My earliest memory of the Saw Doctors is singing along to a "colourful lyric" in I Useta Lover which was booming out of my dad's car cassette player. And while it did result in a disapproving glance from my mum, those early moments moments listening to music can be formative and stick with you for years to come. 5 The Saw Doctors delivered two hours of party music and ballads Credit: SCOTTISH SUN 5 The Saw Doctors have been a mainstay of festivals and touring for decades Credit: Debbie Hickey/Getty Images Fast forward to 2024 and I'm seeing the band live at Glasgow 's Kelvingrove Bandstand - my mum still disapproves of me and both myself and the band are just a tad older.
But despite the passage of time and all the music I've heard since, good and bad, I sing along to the band's 1990 hit single with no less enthusiasm. The band are performing as part of the Summer Nights festival - 12 nights of gigs in one of the city’s most unique venues. The Irish rock band, led by Leo Moran and Davy Carton, have been a fixture of the live music scene globally for decades and have a dedicated fanbase.
READ MORE LIVE MUSIC SLOW SHOW The National deliver chaotic & captivating performance to Edinburgh Castle crowd BEAUTIFUL ONES Manic Street Preachers and Suede storm Edinburgh Castle with sell-out show Although, as the band note themselves, this is a rare opportunity to see the Galway rockers in a summer setting in Glasgow, as opposed to their usual winter visit. The band's music encompasses the best elements of Irish music - ramshackle party music and teary-eyed ballads about home - though they steer well clear of politics. You don't need to be a music scholar to understand Glasgow's affinity for Irish music, and songs like The Joyce County Ceilidh Band and Tommy K have fans dancing in the aisles together - even ones who don't know each other.
Meanwhile, Ballads like To Win Just Once and The Green & Red of Mayo lead to the sight of many middle-aged men forgetting themselves for a few minutes and allowing their emotions to take over as they raise their arms and sing along. Most read in Music MACCA'S RETURN Paul McCartney stuns fans after visiting Abbey Road to recreate Beatles snap HOLD ME WHILE YOU DATE Lewis Capaldi spotted on celeb dating app Raya after split VIBE TEST Jesy Nelson breaks silence on Jade Thirlwall song after Little Mix feud STILL SAILING Sir Rod's announcement to fans over future after axing gig amid health woes Above all else, the band know how to have fun and so do their fans and I’d wager the bandstand has rarely seen a more friendly and lively crowd. Mercifully for everyone the rain stays off, though I doubt it would have had much impact on the atmosphere, the band and their fans are a hardy bunch.
Moran even goes so far to quip that a local had told him after their December show, they'd not be able to tell the difference when they visited in the summer. If you've never been, you're probably bored of hearing it, but it bears repeating - the bandstand really is a perfect venue and that's shown by the wide variety of acts that have played every year. As well as the hard-to-beat amphitheatre acoustics - it's a spectacular setting, a stage surrounded by lush trees which looks even more stunning as the night draws in and the fairy lights sparkle overhead.
As the sun comes down, the band show no sign of slowing down and serve up a volley of fan favourites, including N17 and Red Cortina. After almost two hours, the band leaves the stage before returning for an encore, to the delight of the crowd, finishing with Hay Wrap. At one point, they hint they'll be back later in the year - maybe another round at the Barrowlands ? Read more on the Scottish Sun PARKING PAINS 'Mind blowing behaviour', say NC500 locals as tourists 'block' cars passing HUNG UP Hundreds of Scots jobs 'at risk' as retail giant proposes call centre closure And as we file out, I’m sure I can’t be the only one who thinks another night with the band could be just what the Doctors ordered.
Summer Nights at Kelvingrove is in its ninth year. 5 Davy Carton, rhythm guitarist and vocalist, has been with the Saw Doctors since the beginning Credit: Photo by Harry Herd/Redferns 5 Leo Moran, lead guitarist and occasional vocalist with the band Credit: GETTY 5.
