10 Bands Who Should be Playing at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut’s 20th Birthday

Legendary Glasgow music venue King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut celebrates its 20th birthday today. Titled in honour of a famous 80s New York nightspot named after Egypt’s very own frontman, it has now officially lived longer than the boy king himself, whom new research has recently confirmed bought his ticket to the great gig in the sky aged just 19.

Many a huge band has cut its teeth at the atmospheric 300 capacity club over the years – from Blur to Radiohead, The Killers, Manic Street Preachers and The Strokes. Most famously of all Alan McGee – who’s kind of like rock and roll’s answer to Zahi Hawass – “discovered” swaggering Mancunian indie rock band Oasis there in 1993.

We’ve marked the occasion how else but with a pun-laden rundown of ten bands, each with tenuous ancient history links, who we’d like to see play at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut’s official birthday party. Those about to groan: we salute you.

1. Spinal Tap

Behold, as legendary cine spoof-rockers perform a special version of their mystical mini-opera magnum-opus Stonehenge. “Stonehenge was an amplifier originally,” thinks Tap guitarist Nigel Tufnel. Who are we to disagree?

2. The Bangles

“All the old paintings on the tombs/they do the sand dance don’t you know,” goes the opening lyric to The Bangles 1986 hit Walk Like an Egyptian. What they were on about we have no idea, but it’s a great song.

3. Jonathan Richman

This cute cult figure of New York proto-punk and new wave has two ancient world crackers – quirky love-song Abdul and Cleopatra, and wacky instrumental Egyptian Reggae. In this video you can watch a camel dancing to the latter tune. Why? Not a clue.

4. Cleopatra

So far as we can see this long-forgotten late 90s sibling-based all-girl pop trio had absolutely nothing to do with the last queen of Egypt, but we’ll stick them on the bill anyway, since they’re probably all working at Burger King by now.

5. Rick Wakeman

Cape-wearing ex-Yes keyboardist will unleash his 1975 concept album The Myths and Legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, replete with men in chainmail and live horses. Unlike Spinal Tap’s Stonehenge, this one isn’t supposed to be a joke.

6. Saxon

These 80s British heavy metal dinosaurs get on the bill by virtue of being named after the Germanic tribesmen who took over Britain following Roman withdrawal in the 4th century AD. Ancient Germanic tribesmen incidentally had better hair and personal hygiene than most 80s British heavy metal bands.

7. Druidicca

They’re influenced by the “wild energy and spirituality of Stonehenge”. Who needs drugs, eh?

8. Manowar

More 80s metal sorts, this time from the States. Manowar have an ongoing obsession with Norse mythology – expect noisy cuts from albums such as Sign of the Hammer, Into Glory Ride and Gods of War, none of which are likely to be as exciting-sounding as their titles.

9. Ancient

The last metal-heads on our list actually hail from Norway, and are another lot to be added to the bill simply on the strength of their quite appropriate moniker. Oh, and the fact that their on-off keyboardist/guitarist/bassist/cellist is called Jesus Christ. He’s not the messiah; he’s a very naughty boy.

10. Steve Martin

No, of course this list wouldn’t be complete without comedian Steve Martin’s classic King Tut spoof song and dance routine from Saturday Night Live, written and broadcast at the height of Tutankhamun mania in 1978. Funky Tut!

Read 2 comments, or leave your own

About The Author

Malcolm Jack (follow me: e-mail or )

Last three pieces by this author:

10 Reasons Why Socrates is Still Relevant Today | Top 10 Ancient Greek Philosophers | Interview: Bettany Hughes on The Hemlock Cup and Bringing Ancient History Into the 21st Century

Malcolm Jack is a freelance arts and entertainment journalist based in Glasgow, Scotland. He graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 2004 with an MA Honours Degree in History.