This pre TRNSMT gig in King Tuts featured three of Scotlands finest DIY/independent bands and laid down a marker for where any discerning music fan going to the festival should focus their time and energy this weekend…
The annual bucket hat festival in Glasgow this weekend is struggling by all accounts, ticket sales have been poor, with deals available on discount websites and new late entry offers to try to boost sales. To me, this is no surprise as, on the face of it, when you look take a glance at the the line up with the headliners in bold type, it is singularly uninspiring, it feels like a confused bill, not really sure itself of who it is targeting, but if you take time to look beyond the dull headliners, there are some golden nuggets to be found, some further down on the bill on the main stage like Brogeal, English Teacher & Rianne Downey early on Saturday. The real draw for me though would be the BBC Introducing Stage which, pretty much without exception, has a stellar line up of exciting emerging talent from Scotland and beyond. A quick glance at the stage line up reveals bands like soapbox, Mercy Girl, Tanzana and Alice Faye and of course the three bands who featured on this Tuts stellar fever dream of line up.
My first impression was surprise when I arrived at the venue and saw how quiet it was, the doors time was pushed back but even then, for a line up such as this, I’d have expected the place to be packed to the rafters. Maybe it was the weather, maybe the relatively short notice of the gig or maybe it was the facts that the majority of fans who would have come to the gig are already heading to TRNSMT and gave this a miss. The place did fill out as the bands performed but even then, it was a disappointing turn out. Poor show Glasgow.
Nonetheless, the three bands grasped this opportunity to run through their TRNSMT sets with both hands, with every band delivering an outstanding set.
First to take to the Tuts stage was Lacuna, having cemented their place as one of Scotland’s premium exports with an astonishing EP, Nest (reviewed here), at the end of last year, tonight due to availability of band members they played as a stripped back foursome. It was an enchanting set from the off, and a unique experience to be able to witness these songs played in semi acoustic form. The sublime bass parts from Will, suitably attired in a Cocteau Twins shirt, formed the only part of the rhythm section in the absence of Sean’s drums and I don’t think I’ve ever heard an electric guitar played so gently, Jack making his notes chime with an understated elegance. Meanwhile Liv and Emily shared acoustic guitar duties and vocals. The set was everything you’d hope for from Lacuna, from the ethereal where Emily’s vocal had a gently hypnotic power (at times channeling one of my 90s favourites Alison Shaw of Cranes – if you don’t know them, look them up…) through to jubilant sing (and clap) alongs in the shape of their set closer, Shelley, my favourite song of 2025. Their set was an flawless and an absolute joy to behold, and included a wonderful take on Fleetwood Mac’s Dreams, with lyrics that may be sadly appropriate for the unfortunate weather forecast for this weekend…
Tina Sandwich was fittingly the satisfyingly tasty filling sandwiched between Lacuna and Sister Madds. I feel as if it’s a lifetime since I last saw Tilly & Co. live so I was hotly anticipating their set, especially as the gig came on the eve of their new single dandelion (wishing). And they certainly didn’t disappoint. Their set accelerated from 0-60 in a flash as the fabulous four’s Fast Car hit fifth gear in a high octane thrill ride to open their set with breathless aplomb. The vibrant energy remained throughout the set with a boisterous Sick Girl creating an early set highlight. I was delighted to hear them play an emotionally charged and formidable take on one of my favourite Tina singles, Joni. I have to make a special mention to the two new songs that they closed their set with, first up dandelion (wishing) which starting with a brief unassumingly gentle intro before bursting into life with ferocious facemelting riffage…they went on to close their set in style with another new song from a future EP, the politically charged societal commentary of Built to Rot. A band who never ever leaves anything behind in the tank. I have an outstanding question about the gig though…in a bit of to and fro banter Calvin was trying to find out the football score between songs… “I’ve got £25 riding on this” … the question remains, were the drinks on him later?
It was down to the inimitable Sister Madds to close the night, and as I fully expected, they did so in their own superlative style. I’ve now lost count of how often I’ve seen this band, but no matter how often it’s been, it still isn’t enough. The band oozes personality from the off, the effervescent Madds herself is a perpetual ball of boundless energy, while rhythm guitarist Fraser has his own line of dry, wry wit and of course there McKenzie and his animated axe wrangling…The blue touch paper was lit and once Maddie bounded onto stage to the opening strains of Can’t Read Your Lips, there was an explosion of rebellious vitality that only these G.O.A.T.s can pull off. Songs from their recent EP (reviewed here) shone brightly, in the shape of Table Manners and Get Rich, Get Girls… with the other half of the Posh and Becks of the Glasgow DIY music scene, boyfriend Tom from soapbox, making a cameo as “phone handler” … and of course No Longer Leaving which is surely one of the best feel good songs of the year. Maddie is a prime rabble rousing agitator never standing still for more than a second and bringing the crowd along with her, every song had a spirited vivacity to it, with Split Ends taking things to another level in its insanely rapid fire intensity. There was no crowd surfing from McKenzie tonight but Madds did venture onto the floor at one point inciting a chaotic pit…The last salvo of songs featured scathing lyrical attacks on the manipulative traits of the male species…with penultimate song Hot and Bothered keeping up the sweltering pace before the set closed with another scorcher in Performative Exercise. The BBC Introducing Stage is the place to be at TRNSMT this weekend, all three of these bands are on fire and all are on the Saturday line up, irrationally SM are not headlining….
The New Sound of Scotland
Here it comes again….
If anyone doesn’t know by now, I’ve got a CD out, You Are Here, The New Sound of Scotland, which features 30 songs from emerging/independent bands from Scotland. The Cd includes two songs played at this gig… Lacuna’s Shelley and Hot and Bothered from Sister Madds. And there were members from bands in attendance who are also on the CD… PVC, Count the Days… and of course soapbox
Any profits after costs from sales of the CD will be donated to Mental Health charities, Tiny Changes and SAMH.
Get one directly from me by sending £12 (including p&p) to paypal.me/NeilHodge9