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Blood Red Shoes

Aberdeen Cafe Drummond, 18th October 2008

Blood Red Shoes step into the limelight, or should I say lamplight (strangely the band are flanked by two standard lamps tonight) of an Aberdeen stage - and not for the first time this year. However, this is the first time the talented duo have had to play a gig on the same night as national heroes Glasvegas - a fact which affords them a rather late stage time and, thankfully, a crowded venue with many still glowing with the combined sweat and tears of another show. So, time for the blood then?

Opening the set as they did on this year`s fine debut with the electric stomp of `Doesn`t Matter Much` the band herald their arrival with typical energy, Laura-Mary Carter`s new Dee Dee Ramone fringe is just visible above an energetically jumping front-of-crowd with drummer Steven Ansell hidden to all but those of a generous height. Which is, of course, not a problem for an extended arm and an accurately aimed phone-camera snap - a technique used by many of the younger male members of the crowd in the direction of guitarist Laura-Mary.

An early opportunity to introduce a new track with is taken by Steven declaring "this goes out to anyone that`s seen us before". The track itself suggests the duo may be heading in a poppier direction with their new material while maintaining the murky stranglehold over their music that has slowly but surely made their name. This is perfectly exemplified by former single and crowd favourite `Say Something, Say Anything` which follows immediately afterwards.

Taking stock of the crowd tonight, it`s not surprising the `Shoes have successfully crossed at least two generations tonight given easily the audible influence of Wire-via-Elastica and, on another new track, it`s possible to pinpoint Lush at the exact point they crossed the good sea of commerciality from the land of shoegaze to the promised new world of shiny indie pop, pausing for a middle-eight with an effortlessly Scot-pleasing tinge of Big Country.

The set comes to a close with a sharp pairing of `This is Not For You` and `I Wish I Was Someone Better` which send the crowd crazy and sees one fan literally hugging the speakers with joy. It`s not surprising either - this is championship-winning stuff and a cutting reminder of how good The Subways really should have been.

Glas-who?

Photographs by Andy Thorn

Posted on 22 October 2008 by Richard Brown

Tags: Blood Red Shoes Aberdeen Live Review Cafe Drummond

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Dean Coster wrote:
GLAS-FUCKING-VEGAS! Love the pictures, and love blood red shoes. I watched them play Glasto and was very impressed. I need to buy some of their stuff...
Posted on 1 November 2008 at 17:06
Isla Goldie wrote:
Really nice photos. Sounds like a great gig. Going to have to try these blood red shoes on for size!
Posted on 10 November 2008 at 22:05

Blood Red Shoes

Aberdeen Cafe Drummond, 18th October 2008

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