Live Review

Sons & Daughters – Glasgow ABC

• 22nd Feb 2008

Supporting Sons and Daughters The Black Kids certainly warranted no lack of attention with the main floor of Glasgow’s ABC almost filled when the Florida five-piece came on.
For a band currently unsigned and with only one EP out (available for download) The Black Kids seemed to have raked up a decent following. ‘The Wizard of Ahhs’ EP boasts a lot of quirky, catchy electro pop numbers which are almost irresistible to dance to.
Their set is short, but for the most part enjoyable. ‘I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance’ and ‘Listen To Your Body Tonight’ provide some of the more memorable riffs and hooks of the set.
Reggie Youngblood is a welcomed stage presence with his appealing hairstyle as is his younger sister Ali, who, at keyboards, by no means lacks the energy of her older sibling and possesses a powerful voice, covering backing vocal duties extremely well.
In many ways the ABC is the perfect venue for Black Kids, songs like that of ‘I Wanna Be Your Limosine’ are enjoyable live but would by no means sound out of place in the background of any club.
If you’re looking for music with any substance or focus then, they are almost certainly not the band for you. However Black Kids know what they’re about, pure pop infectious music ideal to dance to, but that’s about it.

There is always an extra bit of atmosphere in the air when one of Glasgow’s own comes back home and none more so than for Sons And Daughters as they stroll back into town at a sold out ABC.
The third album, this gift, is far ‘poppier’ than its predecessors and continues to push the band to the brink of a more commercial success.
Lead singer Adele Bethel manages to catch the eye with her frantic dancing, jet black hair and glittered eye lids. Bass player Ailidh Lennon takes a more nonchalant stance to the right of the stage, while to the left guitarist and singer Scott Paterson sports a quiff that would put Morrissey to shame. Dave Gow sits at the back on the drums and is the engine behind most of the songs.
Tonight’s set list is mostly comprised from the new album and doesn’t disappoint with versions of ‘Rebel With The Ghost’ and ‘The Nest’ sounding particularly fresh while new single ‘Gilt Complex’ sounds exhilarating courtesy of a driving bass line from Lennon. Bethel provides some furious screeching vocals and occasionally moves from lead mic to keyboard while Paterson stomps on the spot like an 80s punk singer but looking like a 50s rock n roll star.
Old classics such as ‘Taste The Last Girl’ and ‘Dance Me In’ draw a hysterical response from the crowd, but the highlight was perhaps their version of ‘Johnny Cash’ that briefly transcended into Iggy and the Stooges hit ‘I Wanna Be Your Dog’.
With the help of former Suede guitarist Bernard Butler, Sons And Daughters seem to be pushing for a new direction with ‘This Gift’ but have kept true to their rockabilly roots, and by the looks of things are a better band for it.