Win tickets to Hinterland 2010

Hinterland returns to Glasgow for a second year next month, bringing with it a slew of hotly tipped bands from near and far.

Taking place across six city centre venues, the mini-festival is the latest to take on the 'Camden Crawl' format, and it takes place on 3 April from 5pm 'til 3am.

The line-up so far: Mystery Jets, British Sea Power, Joe Goddard (Hot Chip) DJ set, Friendly Fires DJ set, Jeffrey Lewis, Hot Club de Paris, Wave Pictures, Greco-Roman Soundsystem, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaur, Fenech Soler, Johnny Foreigner, Bleech, Make Sparks, The French Wives, Little Yellow Ukuleles, Ambulances, Pulled Apart By Horses, Panda Su, The Boy Who Trapped the Sun, Midnight Lion, The Darien Venture, The Kays Lavelle, Kitty the Lion, Cooly G, Eclair-Fifi and Konx Om Pax.

Early bird tickets have sold out, but we have two pairs of tickets to give away.

To enter this competition, answer the following question:

How many of the bands playing this year's Hinterland have been interviewed on this blog?

- 2
- 4
- 6
- 8

(Hint: see the list, below right)

Send your answer to online@scotsman.com with the subject 'Hinterland'.

On the radar: Incrediboy and the Forget-Me-Nots

Incrediboy and the Forget-Me-Nots - Cinderella


Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's Glasgow's own musical superhero - Incrediboy, and his group of instrument-slinging sidekicks, The Forget-Me-Nots.

"The name came from a woman I saw singing one night in a tiny bar in Glasgow" explains Incrediboy himself - or rather his Clark Kent alter-ego, Christopher Pranks.

"She was singing a song about "indestructaboy" and I thought something better as a name would be incrediboy, and at that point I thought, 'I will be Incrediboy'."

One swift change in a phonebox later, the band which had been Remarkable Rocket and the Jealous Moon Band became Incrediboy and the Forget-Me-Nots.

Their adventures first began a couple of years ago when Christopher, then a frustrated bassist "sick of waiting for guitarists to start writing songs", learned to play guitar and bought an eight-track.

Influenced by Bright Eyes, Elliot Smith, and other such talented wordsmiths, he began writing and recording dreamy, wistful folk pop in his bedroom. "I've always had more of a kinship with words rather than music, and these artist have such an unbelievable grasp of language," Christopher says. "Elliot Smith, in my eyes, is the best musician of our generation. To me he's all four Beatles in one body."

The band is now happily heading in a slightly different direction - with more input from the other members.

"Writing songs is much more of a collaborative experience these days", Christopher says. "Normally I have something in my head for each instrument, but the others are normally on the same page and if not, then the parts they introduce are better than what I've devised.

"We've been described as a folk-pop band with post-rock tendencies before, and I think that's pretty accurate. Recently there's a lot more energy to the songs, they are much more upbeat."

Plans are in place to record an EP in February which Christopher promises will include "a new song, untitled at present but probably the best we've every written."

Incrediboy and the Forget-Me-Nots - Tender is the Night


Their next challenge will be to top their first ever gig - at the Carling Academy with French Wives. "It's yet to be surpassed", says Christopher. "The Wives are a fantastic band, and we've been friends since the start. The success they're enjoying is nothing more than deserved."

Meanwhile, if you've every fancied being a superhero, the band is still on the lookout for a second guitarist. Those without big red flashing telephones or giant searchlights can get in touch via incrediboymusic@hotmail.co.uk.

Words: Elaine Liddle

Incrediboy and the Forget-Me-Nots play the Captain's Rest on Friday (29 Jan) with Laura Healy and Digital Dinosaur, from 8pm.

What do you think of this comic book collective? Let us know below...

Under the Radar podcast #6

Christmas. It might be chilly outside but it's hardly the coolest time of the year is it? We over-indulge in party snacks, strange, once-yearly liqueurs (eggnog?!) and belt-busting meals, before battening down the hatches on our little cocoons of reliable family customs, TV drowse-athons and enough lighting effects to melt Greenland. In short, the carving knife is all that's cutting edge about Yule-tide.

