Over the past 12 months, a fledgling collective by the name of Last Night From Glasgow – founded by members of the “West Of Scotland Scalextric Appreciation Society”, supposedly – have been working hard to help support and build up some of the city’s finest independent bands and musicians. They have gained a lot of traction and garnered quite the following since they established.

They chose to celebrate their one year anniversary with a showcase at Stereo; on the bill, four incredible, very different acts who each had their own qualities to bring to the audience.

As we entered, we were greeted to fancy balloons and some Party Rings (not enough gigs have Party Rings, you know). The queue stretched all the way up the stairs, and doors had not even opened yet. We knew we were already in for a bustling ordeal at that moment, and as we all waited, there was very much a buzz in the air.

Up first were Sister John of the folk variety, of whom we were completely blind to, so we could not wait to discover something new, and overall they were awfully good.

Every tune in their repertoire was defined by smooth tempos, a blend of tender harmonies and a nice mix of guitars, bass lines and violin, with the highlight for us being Sweetest Moment.

They had a clear drawing power, given that the packed crowd gave them their utmost attention. A very fine start to the evening, with a solid impression being created.

Emme Woods stepped up next, with her famed chihuahua Bubbles laying in her cosy bed to commemorate her 11th birthday, although she did eventually wander off and explore before ending up in the arms of Neil McKenzie.

We were meant to see Emme on two previous occasions, but alas, problems arose and got in the way so we had to miss both events. This was a case of third time lucky, and let us say, the delayed wait was so worth it.

Captivating with the likes of It’s My Party, I’ve Been Running and the goosebump-inducing I Don’t Drink To Forget, she gleamed a serious aura of confidence, with a real grace and attitude visible on stage, not to mention bearing one of the most fiercely striking voices in the entire Scottish scene, which resonated in the now full venue.

A lot of credit also has to go to her entourage, who backed up and complimented her stylishly, particularly in the keys and brass department.

There is no meandering around the fact when we say she gave us an utterly sensational performance, proving herself to be a truly special and talented artist who deserves to go places.

Medicine Men have been picking up plenty of steam as of late, so there was a fair amount of intrigue going in for us and we were certainly impressed.

The quartet entertained with a long list of tracks allegedly inspired by mid-90s Jim Carrey movies, with most of them marked by fervent rhythms, slick riffs and simply dazzling synths.

With those components, they produced a strong vibe that radiated upon the crowd, with a number of them bobbing their heads along to the beats, ourselves included. Admittedly, the pace wallowed a touch in one or two spots, but they did wrap up in fiery fashion with the pleasing and energetic Out Of The Light.

While not our personal favourites here, we cannot deny their unlimited potential, bolstering a sound that should be getting them under the radar of many a record company sooner than later.

The headliners BooHooHoo made an instant impact on us last year, validating themselves as one of 2016’s most promising newcomers, and after eagerly awaiting to witness them live for the first time ever, we were not disappointed on the slightest.

They warmed up with some newer material before sending the audience into a frenzy with Now Is The Season, with attendees at the front dishing out moves; in particular, one chap in shorts threw out shapes like a machine.

The vocals throughout were fantastic, with Liz especially knocking it out the park in Dreams Tonight, or as it became known to be in this instance, “Chicken Tonight”. Folk got even wilder courtesy of Mould Me, highlighted by a staggering chorus and a sweet flute solo.

Their upcoming bass-driven single Fire involved a tights-donning chap – who will feature in the music video for the song, sparked by a run-in during a trip to the supermarket – taking centre stage and dancing impressively to his heart’s content like a man possessed, with all in the nearby vicinity spurring him on. End to end, the melodies were unbelievably intoxicating, the guitars great and the drumming loud and large.

It was nothing short of a spellbinding experience that earned BooHooHoo an immense ovation once it was over. Granted, there were slips in the early going but they mattered so little because we were just blown away and left elated as we made our exit.

Well done to all the acts who were involved in what had to be one of 2017’s best gigs yet, and we offer our sincerest congratulations to Last Night From Glasgow for what they have achieved. Here’s to another year for the label, and hopefully many more…