading the party ski ff le of the bluebells’ young at heart and bas king in Black Eyed Boy which he had a hand in writing.