So it pleases us at UtR to know that the young hipsters and hipstresses of the Scottish music scene are equally predictable at this time of the year. Don't believe us?

Well, Billy caught up with a quintet of his favourite music makers for some festive banter, and was treated along the way to a poorly executed version of The Waitresses' Christmas Wrapping, a shameless plug for Terry's Chocolate Orange and the earth-shatteringly weird coincidence that two separate musos both long for one of those tiny screwdriver sets in their Christmas cracker.

Panda Su, French Wives, Conquering Animal Sound, Dead Boy Robotics and Cancel the Astronauts... we're looking at you.

We also asked a few more of our favourite acts of 2009 to contribute either Christmas-themed - or just plain new - songs, and eagleowl, The Last Battle, There Will Be Fireworks and Tokyo Knife Attack duly obliged.

Again, the sound quality isn't perfect, but rest assured that top of our list for Santa this year is some professional recording gear. Hope you enjoy it anyway...

Play: Podcast #6


Running order:
00:54: There Will Be Fireworks: In Excelius Deo
07:10: Interview: Panda Su
10:32: Panda Su - Eric Is Dead
15:44: Tokyo Knife Attack - Invisible Sister
20:15: Interview: French Wives
23:30: French Wives - Me vs Me
28:04: eagleowl - Sleep the Winter
34:09: Interview: Conquering Animal Sound
37:48: Conquering Animal Sound - Where The Wild Things Are
42:22: Interview: Dead Boy Robotics
44:31: Death Ohh Eff - Me and Fift (Dead Boy Robotics remix)
48:22: The Last Battle - Once Upon A Boxing Day
54:14: Interview: Cancel The Astronauts
57:27: Cancel the Astronauts - Funny For A Girl


Subscribe on iTunes
Download as MP3
Subscribe with RSS

Podcast: Billy Hamilton, Nick Mitchell

Previous UtR podcasts

Oxjam: Five must-see bands

[Trapped in Kansas]

As you'll have hardly failed to notice if you're a regular reader, this weekend's live music calendar in Scotland is dominated by Oxjam.

Like other multi-venue festivals, seeing all the bands you want to see is practically impossible without some sort of teleportation machine.

And since we don't want you to end up like Jeff Goldblum in The Fly, here are our top five picks (that definitely don't clash)...


Conquering Animal Sound
Edinburgh (City Café), Friday, 4.10pm
Play: Your Friends, Conquering Animal Sound

What we said: "Recalling the minimalistic dalliances of Scandinavian progressives Múm, CAS are quite unlike anything you’ll hear in Scotland today."

Meursault
Edinburgh (The Bowery), Friday, 10pm
Play: William Henry Miller Pt1

What we said: "Other than their ferocious schedule, there are lots of reasons to love this band. Last year’s Pissing on Bonfires, Kissing with Tongues was a superb mixture of structured songwriting and strange electronic noises."

Yahweh
Glasgow (Sloan's), Saturday, 8.40pm
Play: Laps(e)

What we said: "For a bedroom recording the Yahweh album is an alt-folk revelation, combining the wry lyricism of Arab Strap with subtle bursts of electronica and sampling."

French Wives
Glasgow (The Admiral), Sunday, 7.15pm
Play: Halloween

What we said: "Overflowing with melody, their songs flutter the heart strings with grace and vigour; swooshing from dainty canticle to pulsing anthem without the bat of an indie-rock eyelid."

Trapped in Kansas
Glasgow (The Admiral), Sunday, 11.45pm
Play: Carpathia

What we said: "The guitar lines bleed off in countless directions like dabs of watercolour paint, while the rhythm slinks through unfathomable shifts and progressions."

