speed of dark

It was clear from the placement of the equipment on the stage that somebody in the Glaswegian band Sons and Daughters planned on moving around a lot. When the band came on, it was tiny Adele Bethel who took command of the stage, all glitter and gold like a Mardi Gras queen or a Las Vegas showgirl. Throughout the show, she paced back and forth, gesturing and playing to the audience. Regular bassist and other "daughter" Ailidh Lennon is taking time off because she is pregnant and was replaced by a young man Bethel referred to as Graham.


Lead guitarist Scott Paterson and singer Bethel play off each other to deliver sexy, dirty, hard-rocking goth/folk led by Adele's sweet, strong vocals and Paterson's Celtic howls and moans. Paterson plays lead like he must have graduated with honors from the Jimmy Page school of rock. Throughout the set he wrenched growls and tortured squeals from his guitar that heightened the tension.

"They are the anti-Blonde Redhead," commented Indie Mom, contrasting Sons and Daughters' heat with BR's cool, aloof stage presence, as the guy next to us leaped up and started to bounce vigorously to the beat. This band has been constantly on tour the entire year, hitting nearly every festival in the U.S., including SXSW, the Coachella, and Seattle's Bumbershoot, as well as those elsewhere in the world. Today they'll be appearing at Toronto's Virgin Festival.


Scott Paterson, lead and vocals
Songs on the setlist came mostly from this year's This Gift, with a few from The Repulsion Box (2005), and one ("Johnny Cash") from the band's 2003 EP Love the Cup.

Click for larger image

Left, Adele Bethel; Right, Scott on his knees at her feet

Setlist:

1. Goodbye Service
2. Johnny Cash
3. This Gift
4. The Nest
5. Rebel With a Ghost
Here Adele and the band paused for breath long enough for the audience to bombard them with requests.
6. The Bell
"This is a song about murdering your girlfriend," announced Adele to introduce:
7. Rama Lama from The Repulsion Box (2005)
8. Gilt Complex
9. Iodine
10. Darling
11. Dance Me In - Adele pranced over and whipped Scot's legs with her mike cord
12. House In My Head

Encore: Chains
(MP3s are from various live shows this year.)

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