Last year, Mike & The Mechanics released a new album, The Road which featured a new a line up to include Andrew Roachford and Tim Howar alongside Mike Rutherford. We had a great night last year when they came to Glasgow to the Clyde Auditorium though were slightly disheartened at the turn out. This year they' returned to play the O2 Academy in Glasgow.
First of course it was the support act and this came in the form of The Strike Nineteens, a local band from Dumbarton. They performed a number of tracks including our favourite Ashes Of The Fury. They told us that they’d only be contacted 6 days prior to the gig to ask if they’d play and that usually they were a bit louder. It was different and hats off to having another great support act.
Then after a short break, the main act opened. Opening with the classic Beggar On A Beach of Gold it got all those present in the mood for the whole night. This was followed by Get Up which had both Tim and Andrew jumping up and down on the stage. Bringing it back to more recently, they next performed Try To Save Me before taking it back to 1995 for Another Cup Of Coffee.
Mike steps up to the mic to talk about how when he first started touring he just wanted to play Mechanics songs and not do any covers. Well this that has gone out the window as they perform the Genesis song Throwing It All Away, in which the audience were encourage to take part in a call and response singalong by Tim. From one cover to another…sort of, as Andrew performed his song This Generation.
Taking it down a notch, we’re treated to an acoustic set featuring the tracks The Road, A Time and Place, Everybody Gets A Second Chance and Something In The Way. From calm and sedate we’re brought back in an instant to the full production with Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground). A classic from Roachford in the form of his own song, Cuddly Toy before heading into two familiar Genesis hits in Follow You, Follow Me and I Can’t Dance.
Probably one of the most well known tracks by Mike & The Mechanics, The Living Years is next complete with sing along from the audience. The final track to be performed is All I Need Is A Miracle before the band leave the stage. Of course, like any good group it’s not the last track and their back for an encore of Over My Shoulder and Word Of Mouth once again with audience participation.
Once again, they’ve provided a great night of music. It always helps when there is a great support act before the main one and that has happened once again here. It seemed to be a good turnout although it was only the downstairs area of the venue that was being used. But despite that, all that were there seemed to have a good night. Mike & the gang didn’t stop from the moment that they came on. They seemed to be enjoying themselves on stage and of course if they’re enjoying themselves, then so too are the audience and vice versa. A great night out for what probably nowadays is a very modest ticket price (£25 + booking fees). An act that we would be going back to see again if they’re ever back up this way.
