Scottish Music Highlights: 1-7 Aug

It's a bumper week in Edinburgh and Glasgow's venues, with Frankie Cosmos, PJ Harvey, Iceage and Pixies all in town, plus Optimo's huge 20th anniversary celebration...

Preview by The Skinny | 01 Aug 2017

Gigs in Edinburgh this week

Kate Nash @ The Queen's Hall, 1 Aug
Hard to believe, but Kate Nash's breakthrough record Made of Bricks is a decade old. Nash – fresh from her role in Netflix wrestling drama GLOW – brings the album to Queen's Hall tonight; Oklahoma alt-rock trio Skating Polly open the show. 

Frankie Cosmos @ La Belle Angèle, 3 Aug
New Yorker Greta Kline, who performs under the name Frankie Cosmos, is bringing her laid-back, dreamy indie-pop to Edinburgh’s La Belle Angèle this month. Her Next Thing album was one of our favourites of 2016 and we can’t think of a much better way to ease yourself into a month of, what for most Edinburgh residents, will be utter chaos. Support comes in the form of a solo set from Ellis Jones of Cardiff indie-poppers Trust Fund.

Regina Spektor @ Edinburgh Playhouse, 3 Aug 
The highly influential anti-folk pioneer released her seventh studio album Remember Us to Life just under a year ago, and now Spektor brings the album to the palatial surrounds of the Edinburgh Playhouse for a rare Scottish date.

The Vegan Leather & Raza @ Leith Volcano, 5 Aug
A lovely local line-up to kick off Fringe season, courtesy of Decagram. Find art-pop party-starters The Vegan Leather, electro-prog duo RAZA, hip-hop provocateur Loki and a DJ set from RIVER OF SLIME (aka Kev from FOUND), all for the low, low price of no pounds. Get your free tickets here.

Iceage @ Summerhall, 5 Aug
At the other end of town, Danish post-punks Iceage play a very special set to kick off Summerhall's sparkling Nothing Ever Happens Here gig run over the course of the Fringe. Expect a high-octane show from the band, making their first Scottish appearance in over two years; support comes from local krautrockers DTHPDL.

PJ Harvey @ Playhouse, 7 & 8 Aug
The inimitable Polly Jean Harvey is stopping by Edinburgh this August to play not one, but two nights as part of this year’s Edinburgh International Festival programme. Accompanied by her nine-piece band, they’ll be performing tracks from 2016’s Grammy-nominated album The Hope Six Demolition Project, as well as material from her extensive back catalogue.

Gigs in Glasgow this week

Wuh Oh + Callum Easter + HQFU + Kid Trench @ Hug & Pint, 3 Aug
Jazz-inflected electronic producer Wuh Oh leads an eclectic and exciting bill at the Hug & Pint, joined by the distinctive stylings of Callum Easter, the intelligent electronica of HQFU and the experimental pop of Kid Trench.

St Luke's All Dayer @ St Luke's & The Winged Ox, 6 Aug 
St Luke's annual celebration of underground talent returns this weekend, with a bill featuring a host of local up-and-comers including LUCIAHarry and the Hendersons and Campfires in Winter

Pixies @ Kelvingrove Bandstand, 7 Aug
Black Francis and co hit town for an outdoor show at Kelvingrove, as part of the Summer Nights series which also boasts shows from Brian Wilson (3 Aug) and KT Tunstall (4 Aug) this week. There may be a Kim Deal-shaped hole in the line-up these days, but all signs point to the band tearing through the Doolittle and Surfer Rosa-era classics regardless. 


Gig of the Week

Hannah Peel @ St Cuthbert's Church, 5 Aug
What better way to kick off your 2017 Edinburgh Fringe than with a 28-piece brass band playing one of the most iconic albums of the 20th century, Mike Oldfield’s triumphant 1973 work Tubular Bells? The evening will also feature a special performance of Hannah Peel’s latest long player, Mary Casio: Journey to Cassiopeia, which combines synthesizers and brass to stunning effect. The show also features specially commissioned audio visuals by Daniel Conway. 


Clubbing highlights

Dr Packer @ The Buff Club, Glasgow, 1 Aug
Killer Kitsch are back with disco-edit king Dr Packer, considered one of the pioneers of dance music in Western Australia. He’s played for Ministry of Sound, Defected and Space Ibiza, and has over 25 years of experience as a selector. This marks his debut show at The Buff Club. 

Field Artists Charity Showcase @ The Art School, Glasgow, 4 Aug
This belter of a charity showcase has been put together to raise funds for Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity, and Paragon Music – an inclusive organisation that uses music to transform the lives of young people and adults. The line-up features Denis Sulta, Chaos In The CBD, Doc Daneeka, Big Miz, MWX, and live sets from Brassica and Solid Blake. 100% of the profits from the event will be donated to help these two essential Glasgow institutions.

Bicep (Live) @ The Liquid Room, Edinburgh, 5 Aug
The mighty Belfast duo Bicep drop their self-titled debut on 1 Sep, and to celebrate they’re bringing their renowned live show to the capital, marking the third year in a row that Andy Ferguson and Matt McBriar have come to town during the Edinburgh Fringe. With a 5am licence in place, they also have Hammer, Space Dimension Controller, Lord of the Isles, Telfort, Gav Miller and Simon Bays in tow.

Optimo 20 @ The Galvanizer’s Yard (SWG3), Glasgow, 6 Aug
2017 marks the 20th anniversary of Optimo (Espacio) and to celebrate, JD Twitch and JG Wilkes have hand-picked this stellar all day line-up. There’s a heavy focus on live acts and too many talents on the bill to name them all – but The Black Madonna, Ben UFO, and Midland (plus Optimo themselves) are all sure to be highlights.

Fractal Club with Peggy Gou @ The Mash House, Edinburgh, 6 Aug
Fractal Club’s first party for this year’s Fringe sees breakout talent Peggy Gou take over The Mash House. Relentless touring, high profile gigs and some killer online mixes have marked her as one to watch, so make the most of the 5am licence and enjoy the first of two August Bank Holiday weekends.

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