INTREPID, BANSHEE LABYRINTH, EDINBURGH, MAY 5 2026

 Death metal. From Estonia. And the return of RED CRUST!

And it's dead busy in here, for a Tuesday.

Line-up:

SPIRIT WARDEN: New kids from Glasgow, doing 'death metal sludge', and doing it very well indeed. Interesting use of a baritone guitar instead of bass.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/rZfqKcAyKqc  https://www.instagram.com/spiritwarden_band

HAMMER: Popular local beat combo, performing a fine set of 'extreme metal' classics. Whatever THAT is.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/uEjcbBJwyU0  https://www.facebook.com/HammerTheBand

DISPOSABLE: Local 'thrash/groove energy ball'. Very fast, very furious.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/pBSphLWL_Ic    https://www.facebook.com/DisposableMetal

INTREPID: Proper death metal from Estonia, and owners of that enormous drum kit that everybody's been using.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/y82KCJCqYtA             https://www.facebook.com/IntrepidEST

 

CLEAN GIRL & THE DIRTY DISHES, LEITH DEPOT, EDINBURGH, MAY 1 2026

'Greasy spoon garage rock' from California. Taking a wild chance with this one, as I know NOTHING of any of the bands, other than their names. I have heard not a single song from any of them. This could go horribly wrong or it might be amazing. Fingers crossed. 

It's Leith Depot, and it's the warmest day of the year so far so, if nothing else, it's going to be HOT.

Well, yes. it was hot. Also very poorly lit, so there are next to no photographs.

Line-up:

THE GUTTER BELLES: Featuring ex members of THEE GIRL FRIDAYS, THE SHOP ASSISTANTS and THE NETTELLES, this is their first gig under their new name. Retro 60's style garage rock. Actually dead good.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/T6W_FgxfiiY   https://www.facebook.com/Thegutterbelles

PREV. I.O.T.A.: Previously YOUR ILLEGAL OPERATIONS on TRANSGENDER ALIENS, apparently. I can see why they went for the abbreviation. DIY garage punks, reminiscent of Stooges-lite. Singer/guitarist Suzi(?) needs a new guitar. One that stays in tune.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/-_uZjgyhaCY   https://www.instagram.com/your.i.o.t.a

CLEAN GIRL AND THE DIRTY DISHES: All the way from Eureka, California. More retro garage rock, but with a thick, gnarly guitar tone this time. An upside-down guitar, played left-handed by a right-handed guitarist. Because of that childhood pony incident. Very many songs, old, new, and covers.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/annnMFvYUnU   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100040878134632   https://www.instagram.com/cleangirlandthedirtydishes

Well, that went quite well. Three bands I knew nothing about, but who were all great fun. Well played, The Onion Cellar.

EMPTY SPACES, MASH HOUSE, EDINBURGH, APRIL 24 2026

Irish rockers on tour. Poster running order not entirely correct. Still, a wildly assorted range of stuff on the bill.

LINE-UP:

PAEIZI: Something a bit unusual to start us off - a fusion of western metal and Iranian classical sounds. Plus an ALTER BRIDGE cover. Things were running a bit late and the sound man tried to cut them off after only 3 songs. They were having none of it. Crowd unreasonably chatty.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/JomiMqpONcY   https://www.instagram.com/paeiziproject/

RETROSKEPTIC: Local youths playing a kind of indie/alt rock. There isn't a video for them, as my sound recording was terrible. Very popular with a certain section of the crowd, one of whom attempted to 'break dance', with only small success. Not, to be entirely fair, my cup of tea, but good luck to them anyway.

https://www.instagram.com/retroskeptic.band/

EMPTY SPACES: Technically, this was their gig. From Northern Ireland, playing Edinburgh for the first time. Sturdy old-school twin-guitar rock. Pretentious rating : 0/10.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/7O6nrIdGaB4  https://www.facebook.com/emptyspacesuk

SCARRED LIP: Local alt-rock 'veterans', topping the bill despite the running order on the poster. Featuring, for the very first time, their new drummer and bass player, and a guest appearance from former drummer Edwin, now on guitar.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/D3yCV0HgCNU   https://www.instagram.com/scarredlipband/