The Great Western: new Glasgow music festival announced

Songhoy Blues, !!! (Chk Chk Chk), Free Love and Sacred Paws lead the first wave of bands for the brand-new festival in Glasgow this November

Article by Tallah Brash | 04 Sep 2019

Just when you thought festival season was over, a new fest rolls into town, kicks off its shoes and sets up camp in Glasgow’s West End. The Great Western is a new all-dayer from 432 Presents, taking place on Saturday 23 November. The aim? To bring “a unique day of ‘musical exploration and discovery’, with a strong focus on community spirit and the celebration of underused and underappreciated spaces in the area.”

Desert blues outfit Songhoy Blues, singer-songwriter Cass McCombs and Cali dance punks !!! (Chk Chk Chk), whose latest album Wallop was released just last Friday, top the bill with the likes of Trash Kit, Warmduscher, Peaness, Big Joanie, Art School Girlfriend and Dana Gavanski joining them.

There are also lots of familiar faces from Scotland’s vibrant music scene, with The Pastels, Lightships (feat. Gerry Love) and Malcolm Middleton all confirmed to play. Former Scottish Album of the Year winners Sacred Paws and current SAY Award shortlisters Free Love have also been announced, alongside the likes of Heir of the Cursed, Callum Easter and Chuchoter, the latter three having all played The Skinny’s stage at Kelburn Garden Party earlier in the year. 

Over the course of the day 50 live acts will light up the West End of Glasgow, with familiar venues such as The Hug & Pint, Oran Mor, QMU and the stunning Mackintosh Queen’s Cross Church being joined by community spaces like Burnbank Bowling Club, The Glue Factory and Maryhill Community Central Halls. There will be a wide range of workshops on offer throughout the day too, as well as the opportunity to try some of the finest food and drink from the area as The Great Western intend to work closely with local bars and restaurants.

With so much going on throughout the course of the day, you’ll be hard pushed to pack it all in. Where will your Great Western adventure take you?


100 limited early bird tickets for The Great Western go on sale on Thursday 5 September at 9am for £15; Full price day tickets £28
For tickets, updates and more info head to: tgwfest.com


The Great Western festival: Line-up so far

Songhoy Blues, !!! (Chk Chk Chk), Cass McCombs, The Pastels, Sacred Paws, Tom McGuire and the Brassholes, Free Love, Trash Kit, Warmduscher, Malcolm Middleton, Lightships (ft. Gerry Love), Big Joanie, Sorry, Peaness, Dry Cleaning, Rev Magnetic, Los Bitchos, Art School Girlfriend, Heir of the Cursed, Callum Easter, Chuchoter, Start to End plays Hats by The Blue Nile (ft. Admiral Fallow's Louis Abbott), Dana Gavanski, Molly Linen, Caitlin Buchanan, Scarlett Randle, Rory James, Avocet, Lizzie Reid, Cara Rose, Cousin Kula, Bobby Kakouris, Freakwave, Nekkuro Hána, Deni Smith, Russell Stewart, DLÙ, Home$lice