Luke Morley – St. Luke’s, Glasgow, Friday 12th September 2025
Reviewed by Allister Spence • 13 September 2025
The third night of the Walking on Water tour, and already there was a buzz of anticipation and good vibes among those of us gathering early for the VIP teaser set and meet-and-greet. Given that most of us were of a certain vintage, there were plenty of shared stories about past gigs, our collective inability to follow bands around like we used to, and the new essentials: checking the day of the week, the venue location, and crucially, whether we can get a seat.
The meet-and-greet was a joy. We got a three-song preview of the main set, and then the band came down to mingle with the faithful. This was a change from the Thunder experience, where it’s usually a quick line walk, a brief chat, some signing, and the proper meet-and-greet happens later. As usual, I spent far too long chatting with Luke and Chris, apologies to Dean, Sam, and Reece. Would’ve loved a blether, but time ran away with us. Next time!
Support came from Willie Dowling. I’ll admit, it was one of those “hang on, that name rings a bell” moments. A quick online refresher reminded me of his pedigree: The Grip, Honeycrack, Jackdaw4, and The Dowling Poole. It was Honeycrack that had etched his name into my memory; I was a fan back in the day.
Willie’s short set was packed with sharp tunes and wry humour, as you’d expect from someone who wrote songs for Spitting Image when it returned to TV. Tracks like “The Simpleton” (a cheeky jab at a certain world leader), “The Gravy Train” (on greed), and his opener “I Killed My Imaginary Friend” had the crowd laughing. He introduced it by saying he’d recently lost his best friend; then grinned and added, “It’s okay, he was imaginary, and I killed him myself.”
With Willie on keyboards, Andy Lewis on bass, and Darby Todd on drums, the trio had a distinctly Sparks-like sound. No complaints there!
After a short break (and kudos to whoever curated the interlude music), Luke hit the stage with an electrifying one-two-three punch of upbeat rock infused with Americana, country, and pop sensibility. “I Wanna See the Light,” “Walking on Water,” and “Snakeskin Parachute” had the crowd cheering from the get-go. The positive energy in both music and lyrics set the tone for the night.
Between songs, Luke was in cracking form. When asking who had bought the new album, he spotted one person who hadn’t and laughed, “Why the fuck would you admit to that?”
Things mellowed slightly with “Errol Flynn,” a reflective piece Luke originally thought he’d written for his father, but now suspects might be about himself. It beautifully captured the theme of ageing and losing the ease of things that once came naturally.
“Always a Saturday Night” picked the pace back up before Luke, with a cheeky grin, introduced the next track with “You might know this one.” “River of Pain,” reimagined with a bossa nova beat, had the crowd belting out every word. It was rapturously received.
“Gun to Your Head,” one of my favourites from Walking on Water, followed. It’s a contemplative track that urges us to take risks, follow our passions, and avoid the regret of untaken paths.
“Killed by Cobain” brought humour and self-awareness, with the crowd joining in on the chorus. It’s a witty retelling of how grunge arrived just as Thunder were poised for a big American breakthrough. But as Luke sings, “It really doesn’t matter anymore;” he’s over it, and he loved every song anyway.
The mellow mood returned with “Breathe,” a tender love song; Luke always manages to sneak at least one onto every record.
“Watching the Sun Go Down” closed the main set on an upbeat note.
After a brief pause, so brief the band could’ve just stayed on stage; the encore began with another love song. Written in a pre-digital age (or, as Luke put it, “when dinosaurs roamed the earth”), it captured his loneliness in an LA hotel room, missing the woman he loved. It was, of course, Thunder’s “Like a Satellite.” A fan favourite, it got a full-throated singalong from the Glasgow crowd. Luke dedicated it to Danny, Ben, and Harry, who are currently facing personal health challenges.
“Bullets” kicked things into high gear with its glam-rock strut, Reece Morgan pounding the drums like he was channelling Don Powell in his Slade heyday.
“Go with the Flow,” from Luke’s debut solo album El Gringo Loco, brought the evening to a close. It featured a Steely Dan-esque guitar duel between Luke and Dean Henderson, plus solo spots for Sam Tanner (keys, backing vocals), Reece Morgan (drums and “good looks”; because someone in the band had to have some), and Chris Childs (bass, backing vocals, and “arse distractions”). Chris’s solo had Luke shaking his head in admiration.
The sound was crisp and crystal clear, and the acoustics in the hall were superb. The lighting rig was used to pronounced effect, highlighting both individuals and moods; including a lovely glitter ball moment during “Like a Satellite.” (Is a glitter ball obligatory in all of Glasgow’s smaller venues?)
It was my first visit to St. Luke’s, and I’ll be back. The food at the attached bar-restaurant The Winged Ox was excellent, as was the service. I also want to highlight the difference between this venue and The Cathouse, where Luke played during the Songs from the Blue Room tour (see “A Wee Rant” after the gig review.)
Upcoming Tour Dates
· Sunday, 14 Sep 2025 – The Fire Station, Sunderland
· Monday, 15 Sep 2025 – City Varieties, Leeds
· Tuesday, 16 Sep 2025 – St George's, Bristol
· Wednesday, 17 Sep 2025 – The Old Market, Brighton
· Friday, 19 Sep 2025 – Bloomsbury Theatre, London
A Wee Rant (Feel Free to Skip)
I wanted to highlight how venues can significantly affect the gig experience for those of us with chronic health issues. This isn’t in any way a reflection on Luke Morley or the show he delivered, far from it. But having seen him perform in two drastically different venue settings, it felt like the perfect opportunity to shine a light on how much the environment can shape our enjoyment.
The accessibility at St. Luke’s was top-notch. There’s a lift for wheelchair users from the restaurant to the venue, and plenty of space for wheelchairs, mobility carts, or walking aids at the sides and through the middle of the seating area. Although we didn’t need it (VIP perks!), the venue also reserves seats at the front for disabled guests.
Compared to The Cathouse; where the only concession was a lift to venue level, and disabled attendees were placed at the back between two bars, sideways to the stage; it was night and day.
I know these things are often out of an artist’s control, but they make a dramatic difference to how much a gig can be enjoyed. At least half the VIPs at this show had some kind of chronic condition, and every one of them had a brilliant night.
At The Cathouse, my review was only fair; not because of the music, but because of where we were seated. From a seated position, the stage was barely visible, and the constant chatter from the bar areas drowned out much of the sound. Had we been placed somewhere with a forward-facing view and less noise, I’m certain I’d have given a much more positive account.
I get that for many people these things don’t matter, and that accessibility provisions can sometimes attract negative comments. But for those of us with chronic issues; for whom gig-going is our happy place; it matters deeply. It shapes what gigs we can attend and where.
If anyone has ideas on how to promote the importance of accessibility at venues, I’d love to hear them. It doesn’t take much to make life better. Even something as simple as a raised platform with standalone seats at the back would let us see over the crowd and feel part of the experience.
Phone photos by Allister Spence
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