MOGWAI

Mogwai | Kathryn Joseph | 18th May 2025 | GLASGOW BARROWLAND

So, what can I say? I'm looking back 7 days later and still struggling to form cohesive words. I'm still processing it. The experience was all the more amplified due to my absence from gig photography for the last 6 years. It's surreal that so much time has passed.

Safe to say I was ecstatic to be back, a wave of emotions and a lot of self-doubt. None of that seemed to matter as I walked into the Barrowland for the first time since The Twilight Sad in 2019. This place is just magic. I don't know how to explain it. The staff were class and I spent a lot of time chatting with them about Mogwai and how many times they'd seen them. Feels almost cult like, talking to people about how many times they've seen the ‘Gwai. They are quite addictive as a live experience and one that just gets more intense every show that I attend. I just need one more Mogwai gig! Sadly, I was only able to buy tickets for the second night as the Saturday sold out before I had a chance to blink. Tonight would mark my 9th time seeing them and 4th time photoing them.

I was excited to see Kathryn Joseph announced as the support act. I'd not seen her live since Outlines supporting Mogwai's 2018 gig at Northumbria University. That was something special. So, I thought I had a pretty good idea of what was to come. But holy sh*t! KJ had other plans, and her plans were to destroy us all with beats and beautiful tones. The new material with Lomond Campbell is so sonically satisfying, such a perfect pairing. Do give Harbour a listen. It is just 🙌

Words seem hard to come, but my emotions can't stop. I'm working on a bigger piece to celebrate 30 years of Mogwai. That will take a little longer to collate, but do check back later.

Fave song from the night? Defo "God Gets You Back" but Like Herod is always great to hear. Of course, My Father My King is a thing of pure perfection. I remember crying to that when they played it at the Barrowland for the 20th anniversary gigs. I can't believe that was 10 years ago. Great to be back in the best city, best venue with the best music 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Here are some of my photos from the night. I did get a little experimental, which was lovely to do. I spent more time dancing than photoing but I was just having the best time of my life. Thank you to all the lovely people whom I chatted with in the pit and at the show. Mogwai fans are proper canny 💜

PS I also just realised my website’s default font is a Mogwai font (or at least, canny close!), not a deliberate choice but I thought it looked class at the time of developing the site. I’m okay with that. It’s an epic font!