Scottish Gigs of the Week: 27 Jun – 3 Jul
It's an eclectic week in Edinburgh and Glasgow's venues, with shows from The Sugarhill Gang, Adam Stafford, Siobhan Wilson, Spoon and Pictish Trail all on the agenda
Gigs in Edinburgh this week
Start 2 End: Jeff Buckley's Grace @ Sneaky Pete's, 27 Jun
They've tackled Daft Punk, My Bloody Valentine and Radiohead, and now the Start to End crew are set to work their magic on Jeff Buckley's iconic album Grace.
The Sugarhill Gang @ Stramash, 28 Jun
The Sugarhill Gang are playing Stramash. Yep, that's a sentence we certainly never thought we'd say, but tonight you can indeed catch the rap pioneers responsible for 1979 hip-hop holy grail Rapper's Delight in all their glory.
Ani DiFranco @ Queen's Hall, 29 Jun
A prolific activist and supremely-talented musician, Ani DiFranco hits the road in support of her twentieth studio album Binary. "No one can squeeze the sugar out of profanity like Ani can," said Wheatus' Brendan B. Brown in his Guest Selector playlist back in April – hit the Queen's Hall to hear the feminist icon up close and personal.
Adam Stafford @ Leith Depot, 1 Jul
Adam Stafford's new album Reverse Drift takes its inspiration from the artist's personal photo archive, spooling out into an exciting, enigmatic, forty-minute-long composition of looped synth and vocals. Read our interview with Stafford here ahead of the album's launch tonight at Leith Depot; he also plays a Glasgow launch show for the record at Stereo on 29 Jun – more info on that show here.
Pick of the Week
Kelburn Garden Party @ Kelburn Castle, North Ayrshire, 30 Jun - 3 Jul
The unique festival at everyone's favourite graffiti-clad castle returns, with an exciting line-up drawing from right across the musical spectrum. We're particularly looking forward to sets from Pronto Mama, Flamingods and Akala as well as DJ sets from Mr Scruff and Optimo, but that's only scratching the surface – check out the full line-up here.
Gigs in Glasgow this week
Spoon @ The Art School, 28 Jun
“We played at Nice N Sleazy, which was cool... it was right on a street where people seemed dead set on getting obliterated.” We caught up with Spoon frontman Britt Daniel to discuss their past experiences in Glasgow, and the making of new album Hot Thoughts; expect the new LP to get a thorough airing this evening. Support comes, unexpectedly, from comedian Adam Buxton, promising "about 25 minutes of laptop-based nonsense" ahead of the arrival of Daniel and co.
Glass Mountain @ King Tut’s, 29 Jun
One of Bradford’s finest emerging bands, Glass Mountain stop by Glasgow’s King Tut’s tonight, and you should go and see them. The four-piece released their debut EP, Glacial, towards the end of last year, releasing a further double A-side at the start of this year. We premiered the music video for Cowboy Song; the other track on the release was a thoughtful cover of Bill Murray’s version of Roxy Music’s More Than This. Hopefully this gives you an idea of what they're about.
ST.MARTiiNS @ King Tut's, 30 Jun
Dundee-based ST.MARTiiNS are Katie Lynch and Mark Johnston. Together, the duo have expertly crafted a unique soundscape combining elements of jazz, lo-fi, electronica and pop – catch them live and in the flesh a week on from the release of their debut EP.
Siobhan Wilson @ Glad Cafe, 30 Jun
Having appeared on the label's Insider Festival split 12'' alongside David Thomas Broughton, Jonnie Common and Sparrow and the Workshop back in 2014, Siobhan Wilson releases her first album for Song, by Toad – There Are No Saints – next month. Get a preview of the new record in the lovely confines of the Glad Cafe.
Pictish Trail @ Barras Art & Design, 2 Jul
Johnny Lynch brings his cosmic indie stylings (and impressive range of ponchos and jumpsuits) to BAaD for a full-band exploration of latest album Future Echoes. The record won the public vote to make it onto this year's SAY Award shortlist, with the overall award handed out later this week – join the Lost Map man for a fantastic celebration/commiseration (delete as applicable).
Yorkston / Thorne / Khan @ Hug & Pint, 3 Jul
YTK is a three-part collaboration between James Yorkston of the East Neuk of Fife, New Delhi’s Suhail Yusuf Khan and Jon Thorne of the Isle of Wight. They wed traditional Anglo-Celtic folk music to throbbing jazz basslines; if that sounds like a pretty eclectic mix of styles, you'd be right. And if that sounds like a tremendous treat, you'd be doubly right.