Glasgow Letter

Somebody mentioned to me recently that their fridge door is covered in gig tickets bought before (or during) lockdown for shows that haven’t happened yet.

I am sure a great many people are in a similar situation. Well, this weekend, one of these gig tickets can finally be taken off the fridge door and handed to a bouncer at the Barrowland Ballroom as 1,900 Highlanders and Islanders will ascend the famous steps to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Trail West, pictured. When the invite from the boys fell through my letterbox for the original pre-lockdown date, it read: Ten Years of Trail West. “Ten years of Trail West?” I thought. “I can hardly stand two hours of them!”

By the time the show has been able to go ahead, of course, they have had to rename the event: Eleven Years of Trail West! I do not, however, imagine that any of the punters at the gig will have much of a concern as to the finer details. The name of the game will be to celebrate one of the West Coast’s all time favourite bands no matter whether they are 10 or 11 years old. In reality – some of the lads have been playing together for much longer than a decade anyway. It may have been 11 years ago that they formed this particular line up under the name of Trail West but I vividly remember a fresh faced Ian Smith competing against me in the Under 19 accordion section at the Oban Mòd 2009 and telling me afterwards that he was playing in a band.

We must have both been about 16 at the time so the idea of playing in a band was extremely exciting.

That original line up would be unrecognisable to Trail West fans today. The personnel are different and Ian has a much redder face! But it was not long before the line up of Ian, Seonaidh MacIntyre, Alain Campbell, and Andrew Findlater became a regular fixture in bars, halls, and festivals all throughout the West Coast. Wherever they turned up, when Trail West were in town, a good night was guaranteed. And, in Glasgow, no Sunday evening was ever complete without Trail West in the Park Bar or the Islay Inn.

More recently, they upped the stakes by adding Jonathan Gillespie on keys and Allan Nairn on electric guitar so their sound is now massive. This has limited the number of pub gigs they do but means they are 100% ready to take on venues like the Barras.

Their popularity has never solely been down to their incredible music; but also to the fact they are universally loved as people and are always up for the craic. I dare say Saturday night will be no different! Here’s to 10 (or 11) years!

What’s on in Glasgow

 September 23: WHYTE live in the Glad Cafe, Pollockshaws Road.

 October 7-8: Peat and Diesel in the Barrowlands  October 8: Tide Lines at Kelvingrove Bandstand  October 15: Skipinnish in the Barrowlands