Soul blues warmth for a cold winter's night
Bywater Call – Oran Mor, Glasgow, 23rd November 2025
Bywater Call – Oran Mor, Glasgow, 23rd November 2025
Having been in the UK in early 2023 as special guests to Robert Jon & The Wreck, followed by two UK headline tours of their own, there was never any doubt that a large and highly enthusiastic crowd would be at the Oran Mor in Glasgow for Toronto’s Bywater Call, even on a cold Sunday evening in November (a notoriously hard-sell combination for any touring band).
Of course it doesn’t hurt that the rootsy, soul-blues R&B band have also gone from strength to strength via last year’s best-to-date studio album Shepherd, this year's live album Sunshine and a recent brace of excellent new singles, both of which act as tasters for the band’s next album.
Additionally, the Oran Mor venue is intimate enough to feel like a club, yet large enough to comfortably host a seven-piece band (and an incredibly tight-knit one at that).
The results were a win-win even before the band hit the stage, led on by fabulously voiced frontwoman Meghan Parnell and guitarist Dave Barnes.
Of course it doesn’t hurt that the rootsy, soul-blues R&B band have also gone from strength to strength via last year’s best-to-date studio album Shepherd, this year's live album Sunshine and a recent brace of excellent new singles, both of which act as tasters for the band’s next album.
Additionally, the Oran Mor venue is intimate enough to feel like a club, yet large enough to comfortably host a seven-piece band (and an incredibly tight-knit one at that).
The results were a win-win even before the band hit the stage, led on by fabulously voiced frontwoman Meghan Parnell and guitarist Dave Barnes.
Indeed, Parnell had the audience on-side before so much as one note when she mentioned the recent World Cup football qualification by Scotland (some games will be held in Canada after all) resulting in an impromptu version of "No Scotland, No Party!"
'Talking Backwards,' from Bywater Call's 2019 debut album, made for a great up-tempo opening; the song’s brass stabs and boogie piano meeting with a great reception.
The number also highlighted that while guitarist Dave Barnes is a key component of the band, the influence of rhythm section Bruce McCarthy (drums) and Mike Meusel (bass) can’t be underestimated (there were some inventive basslines and rock solid drumming in evidence throughout the gig).
'As If' from Shepherd followed, and upped the funk quotient. Dave Barnes delivered an Allmans-esque slide solo and Meghan Parnell sailed over it all with another imperious vocal (something of a trait – and treat – across the whole set).
The mid-tempo R&B of 'No One Else' offered a nice change of pace (and some nice keys work) before 'Arizona' announced itself as a highly danceable rhythm 'n' soul number with an ear-worm chorus.
Soul-blues Torch song 'Colours' then dropped the tempo and intensity with only Dave Barnes and Meghan Parnell, sans microphone (this a powerfully voiced singer) opening the number.
The song then slowly and impressively built with Julian Nalli (saxophone) and Stephen Dyte (trumpet) contributing sympathetic brass backing (Nalli & Dyte also added some percussion and second guitar parts throughout the set).
The gospel-styled, rootsy soul of fan favourite 'Sweet Maria,' with its big, memorable chorus, was a gig highlight as was 'Left Behind' (the latter, from 2022 album Remain, is the sort of rootsy, soul and horns fuelled number at which Bywater Call excel).
Meghan Parnell then introduced 'Clutter' as a new song which will be on a forthcoming album.
A country-tinged number featuring Dave Barnes on acoustic guitar and some effective backing vocals, 'Clutter' provided lovely, downtempo contrast while also displaying the band’s versatility.
'Way To Go' upped the tempo whilst maintaining the country influence (and a healthy dose of Bayou), with Dave Barnes again contributing some tasty slide guitar on his SG. Another stellar chorus drew in the crowd.
Recent single 'Ain’t no Friend of Mine' kicked it up another gear with a great shuffle drum part and more slide guitar (think ZZ Top with horns and a powerful female vocal).
An extended, funked-up cover of The Band classic 'The Weight' was another guaranteed crowd pleaser, although a Scottish audience singing "Take a load off, Fanny" is very much open to misinterpretation.
The pensive 'How Long,' another new song, dropped the tempo and intensity once again (this is a band who know how to musically pace) but it certainly didn’t drop the quality of performance by Meghan Parnell, who was on vocal point from the first note of the show to last.
