Live Update: Tim Minchin – SEC Armadillo, Glasgow

      An evening filled with sharp humor and heartfelt warmth from the versatile songwriter…

      Tim Minchin bursts onto the stage underneath a vibrant, psychedelic backdrop, accompanied by a tightly-knit five-piece band and his signature glossy black grand piano. “Every nerd in Glasgow is here,” comments Tim, flashing his shiny Barry Gibb smile – and judging by the sold-out Armadillo, he might be onto something. At 50, he appears remarkably healthy, his lustrous ginger hair bouncing as he cracks his knuckles on the keys.

      Under the title “Songs The World Will Never Hear” – a nod to a line from his breakthrough hit ‘Rock & Roll Nerd’ – this performance acts as a two-hour retrospective. ‘Revolting Children’ brings back memories of his success with Matilda, as Netflix visuals sync seamlessly with the band's lively rhythm. His more confrontational, anti-religious phase resurfaces in a rousing rendition of ‘The Good Book’. “I wasn’t planning to perform this,” he admits with a shrug, “but then the Pentecostals helped put Trump back in the White House, so I thought, forget it.”

      Minchin isn’t shy about teasing his audience, hinting at several classic songs he’s chosen not to play anymore. Why? It clearly frustrates him to be categorized alongside “Weird Al” as merely a novelty act. However, the evening's swings between sincerity and raw silliness resonate with the audience, and that’s precisely why they adore him.

      Those poignant moments hit the hardest; a piano-only tribute to his wife Sarah warms the room, while 2020’s ‘I’ll Take Lonely Tonight’ – about rejected tour-bus propositions – elicits cheers of recognition. The recent single ‘Ruby’, though, at least for me, meanders a bit in its earnest sentiment, leaving the audience fidgeting for a punchline that never materializes.

      His brand-new ballad ‘Peace’ is exceptional and strikes a much better balance between the artist he aspires to be, and the entertainer we’ve all arranged sitters to come see. Vulnerable and lightly humorous, ‘Peace’ reminds everyone why a spotlight and a Steinway used to be enough – whisper it, but at times during the first set, the band slightly overshadows his piano playing, which benefits no one.

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      A sneak peek of his upcoming album Time Machine generates genuine excitement. ‘The Song Of The Masochist’ is a wicked, high-energy track that showcases how his earlier material still holds its edge. It has a catchy hook! The second set kicks off with his jovial tribute to breasts, affirming that despite his desire for serious recognition, Minchin knows exactly where his strengths lie.

      Emotions run high for the seasonal favorite ‘White Wine In The Sun’, written for a baby daughter who is now eighteen. In a full-circle moment, the encore has Minchin – after asking us to “turn off your motherfucking phones” – instructing the audience to raise them high, creating a shimmering sea of LED lights as a 2004 video plays of an awkward, short-haired Tim playing a wobbly upright piano in a tiny Melbourne venue.

      Songs once destined for forgetfulness finally get their due, while others remain safely tucked away in Minchin’s vault, teasing us for future performances. As the crowd disperses into a sultry midsummer night, we’ve all experienced the laughter and the poignant moments – and that, the nerds of Glasgow would agree, is exactly why we love him. How amusing, indeed.

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      Words: Andy Hill

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