CAM COLE: GLASGOW, UK
Cam Cole
at Room 2 in Glasgow, UK
words by Alex Shukri, photo courtesy of Cam Cole
What would you expect to hear on a Sunday night in Glasgow? If you said hearing a grown man play a guitar he got when he was 7 and the drums at the same time, you’d be right. That grown man is a one-man band, Cam Cole.
After reviewing Cam last year for his first UK tour, I jumped at the chance to come back to his Glasgow gig this year. A lot has happened in the world in the last year, and it’s always a magical experience to see how touring, life, and just generally growing up can change an artist. 2022 has brought a lot for Cam -- another tour, one live album, two EPs, and 4 singles.
This year, Glasgow was the first show of the tour, and it didn’t disappoint. Hidden away in Room 2 in the city centre, you could hear Cam from all the way down Sauchiehall Street. He’s got a voice that carries, which makes sense because he got his start busking down in London. At some points in the show, I wished that this year’s show was outside with the rest of the buskers. This isn’t Cam’s fault, it seemed to me that Room 2’s acoustics weren’t made for his type of live music. At best, it felt like I could only hear every other word. At worst, I literally couldn’t tell what he was saying for whole lines.
From what I could hear, the show was fantastic. The show was spectacular last year, too. So that’s why I came back — the vocal talent, the showmanship, the compassion for his craft and each member of the audience. That stayed the same this year, too. This year, he seemed more comfortable on stage, opening up and telling stories (like with his guitar he got from a boot sale when he was 7 years old), and cracking jokes along the way.
While the acoustics weren’t great, the smallness of the space meant that even if you were in the back of the room, you could still feel connected to the rest of the audience and Cam on stage.
I truly believe the year of touring was a necessary part of Cam’s musical evolution — not to say last year wasn’t a great show. But hearing songs he played last year this year, like “Mama”, “New Age Blues” and “I See”, there was a shift in technical skill and ease on stage that only comes when you get more comfortable on stage.
This year, we got to hear snippets from an upcoming album, and without giving too much away, those songs continue Cam’s distinct style of grungey rock & roll blues without it all sounding the same. Each song, unreleased or tried-and-true, has the distinct heartbreaking passion and determination that makes Cam’s music so unique. That’s why I didn’t mind the bad acoustics, you could still feel the beats and get the gist of each song (though I would’ve loved hearing the lyrics more).
It’s like this man was born with a guitar in his hands and drums at his feet, which makes even the moments where his words were indistinguishable enjoyable.
I said this last year, but the 1 ½ hour show flew by. Cam has such a knack for weaving stories, songs, and conversations with the audience together that I left feeling in shock at how quickly the show went by.
After the show, same as last year, he and the opening act stayed after to sign merch, talk to fans, and take photos with anyone who wanted them. Moments like that make shows like Cam’s so special -- you get to chat with the person behind the stage persona. Even if you buy tickets the day of without knowing who Cam is, you’ll feel like you’re saying hi to a long-time friend after the show.
While Room 2 might not be the best venue for live music, experiencing a Cam Cole show live is something I’m glad I’ve gotten to do not once, but twice. You can expect another review from me next year, too.