Celtic Connections rule of thumb: always turn up in time for the opening act, you never know what treasures you might uncover. In this case, the capacity audience knew exactly what they would get and were seated and ready to lap up a relatively rare live set from former Teenage Fanclubber Gerard Love. His gentle songs and light reedy vocals were accompanied by Noel O’Donnell on drums and guitar, and Tom Crossley on xylophone, flute and acoustic guitar. His sparing Fanclub selections were, inevitably, stand-out tunes: ‘Ain’t That Enough’ was hesitant but beguiling while a lovely mellow reading of ‘Star Sign’ did want a little for pop pace amid those elevating harmonies.

Contemporary composer Andrew Wasylyk mustered a gifted seven-piece band, incorporating strings, cornet, flute, rhythm section and a fair few familiar faces (Modern Studies’ Pete Harvey, Admiral Fallow’s Sarah Hayes) to manifest his latest album, Hearing The Water Before Seeing The Falls, a suite of meditative, evocative instrumentals inspired by the landscape photography of Thomas Joshua Cooper.

Wasylyk led with a light touch and a luscious tone on piano, etching out some jazz licks as a prelude to a warm expansive embrace. This was consistently easy listening with shades of melancholia, accompanied by whimsical, burnished visuals curated by Tommy Perman. Just as the mood threatened to turn soporific, the dynamic shifted with ‘The Life Of Time’, featuring a sample of Cooper’s voice. That work was embellished by minimalist piano patterns and Ali Hendry’s muted cornet, plus a taste of jazz exotica with Roy Budd meets Donald Byrd-style languorous brass and electric piano.

Andrew Wasylyk & Gerard Love reviewed at Mackintosh Church, Glasgow, as part of Celtic Connections.