Horse, Pavilon Theatre roof, Glasgow review: 'nothing could bring her back down to earth'

Horse on a high at Glasgow's Pavilion Theatre (Picture: Kris Kesiak)

Horse, Roof of Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow ★★★★

In the pantheon of illustrious rooftop gigs, Glasgow soul diva Horse plus backing track on the roof of the Pavilion Theatre cannot compete with The Beatles atop their Apple Corps HQ on Savile Row or even Brian May on the ramparts of Buckingham Palace. But as the first and likely only live foray up top on this beloved Edwardian variety theatre – and on a beautiful blue sky day to boot – this exclusive performance was a blast for all present: artist, reviewer (singular) and a handful of technical staff.

Why now? Ostensibly because safety improvements on the roof made it possible but the exclusive performance was a handy advert for Horse’s far more conventional band performance happening within the building on Easter Friday. “I’ll even wear a bunny outfit,” she pledged, possibly giddy from the location and the occasion. “If you’d told the 15-year-old me that went to the Apollo across the road, I’d never have believed this.”

Given the sightlines from the roof, lunchtime shoppers and commuters below could only hear her rich tones but guests in the neighbouring hotel had a ringside seat from their rooms as the suited and booted singer threw herself into arguably the most unusual gig of her life.

The set was bijou: two songs, from either end of her catalogue. Superpower, from her 2024 album The Road Less Travelled, was all slick soulful empathy and encouragement, an air punch in the clouds, which incorporated samples of young girls answering her question “what’s your superpower?”

Careful, the most requested song from her catalogue, offered a more cautious optimism, a soaring acknowledgement that lows follow highs. But as Horse hailed “blue sky above” and shimmied over to the railings to wave down to the street, it felt like nothing could bring her back down to earth.