Glasgow Music Scene

Glasgow has a great music scene with bands from all over the world that play many different genres performing in the city.

The venues in the city, each have their distinct character and personality with stories to tell about the legendary concerts that have been held in them. From the tiny King Tut’s to the massive SECC, huge bands or bands with the potential to be hugely successful have performed there.

Glasgow also has a selection of bands that add to its music scene. Local bands have many performances in the city whether it be smaller band Suspire or the well-known Paolo Nutini. Musicians have to start somewhere and thier local area tends to be that place. Larger acts also love to come back to their hometown to the people that supported them first.

Glasgow is also famous for its crowds and how passionate they are about music. Without the fans, bands would not exist. Glasgow defiantly knows how to show bands what a good show is through their energy and fantastic atmosphere that they create.

Franz Ferdinand

Franz Ferdinand are a rock band from Glasgow formed in 2002 consisting of Alex Kapranos  (lead vocals and guitar), Bob Hardy (bass guitar), Nick McCarthy (rhythm guitar, keyboards and backing vocals) and Paul Thomson (drums, percussion, guitar and backing vocals).

They achieved great success early on in their career with their second single ‘Take Me Out’ reaching number 3 in the UK charts. In their lifetime as a band they have released four full length albums and have a number of awards under their belts including a Mercury Prize, NME Awards for ‘Best Track’, ‘Best Live Band’ and ‘Best Group as well as two Brit Awards. Clearly a lot of success from four musicians from Glasgow.

Throughout their career they’ve been known to play at many Summer Festivals including Scotland’s very own T in the Park where they always attract a large crowd. Scotland love to see home-grown talent doing well which is one of the reasons they have so many local fans.

Cathouse Rock Club

The Cathouse is a well-known alternative nightclub on Glasgow’s Union Street. Being the only club of its kind it plays a huge part in the Glasgow music scene.

The club is also used as a venue for gigs with bands such as Pearl Jam and Fall Out Boy having played there in the past. With many more coming up it’s a great venue to create an atmosphere for bands playing rock.

Gig Listings can be checked out here!

Loved and loathed by Glaswegians, it depends on your taste. It’s a bit like marmite, it’s either your thing or it’s not. Its weakness is also its strength – it’s the same every week. Same songs each night with a few exceptions and a large number of regulars, you’re more than likely to start recognising faces if you go often.

It also runs a very popular ‘unders’ night called ‘Voodoo’. Allows under 18s to experience a milder club night without the alcohol but with the same music Cathouse has to offer to their normal nights.

Weekends at the Cathouse provide a totally different night to any other club in Glasgow. Defiantly worth paying a visit if you’re looking for a change from your usual night out.

Gig Review: The Blackout

In the eight years The Blackout have been a band they have faced their fair share of ups and downs, from differences with record companies to headlining festivals. Whatever is going on with the band it does not alter the fact that they never fail to put on an energetic show.

Performing at The Garage on Sauchiehall Street on April 5^th, The Blackout added to Glasgow’s music scene by bringing a bit of rock to the venue.

The band didn’t just spend their day in Glasgow getting ready for the show however. Arriving a day early they partied hard in the clubs of Glasgow with vocalist Sean smith having to explain to his fans when he appeared on stage with a slightly beaten up face, that he had drank far too much the night before and was so rock and roll that he collapsed, forgot he had hands and therefore his face met the concrete. They also had a signing during the day of their show at HMV on Buchanan Street which was so well attended it ran an hour longer than it was supposed to.

The show itself was full of fun with typical onstage banter between the six band members. Playing old favourites to the crowd, as well as songs from their new album ‘Hope’ which came out Monday the 4^th of April The Blackout catered to their older fans as along with the new.

The party didn’t stop as soon as the show did. The Garage advertised to be holding the official aftershow party with an exclusive DJ set from the Blackout themselves. With good music and a chance to meet the Blackout a good night was to be had by fans.

The Blackout is a band I only became aware of in the last year or so. I first heard one of their songs on Radio1 and thought it was good but never looked it up or downloaded it. It’s not usually the type of music I would listen to so never really thought I’d like any more of their songs. However I went along to the Kerrang! tour when it came to Glasgow and they were one of the support bands. They were so much fun and knew exactly how to get the crowd excited. I saw them once again supporting another band and had an equally good time. When they released their headline tor I know I wanted to go!

