Gigs in Glasgow and Edinburgh: 4-10 Dec
As December gets well and truly underway, Christmas parties are starting to take place across the country with festive gigs this week in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen
Gigs in Edinburgh this week
Fuzzystar @ Leith Depot, 6 Dec
The artwork for this one features adorable wee Santa hats so we're assuming that this is some kind of pre-Christmas knees-up. Playing alongside the Edinburgh indie lo-fi band are mylittlebrother and Ghost Dance Collective.
CRYSTAL @ The Mash House, 7 Dec
Skinny faves CRYSTAL are bringing the ruckus to The Mash House this Friday night with a little help from Rituals and Gallus. A top way to kick off your weekend we say.
Annie Booth @ Sneaky Pete's, 7 Dec
With hints of PJ Harvey in her vocals, we love singer-songwriter Annie Booth and were delighted to have her play our stage at Kelburn Garden Party earlier in the year. Catch her tonight at Sneaky's with Dante and Lewis McLaughlin.
The Alarm @ The Liquid Room, 7 Dec
Welsh alt-rockers The Alarm, fronted by Mike Peters, stop by The Liquid Room tonight just a few months after releasing Equals, their first album in eight years.
Lau @ The Queen's Hall, 7 Dec
Last seen in the Capital when they brought Lau-land to the Edinburgh International Festival in August, Lau play their final show of 2018 tonight at The Queen's Hall. With a new album set for release in February, expect to hear some new cuts in amongst old faves.
OK PAL presents Krampus in Paradise @ Skylight, Edinburgh, 8 Dec
Just over a month since Faith Eliott and Hailey Beavis launched OK PAL Records, the DIY duo are back with a festive special: Krampus in Paradise. Taking over the aforementioned Skylight, tonight there’ll be music from eagleowl (who we hope will play their Die Hard-inspired Christmas single), Chrissy Barnacle and Moonsoup. Get down early to do some Christmas shopping at the festive art market and stay late to have a lovely time listening to lovely music. Been spending most our life living in the Krampus Paradise.
Julia Holter @ Summerhall, 10 Dec
Just a couple of months since releasing her stunning fifth studio album Aviary, Julia Holter is bringing her exquisite sounds to Edinburgh's Summerhall tonight, thanks to the team at Nothing Ever Happens Here, and it is absolutely not to be missed. Read our recent interview with Holter here to get yourself in the mood.
Scottish Event of the Week
Image: The Ninth Wave by Sarah Donley
AGP Christmas Party @ The Tunnels, Aberdeen, 7 Dec
To celebrate another top year of live music, promoters AGP are pulling it out of the bag for one heck of a Christmas party in Aberdeen which will see them take over The Tunnels tonight. The line-up includes glam rockers Catholic Action alongside gothic new wave band The Ninth Wave, tropical indie foursome Indigo Velvet and super fun Chester trio Peaness. Nieves, The 101, Apache Darling, Zoe Graham and Steven Milne (The Little Kicks) are all set to play too, with a DJ set from broadcaster and journalist Vic Galloway. Party!
Gigs in Glasgow this week
The Cardigans @ O2 Academy, 4 Dec
'Love me love me / Say that you love me / Fool me fool me / Go on and fool me' is what everyone and their grans will be screaming back at Swedish 90s mainstays The Cardigans tonight at O2 Academy. 'I can't care 'bout anything but yoooooooo'.
The Burning Hell @ Nice 'n' Sleazy, 4 Dec
The project of prolific Canadian singer-songwriter Mathias Kom, The Burning Hell love visiting us in Bonnie Scotland and for that we can't be thankful enough. Catch them tonight at Nice 'n' Sleazy in Glasgow with a little help from Randolph's Leap and Broken Chanter. The Burning Hell will also be playing Hibs Supporters Club, Edinburgh, 6 Dec and The Tooth & Claw, Inverness, 5 Dec with Randolph's Leap.
Tiffany @ The Hug & Pint, 5 Dec
Yup, you read that right, 80s pop legend Tiffany, best known for her 1988 banger I Think We're Alone Now is back in Glasgow, one month, pretty much to the day, following an appearance at The Blue Arrow. Catch her tonight at The Hug & Pint. 'Children, behave'.
Peter Murphy (40 Years of Bauhaus) @ SWG3, 5 Dec
Goth legends Bauhaus celebrate their 40th anniversary this year, and in honour of it, frontman Peter Murphy is heading out on tour with fellow founding member David J in tow. The live dates follow the first official release of the group’s debut studio recording, The Bela Session EP, in November, which features the original version of the iconic track, Bela Lugosi’s Dead.
Slade @ SWG3, 6 Dec
It’s Christmaaaaaaaaaasssss!!! Okay, well not quite, but it is December and Slade – creators of one of the most famous (and let’s face it, one of the best) Christmas songs of all time (Aidan Moffat says so, so it must be true) – touch down at Glasgow’s coolest warehouse SWG3 to get you in the mood for the month ahead. While they are in town as part of their It’s Christmaaaas tour, there’s a lot more to the glam-rock band than just novelty Christmas songs so get your glad rags on and get ready to be slayed!
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C Duncan @ Mono, 7 Dec
The wonderful C Duncan is throwing a Christmas party tonight at Mono with a wee bit of help from the stunning Cloth, whose recent BBC Introducing session you can watch here, and Gold Flake Paint's Tom Johnson will be on DJ duty tonight throughout the night. Yay!
Ocean Colour Scene @ SSE Hydro, 8 Dec
The 90s Brummies, famed for hits such as The Riverboat Song and The Day We Caught the Train play the SSE Hydro tonight. The even more surprising element to this is that 60s legends Martha Reeves and the Vandellas are on special guest support duty. Head scratching stuff indeed!
Courtney Marie Andrews (Solo) @ CCA, 9 Dec
Following on from her 2016 breakthrough album, Honest Life, Courtney Marie Andrews released her sixth album, May Your Kindness Remain, back in March. Capping off a busy year, catch her playing a solo set tonight at the CCA with support from A. Wesley Chung.
All Saints @ O2 Academy, 10 Dec
Shaznay, Mel, Natalie and Nicole are currently out on the road celebrating their fifth studio album, Testament, which came out in the summer. Doing things very much their own way this time round, catch them tonight in all their R'n'B, pop, dance routine glory. Support from Jetta.
Posable Action Figures @ Broadcast, 10 Dec
Tonight's show at Broadcast will be the first since Gareth Goodlad, one half of Posable Action Figures, upped sticks and moved to the musical capital of Scotland. Head along and give your welcoming support to one of your city's newest residents, and dance to some of PAF's top tunes while you're at it. Support comes from The Violet Kind and Gelatine. Oh, and it's free so no excuses.
Jacob Banks @ Saint Luke's, 10 Dec
With three successful EPs already under his belt, Nigerian-born, Birmingham-raised soul singer Jacob Banks released his debut album, Village, at the start of November. Inspired by his upbringing, both in Africa and the UK, the album encompasses Banks’ wide-ranging influences and features guest appearances from Rihanna’s go-to songwriter Bibi Bourelly and Swedish R’n’B singer Seinabo Sey.