Jonathan Geddes

2016 will be remembered musically for the amount of greats that passed away, from Bowie to Prince to Leonard Cohen.

On a Scottish level, the biggest story was the continuing problems of T In The Park, which resulted in festival bosses giving it a year off in 2017.

However despite the gloom, Glasgow still played host to a huge range of acts, from pop superstars to local bands taking their first steps in tiny venues.

Here are 10 gigs that summed up the city’s year.

Foals, SSE Hydro, February 12

There are always questions when a traditionally indie band steps up to big, massive venues like the SSE Hydro. Foals, however, made it seem like a breeze. The hefty, pummelling likes of Snake Oil and Inhaler went down a treat, but they never lost the quirkier edges that kick-started their career to begin with.

Savages, Art School, February 21

Now with two albums under their belt, female foursome Savages delivered a thrillingly intense show at the Art School. They ramped up the noise as songs twisted from tension to exhilaration while singer Jehnny Beth at one stage went walking over the crowd’s heads.

Chvrches, SSE Hydro, April 2

The local lads and lass done good. Chvrches journey from various Glasgow bands to chart mega stars has been well told, and here they were at the SSE Hydro, with family and friends in attendance and a big party atmosphere. Star of the show was frontwoman Lauren Mayberry, who worked the stage like pop royalty all night.

James, SSE Hydro, May 19

Glasgow got an expertly delivered career spanning set from James, with fresh tracks like Move Down South and Catapult sitting alongside acoustic re-workings of old favourites such as She’s A Star. The encore even delivered singer Tim Booth performing their most trusty hit, Sit Down, from the second floor of the Hydro, wandering among the fans.

Sister Sledge, Kelvingrove Bandstand, June 26

The Kelvingrove Bandstand is carving out a niche for itself as a terrific summer venue, with shows taking place throughout both June and August. And who better than Sister Sledge to get some good time summer vibes going, with a relentlessly hit packed show where dancing was obligatory, not optional.

Beyonce, Hampden Park, July 7

The reigning queen of pop had already released one of the year’s most talked-about albums with Lemonade when she arrived in Glasgow, and she held nothing back in a dazzling stadium spectacular. It left her pop rivals firmly trailing in her wake, deftly touched upon politics, and crammed in a host of hits.

Pup, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, September 6

Glasgow might be able to host some huge gigs, but it’s the smaller venues that are the city’s lifeblood. King Tut’s remains a gem of a venue, and the visit by Canadian punk band Pup was one of the best of the year. Having recovered from a possible career-ending throat problem, singer Stefan Babcock led the group on a fast-paced sprint of a show, with jubilant sing-a-longs aplenty.

Biffy Clyro, SSE Hydro, November 29

Arenas and stadiums are getting quite familiar for Biffy Clyro these days, with their Hydro appearance following on from playing Bellahouston Park in August. The Hydro gig gets a slight edge simply because material from this year’s Ellipsis album sounded even better after a few months familiarity, while a sprawling setlist found time to switch between their typically monstrous anthems and a few old treasures too.

Pixies, Barrowland, December 2

The rock legends at the Barrowland was always unlikely to disappoint, but Black Francis and company surpassed expectations with a mesmerising set. They barely spoke a word as they rattled though new material from recent release Head Carrier, mixed with umpteen classics, from Monkey Gone To Heaven to Where Is My Mind and Debaser.

Frightened Rabbit, Barrowland, December 16-18

After a year that saw plenty of rumours about Frightened Rabbit breaking up, they promptly responded with some of the best gigs of the year. A three night stand at the Barrowland saw an unleashing of raw emotion that’s rare at gigs, from audience and band alike, and everything from rowdy versions of Keep Yourself Warm and Old Old Fashioned to plaintive takes on Poke and My Backwards Walk carried more weight as a result.