Category: Gigs in Glasgow

Thrum Thirty – La Chunky Studio, The Hidden Lane

May 16, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

Say the names Johnny Smillie and Monica Queen to any music fans of a certain vintage in Glasgow and they will probably nod knowingly with the pair having been a ubiquitous part of the Glasgow music scene for as long as I can remember going to gigs. I’ve seen them live in various incarnations over the years, I believe the first time may have been when they were playing as Moni and supporting Horse in the Barrowland Ballroom? Anyway, this year, in their Thrum incarnation, their classic album Rifferama is getting a long overdue re-release to celebrate thirty years since it received its first outing and in support of this they will be playing several dates across the UK including dates in Edinburgh in the Wee Red Bar and Cottiers in Glasgow.… Read the rest

Alcatraz – live on Sauchiehall Street

May 10, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

A wee bonus gig review for the indominatable Alcatraz who continue to go from strength to strength. The band have been building a head of steam lately with a noteworthy performance early in the day at this years House Guest Fest followed by what looked like an uproariously good night in London where Liv took advantage of her wireless bass to make her way outside mid-song. 

This appearance as part of Sauchiehall Street Music Day was a bonus warm up (maybe the wrong words given Eleanor’s protestations about it being cold onstage…) ahead of their forthcoming headline gig in The Hug and Pint on the 30th,m.… Read the rest

Middle Class Guilt – Their King of Comedy – album launch gig – Nice ‘n’ Sleazy

May 9, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

There is a strange dichotomy that exists when I’m dealing with my mental health that means when I get overwhelmed with anxiety and depression, the first things that fall off the radar are the things that bring me joy, keep me grounded and give me a focus. I end up fixating all my energy on negativity, overthinking and becoming selfishly insular and uncommunicative, and I start to spiral and break before I realise what is going on. I’ve really struggled to keep on top of things for probably the last 2 years now, but with some support from therapy which, along the way, opened up some raw wounds but also allowed me to have some closure, I really believe that I’m starting to feel as if for the first time in a long time, I finally recognise who I am and can take back control again.… Read the rest

Keeley – Girl on the Edge of the World – Album Review

February 17, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

Keeley is a one in a million. An artist the likes of whom you could search the rest of your life for and never find anyone quite like her. She, and her band, is a once in a lifetime find, an artist with such integrity and dedication to her cause, she never strays from her path and is she is laser-focussed on her task at hand. A task in hand that is two-fold.

First and foremost Keeley is a music lover, and a musician’s musician, she has a passion for music that is second to none, with an encyclopaedic knowledge about the music and bands she loves.… Read the rest

Awful Eyes, Oedipus and the Mamas Boys, Citizen Head & Vacant Pavements – live in King Tuts

January 16, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

All Photos courtesy of Dale Harvey

What should have been my third gig of 2026 turned out to be my first one, and it was a belter with four very different bands all ploughing their own furrow in their chosen genre, or indeed just by ploughing their own furrow full stop and in doing so defying pigeonholing…

The first band on the bill were a case in point, when I previously saw Vacant Pavements supporting Tanzana in McChuills I was late to the venue and only caught the last song of their set, which was more than enough to whet the appetite for more, I’m disappointed in myself that it’s taken until now to fix that.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2026 – January Pt 1

January 11, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

A couple of weeks into January and things are already bright in terms of new singles, with plenty of action from bands close to home, a cover from a forthcoming cover versions album and the return of a few indie legends… The first couple of songs in the first part of the January round up are from home grown talent both with French titles.

I’m surprised Fraser McCallum has time to write his own music given his status as sought after guitar for hire in the Scottish music scene, taking on the mantle of a young version of Douglas McIntyre… But indeed he has made the time and the resultant impassioned single where he takes on a persona of Serge Gainsbourg L’eau à les yeux is a masterstroke, a song that is so swathed with affecting pathos in it’s sound and delivery that it could easily be a Morrissey song, in a time and place where Morrissey songs were to be celebrated.… Read the rest

Count the Days Backs Against the Wall EP cover

The New Sound of Scotland – Count the Days – Backs Against the Wall – EP Review

January 7, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

The first feature for one of the bands appearing on the You Are Here – The New Sound of Scotland CD coming out shortly is an EP review for Count the Days and their debut Backs Against the Wall. This review comes on the eve of their headline performance as part of King Tuts New Years Revolution alongside Comfort Girl, Dalmatic & The Noise Club, a tasty line up if ever there was one.

The five track EP includes their 3 singles to date Above You, Springbank Road and Get Up! alongside new song Kings and Queens, and an acoustic version of Springbank Road.… Read the rest

Singles Round Up 2025 – Part 12 – December

January 7, 2026 By neilho27@sky.com

Perhaps unsurprisingly, December was rather barren for new release singles, I say that in numbers alone as the quality of what I did hear was high, with one of December’s singles, from Falkirk’s Static sneaking into my top 100 singles of the year. The sum total of my December round up is 10 singles. It may have been me in not being as active on social media or missing some quality songs dropping into my inbox, but 10 it is and they were a cracking wee bunch to be fair…

The Just Joans followed up Here Come the Rugby Boys with Limpet, yet another gem from the band who have a knack for creating stylish kitchen sink vignettes of life and whose lyrical tales always take you on an emotional journey, whether that be humorous, melancholic or just pure joy, the dual-vocalled, brass infused Limpet is a heart-melting slice of unbridled love and joy.… Read the rest

The Ginger Quiff – Gigs of 2025

December 30, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

With the count coming in at 44 it was a poor showing on the gig front for 2025 for me, it was a clusterfuck of a year with a mixture of poor physical & mental health curtailing, with a certain irony given the dopamine boost live music brings, my gig going somewhat and also curtailing my writing. I probably missed just as many gigs I’d planned to attend as I actually attended, and among these missed events I’m sure would have been some guaranteed to be amongst the best of the year.

As it was, every gig played it’s part in making it a successful year of gig going despite the high number of missed dates…

The Second House Guest Festival in April alongside Tenement Trail in October were two obvious highlights of the gig going year giving the opportunity to see a whole host of bands who are all part of the reason the live music scene in Scotland is in such rude health, and they also sewed the seeds of an idea in my head that should be coming to fruition imminently despite a delay in the planned announcement…

Several bands had me return to see them time and again, each time proving their worth and playing cracking sets (equally there were bands I had tickets to see several times and didn’t make any of their gigs…).… Read the rest

Ex – – Imposter Syndrome – album review

December 27, 2025 By neilho27@sky.com

On Know Your Rights The Clash handily provided their listeners with a “public service announcement with guitars.” 43 years on, and on their twentieth album/EP release to date, Imposter Syndrome, the prolific Ex- provide not so much a public service announcement but a social conscience with guitars. Taking nothing away from the rest of the band, the vitality and energy of whose playing provides the indispensable soundtrack to Imposter Syndrome, Meek’s lyrics here are as essential as ever and a crucial part in what makes Ex- stand head and shoulders above the majority of their peers. As someone who is as profuse in his writing as Meek, he never fails in managing to blend his creativity with a nail on head social commentary.… Read the rest