Scottish Live Music Highlights: January 2025
It might be cold and dark outside for much of January, but there are big gigs, mini-festivals, and an Independent Venue Week that warrant wrapping up and getting out the house for
Taking place until 25 January, the King Tut’s New Year’s Revolution lineup is extensive, with four bands playing pretty much every night of the run; highlights include the rage-fuelled indie-rock of Indoor Foxes (10 Jan) and Martha May & The Mondays (15 Jan), and the dreamy, folk-tinged indie-rock of Lacuna (25 Jan). Meanwhile, a similar story is taking place throughout most of the month at The Hug & Pint with First Footing; covering a whole glut of genres, our highlights include the glam, garage-punk of Static (9 Jan), the dreamy angular indie of Former Champ (11 Jan) and nu-jazz from FERNS (21 Jan).
When it comes to Celtic Connections (16 Jan- 2 Feb), there’s a whole stack of shows to choose between. An immediate standout show for us is the Made In Glasgow night at the Barrowlands curated by corto.alto’s Liam Shortall (18 Jan). This mini festival lineup will feature performance from his band alongside appearances from the likes of rapper Bemz, neo-soul and R’n’B artist Becky Sikasa, and jazz DJ and producer Rebecca Vasmant among others. Seek out nights like Dialogues at The Mackintosh Church featuring expert cellist Su-a Lee (21 Jan), the We Are Here Scotland night featuring Aref Ghorbani, Simone Seales and Miwa Nagato-Apthorp at City Halls (23 Jan), kitti and friends at Drygate (22 Jan) and Winter Bloom at Pavilion Theatre featuring smallpipes player Brìghde Chaimbeul, Assynt and Sian (24 Jan).
The rest of the festival features shows from local talent like Georgia Cécile (Old Fruitmarket, 21 Jan), Curlew and Aurora Engine (The Glad Cafe, 24 Jan), No Windows, mokusla and Curiosity Shop (The Hug & Pint, 25 Jan), Sacred Paws (Drygate, 25 Jan), Ímar and Malin Lewis (Pavilion Theatre, 25 Jan), C Duncan and Adam Ross (Saint Luke’s, 28 Jan), Broken Chanter (Cottiers, 29 Jan), Clarissa Connelly (The Mackintosh Church, 29 Jan) and Jacob Alon (King Tut’s, 31 Jan).
Malin Lewis. Image: Jonathan Doyle
Outwith all of that, Glasgow doom metallers Gout (featuring members of The Ninth Wave and Lucia & The Best Boys) launch their debut EP Born Rotting with a show at Nice N Sleazy (17 Jan), Glasgow label and collective No Soap are hosting a joint launch party for Dayydream and The Healing Power of Horses at The Chamber Room in Govan (18 Jan), Becca Starr celebrates her latest album Defixio at Room 2 (18 Jan), and the Glasgow Songwriter Round returns to King Tut’s with Andie, Cera Impala, Scott C. Park and Tom McGuire (20 Jan). In Edinburgh, Du Blonde plays The Mash House (22 Jan), kitti brings her formidable neo-jazz and timeless voice to the Voodoo Rooms (23 Jan), while the equally talented Jacob Alon also swings by The Caves (29 Jan).
Finally, the end of the month marks Independent Venue Week (27 Jan-2 Feb). At the time of writing, there are confirmed shows happening at McChuills in Glasgow from the likes of Do Nothing (28 Jan) and Roller Disco Death Party (2 Feb), and Midnight Ambulance play as part of the celebrations at MacArts in Galashiels (31 Jan). At Edinburgh's Leith Depot, catch Both Hands and Town Centre (31 Jan) among others, and in Dundee, IVW ambassadors for Scotland, 2024 SAY Award winners rEDOLENT play Beat Generator Live (2 Feb).