The Sisters Of Murphy

Queen Margaret Union, Glasgow. 28/08/99

The Smurphs break Sisters convention in many ways - they play in Scotland for a start. With the London Event Horizon dates a fading memory and the refreshing prospect of having to travel a mere hundred or so miles to hear those songs, I found myself in Europe's former City of Culture (penicillin?).
The lights dimmed, eerie wreaths of smoke filled the hall to the accompanying throb of Afterhours, white light silhouetted the figures on stage as the drum machine crashed into the intro of First & Last & Always. The bodies begin to move but something is not quite right. There is an incessant and rather unimaginative beeping tone vying against the guitars. Has Nurse Landslide picked up a fatal virus? Nope. A rather over enthusiastic use of the smoke machines has set off the fire alarms.
Five minutes later the venue is empty and both band and punters stand sheepishly outside while two fire engines pull up to investigate the non existent fire. Forty minutes after that, when it's become apparent the black-clad rabble haven't decided to celebrate Bonfire night early, we're let back into the building.
The gig is forced to go ahead sans smoke machines, dispelling the atmosphere ever so slightly. However, both band and audience are determined to have a good time. The technical ability of these impersonators cannot be disputed. A trip down memory lane is taken in the form of Adrenochrome, Alice, Floorshow and The Damage Done. Gimme Gimme Gimme and Jolene provide the obligatory humorous cover versions with crowd pleasers such as Temple Of love and Amphetamine Logic being liberally dispersed through the set. Although no one builds human pyramids (special mention should be given to the particularly supple young lady at the front of the stage whose gyrations more than compensated for the lack of dry ice) the performance merits an encore, with Sid doing a particularly fine job on Some Kind Of Stranger.
The only thing amiss is the lack of snide quips between songs, a few vitriolic insults would have added that final stamp of authenticity to the proceedings. That aside, they clearly appreciate the ironic wit that is at the very core of the Sisters - especially live. Rock'n'roll is an absurd profession that should never be taken too seriously by either the performer or the audience.

"Don F Robertson"