Radar recommends: 20 - 26 Sep

[French Wives: playing Sneaky Pete's on Saturday]

We've been busy recording our latest podcast today, hence the later-than-usual appearance of the weekly gig guide. Apologies for the disruption, normal service will be resumed now. Please remember to take all your bags and possessions with you. Ticket barriers are in operation.

Confused? I know I am.

Aberdeen
Trapped in Kansas, Cast of the Capital, El Dog
Wednesday @ The Tunnels / 7.30pm / £4
We've already called Trapped in Kansas 'Scotland's most accomplished math rock act'. They'll be playing with Aberdeen upstarts Cast of the Capital in this Freshers' week gig which is open to people who aren't even Freshers. Such equality!

Right Hand Left, Jack Butler
Thursday @ Snafu / 9pm / £4/3
A little bit Franz Ferdinand, a little bit Television and a little bit something of their own. One of the best live bands in Aberdeen headline this week's Dirty Hearts Club.

Dundee
Sucioperro
Friday @ Dexter's Lounge Bar / 8pm / £tbc
According to the band they try to write a great rock song before they 'Sucio' it. You can hear another reason why there must be something in the water in Ayr as Sucioperro play Dundee.

Edinburgh
Drever, McCusker & Woomble, Heidi Talbot, Boo Hewerdine
Monday @ Brunton Theatre / 7.30pm / £13.50 (£11.50)
Folkster trio led by the shaggy-haired Idlewild frontman.

The Pineapple Chunks, Jesus H Foxx
Wednesday @ Wee Red Bar / 7.30pm / Free
Huey Lewis and the News tribute band The Pineapple Chunks are joined by Edinburgh punk-funkers Jesus H Foxx.

Jeniferever, Midas Fall, Beerjacket
Thursday @ Cabaret Voltaire / 7pm / £9
Swedish post-rock from Jeniferever, while Glasgow's fast-rising Beerjacket will be strumming along in support.

**UtR's gig of the week**
French Wives, The Occasional Flickers, Cancel the Astronauts
Saturday @ Sneaky Pete's / 7pm / £5
If you want a taste of some of the best new music Scotland has to offer, look no further.

The Low Miffs & Malcolm Ross
Saturday @ Cabaret Voltaire / 7pm / £tbc
Whether it's The Low Miffs and Malcolm Ross or Malcolm Ross and the Low Miffs, one thing is clear: this gig will feature both the Low Miffs and Malcolm Ross, and comes highly recommended.

Ladyfest: Sellotape, Zorras, Hailey Beavis, Jo Foster
Saturday @ The Bowery / 7.30pm / £3
All the ladies of the world... diverse bill of local female-fronted acts join forces. Watch out men!

Glasgow
David Thomas Broughton, Twi the Humble Feather
Tuesday @ Captain’s Rest / 8pm / £tbc
Experimental folk, making use of samples and found sounds. Also playing on Wednesday at Sneaky Pete's in Edinburgh.

The Atlas Skye, The Darien Venture
Thursday @ The Mill (Oran Mor) / 8pm / FREE
Darkly melodic local rock and roll from Atlas Skye, paired with The Darien Venture’s sonic explosion.

Fuck Buttons
Thursday @ Stereo / 8pm / £8.50
Beats, blips and noise from naughtily-named experimental Brighton duo.

Le Reno Amps, Super Adventure Club, Peter Parker, The Elvis Suicide
Thursday @ 13th Note / 9pm / £tbc
Melodic punk from Glasgow underground superstars. The madcap world of Super Adventure Club provide support, along with Peter Parker and The Elvis Suicide.

Sunny Govan Community Radio Fundraiser
Thursday @ Fairfield WMC / 7.30pm / £5
Five acts for five pounds in support of Govan’s community radio station. The Hellfire Club, ID Parade, Ballachulish Hellhounds, Alkotron and Stephen Maguire provide the entertainment.

Wounded Knee
Thursday @ Box / 8pm / FREE
Under the Radar favourite hits the west coast this week!

