Into Music Reviews: Supersuckers at Audio, Glasgow
Act: Supersuckers
Venue: Audio, Glasgow
Date: 11 November 2018
You know a band are on a tight touring budget when they set up their own gear, do their own soundcheck and the drummer mans the merchandise stall. Sadly the harsh reality for a lot of bands these days but in the Supersuckers case 30 years down the line and they are playing even smaller venues than ever. A fact that singer Eddie Spaghetti alluded to in the closing part of the show and it was a little slip of the mask from a band who normally just like to have a good time playing 3 to 4 minute slices of three chord rock.
Now down to a 3 piece the self-proclaimed greatest rock n roll band in the world ran through a set that barely paused for breath. One song stopped and they were straight into another. No faffing about changing guitars for this band, one guitar will do. Four songs from new release ‘Suck It’ provided the aperitif for the main course which tonight was a complete run through of the Supersuckers’ finest hour. The 1999 album The Evil Powers of Rock ‘n’ Roll, thirteen songs and 36 minutes of rock heaven or maybe rock hell. Not a duffer amongst them and over far too soon.
Hearing them run through the album was a real pleasure. The title track, Cool Manchu, Dirt Roads, Dead Ends and Dust and My Kickass Life are all great songs. Guitarist Marty Chandler stepped to the front of the stage to give us a real close up of his guitar prowess as he peeled off solo after solo with ease. It was a real treat to hear many songs that haven’t been played live before.
On the run for home it was pretty much a best of with a couple of tasty covers thrown in in the shape of ZZ Top’s Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers and Thin Lizzy’s Cowboy Song that was the intro to the final song and the first Supersuckers song I ever heard, Born with a Tail. It sounds as great today as it did all those years ago.
90 mins and 25 songs later and it was all over and a sense that this might be the last time I see the Supersuckers. Playing in front of around 100 people must be hard for a band that has been around so long and who, admittedly, were never destined for the arena-sized venues but they certainly deserve to be bigger than they are.
If it is indeed the last time, it was a great way to sign off.
Kevin Williamson
Setlist
All of the Time / The History Of Rock ‘n’ Roll / Dead Inside / Breakin’ My Balls / The Evil Powers of Rock and Roll / Cool Manchu / I Want the Drugs / Santa Rita High / Dead Meat / Stuff n’ Nonsense / Dirt Roads, Dead Ends and Dust / Fisticuffs / Gone Gamblin’ / My Kickass Life / Goin’ Back to Tucson / I Can’t Hold Myself In Line / Hot Like the Sun / Rock-n-Roll Records (Ain’t Sellin’ This Year) / Mudhead / Coattail Rider / Creepy Jackalope / Eye / Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers / Pretty F****d Up / Cowboy Song / Born with A Tail
Cowboy Song/Born with a Tail
Santa Rita High
Rock-n-Roll Records (Ain’t Selling This Year)
Pretty Fucked Up