A Scottish Sojourn That Never Left The Midwest
Over the course of three successive nights, I got to hang with great friends, spend time in three lovely Rust Belt cities, and I got to see two of my favorite bands, both from Glasgow, Scotland.
For many a year now, I have preached to the masses that when presented with the opportunity to do the thing, you should do the thing unless there is a very compelling reason not to do to the thing. For me, that thing, is almost always centered around live music. Whether it’s playing shows, heading down the street to support one of many talented musicians in town, or heading out of state to see a favorite band, live music moves me like no other thing on this earth.
When Teenage Fanclub, a longtime favorite of mine, announced a May show at the Magic Bag in Ferndale, Michigan, I marked it in red ink on my calendar. The Fannies are a band that I have loved since their classic 1991 album, Bandwagonesque. That record was so damned good in fact, that Spin Magazine named Bandwagonesque as their best album of the year. Nirvana’s Nevermind finished second.
Still, even having loved them for thirty plus years, I only just got to see them live for the first time in 2016. They have toured a handful of times in the US since then, and I make it a point to never miss a Teenage Fanclub show. I knew that my dear friend, and Stick Arounds bandmate, Jeff Gower would be in for the Fannies as well. I texted him to hatch a plan for tickets and he suggested that we go to see the band in Chicago the next night as well. I was quick to jump at the chance to head to Chicago for a night out and a repeat performance by one of my favorite bands.
Jeff’s query on the Chicago run did seemingly put the kibosh on my initial idea of heading to Detroit to see Belle & Sebastian the night before the Teenage Fanclub gig. I figured that was alright as I had seen B&S previously and figured they were likely to tour again before the Fannies came back this way. Hey, you can’t do it all, right?
Saturday afternoon, I met up with Jeff at his house and we drove the uneventful 75 minutes to Ferndale, a city directly north of Detroit. The Magic Bag is an older, humble theater that holds around 400 people. As we started to search for a place to park the car, we noticed that a full hour before the lifted time for doors opening a line had queued up for most of the block. It appeared to be a bunch of middle aged dudes who were willing to wait in line to secure one of the few seats inside the Bag.
Jeff and I popped over to The Oakland for a boulevardier and pleasant chat with the bartender there. I mostly people watched through a large open window that looked out on to Nine Mile and the steady foot traffic of a Saturday night near the city.
From The Oakland, we made our way to the Barrel House for a pint and a bit of food. We shared a ricotta garlic dip, which was great. Jeff had also talked me into splitting the Coney Dog Egg Rolls, and holy shit, was he right. It was a clever creation with c
hunks of hot dog, a bit of Detroit coney sauce, some shaved onion and a bit of cheese fried in an egg roll and served with yellow mustard and cheese sauce. It was marvelous.
In making the choice to get a bit of food in us, we missed the opener Sweet Bamboo. We had listened a bit online and while it was fine, food took precedence over the opening act. Teenage Fanclub took the stage at 9:00 on the dot and walked off stage at exactly 10:30. The show was handled with a professionalism that echoed a sort of Japanese style precision in organization. This is of course, not of any benefit to the music itself, but for an old guy with an hour and half commute, it was much appreciated.
Within the last few years, the lineup for Teenage Fanclub shifted quite drastically. Bass player, singer, and one of the main songwriters in the band, Gerard Love, chose to leave the group at least in part because he was no longer willing to endure flying long distances so often to tour outside of Europe and The UK. His departure could have signaled the end of the band, but the main duo of Norman Blake and Raymond McGinley, both songwriters and singers, have not only soldiered on, but created some of their best work in the wake of Love’s exit.
The sound of Teenage Fanclub is chime, crystalline, and sweet. The guitar work, especially on stage, is subtle, slinky, and rhythmic. As the band have aged, their sound has softened and become more subdued, but even as dudes in their early 60’s this is a band fully capable of all-out rock.
In the days leading up to our weekend of Teenage Fanclub I continued to see ads for the Belle & Sebastian show in Kalamazoo on Monday, May 6th. The show was slated for the beer garden at Bell’s, my favorite brewery and a beautiful spot for a show. To make the matter that much more enticing, I would have to basically drive past Bell’s on the way home from Chicago on Monday. Why not just head home a bit later than usual and stop for a show in Kazoo along the way?