Chuck Prophet, Otis Gibbs
Friday @ King Tut’s / 8.30pm / £13.50
Aware that describing a band as the missing link between Big Star and the Replacements is going to endear them to nobody but me, let’s just say that Chuck Prophet’s sound is classic Americana-infused rock. Support from the deliciously gravel-voiced Otis Gibbs.

GGI Festival
Saturday and Sunday @ Stereo / 2pm / £12 (day), £20 (weekend)
Two-day punk extravaganza showcases local talent alongside bands from further afield. Catch Fleas and Lice (the band, not a reflection on the venue) with Poison Sisters and The Bucky Rage on Saturday, while The Plimptons and The Amphetameanies are among the draws on Sunday.

Slow Club, Cate Le Bon, Young States
Saturday @ Classic Grand / 7pm / £7
Hotly tipped harmonious boy-girl indiefolk duo. Cate Le Bon is a Welsh singer-songwriter with a voice like Nico, while Young States complete the bill with gorgeous, local pop in the Frightened Rabbit vein.

Words: Lisa-Marie Ferla, Andrew Learmonth, Nick Mitchell

What have we missed? Tell us below, or add it to our gig guide by emailing utr.scotsman@gmail.com

Radar recommends: 9 - 15 August

[Dollskabeat: playing support to Telepathe on Wednesday]

The size of this column seems to ebb and flow from week to week. Last week there was little musical sustenance for Scotland's music lovers; this week there's enough out there to give you a dose of heartburn if they're not careful. If you happen to live in the 'big two' that is...


Edinburgh

The Lost Brothers, The Kays Lavelle
Sunday @ Sneaky Pete's £6 7pm
Melancholy folk from The Lost Brothers, with piano-led indie-rock from Edinburgh's Kays Lavelle.

Telepathe, Dollskabeat
Wednesday @ Sneaky Pete's £7 7pm
Trendier-than-thou Brooklyn electro dames roll into town, flanked by Edinburgh's own glitch queen, Dollskabeat.

This is Music: Dead Boy Robotics, The Foundling Wheel
Friday @ Sneaky Pete's 7pm £tbc
The August instalment of Auld Reekie's finest monthly gig night showcases the talents of two noise-inclined members of the Bear Scotland collective.

The GRV Fest: Ritalin Kids, Dupec, Boycotts, The Nature Boys
Friday @ The GRV £tbc 5pm onwards
The first night of The GRV's big bash is stuffed with local talent, including two of our favourites in Dupec and Boycotts.

The GRV Fest: The Debuts, Epic 26, OK Social Club, 10:04s, The Breech, Homework, The Steals
Saturday @ The GRV £tbc 3pm onwards
Day two of The GRV Fest is even bigger. Can you last the distance?

Young Fathers, Unicorn Kid
Saturday @ Cabaret Voltaire £7 8pm
Proving that Edinburgh's music scene is more diverse than first meets the eye, Young Fathers and Unicorn Kid bring bombastic hip hop and sugar-rich techno to the table respectively.


Glasgow

Stellar Sounds: Rio Callahan, Funksion, Federation of the Disco Pimp
Wednesday @ Glasgow Science Centre | £12 | 7pm
A gig with a difference this, given that it takes place in a planetarium. See Stevie's preview a few posts down the page.

The Mill: Maple Leaves, Panda Su
Thursday @ Òran Mór | Free but ticketed | 8pm
Delectable folk-flecked indie from two of Scotland's brightest acts.

Telepathe, RBRBR, Super Adventure Club
Thursday @ King Tut's | £7.50 | 8.30pm
The aforementioned Telepathe head west, bringing with them two of Edinburgh's best new bands as support.

Attic Lights, The Seers, Invisible Republic
Friday @ Stereo | £9 | 7pm
Fundraiser for the Scottish Epilepsy Initiative, headed up by the winsome indie-pop of Attic Lights.

