- There are many reasons why Glasgow's Sub Club is continually mentioned in the same breath as fabric and Berghain. For twenty years, this cosy little cellar on Jamaica Street in Glasgow has been introducing the most exciting and interesting artists on the planet to the west coast of Scotland.
The longevity of the venue is remarkable when you consider the changes that have taken place during that time to the music scene in the UK. The rave scene adapted and morphed, superclubs have come and gone and a thousand genres have been created (and died).
Hogmanay, or New Years Eve to anybody outside of Scotland, has always been a special time in these parts, celebrated with a greater degree of enthusiasm and bravery than is seen south of the border. Therefore, it was predicted that the combination of the illustrious venue, the biggest night in the Scottish party calendar and a line-up drawn from Glasgow, Leeds and Berlin would make for a night to remember.
That's why I was surprised to see the venue only half-full by the time we arrived just before midnight. Perhaps the challenging weather in the days between Christmas and New Year forced a few people to change their travel plans? It was hard to say. Nevertheless, at 12:30 Guillaume & the Coutu Dumonts launched into a live set of driving house and techno which forced the venue to come alive. Ralph Lawson took over at 2:00 and proceeded a play a tight, well-structured set of both deep and techier house which suited the venue perfectly. Sebo K's edit of Martyn's "Elden Street" offered one of the standout moments of the evening, sounding sublime on the detailed sound system and through our feet via the body sonic dance floor.
Strangely, though, as Ralph Lawson neared the end of his set, there were less than a hundred people left in the venue. It was clear that this wasn't one of the venue's more stellar nights. Everything was in place, but in the end the atmosphere just didn't quite make it to the level usually seen in this corner of the world. Judging by its aforementioned longevity, though, it's likely that this a mere bump in the road: I will be back, and so will my friends. And I am looking forward to it already.