Scottish Live Music Highlights: April 2023

First up, it’s our music festivals special this month, so we won’t go into any detail here about the Counterflows, Tectonics and Stag & Dagger festivals happening in April as you can read more about all of those elsewhere on the site. April of course also brings with it the holiest of days for music fans as Record Store Day lands on the 22nd, bringing all manner of in-stores, RSD afterparties and all-dayers to record shops (and nearby pubs and venues) all over the country. Edinburgh’s VoxBox are already fully organised with Cloth, Carla J. Easton, Hailey Beavis and more set to play St Vincent's Chapel in Stockbridge for the occasion. Be sure to find out what your local vinyl dealer has planned for this special day.

Gigs-wise, the month gets off to an outrageous start as BTS member Jimin heads to Edinburgh following the release of his debut solo album FACE. Catch him at Whistlebinkies on 1 April. A few days later, Nina Nastasia brings her latest album Riderless Horse to Broadcast (6 Apr) and Pleasance Theatre (8 Apr). On the same day, Dundee’s Echo Machine end a trio of shows in their hometown at Conroy’s Basement, while patrons for the Music Venue Trust, London’s premiere electro alt-pop duo NIMMO roll into Sneaky’s on 12 April, with support from AMUNDA and Dahlia. In the middle of the month, Hayley Williams and co land at the OVO Hydro to celebrate Paramore’s This Is Why, released earlier this year, while Swedish psych and experimental outfit GOAT play The Garage on the 18th. The following night, Deep Dive, an artist development programme run by Cryptic, funded by the Youth Music Initiative, takes place at The Glad Cafe and will feature live music and DJ sets from new music-makers.

In Edinburgh, on the 20th pick between Japanese cult trio Shonen Knife at Summerhall or the post-punk funk of A Certain Ratio at Voodoo Rooms. The next night, catch two of the North East's finest in Glasgow; pick between Richard Dawson at Saint Luke’s or Benefits at The Rum Shack, while back in Edinburgh Aldous Harding will stare into the soul of anyone who will let her at Assembly Rooms. At the end of the month, 28 April presents even more problems for those crippled by indecision. Choose between Bemz at SWG3, Teleman at King Tut’s, Lichen Slow at The Hug and Pint or Yard Act at Barrowlands, while Withered Hand make their triumphant return in Edinburgh at The Liquid Room.