Scottish Live Music Highlights: February 2025

Local shows are our priority this month, so let's get into it! Fresh from releasing his debut album on Lost Map, Glasgow-based Cornwallian Curtis Miles celebrates with a launch show at The Glad Cafe (6 Feb), with Boab and Snout on support. On the same day, Jill Lorean starts a peace cult, as she takes her latest record on the road with shows in Edinburgh (Sneaky Pete’s, 6 Feb), Stirling (Tolbooth, 7 Feb), Aberdeen (Tunnels, 8 Feb) and Glasgow (The Glad  Cafe, 9 Feb).

On 8 February at Stirling’s Tolbooth, catch Sacred Paws play their SAY Award-winning album Strike a Match in full, for the first in a series of shows celebrating past nominees and winners of Scotland’s national music prize, while over in Edinburgh, The Micro Band release their percussive new single Lamb’s Tongue Tango and play an album fundraiser at Leith Cricket Club. A few days later in Glasgow, singer-songwriter Rhona Macfarlane celebrates As the Chaos Unfolds at The Glad Cafe (11 Feb), with support from Annie Booth.

The middle of the month brings Valentine’s Day parties to either end of the M8 with riot grrrl pop outfit Lou & The Killjoys hosting a party with Disco Mary and lisa and the beauty queen at Edinburgh’s Leith Depot (14 Feb), while the following day brings an amorous all-dayer to Glasgow’s The Old Hairdresser’s. Hounds of Love #4 – Love Is In the Hair will feature live music from Craig John Angus (Savage Mansion, Former Champ), Hound, Ceefax, Sara Rae and more.

Sacred Paws. Image: Margaret Salmon.

Back in the capital the following weekend, BBC Radio 1 Future Artist and Edinburgh native Fourth Daughter celebrates her debut EP Full Bloom with a headline show at Cabaret Voltaire (21 Feb), Scottish titans of post-rock Mogwai bring The Bad Fire to Usher Hall (23 Feb), while over at The Old Hairdresser’s in Glasgow, Marcus Engwall releases his gorgeous debut EP Glacial Pace (22 Feb). The end of the month brings yet more release shows to Glasgow. Curlew celebrates live EP, a work in progress… at The Rum Shack (25 Feb), Constant Follower honours The Smile You Send Out Returns to You at Cottiers (27 Feb), Niamh Morris brings Strawberries & Honey to The Poetry Club (28 Feb), and Penny Black launches My Skin Brought Me Here at Nice N Sleazy (1 Mar). In Edinburgh, Georgia Cécile’s City Girl takes the spotlight at The Queen’s Hall (28 Feb), while on the same day, Fiona Soe Paing brings Sand, Silt, Flint! to Aberdeen's Lemon Tree.

As he continues to tour the magnificent A Firmer Hand, Hamish Hawk bookends a run of February dates with shows in Aberdeen (Lemon Tree, 9 Feb) and Edinburgh (Usher Hall, 22 Feb), while non-Scots worth your time this month include BABii (Sneaky Pete’s, 12 Feb), Anna B Savage (Stereo, 14 Feb), Personal Trainer (The Mash House, 16 Feb; Room 2, 18 Feb), Squid (Old Fruitmarket, 19 Feb), Oneda (The Poetry Club, 20 Feb), Hinds (Saint Luke’s, 20 Feb), Biig Piig (SWG3, 20 Feb), Man/Woman/Chainsaw (King Tut’s, 21 Feb), Adwaith (Nice N Sleazy, 26 Feb; Sneaky Pete’s, 27 Feb), Fat Dog (La Belle Angele, 27 Feb; QMU, 28 Feb) and MIKE (Room 2, 28 Feb).