Boycotts, French Wives, Kalla Heartshake

Saturday @ ABC2 | £5 | 7pm

Boycotts launch their eagerly anticipated EP at this gig, with excellent support from French Wives and Kalla Heartshake.

Múm, My Latest Novel
Saturday @ Òran Mór | £15 | 7pm
Exquisite electronica-tinged indie from Icelanders Múm, not to mention the forward thinking sounds of Greenock-based My Latest Novel.

The Second Hand Marching Band, Over the Wall
Saturday @ The 13th Note | £tbc | 9pm
We can't get enough of SHMB's heartfelt shanties - or Over the Wall's textured pop for that matter.

Words: Nick Mitchell

What have we missed? Tell us below, or add it to our gig guide by emailing utr.scotsman@gmail.com

Radar recommends: 19 - 25 July

[Be A Familiar: on tour across Scotland this week]

Whether it's down to the long hangover cast by T in the Park, the gravitational pull of its smaller cousin Wickerman next weekend, or the looming prospect of the Edinburgh Festival's live music calendar, compiling this week's gig guide was like panning for gold in a puddle. But we still found a few nuggets worth leaving the house for...


Aberdeen

Be A Familiar, I See Shapes, French Wives, Mark McCabe & The Tearoom Posse
Thursday @ The Tunnels | 7.30PM | £5
UtR said that "there's an underlying feyness that renders Be A Familiar unmistakeably Scottish." Fellow Scots I See Shapes and French Wives also travel north, with local singer-songwriter Mark McCabe filling out the bill.


Edinburgh

The Cosmonauts
Wednesday @ Whistlebinkies |11.30pm | £tbc
Late 60s vibe with a modern twist and vocals like Jagger on Valium. The steady beats and catchy guitar hooks conjure up effortless rock at its finest.

The Mill: Paper Beats Rock and lions.chase.tigers
Thursday @ Cabaret Voltaire | 7pm | free
Locally sourced alt-rock in the shape of Paper Beats Rock, plus lions.chase.tigers, champions of Glasgow's burgeoning hardcore rock scene.

**UtR's gig of the week**
FOUND, Dead Boy Robotics
Friday @ Sneaky Pete's | £5
Having already treated us to shows by Meursault, Scott Hutchison and Yahweh, the Brown Bear night serves up another tasty dish: the cut'n'paste urban folk of FOUND, with the "cross-sworded cluster of palpitating electronica" of Dead Boy Robotics as a starter. Mmmm.

TV21
Saturday @ Electric Circus | 7pm | £6
Back from a 28-year interval, the Edinburgh band who counted The Skids, Teardrop Explodes and The Undertones as contemporaries have a new album to perform. Support from Fife singer-songwriter Panda Su.


Glasgow

Second Hand Marching Band, Sparrow & The Workshop
Tuesday @ Captain's Rest | 8pm | £tbc
SHMB's sound is "a thrilling skewer of swaying, earthy orchestration and climatic post-rock", while S&tW's vintage country schtick needs little introduction round these parts.

Be A Familiar, Tango in the Attic
Tuesday @ King Tut's | 8.30pm | 6pm
The aforementioned Be A Familiar, plus Tango in the Attic, who UtR said are "worth listening to". So check out this single launch. Also at Electric Circus, Edinburgh on Wednesday.

Red2Red
Thursday @ Cosmopol | 8pm | £3/£2
Energetic ska mingles with lazy reggae, as 6-piece Red2Red yield sunny, bop-along tunes. The pitch perfect vocal harmonies will effortlessly evoke summer even on a dreary Glasgow day.

Meursault, Lyons
Thursday @ Captain's Rest | 8pm | £tbc
What haven't we said in praise of Meursault? Maybe that they're named after a character from one of our favourite works of existentialist fiction. Yay. Support from soon-to-be UtR-touted Lyons.

Words: Nick Mitchell, Kirstyn Smith

What have we missed? Tell us below, or add it to our gig guide by emailing utr.scotsman@gmail.com

On the radar: French Wives

Pinning down French Wives should be easy. The Glasgow quintet’s instrumentally vast symphonies saunter with a grandeur that can be described in just two words: Arcade Fire.

