Scottish Live Music Highlights: August 2023

As August kicks into gear, gig series in Glasgow like King Tut’s Summer Nights, Endless Summer at The Hug & Pint and Summer Nights at the (Kelvingrove) Bandstand continue, while the end of the month sees Connect return to Edinburgh (25-27 Aug) with a stacked lineup featuring everyone from Confidence Man and boygenius to Young Fathers and Róisín Murphy, ensuring there’s big-festival-in-a-field energy not far out of reach this summer. If you’re looking for something a little smaller but with that same outdoor energy, on 19 August, Jupiter Rising returns for one day to Jupiter Artland with their Late Night Stage curated by queer workers' co-op BONJOUR.

On the same weekend, Glasgow has two very different festival options for you: Core. (18-20 Aug) and Pitch Scotland (19-20 Aug). Core. is a brand new venture and festival of noise from the 432 Presents lot. Taking place between Maryhill Community Central Halls and The Hug & Pint, they’re set to welcome noise acts from near and far, so while you can catch international faves like Deafheaven, Chat Pile, Rolo Tomassi and Liturgy, you can also enjoy local noise-makers like Moni Jitchell, Goth GF and Void of Light. The antithesis of Core., Pitch Scotland has its focus firmly on Scotland’s burgeoning hip-hop scene. Between venues like Saint Luke’s, Many Studios and the Drygate Brewery, get key insight into the industry with talks and discussions during the day, while artists like Supemann on da Beat, Queen of Harps, P Caso and Eyve will entertain at night.

Also in Glasgow this month, catch Michael Gira and co as Swans play Saint Luke’s (16 Aug), Nashville’s Be Your Own Pet play Broadcast (20 Aug) a few days before releasing Mommy, their first album in 15 years, while, following a ten-year hiatus, New York post-punks The Walkmen play SWG3 (21 Aug).

Meanwhile at the other end of the M8, the festivals have a chokehold on the capital. Edinburgh International Festival bring the likes of Lankum (The Queen’s Hall, 17 Aug), Ichiko Aoba (The Queen’s Hall, 19 Aug), Alison Goldfrapp (Edinburgh Playhouse, 25 Aug) and John Cale (Festival Theatre, 26 Aug) to town, while Summerhall’s Nothing Ever Happens Here programme is packed with some of the best in Scottish talent as Kathryn Joseph (12 Aug), Pictish Trail (16 Aug), Constant Follower (19 Aug), Rebecca Vasmant Ensemble (20 Aug), Withered Hand (24 Aug) and Maranta (27 Aug) all play, while in the Cowgate our favourite sweatbox Sneaky Pete’s also has a strong local lineup. Highlights include Fourth Daughter (5 Aug), comfort (13 Aug), Siobhan Wilson (15 Aug), BIN JUICE (17 Aug), kitti (26 Aug) and Bemz (31 Aug).