See all of the pic’s from this epic show right here on FL.

You know what? This time you’re getting this raw, un-sculpted. To refine these arrangement of letters too much would be to remove the sheer emotion behind them. So, here it is, direct from my Blackberry notepad to you (well, almost): Mogwai.

Beaches – ROCK CHICKS!!! All five of – œem, and they are fans of dark harmonies. It’s guitar bass and drum, chanting lyrics. Chick J&MC (Jesus & Mary Chain). Same thump, repetitiveness, distortion pedal abuse. Very enjoyable noodling in an L7 meets BJM (Brian Jonestown Massacre) kinda way. I’ll get some big glasses, a tambourine and be their Joel. Who are they? And why do they have a name that reminds of a tear-jerker girlie movie? Song with lyrics “I liked it” has a very cool groove. Big, expansive, desert/stoner rock… LOTS of WAAAAHH… track them down, get some of their sounds.

Love the Scots. The Beta Band is most favourite #1 band. Boards of Canada are sublime. Can’t thank those of The Delgados enough for coming here one last time before splitting up and for progressing with their label Chemikal Underground – as it is they who brought Mogwai to the world.

Opening with last track from Hawk, The Precipice, it’s the second tune from Mr Beast that gets a good response from the crowd. Third is introduced as Scotland’s Shame. As expected, we will hear most of the new album live tonight.

My goodness, a more still & reverent crowd I have NEVER encountered. No one speaks throughout except to offer heartfelt whoops and applause between each track. We are mesmerised, in stasis, hypnotised by the lights & drones of sonic post-rock guitar. Hunted By A Freak is majestic. Barry Burns’ vox releases digital angel-song from the stacks.

Eyes closed, people sway, or are statue still, taking their own silent counsel. No matter how quiet the music gets, the audience remains thus, hence the pause then thunder clap crescendo of Mogwai Fear Satan is felt even more viscerally; people jump at its power. Bass drum thuds in the chest, like an exerted heart beat, while hats shimmer and toms resonate mildly in the background. It must be so supremely gratifying to have all sans sound while you play. A single thankyou from Stuart Braithwaite after each track conveys all it needs, the humility, the genuine article. That’s who they are, those who spawned all imitators since…and they are here in all their intricate, nuanced splendour.

Oft bathed in purple or blue, sometimes naked under dimmed white, at other times a mess of water-coloured dusk light capture all and then only them. Piano of I Know You Are softly caresses the silence. If only it could be built into a pull string lullaby toy. This whole set is like floating, except your feet are rooted to the floor, so it is only your head that soars. Herod again cajoles sound from the vacuum; another pause lulls and then makes people jump once more as the tsunami of blasted power chord / reverb hits.

There is a change of guitar for the last track; strobe like green lighting flickers. All four guitarists are relaxed, bended knee, slow deep thrusts. You’re a rock fan, you know the movement – like when you’re into a guitar part and there’s naught else to do but nod your head, arch back a little and dip from the knees without moving the hips… Like what guys do when getting blown.

And then it stops for a little while. The exit is gracious. It does not say, ‘yell for us to come back’ it says, ‘we’ll be back after a little rest’.

These are not your inexperienced punters, they know if the house lights don’t come up, then there is more to come, so it takes a bit for a little clapping to start and it dies off until five silhouettes again grace the stage for their last two numbers.

Dom Aitchison ’s two hands play the one bass fret board. It almost sounds like a bent saw, but much sweeter. The effect of playing with a bow instead of a pick. It grows in strength, red laser beams journey slowly, chords build over and upon themselves. Burns and Aitchison face off, almost sonic… It’s Helicon Pt 1, it’s FULL, stirring, EPIC.

It is the last. It loops, it feeds-back, it whooshes & bleeps like a spacecraft descending into the heavens, the rocket boosters flaring, the wind battering the shell, and then you’re inside the Gravitron, watching the world flash as you spin around & around & around… The sound is doing laps of the room in a clockwise motion from the front of stage, it moves, it makes me dizzy. I am impressed and I am awed.

MOGWAI are:

Stuart Braithwaite – guitar
Dominic Aitchison – bass
John Cummings – guitar
Barry Burns – guitar, piano, keyboards, vox
Martin Bulloch – drums

Their set list on Tuesday night was:

The Precipice (last on The Hawk Is Howling)
Friend of the Night (Mr Beast)
Scotland’s Shame (The Hawk Is Howling)
Hunted By A Freak (Happy Songs for Happy People)
Mogwai Fear Satan (Young Team)
I Know You Are But What Am I (Happy Songs for Happy People)
I Love You, I’m Gonna Blow Up Your School (The Hawk Is Howling)
I’m Jim Morrison, I’m Dead (The Hawk Is Howling)
Thank You Space Expert (The Hawk Is Howling)
2 Rights Make 1 Wrong (Rock Action)
Like Herod (Young Team)
Bat Cat (The Hawk Is Howling)
New Paths to Helicon Part 1 (Ten Rapid – collected recordings ‘96-97)
We’re No Here (last on Mr Beast)