Scottish Gig Highlights – March 2015
Dear readers, spring is here! We know this is true because Tesco has started selling puny bunches of half-dead daffs. And with spring comes the start of pre-festival gig circuits. The time of year bands shake off their winter podge and hope to wow you enough that, when lost in the haze of Glastonbury, you remember the bloke you saw in Sneaky’s one time is worth showing to your pals. It’s a happy time of year because there’s just so much to choose from. The next four weeks will see heavyweights like Moz and Mr. Lionel Richie hit the stadiums, but don’t be swayed – there’s much more to March than that.
Right then. Kicking off the month in fine style, you’ve got hardworking Perth lads GoodCopGreatGop and Glaswegian locals Ghost Alaska taking the stage at Bloc on 4 March for a night of angular, heartfelt alt-rock. They’ll be competing for crowds with the young but hotly-tipped Neon Waltz, who’ll be down the road at Nice N Sleazy the same night, peddling their swooning psychedelia.
Next we’ve got what will become known as A Weekend With Idlewild. The alternative-rock legends take over Glasgow’s ABC for a double billing of shows, playing both Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 March in honour of their long-awaited seventh album Everything Ever Written. Fresh from recording live sessions that chronicled their story so far with The Skinny last month, we can promise unreservedly that you’re in for an absolute treat. Will you go to both nights? Should you? Yes, but... on 7 March Glass Animals play Edinburgh's Electric Circus. The Oxford quartet had a mammoth 2014 with debut album Zaba and they’re now embarking on a worldwide tour – if you’re into sticky, seductive indie that’s downright naughty, this is how you should spend your evening.
9 March sees Merrill Garbus bring the party at The Art School (Glasgow). If you haven’t seen TuNe-YaRds before, do it: fresh from last year’s album Nikki Nack, the band promise a night of colour, chaos and bone-shaking percussion – with Garbus’ outrageously versatile vocals soaring above the melee. You’ll have your shirt off and you’ll be dancing on the tables before they’ve even played Bizness, probably.
After all that high-octane hip shaking, try the enigmatic Franz Nicolay, who’ll be lighting up Dundee's Buskers (14 March), Glasgow's 13th Note (15 March) and Edinburgh's Banshee Laybrinth on 17 March. The multi-instrumentalist, formerly of The World/Inferno Friendship Society and The Hold Steady, is the king of prolific collaboration (he’s worked with The Dresden Dolls, Frank Turner and many many more) and he’ll be putting on a show with his eccentric solo material.
It’s straight back into saccharine pop with Liverpudlians All We Are, whose crowd will be flying on a sugar high at Broadcast (Glasgow) on 17 March. All mellow funk and casual falsetto (remember last year’s blogosphere hit Feel Safe?) the alt-indie trio are set to be a soothing comfort for this summer’s hangovers. But stop, wait a minute. The same night, Leeds prog five-piece turned techno machine Vessels will be blowing down the doors at Nice N Sleazy. Fresh from this month's incredible new album Dilate, the band’s forged a gargantuan new sound, and by god, will their ice-cold electronic bangers make for a stormy, immersive ride. Major clash alert. On the 17th the only wrong choice is staying in; follow your heart.
Up next in the diary, London indie crooner Sivu will no doubt charm with his super-smooth vocals and eerie day-of-reckoning imagery at Glasgow’s Broadcast on March 19th. He’ll be on stage at Sneaky Pete’s (Edinburgh) the next night, too. Back in Glasgow on the 20th, the truly eclectic singer-songwriter (that label doesn’t even begin to cover it) Kiran Leonard will be working his magic at the Glad Cafe.
On 24 March, Warpaint grace the O2 Academy (Glasgow) with some killer new tracks in tow – as bassist Jenny Lee exclusively explained to The Skinny late last month. Their eponymous second album was our #1 favourite in 2014, and their shows are no less sensational. The LA four-piece are renowned for exploding and exploring their tracks live, promising a show that's effervescent and ever-changing. Don’t miss out on what’ll be a hypnotic, magical set from a band truly at the top of their game. If you can’t tell, we’re a bit excited.
The following night, 25 March, treasured two-piece Sacred Paws launch their UK tour in Sneaky Pete’s following the drop of their debut EP Six Songs earlier in the month. Single Vince is leading the pack and it’s an absolute gem; don’t miss out on this one before they’re way too big to play our favourite drinking venues.
Glasgow/Perth four-piece We Came From Wolves are playing all over the bloody place in March, thanks to the excitement surrounding debut album Am I Useful?, which drops at the end of the month. If you like well-crafted rock songs with huge hooks (and who doesn’t?), you’ll be down the front when they kick off their tour at Electric Circus on the 25th. The week-long excursion spans Glasgow, Dumfries, Inverness and Dundee, so we’ll see you there – no excuses.
Finally, gentle heartbreakers Broken Records bring all the emotions to Nice N Sleazy (Glasgow) on Sunday 29th. If you didn’t catch them on the 26th, kicking off their new night at Edinburgh’s Summerhall with Garden of Elks and Fuzzy Star, no sweat. We’ve got you. What a month.
DO NOT MISS: SLEATER-KINNEY WITH PINS @ O2 ABC, GLASGOW, 25 MAR
It’s happening, it’s really happening. After a painfully long hiatus Sleater-Kinney are giving all would-be comeback bands an absolute schooling. It’s been ten years since last album The Woods, and the legendary riot women are back and brimming with pithy, acerbic mega-tunes. Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker and Janet Weiss dropped their new album No Cities To Love back in January, which, when played loud in the bedrooms of rapturous fans world-wide, proved to be a record even bolder, brighter and wholly more badass than anyone could have hoped.
Then, when the trio played single A New Wave live on Letterman, all dreams were fully confirmed: Sleater-Kinney are back and stronger than ever, signature leg-kicks included. Now the band are on a mammoth tour, and the electrifying sight of the trio re-formed and reinvigorated should serve as a stern reminder to any band resting on their laurels: this is what you call a comeback.
Plus, in a no-brainer booking move, support will come in the form of the mighty Mancunian four-piece Pins. The raucous ice queens’ brand of gloomy, reverb-laden punk rock will prove the perfect opener to what promises to be an incendiary show. Really, truly, one not to miss.