Hothouse Flowers

Hothouse Flowers are back at The Glasgow Barrowland Ballroom on Monday 21 December, part of their Greatest Hits tour. It's a late-December date, so it falls right in that gap between the Christmas rush and the New Year, and the set will be a run through the songs they've become known for.

If the name doesn't ring a bell, they're an Irish rock group that blends traditional Irish music with soul, gospel and rock. They formed in 1985 when Liam Ó Maonlaí and Fiachna ó Braonáin started busking in Dublin as 'The Incomparable Benzini Brothers', and Peter O'Toole joined them shortly after. Bono of U2 saw them on television in 1986 and offered his support, and they've been on the road ever since.

Their first album, People (1988), became the most successful debut album in Irish history, reaching number one in Ireland and number two on the UK Albums Chart. The video for 'Don't Go' was shown during the 1988 Eurovision Song Contest. Their second album, Home (1990), reached number two in Australia, and Born (1998) brought in more electronic and studio effects. They released Into Your Heart in 2004 and played Glastonbury that same year.

Because this is a Greatest Hits tour, the set will draw from that whole run rather than focusing on one record. It's a good way to hear the early songs and the later ones in the same night, and since it's the Barrowland, it'll be a proper gig. The show starts at 7:00 PM on Monday 21 December.