Yet, perhaps in spite of such predictable pigeonholing, French Wives insist there’s more than just an overt set of influences at their core. Frontman Stuart Dougan explains: “We're all into varied genres, ranging from conventional indie through to electronica, but it's probably to our advantage as it gives our music a little bit more depth.”

Play: Your Friends and Mine


Depth’s certainly not something you could accuse French Wives of lacking. Overflowing with melody, their songs flutter the heart strings with grace and vigour; swooshing from dainty canticle to pulsing anthem without the bat of an indie-rock eyelid.

Only a year old, this fledgling outfit create soundscapes that surpass those of more roadtested acts. Their philosophy, however, remains refreshingly spritely: “We want to make our mums proud,” half jokes Dougan. “We'd also like to write songs that people will relate to. I know it sounds obvious, but it's more difficult than most people think."

That difficulty lies in proving there’s something more than mere bandwagon-hopping. It’s a feat Dougan believes his band are more than capable of achieving. “We really enjoy pushing ourselves to write better songs and we love performing our own music to people,“ he exclaims. “We like to think we put on an entertaining and energetic live show, and feel that compared to other bands our songwriting and arrangements can hold the attention of even the drunkest of hecklers.”

Firmly embedded within the Scottish music scene’s nurturing bosom, Dougan maintain a sensible head when it comes to grandstanding its rejuvenation. “There's certainly a lot of lovely people and it's good that Scottish music is starting to get a bit more attention,” he explains. “That being said there's only a handfull of Scottish band's that I really enjoy.”

As for the future, a depleted French Wives are looking forward to finally firing on all cylinders: “Our guitarist Scott has been studying in America for the last five months,” says Dougan. “This has hindered us slightly but he'll be back in Glasgow next week which we're very excited about.”

It seems it's full steam ahead for French Wives.

Catch them live at the following gigs:

3 Jun @ Captain’s Rest, Glasgow
11 Jun @ Go North Festival
13 Jun @ Rockness Festival
17 Jun @ Oran Mor, Glasgow
6 Jul @ King Tuts, Glasgow

Words: Billy Hamilton

Play: Halloween


The next Arcade Fire or something more? Let us know what you think...

Radar recommends: 3 - 9 May

[The Gothenburg Address: playing Cabaret Voltaire on Wednesday]

Pheweee...what a seven days for gigs. With Tigerfest swinging into action on the east coast and a plethora of ear-pleasing acts heading west, Scottish punters are a bit spoilt for choice this bank holiday week. But, as a waistline-bulging UtR once said, why settle for just one measly slice when you can have the whole cake, right?

Ross Clark & The Scarfs Go Missing, Rob St John, French Wives
Sun 3 May, Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh. Doors 8pm, £5
Once a solo-flying troubadour, Ross Clark has rounded up a herd of instrument-wielding miscreants (aka Ths Scarfs Go Missing) to beef up the bones of his precious, moribund trinkets. Highlighted by various indie-zine bibles as a star of the future, Clark’s live sets are delivered with fervent gusto, crackling with both poignancy and grace. Backed by UtR’s favourite purveyor of simmering folk ditties, Rob St John, and effervescent Glaswegians French Wives, this is going to be one hell of a kickstart to the week. [BH]

Rob St John - Like Alchemy


**UtR's gig of the week**
Tigerfest: Amusement Parks On Fire, The Gothenburg Address, Cryoverbillionaires
Wed 6 May, Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh. Doors 7pm, £8
Shoegazing superstars (now THAT’S an oxymoron) Amusement Parks on Fire are not just a catch for this year’s Tigerfest, they’re a stick full of dynamite waiting to ignite. To say UtR’s excited about witnessing this mammoth aural eruption would be an understatement - we’re as giddy as a spin-dried 3-year-old high on Haribo - and with Edinburgh’s mighty The Gothenburg Address and the equally beguilling Cryoverbillionaires playing wingmen - we may well need to bring along an extra catheter. Needless to say, this is going to be good. [BH]