Check out the Blackout here!

O2 ABC

Previously a cinema, Glasgow’s o2 ABC, is now widely recognised as a music venue and club. Situated on the infamous Sauchihall Street in the City centre, ABC hosts many gigs in its two rooms.

ABC1 is the larger main hall in the venue with a 1200 person capacity. It’s one of the nicer looking venues in Scotland after a having a £2m makeover before opening as a club and music hall in June 2005. Its long bar helps serve the many gig and club goers and its disco ball adds to the decor as well as holding the record of being the largest rotating disco ball in the world!

ABC2 is ideal for smaller gigs and also plays host to alternative music on club nights. It’s also known for its vodka slush puppies, which is either a brilliant idea or an awful one – depends how drunk you are!

ABC has three club nights over the weekend, starting with Thursday’s student night called ‘Jellybaby’. Easily the cheapest night out with drinks at only £1 each. This night has become increasingly popular with queues at the door so long it’s hard to see the end. Music is a good mix catering to many tastes with mostly chart and old favourites in the main floor with a more alternative approach in ABC2. Friday nights, although not as queued out, are extremely popular. ‘Propaganda’ promising to be the biggest indie night caters to those with a love for this type of music. With drinks at just £1.50 Friday nights at ABC tend to be a good one.

With approaching gigs from the likes of Adele ABC is clearly a well recognised music venue.

Suspire

“A tight rocking 3-peice combo with a supercharged groove – to wake even the dead”
Gordy Goudie - Echo and The Bunnymen

Suspire

Suspire are a three piece indie/alternative band from Glasgow created in 2008. In their three years together brothers Paul and Mark Duffin along with drummer Clare Kelly have played RockNess and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2010 as well as a number of gigs in Glasgow.

In 2009 the band toured parts of France, trying out material in front of a completely different audience. That year they also released their single ‘Legislate for Luck’ on the 5th October, which sold better than the band could have ever expected and also received airplay on American radio stations in places such as Washington DC.

The band plans to release a new single this month produced by Gordy Goudie of ‘Echo and the Bunnymen’ and have a list of upcoming gigs. Make sure you check them out as they are defiantly worth seeing!

Upcoming Shows

• June 11^th – Glasgow Green (Glasgow)
• June 18^th – The Tunnels (Aberdeen)
• June 25^th – Salford FM: Radio Session (Manchester)
• July 23^rd – Elvis Shakespeare : Instore (Edinburgh)
• July 24^th – Red Dog Music: Instore (Edinburgh)

King Tut's Wah Wah Hut

‘UK Best Live Music Venue’ –BBC Radio 1

Opened in February 1990, by gig-promoters DF concerts, the venue more commonly referred to as ‘King Tut’s’  has provided a platform for new bands to showcase their music as well as having special smaller shows from larger bands.

Holding a 1am license allows gigs to go on longer than other venues may allow in Glasgow, creating a more laid back approach and bands and audiences feeling less rushed to leave. The venue is also a great pub even when there isn’t a live performance booked, serving good food and drink during the day at reasonable prices.

Holding only 300 people, King Tut’s is well known for its intimate crowds. Many a band love to play here and countless have paid a visit early in their careers including, ‘The Strokes’, ‘The Verve’, ‘Paramore’, ‘Biffy Clyro’ and ‘Coldplay’. Travis also used to be a regular performer when they first started as a band under their original name ‘Glass Onion’.

King Tut’s is also famous for its variety of acts it showcases. Local artist Paolo Nutini who has played the venue a number of times, noticed this and said;

 "I’ve never actually seen a big band at King Tut’s, you know that? But it’s the kind of place you can see anything. One night they’ll have a really great band playing their ass off and the next there’ll be a nice acoustic thing on. One gig I remember seeing there is Matt Berry, from The Mighty Boosh and Garth Marenghi. That just shows what a range of stuff you can find in Tut’s.”

King Tut’s has been so successful as a venue, that there is now a stage run at T in the Park called ‘King Tut’s Wah Wah tent’. Over the years many notable act have played the stage including Manic Street Preachers who dedicated a song to the venue saying "King Tut's was the first venue to treat us properly and give us hot food on tour".