Callum Beattie, Glasgow review: 'like a Caledonian Sam Fender'
In the wake of Scotland’s World Cup qualification triumph, Callum Beattie’s arena-friendly Scotpop struck a chord at the Hydro, writes Fiona Shepherd
Callum Beattie, Hydro, Glasgow ★★★
Timing was on Callum Beattie’s side, playing his biggest headline show to date in the week Scotland was primed to party. “Tonight is about love, being together and going to the World Cup,” he proclaimed. But it was clearly also about Beattie’s dues-paying journey over the last 20 years, busking in Edinburgh and Glasgow before steadily working his way up through the gig circuit. Five years ago he was playing to 20 people so he could be forgiven for being overcome by the enormity of the occasion.
He has struck a chord with audiences in much the same way as peers such as Gerry Cinnamon, Lewis Capaldi and Nathan Evans, with grounded mainstream Scotpop written to be sung at the top of lungs in fields and arenas, though Beattie lets rip with a raspier, rockier voice, like a Caledonian Sam Fender packing pseudo-Springsteen spirit. His set ranged from breezy, bouncy pop via wannabe widescreen rock to air-punching, heart-bleeding balladry, from the first song he ever wrote, We Are Stars, to sentimental new single, Always Rains in Glasgow, performed with one arm aloft throughout.
Beattie embraced such lyrical cliches. There was nothing subtle about Don’t Walk Alone with its bombastic strings and martial rhythm or the thudding drums and guitar solo on 25 Seconds. He folded in some lines from Starship’s We Built This City to the track, bolted a reference to Donna Summer’s Hot Stuff on to Man Behind the Sun and went all-in with two polar cover versions, Dougie MacLean’s omnipresent Caledonia and a more unexpected birl through Abba’s Dancing Queen.
The Fratellis-like knees-up of Birthday felt particularly appropriate as this show was one big personal party, with manager Dave invited on to the stage and thanks given to those who have supported him over the years before he barrelled into a final salvo of Salamander Street and the euphoric Heart Stops Beating.
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