For more than a century, the stage of Glasgow’s Pavilion Theatre has hosted legendary performers, from Charlie Chaplin to Billy Connolly and Scottish country icon Sydney Devine.
Yet, despite its rich history, no artist had ever taken their performance to the rooftop—until now.
Singer Horse McDonald, ahead of her upcoming concert at the Pavilion on 18 April, decided to break new ground by becoming the first to sing atop the historic venue.
Determined to make her mark, she climbed to the roof of the theatre to deliver a unique and symbolic performance above the bustling Renfield Street.
“This was about carving out a moment,” Horse said. “No one had performed on the roof before, so I decided I was going to be the first.”
The bold move wasn’t without its hurdles.
A steep ladder, a comprehensive health and safety briefing from the Pavilion’s owners, Trafalgar Theatre, and the requirement of a six-person crew made the logistics demanding.
Her commitment to the moment meant giving several rooftop performances, one of which was streamed live.
Among the songs she performed, Careful felt particularly fitting for the precarious setting, while her latest single Superpower resonated powerfully from the elevated stage.
“It feels symbolic,” she reflected. “It’s a song about resilience, strength, and self-belief. I can’t think of a better place to sing it than high above the city that has always supported me.”
Soaring temperatures added to the challenge, with the heat of the sun radiating off the black asphalt roofing and Horse dressed in a black suit.
Iced water in plastic tumblers became essential to beat the heat. Still, the experience held deep emotional meaning.
“If I was to tell my teenage self that I’d be doing this—the one who got off the train at Central Station under the Irn Bru sign and walked up Renfield Street to the Apollo—she would not have believed it.”
Cheered on by spectators in a nearby hotel, Horse eventually came back down to prepare for her official concert inside the theatre’s main auditorium.
But her curiosity was piqued by another quirk of the Pavilion: a retractable roof panel originally installed in the early 1900s to let smoke out of the auditorium.
Though the electric version added in the 1970s is no longer in use, the singer now sees potential in the forgotten feature.
After standing atop the theatre, Horse McDonald feels more inspired than ever.
For her, the message is clear: anything is possible—the sky’s the limit.
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