Live Music in Scotland: October 2021

It’s a big month for Scottish music, as on 23 October we find out who's crowned this year’s winner of the Scottish Album of the Year Award. A few of the artists on this year’s longlist have shows this month, so be sure to check them out if you can. Lizzie Reid brings her gorgeous longlisted debut, Cubicle, to Glasgow’s King Tut’s (8 Oct), while the soulful bops from Joesef’s Does It Make You Feel Good? will be making an appearance at Edinburgh’s La Belle Angele (10 Oct) as well as Glasgow’s Barrowland Ballroom (20 Oct).

Nominated for her bubblegum pop album WEIRDO, you can catch Carla J. Easton at Summerhall in Edinburgh (21 Oct), where she’ll be performing as part of the songwriters circle All Work Together, alongside Withered Hand and Jamie Sutherland (Broken Records). Earlier in the month Easton will also be playing her debut headline show from her new band Poster Paints, alongside Frightened Rabbit’s Simon Liddell, at The Poetry Club in Glasgow (7 Oct). And catch West Lothian’s The Snuts, nominated for their debut album W.L., at Aberdeen’s Music Hall (27 Oct) and the brand new O2 Academy Edinburgh, fka The Corn Exchange (28 Oct).

The SAY Award aside, you’ll find master of floaty 90s-indebted pop, beabadoobee, in Edinburgh and Glasgow at the start of the month as she brings her 2020 album Fake It Flowers, and brand new EP Our Extended Play, to The Liquid Room (3 Oct) and SWG3’s Galvanizers (4 Oct). The inimitable Billy Nomates stops by Glasgow’s Mono on 6 October, while the incredible pipes of Marc Riley favourite Anna B Savage can be found the following night at The Hug & Pint.

At both ends of the M8 you’ll find a band consisting of two Johns called, well, JOHN. They bring their meaty new album, Nocturnal Manoeuvres, to Stereo (10 Oct) and Sneaky Pete’s (11 Oct). Dublin’s Orla Gartland brings her debut Woman on the Internet to Glasgow's The Garage on 12 October, while a few nights later, Adam Stafford celebrates Trophic Asynchrony at The Glad Cafe (15 Oct). You’ll also find him this month at The Wine Library, Falkirk (21 Oct) and at The Happiness Hotel, Edinburgh (23 Oct).

And nearing the end of the month, fresh from a huge support slot with Duran Duran in September, Walt Disco headline The Caves in Edinburgh on 20 October, while on the same night in Glasgow you’ll find London post-punk tree aficionados Snapped Ankles at St Luke's. Staying in Glasgow, Isle of Wight art-rock duo Wet Leg offer to ‘assign someone to butter your muffin’ at McChuills (24 Oct), while on 28 October OK Pal Records bring Dog Daisies, Hailey Beavis, Good Dog and Ardeer to The Glad Cafe.