'Everybody Knows,' the opening cut from Shepherd, is prime Faces with a rootsy twist. Another with a great chorus, 'Everybody Knows' made for a perfect, big finish to the main set.
'Talking Backwards,' from Bywater Call's 2019 debut album, made for a great up-tempo opening; the song’s brass stabs and boogie piano meeting with a great reception.
The number also highlighted that while guitarist Dave Barnes is a key component of the band, the influence of rhythm section Bruce McCarthy (drums) and Mike Meusel (bass) can’t be underestimated (there were some inventive basslines and rock solid drumming in evidence throughout the gig).
'As If' from Shepherd followed, and upped the funk quotient. Dave Barnes delivered an Allmans-esque slide solo and Meghan Parnell sailed over it all with another imperious vocal (something of a trait – and treat – across the whole set).
The mid-tempo R&B of 'No One Else' offered a nice change of pace (and some nice keys work) before 'Arizona' announced itself as a highly danceable rhythm 'n' soul number with an ear-worm chorus.
Soul-blues Torch song 'Colours' then dropped the tempo and intensity with only Dave Barnes and Meghan Parnell, sans microphone (this a powerfully voiced singer) opening the number.
The song then slowly and impressively built with Julian Nalli (saxophone) and Stephen Dyte (trumpet) contributing sympathetic brass backing (Nalli & Dyte also added some percussion and second guitar parts throughout the set).
The gospel-styled, rootsy soul of fan favourite 'Sweet Maria,' with its big, memorable chorus, was a gig highlight as was 'Left Behind' (the latter, from 2022 album Remain, is the sort of rootsy, soul and horns fuelled number at which Bywater Call excel).
Meghan Parnell then introduced 'Clutter' as a new song which will be on a forthcoming album.
A country-tinged number featuring Dave Barnes on acoustic guitar and some effective backing vocals, 'Clutter' provided lovely, downtempo contrast while also displaying the band’s versatility.
'Way To Go' upped the tempo whilst maintaining the country influence (and a healthy dose of Bayou), with Dave Barnes again contributing some tasty slide guitar on his SG. Another stellar chorus drew in the crowd.
Recent single 'Ain’t no Friend of Mine' kicked it up another gear with a great shuffle drum part and more slide guitar (think ZZ Top with horns and a powerful female vocal).
An extended, funked-up cover of The Band classic 'The Weight' was another guaranteed crowd pleaser, although a Scottish audience singing "Take a load off, Fanny" is very much open to misinterpretation.
The pensive 'How Long,' another new song, dropped the tempo and intensity once again (this is a band who know how to musically pace) but it certainly didn’t drop the quality of performance by Meghan Parnell, who was on vocal point from the first note of the show to last.
'Everybody Knows,' the opening cut from Shepherd, is prime Faces with a rootsy twist. Another with a great chorus, 'Everybody Knows' made for a perfect, big finish to the main set.
The double encore saw the band close out with two of their best-known numbers, the rootsy, blues rockin' 'Falls Away,' which opens the Remain album, and Shepherd’s old fashioned, swampy foot stomper, 'Holler.'
Both songs are also excellent starting points for those not familiar with the band.
Bywater call knocked it out the park – or in this case the Oran Mor door – in Glasgow, but going by other on-line posts, comments, and reviews, they pretty much did the same across all eight shows of the tour.
Indeed, for those who were seeing the band for the first time (your reviewer included) it’s almost a given it won’t be their last Call for this Bywater septet.
A highly impressive showing from a seriously impressive band.
Nelson McFarlane
FabricationsHQ
Photo credits (all images): Scott Anderson/ Zeezee Digital Imaging
https://www.zeezeedigitalimaging.co.uk/
Both songs are also excellent starting points for those not familiar with the band.
Bywater call knocked it out the park – or in this case the Oran Mor door – in Glasgow, but going by other on-line posts, comments, and reviews, they pretty much did the same across all eight shows of the tour.
Indeed, for those who were seeing the band for the first time (your reviewer included) it’s almost a given it won’t be their last Call for this Bywater septet.
A highly impressive showing from a seriously impressive band.
Nelson McFarlane
FabricationsHQ
Photo credits (all images): Scott Anderson/ Zeezee Digital Imaging
https://www.zeezeedigitalimaging.co.uk/