The Great Western, Glasgow: How a gig turned into an hour-long soundcheck

When does a soundcheck become the actual show?

That might well have been the question as the sparse, atmospheric, melodic twists of Glasgow-based art-popsters Cloth kicked things off at this Glasgow west end festival.

Well, to say it kicked things of, was more theory than actual practice.

We waited and waited, with Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite looking on (well it looked like him, and he was curating) and nearly an hour passed at the positively baroque Maryhill Community Central Hall with a cute bass here, and even some singing there, only to find that it was all still practising.

Now that would be fine, but we were treated to over an hour of this and it carried on well after they were due to be off stage for the next band to come on.

It was as if there wasn't 100 of us in the room.  A headache of technical problems that appeared to be venue-related.

So with things at the Glue Factory running to schedule, it was a quick exit to see the Edinburgh-based arty soul punk Callum Easter and, my god, an actual show and goodness gracious, the little tyke is getting his audience to sing along with him.

Cue System, a new scuzzy crowd-pleasing indie-pop nugget completed with nananas which the gathering were invited to help with and they duly obliged.

"I've got an album oot," he blurts in a weirdly high-pitched east coast-tinged Scots accent. "It is out next Friday. It's gooood."

Glasgow-based Taahliah is the first black trans DJ and producer to be nominated and and win in two categories in the Scottish Alternative Music Awards and with just one EP to her name there was curiosity over just what we would be served.

It threatened to be Cloth all over again.

The roadies brought on the Pioneer decks, only after half an hour to take them off and replace it with a simple Apple Mac. The festival was threatening to turn into one long soundcheck.

Much later than scheduled, we were finally at lift off and boy was it worth waiting for.

Flanked by two dancers, one of whom had great difficulty keeping a top on, this Sophie-inspired hyperpop inspiration created a set of experimental and disorientating dancefloor majesty that is as original and captivating as you will hear anywhere.

The Kilmarnock-born artist comes into her own on the block-rockin Bourgeoisie which makes the walls of this Cavern-esque venue shake.

This was, however, more of a DJ set than an actual live show, with Taahliah staring into the Apple Mac screen a lot, while occasionally taking time to throw some shapes with the odd strut.

While this festival becomes an impossibility if you want to cover every venue - with some two miles apart - there is no questioning how eclectic the bands are.

I can think of nowhere else where a dancefloor thump would be followed by the delightfully ear-bleeding effect-heavy riff-rock blast that is London's Part Chimp, once signed to Mogwai's Rock Action label.

There is then a quick half hour speed-tramp to the QMU to arrive just in the nick of time as London-born and Edinburgh-bred composer, performer and producer, Anna Meredith lands on stage on time.

It is perhaps all too perfect.

The past Scottish Album of the Year winner and Mercury Prize nominee is gleaming in a black and white striped outfit. Her band are dressed the same. The decor is matching.

She is the height of politeness, like a friendly teacher welcoming new children to school for the first time.

At one point there is a collective audience 'shush' when the chatter was getting too noisy.

Meredith quips: "Oooh it is like we are in the Concert Hall."

The music is, however, defiantly different. And not just because Meredith throws the kitchen sink at post-electro influenced epics such as the towering Calion, which can come with added tuba and even a cello.

She always catches you off guard with a pace switch and a bewildering array of influences from classical to 80s synthpop to alternative rock.

But through it all, it is with the ever so slightly quirkily addictive 80s synth pop stylings of Inhale Exhale, where she dares to sing, that she brings the house down.

And so the festival ends, and the trains, which did not need a soundcheck, left on time.