By Rachel Coburn
It’s no secret that Glasgow is a hotbed of musical talent; home to world-renowned venues such as King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut and the Barrowlands, the city also boasts some of the most exciting up and coming acts in the country. Be it Bar Bloc, Box or Buff Club, it’s guaranteed that somewhere in town, you can get your fill of live music every night of the week, if you want to, and often for less than the price of a chippy. Here are a few of our very own stand-out artists, for whom it’s certain that their names will soon become familiar further the world-over.
Atom Tree
Described by Radio 1 as a ‘beautiful late night sound’, Glasgow Electronica outfit Atom Tree are making waves with their all-encompassing sensory experience reminiscent of an after-party, just as the sun’s starting to come up and sleep should be on the cards, but isn’t quite yet. Just one more tune. Right now, your ‘one more tune’ should be the recently released ‘Hearts’, a haunting and seamless track made special by vocalist Julie Knox’s soaring echoes. They’re giving the track away for free on Soundcloud now, and you should snap it up pronto so you can say you were there before the waves they’re making locally become national.
Sonic Templars
One of Glasgow’s best kept secrets, Sonic Templars are an alternative rock quartet that have gone from strength to strength in the past couple of years, landing support slots with big names like The View and Steve Cradock (Ocean Colour Scene), and recently headlining a well attended EP launch at Nice N Sleazy. Frontman Stewart Bryden’s hypnotic vocals and electric stage presence, paired with robust riffs and unforgettable hooks, make Sonic Templars an unmissable band this coming year. Seriously, go see them. Their latest EP, Weapons of Mass Distrust
The LaFontaines
We all love the LaFontaines; if you don’t, it could only possibly be because you don’t know them yet. Sing-along choruses and an endlessly talented band back charmingly Scots-twanged rap delivered by frontman Kerr Okan, making them a truly unique treat to the ears. Off the back of a successful year of festival appearances and a European tour – and with a debut album on the way – it’s difficult to see the Motherwell five-piece moving in any other direction than up. The band have a long-standing reputation of seriously energetic and engaging live performances, so it’s unsurprising that their biggest headline show to date this Halloween at the o2 ABC was a sellout. Next stop, the world!
Fatherson
This is pretty much a no-brainer. I have followed Fatherson since the days of their precursory moniker, ‘Energy!’, and observing them steadily gain momentum and fine-tune their skills has been nothing short of a joy. Vocalist Ross Leighton has a falsetto that would make the hairs of those even at the very back of a venue stand on edge. Having released their solid debut album ‘I Am an Island
Vukovi
What makes Vukovi special is singer Janine Shilstone’s ability to come out top despite being backed by guitar, bass and drums that all pack a serious punch. Where many voices would become lost in the noise, her powerful vocals take charge, resulting in a sound not unlike Paramore in their earlier days; a tired comparison, perhaps, but apt for knockout latest single ‘So Long Gone’. With an album currently in progress, it’ll be exciting to see the Ayrshire conceived band develop their sound, and hopefully hit the heights they very much deserve.
This list certainly isn’t exhaustive; Glasgow is producing a constant and steady flow of noteworthy new talent. However, if you just want to dip your toes into the local scene for now, this power five are a great place to get started before exploring all of the incredible music our city has to offer. Happy listening!