LAPSUS LINGUAE/BRUTAL GOOSE/CLOSER/SKAPPAH-FLO Soundgarden@Starka, Motherwell, Thu June 14th ****

Despite a range of famous sons (largely co-opted into the Glasgow 'scene') it's still a surprise to see Lanarkshire appearing more on the toilet-circuit tour listings. Happily, Starka is more like a small comfy sitting-room - one with a bar and a great big hi-fi, and a ready-made and appreciative audience at least partly comprised of local musicians who've not decamped west. Like Skappah-flo, who are playing their second gig, but being an offshoot of other bands are practised songwriters. At times excessively loud - starting off like an instrumental Aereogramme - they also have some slow quiet moves with well-worked harmonies. Closer, meanwhile, have also been around a bit - having moved from pop/rock via grunge they've settled what's often termed 'angular' - jerky, fast and LOUD. There's a tune or 2 which could be honed - is there a Mr Albini in the house?

Possibly - in fact the venue's soundman deserts his post to take on vocal duties with local heroes Brutal Goose. Very metal, indeed too metal for your reviewer, they're a shouty stoner take on AC/DC / Iron Maiden-style rock. Either way, the audience love them. Harder to say how much they love Lapsus Linguae. Simply because 'banter' betwixt group and fans is integral to the show. Penelope Collegefriend enters the crowd a mere 10 seconds into 'The Strang' and remonstrates "this is supposed to be poignant!" to the chatterers during one of their piano interludes, before they explode into the massive punk-prog hybrid of 'Parade'. Unfortunately equipment and ultimately their set begin to fall apart, meaning that only some inter-band/punter wrestling and gratuitous nudity are left in their bag of tricks. Fortunately, the audience love them too. Motherwell, rock city? Could be.

This review originally appeared in The List