Jeff is not a fan of Belle & Sebastian at all, so I knew he was out. Still, I snagged a ticket and began to look for other compatriots to join in the fun.
Pops - as we have lovingly called Jeff since before he was way too young for such a moniker - and I met up at a park and ride just west of Kalamazoo near a little town called Paw Paw. Within two hours of our rendezvous, Jeff and I were in the toddling town that is Chicago. We made a beeline for a friend’s place where we could crash, and catch up with our hosts.
Our dear friends Beav and Toni have put the stick Arounds up more times than anyone could possibly keep track of. They are a sort of home for wayward middle aged power poppers and their brethren. We spent a few minutes catching up and played with the dogs. Then, Jeff and I went over to Angelo’s, the local wine bar to settle in for a meal and an afternoon cocktail.
Jeff and I split a pizza, enjoyed a couple of cocktails and watched a good chunk of Sunset Boulevard, Jeff’s all-time favorite film, on a trio of screens and enjoyed the Chicago spring air as it rolled in the open windows. It was glorious.
What followed was a lazy afternoon of day drinking in the great city of Chicago. No municipality on earth has done as much damage to my liver as Cook County. While I didn't;t hit it wicked hard, by the time we rolled into the neighborhood where the venue was I was buzzy and ready for a pre-show dinner.
Jeff, Beav, and I stumbled into the Honky-Tonk Barbecue and were met with a variety of contradicting facts. For starters, this bar named after a no-nonsense genre of country music did not have a country band or a honky tonk jukebox, instead they offered a full orchestra playing early jazz, light swing and bandstand music. It was absolutely sweet, but was anathema to the name of the joint. Still, we bellied up to the bar and ordered drinks and pursued the menus.
A gaggle of hip looking folks danced, talked and just preened to be seen near the stage of musicians. The whole scene seemed like a more genuine, real life version of a Wes Anderson film. There were myriad vintage outfits of supreme quality and style. One patron had an absolutely gorgeous sweater that he had been gifted by a former crew member of boxer Rocky Marciano. The sweater’s owner was proud to wear it out and claimed that only ten of them had ever been made.
Another cat looked as though he had spent several hundred dollars to look like Tom Joad from The Grapes Of Wrath. We couldn't help but laugh at a guy who had spent big money to make himself look like a dust bowl migrant. Despite the occasional oddity, the clothing, hair, and tattoos were all wonderful eye candy.
We strolled into Thalia Hall on the Northside of Chicago and were quite taken with the delicate craftsmanship of the old community hall that was originally built by Chicago saloon owner and proud Bohemian, John Dusek. The building was closed for more than 50 years, until it was renovated and reopened in 2013 in its current state.
Once again, Teenage Fanclub put on a terrific show with a few set list changes from the previous night. It was nice to hear a couple of deep cuts from mid-career records that often do not get the live treatment. I also got to see a handful of Chicago area friends who were out at the show as well. Each time seeing the Fannies is a reminder of their enduring greatness. After a nightcap or two, we Ubered back to Beav’s house to get some shut-eye.
I awoke surprisingly early, and quite clear headed considering the day prior. I dug in to get a bit of work done while the other dudes continued to sleep it off a shade. Sooner than expected, everyone was up and there was conversation, laughter, and mercifully, some coffee.
By late morning, we said our goodbyes to our hosts and walked the scant two blocks back to the car. Jeff steered us towards our first priority of the day, an early lunch at the vaunted Mr. Beef. I first visited Mr. Beef with The Stick Arounds almost exactly one year ago as of this writing. The restaurant was always well known in Chicago for its Hot Italian Beef Sandwich, but it has become world famous since it served as the inspiration for the hit FX series, The Bear.
Mr. Beef is a Chicago staple that serves a limited menu built around its famous hot beef sandwich. I ordered mine with both sweet and hot peppers and had it dipped in au jus. To eat the thing is a greasy, delicious mess and it is worth every stained shirt and shredded napkin. If you get Chicago, get to the Beef.
