Stereo, Hug & Pint and MacArts on Independent Venue Week
With Independent Venue Week returning on Monday, we catch up with some of the folk behind three of our favourite independent Scottish venues
Celebrating its thirteenth year, Independent Venue Week returns to venues across the UK from Monday 26 January until 1 February. In Scotland, 13 venues are officially taking part this year, from Lyth Arts Centre in John O’Groats to The Vault Arts Centre in Newton Stewart, with two very special shows set to take place in Dumfries and Galashiels, where IVW26 Scottish Ambassadors Brògeal will light up the stages of The Venue and MacArts.
In terms of programming, across the week you’ll find all manner of genres, from classic rock and post-punk to folk, jazz, shoegaze, funk, punk and more. Part of the role of Independent Venue Week is to highlight the impact that venues have on arts and culture, so it’s as much about the people behind the scenes running the venues as it is about the music.
Ahead of this year’s celebrations, we catch up with a handful of the people that make these venues come to life all year round and, amongst other things, find out what they're most excited for this Independent Venue Week.
MacArts, Galashiels
Katie Guthrie from MacArts has been the venue’s social media manager since the summer of 2022. “The atmosphere of the venue makes MacArts special,” she tells us. “When you walk into the space when an event is on you can tell that it is important to everyone in the room. All the staff involved have a real passion for the arts, being one of the only venues in the region I think that makes us a valued space to our community; it is so rewarding to see local bands who play their first shows in our venue go on to play bigger stages across Scotland. The venue itself is a converted church and I feel that only adds to the vibes.”
What's the best show you've seen at MacArts? “Fatherson with support from Vanives for Independent Venue Week in 2023. This was the first Independent Venue Week I was involved in and worked at, there was a real buzz in the air for this show and being able to see for myself first hand, people coming together to celebrate our wee venue soundtracked by iconic Scottish artists, it doesn’t get much better than that!”
What's the best show you've seen at another Scottish independent venue? “In 2022 I was lucky enough to see Wet Leg at a sold out Mash House in Edinburgh, just before they absolutely exploded everywhere. Being able to see one of your favourite artists in a venue of that size is something truly special, even if it was so packed I could barely move! I feel very fortunate to have been able to see them in such an intimate venue.”
What are you most excited about for this year's Independent Venue Week? “I am very excited that Scotland’s Independent Venue Week’s Ambassadors Brògeal are performing at MacArts on Friday night of Independent Venue Week. I’m a big fan of them, thoroughly enjoy their album Tuesday Paper Club and heard they are at their best when performing live, so it should make for a memorable night.”
macarts.scot / @macartsscotland on Instagram / Photo: Fatherson at MacArts for Independent Venue Week, by Mairi Lynch
The Hug & Pint, Glasgow
Eric Daponte is the General Manager of The Hug & Pint. In the role since September 2024, he says: “The Hug is special because its sole purpose over the past ten years has been creating shared experiences between artists and fans. It’s somewhere people can come together and feel something collectively, and that energy can stay with you for a lifetime."
What's the best show you've seen at The Hug & Pint? “And So I Watch You From Afar during Core. 2025 has been a highlight during my time here... They play venues well bigger than ours nowadays, but having them play an intimate packed out set here was really special.”
What's the best show you've seen at another Scottish independent venue? “Anything at St Luke's is always class. I'm a sucker for a wrap-around balcony and you can't beat that [church organ] backdrop; Touché Amoré and Lambrini Girls have been highlights.”
What are you most excited about for this year's Independent Venue Week? “I’m excited about the conversations this will spark around the importance of these places within the arts and culture community. There’s been a lot of recent discussion about the sustainability of these institutions, and about what needs to be done to ensure their survival. Events like this help bring those issues into focus and, hopefully, show the right people how, and why, they should support them.”
thehugandpint.com / @thehugandpint on Instagram
Stereo, Glasgow
Ross Keppie has been the venue programmer and promoter for Stereo since November 2019. “A lot of different aspects make Stereo special – the staff are all amazing people, the venue is a great space for all manner of gigs, shows and sweaty clubs, the vegan food is some of the best around, the building itself is a beautiful Charles Rennie Mackintosh-designed former Daily Record building. I could go on.”
What's the best show you've seen at Stereo? “The Jesus and Mary Chain in November 2021; after they cancelled in March 2020, the same week the whole country went into lockdown, I thought it wouldn't happen but we got it together. Seeing maybe my favourite band playing my work caused a wee tear to run down my cheek. Suede during Independent Venue Week 2023 was special too, a month before they played a sold out O2 Academy down the road."
What's the best show you've seen at another Scottish independent venue? “Tough to pick just one as there's been heaps over the years and my memory is hazy, but off the very top of my head, Prison Affair in The Old Hairdresser's in 2024 was a standout, Duds in Nice N Sleazys back in 2018 was unreal too, and The Chills playing Mono in 2023 was special.”
What are you most excited about for this year's Independent Venue Week? “We have Dream Wife doing an underplay on Wednesday 28 January that you can bet your bottom dollar will be a lot of fun.”
stereocafebar.com / @stereo_glasgow on Instagram / Photo: Dream Wife on stage at Stereo, by Brendan Waters
For full Independent Venue Week listings, head to independentvenueweek.com