Page 252 - WDT MAGAZINE IRELAND ISSUE WINTER 2018

As a port city on the River Clyde, Glasgow
was exposed to a variety of cultures and
musical influences, a legacy which contin-
ues to make it a magnet for creative types
today. Bottom: “Everyone in Glasgow likes
to sing,” says Alison Stroak, marketing
director for Glasgow Music City Tours. “We
decided we wanted to shout about our
music scene.” Opposite: Glasgow’s Kings
Court, with a guitar store, record shop and
an intimate live music venue, is a popular
spot for indie bands

loves country and western music,” she adds with a gow’s eclectic musical exports include Simple Minds,
laugh. “There’s even a place on the other side of the The Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream, David and
city called the Grand Ole Opry.” Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, and
One of the city’s hottest indie Angus and Malcolm Young of AC/
band hangouts is King Street. Here, DC, although the Youngs moved to
we stroll past the 13th Note, where Australia when they were still in short
Stroak tells me that Alex Kapranos of pants. (Actually, Angus has never
the band Franz Ferdinand began his stopped wearing short pants).
career booking other people’s bands. The city is also responsible for
Across the road, we pop into Mono, a helping Stan Laurel (yes, of Laurel and
combination vegan restaurant/micro- Hardy) and Archibald Leach (better
brewery/performance venue, which known as Cary Grant) get their start
also houses a record shop co-owned on the world’s stage. Both performed
by Stephen McRobbie from the band at the oldest surviving music hall in
The Pastels. Britain, the Britannia Panopticon, which was originally
In addition to Franz Ferdinand and The Pastels, Glas- built as a warehouse in 1779. Although it’s slowly

252 WDT MAGAZINE WINTER 2018