With very full bellies, we hopped a quick eight minute drive over to Alcala’s Western Wear, a regular stop on our visits to the Windy City. Alcala’s is a family owned store that specializes in western wear and cowboy gear. With everything from hats to boots to belts and pearloid button ups, Alcala’s is a unique and engaging shopping trip.
I nearly pulled the trigger on a couple of items on the clearance rack, but decided to remain frugal for the journey. After all, meals, drinks, gas, and tickets all add up and I couldn't just keep spending like a drunken sailor. Jeff picked up a sweet hat for a great deal, and soon we found ourselves back in the Chicago sunshine ready to head back towards home.
After snagging my car at the park and ride, I made my way into Kalamazoo for a bit of driving around and to search out some soft serve. I am a total sucker for ice cream, and with a couple of hours to kill before showtime I drove out to a nearby town and treated myself to a hot fudge sundae.
I made my way back to the parking lot at Bell’s Brewery and decided that I would walk off a bit of the ice cream. My old friends David and Jenny were headed down from Lansing to join me at the show. As I waited for them to arrive, I strolled the streets of downtown Kalamazoo.
It was a spectacular afternoon with bright sunshine, blue skies, a temp in the low seventies and a light breeze. One could not have ordered a more perfect day for the first outdoor show of the season. I popped in a local cafe for a cappuccino and a few minutes of people watching from the window near the street. Kalamazoo bustled as folks came into town for the show.
Dave and Jenny arrived just before 7:00 and we met up near the entrance. The Beer Garden at Bell’s holds about 1200 people, but feels more intimate than that. It is set alongside their main brewpub and features a few trees, some brick pathways, green grass, and a wide assortment of great beer and good food for very cheap prices. I am always amazed that I can get a 16 ounce can of Two Hearted at a concert for just five bucks. I have paid three times that for a Two Hearted at a ball game before. Huzzah to Bell’s for keeping it affordable.
Opener Hayley Hendrickx put on a genuinely lovely performance. She appeared with a cellist and an electric guitar player. I was familiar with a few of her songs thanks to my youngest daughter Hannah, who is a fan. Hendrickx has beautiful voice that is also quite powerful. She reminds a bit of Judee Sill, a seventies folk artist and her guitar work is very reminiscent of the great John Fahey, who Hendrickx even mentioned during the set.
Belle & Sebastian came out to a cinematic intro projected on a massive screen behind them. It shouldn't be surprising that for a band so famed for being made up of twee art school kids, that they would put on a dramatic show. Although I had seen B&S three other times, I was once again stunned by their cohesiveness, their variety, and their buoyant energy.
Frontman Stuart Murdoch spends the bulk of the show bouncing around and dancing wildly, even inviting a stage full of audience members to join the band for the final two songs of the set. The entire band, all eight of them, seemingly play multiple instruments, and possess cherubic backing voices, and the instrumentation is borderline ridiculous. Flutes, trumpets, cellos and other orchestral instruments find their way regularly into the Belle & Sebastian canon, and are then replicated beautifully on stage.
The band managed to touch on most major points of their long and sonically disparate career. There was straight pop, twee folk, and guitars that harmonized and conjured images of Thin Lizzy. Bouncy synth-pop was juxtaposed with 60’s pop pastiche, and there was more than one all out sing-along. Seeing Belle & Sebastian is an immersive and participatory affair. It is an absolute spectacle of songcraft.
Beaming at a long weekend of some of my very favorite music, I slumped into my whip and wheeled the 90 minutes to home and my bed to which I would anxiously return. If I could get settled in right away and get to sleep, I could catch a full five hours before I needed to rise for my first ride of the day the next morning. I knew I would be bleary eyed when I awoke. And I knew it was absolutely worth it.
Cheers,
Matty C
Teenage Fanclub is a band I'm interested in learning more about, one of those groups that I'm sure I'd like but hit their stride during my music "dark ages" of the late 80s and early 90s! Cool writeup, as always!
I just saw them in Jersey City last week - I had not seen them live since.... I can't remember. They were so good. They also did a live appearance that day on local indy radio station WFMU - here is the link https://wfmu.org/special.php/SH