The Sultans of Ping delivered a sold-out performance at Glasgow’s St Luke’s, marking their first Scottish show in 15 years.
In 1993 I had just started college studying photography at James Watt College, Greenock. By the end of the year, I had flunked out being told by my college lecturer that I had no aptitude or talent for photography, which came as a blow to me as I loved nothing more than taking and developing black and white photographs and I had thought I was not bad at it. I spent a great deal of time during 1993 in a dark room developing photos and for company I had my personal cassette stereo complete with three band graphic equaliser. Oh yes, the headset had the orange sponge earpieces too! This was the cutting edge of personal music playing back then! Luckily for me 1993 had spawned a plethora of ground-breaking albums, each unique and able to penetrate my soul, via my tender teenage ears. In no particular order the albums that struck a chord with me that were on heavy rotation were: Rancid’s self-titled album, Bad Religion’s, Recipe for Hate, Smashing Pumpkins’ Siamese Dream, The Breeders’, Last Splash, Nirvana’s, In Utero, Carter USM’s Post Historic Monsters and Sultans of Ping, Casual Sex in the Cineplex. There were others but these particular ones resonated with me.
These albums have stood the test of time and to prove that, I’m standing in the very beautiful and picturesque, St Luke’s in Glasgow. This is the first time in 15 years that Sultans of Ping have played here. The lads from Cork, Ireland are only across the water too, so I can’t image why it has taken so long to get back. This is a much-anticipated show and by the looks of it, it is sold out.
Like all good music that’s stood the test of time, the new artists and bands that come up from behind take forward the attitude of their forebearers, but they also inject their own take and spin on the music. They write songs with lyrics that echo matters important to them in a contemporary fashion. Tonight’s opening act is ‘Meryl Streek’. Now, you can’t put Meryl into a box and whack a big sticker on it. He’s in a category all on his own. This is a good place to be, as all trailblazers start out that way as they set the foundations for their own musical landscape. Meryl introduces himself to an eagerly awaiting crowd by saying, “Some of you will love this, some of you will hate it.” I guess that’s the ‘Marmite’ paradox!
The lighting is minimalistic. A dark brooding red covers the stage with flashes of white sheet lighting occasionally erupting with the occasional camera flash. This allows a shadowy Meryl to be seen as he paces up and down the stage, over to the barrier and into the crowd where he delivers a monologue of ‘Potent Punk Poetry’, somewhere between Rap and Grime, Punk. The passion projects from his lips and drips down the faces of the curious on-lookers as they nod their heads in time to the beat-intensified music pumping from the speakers. Clutching a microphone stand, affixed with red roses and occasionally swinging a torch, Meryl’s performance is not only heart filled and passionate, there is a feeling of the unpredictability of the show…What will happen next? For me I get pure joy as I watch and try tp predict how I might get my next photograph. Where will he go, given he’s not boxed into a small stage. Make no mistake, Meryl is a serious performer and behind the fearsome contact lenses, he’s one hell of a nice guy. Meryl is destined for big things, catch him on his journey, you’ll be glad you did. Check him out on Spotify and his socials for upcoming shows.
“Eat natural food, bath twice daily,
Fill your nostrils up with gravy,
Don’t drink tea, don’t drink coffee,
Cover your chin in Yorkshire toffee
Dancing in the disco, bumper to bumper,
Wait a minute, where’s me jumper?”
The latter is taken from one of the most important songs, for me in 93 – Where’s Me Jumper? The song lyrics offer an instamatic look at life through the eyes of the character who is the muse for the song. Much in the way poet Edwin Morgan regales tails of working-class people’s plight in society, Sultans of Ping do the same with some tongue n’ cheek observations about life. Although 30 plus years on since it was conceived, the meanings are still as relevant today as they were then.
‘Ping’ have an underrepresented social media presence and maybe even the volume of fans who have come out might be a surprise to them! I do know is there is longevity and opportunity galore for a band of this ilk. Singer Niall O’Flaherty is a cool customer whose vocals have not waivered nor strayed from their 30 plus year recordings. The perfect renditions of songs was masterful and wholly enjoyable. The band can sure play, and each song was true to itself. If I shut my eyes, I was back in 1993, in my darkroom listening to my cassette on ‘Casual Sex in the Cineplex.’ Things have gone full circle now, I started with Sultans of Ping and I’ve ended with them…I only hope my photographs are better appreciated now than back in 1993! Let’s hope Sultans of Ping and my photography both grow for anther 30 years!
Go and revisit bands you liked when you were 17…Go and find new artists who are breaking out, making and emerging in the music scene. Have a look at Sultans of Ping, relive your youth or discover a 90s’ classic band!
Words and pictures: Stevie Oi! @gig_photography_glasgow