“LET THE PEOPLE SING” – WOLFE TONES SAY GOODBYE TO GLASGOW

GIG REVIEW | THE WOLFE TONES | OVO HYDRO, GLASGOW by Morgan Hermiston

Adorned in various Celtic football tops, and brandishing the Irish flag, thousands of Scots packed out Glasgow’s OVO Hydro to see The Wolfe Tones for, apparently, the final time. The Irish trio formed the band in 1963, meaning they’ve filled the hearts of hundreds of thousands of like-minded people for 63 years. Even in their late seventies, with Brian Warfield turning 80 this year, their energy and on-stage presence is as powerful as ever, and their minds just as sharp.

When Tommy Byrne, Brian Warfield, and Noel Nagle walked onto the stage, they were greeted by the cheers and adoration of thousands of Scots. They talked of their love for Scotland, particularly the city of Glasgow, and the history shared between the two nations. This acted as the perfect segue into opening track ‘My Heart is in Ireland‘. The band’s Irish folk, and historical homages, extended from ballads to upbeat rebel tunes, creating a dynamic night of dancing, drinking, and good old sing-alongs.

With every song, everybody erupted into song, began hugging strangers, and danced the night away. It was one huge celebration. This continued through most of the set, with tracks like ‘Let The People Sing‘, ‘Hibernia‘, and ‘Only our Rivers Run Free‘ provoking particular excitement. There were also some well-known covers thrown into the mix too, with Dominic Behan‘s ‘Come Out Ye Black & Tans’ perhaps being the most prominent. Other tributes paid included Timothy Daniel Sullivan‘s ‘God Save Ireland‘ and the beautiful love song ‘Grace‘ by Jim McCann.

At some point during the show, after someone was escorted out by security, a group of fans decided to start launching all of their drinks into the air. Cups were being thrown, with most landing in a specific area where a gap had formed, then were being booted straight back out. The Wolfe Tones weren’t having any of it and said such fans should leave, with that kind of eruptive behaviour not being wanted.

It was back to business as usual for the final portion of the show, with ‘Celtic Symphony‘ being played again to close it out. It’s still doubted among fans whether this will, in fact, be The Wolfe Tones’ final show in Scotland. However, not all is lost. They still have tickets available for shows in Limerick, County Kerry, and Dublin. You can find these here.