The Gothenburg Address - The Lesser Coming Home


The Mill: Palace Ballet, St Deluxe
Thu 7 May, The Mill @ Oran Mor, Glasgow, Doors 7pm, FREE. Tickets here
This week the Glasgow leg of The Mill scores another double-header of quality Scottish music. Palace Ballet, for anyone unfamiliar, are like the hip New York band that no-one told you about, with the singer's Casablancas drawl and their readymade garage rock hits. Except they are indeed Scottish. St Deluxe, meanwhile, are steeped in the hazy alt-rock of the late 80s, and damn good at what they do. [NM]

This Is Music’s 3^rd Birthday Party: Broken Records, Mike Bones, Rob St John
Fri 8 May, The Bowery, Edinburgh. 7pm. £10
No longer a toddler, This Is Music [TIM] has played a titanic role in the rejuvenation of Edinburgh’s music scene. And to celebrate their third year, the folk at TIM have once again produced the goods; rolling out a stellar line-up that runs the gambit from soaring baroque rock (Broken Records) to introverted laments (Rob St John). With Vice Records’ latest tune-churner Mike Bones adding transatlantic bite to proceedings, TIM’s birthday bash is the only party to be at this Friday. [BH]

• Not content with one party, the TIM gang have staged two: Copy Haho, Tie For Jack, Homework and DJ Vic Galloway will appear on the same night at Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh(Doors 8pm)

The Vivians, The Brogues, Ewan Butler
Fri 8 May, Maggie May's, Glasgow, Doors 8pm, £5
Once familiar sights on Edinburgh streets in their skinnier-than-thou jeans and vertical punk barnets, The Vivians now ply their trade on London's hipster bar circuit. But you can catch them in all their outlandish glory with this Glasgow show where good old confrontational punk is guaranteed. Support comes in the shape of Dundonian lad-rock outfit The Brogues and West Lothian singer-songwriter Ewan Butler. [NM]

Zoey Van Goey, The Second Hand Marching Band, Endor
Sat 9 May, Stereo, Glasgow, Doors 8pm, £TBC
With their crafted, intelligent indie-pop and a freshly pressed debut album, the Glasgow-based, transatlantic trio Zoey Van Goey could well be set to follow in the footsteps of similarly exquisite forebears My Latest Novel and Camera Obscura. For this their album launch party they've recruited none other than UtR faves The Second Marching Band (see 6 April blog) and Endor to share their festivities. Not to be missed. [NM]

Play: TSHMB - A Dance to Half Death


The Elvis Suicide, Four Dead in Ohio
Sat 9 May, The Captain's Rest, Glasgow, Doors 8pm, £TBC
If you're in the mood for something a bit more raucous, head to the Captain's Rest for this show by Glasgow rockers The Elvis Suicide. With scant regard for what's fashionable or cool, they emit short, full-throttle punk songs like jabs to your kidneys. Not enough heid-banging for you? Well there's also Four Dead in Ohio, a London group of Neil Young inspired, BRMC-esque rockers. [NM]

Tigerfest: The Ordinary Allstars, Supersonic Sims, B Burg (DJ Set)
Sat 9 May, Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh. Doors: 7pm, £7
While never a regular on these here pages, Hip-Hop can still be heard blaring through the halls of UtR’s less-than-stately abode every so often. And Edinburgh outfit the Ordinary Allstars are one of the MC-wielding ensembles who regularly tickle our tape decks. Summertime samples aplenty, the group’s ebullient instrumentation is supplemented by a waterfall of slickly executed rhyme. Supported by Supersonic Sims' grime-riddled Funktronica, this Tigerfest show promises to bring the beat back to Auld Reekie. [BH]

- Billy Hamilton / Nick Mitchell

Have we missed something? Let us know below...