By Paul Whitelaw

Published 5th Dec 2023, 09:07 BST

Katie Gregson-MacLeod, King Tut’s, Glasgow ****

If you’ve only ever heard her on record, you’d be forgiven for assessing Katie Gregson-MacLeod as a rather solemn and sensitive confessional singer-songwriter. Which she is, that’s her commendably honest bag, but as a live performer she’s funny and entertaining.

A talented young musician from Inverness, she projects a breezy self-deprecating confidence which never undermines the fundamental sincerity of her work. It makes her more relatable, and it enhances her appeal. Jokes flower through the cracks of every broken heart. If you’re lucky. Take this typically wry introduction to a typically sad and vulnerable song: “This is my most embarrassing song ever, and if it’s not ever, then that’s going to be a bad day. It was written the day before I broke up with someone. It’s called I Want to Be Your Girlfriend.”

She also prefaced TV Song, which was inspired by a long distance break-up call, by explaining that it’s quite short: “An appropriate length for what it was.”

She’s not all about the yuks, of course. Gregson-MacLeod is a fine songwriter with a striking voice pitched somewhere between Suzanne Vega and Regina Spektor. In the last few years she’s released material which has clearly touched a nerve with her target audience of indie folk-pop loving kids in need of some “I’ve felt that way too!” catharsis.

Tut’s was absolutely rammed with fans, much to Gregson-MacLeod’s obvious delight. She enjoyed herself and them. Solo piano closer, Complex, is her signature song, at least so far, and the crowd almost drowned her out with their triumphantly bawling accompaniment.

I don’t think it’s much of a gamble to predict that she’s about to become quite the big deal, and I’m sure that will appeal to her self-aware wit.

Music review: Katie Gregson-MacLeod, King Tut’s, Glasgow