2025, A YEAR.

I've never done a full year round-up before, and this might go horribly wrong. If so, you'll never know. Anyway, let's have at it. A warning - this may be quite long.

43 gigs in one year is, depending on your viewpoint, quite a lot or a weak effort. For me, it's better than average, but a long way from the old days when I could manage 80 or more. Still, it is what it is.

OK, January. It's been too long since the last gig - ROBOT DEATH MONKEY back on 13th December - and I'm desperate for some action. Excitingly enough, the first gig of 2025 is the mighty MOGWAI, launching their newest album in the relatively intimate QMU in Glasgow. It's a gig that almost didn't happen, as the original date was blown away by STORM EOWYN, the UK's worst wind storm for many years. Everything was closed. Happily, the show was quickly rescheduled 2 days later on the 26th, even though I had to jiggle my work shifts a bit to make it.

It was, I think, my 4th time seeing Mogwai, and by far the least loud, which was somewhat unexpected. A fine show, though, as they blasted through their 'The Bad Fire' album and a few old favourites. I got a free 'I SAW MOGWAI AT THE QMU' badge, which I promptly lost. Bugger.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/G56dJCndwTE

February.  It's only a few days until the RED CRUST WINTER WARMER, taking over LA BELLE ANGELE, LEGENDS, BANSHEE LABYRINTH, BANNERMAN'S and the MASH HOUSE in Edinburgh. 

It's big DUNCAN MOUNTAIN's last fest before going into hiatus, taking some much-deserved time off for family stuff.(Don't worry, he'll be back) It's the usual wild mix of 'rock' genres - thrash, death, folk, punk, alt, trad, post, etc. And a covers band, but the less said about them the better.. It's hard work, and I have to be selective, so I don't get to the Banshee or Bannerman's, and only hang on long enough to catch BENEATH A STEEL SKY in Legends. CODESPEAKER are reliably spectacular, THE GALLOWGATE MURDERS are folk/punky fun, VERMINTHRONE and HAMMER are hefty good. The two rooms upstairs at the Mash House are, frankly, horrible and I'm very glad I don't have to lug a band's gear up those narrow winding stairs. I'm mildly narked at missing some of the late stuff, but I'm old and need my bed.

SELECTED VIDEOS: Codespeaker - https://youtu.be/lrlZAhCtat0, Verminthrone - https://youtu.be/CrAptPnFVgA, Tiberius - https://youtu.be/iQ11sK5RIFI

March. It's a looooong wait until the next gig. A mixed bag of noisy stuff, headlined by local 'beatdoon kings' KAKIHARA, who do what they do and do it very well, but I'm really here for sludgy post-metallers THE GREY. It's my first chance to see them, the new home of ANDY PRICE, who I've been a fan of ever since he nearly decapitated me with his bass whilst playing for a youthful CONJURER.

 

VIDEOS: The Grey - https://youtu.be/M5uXFz-Tc7Y , Kakihara - https://youtu.be/6jBtOyKoFjA

Having waited seven weeks for that, it's back out the very next night for a whole load of death metal, with SATHAMEL, ARTIFICIAL PATHOGEN, TRILL  and SACRIFICIAL BURIAL, who all do pretty much exactly what you might expect, except for the oddly-named Trill, who do a peculiar form of blackened stoner metal.

There will be a few more RED CRUST shows to come later, but they're winding down.

VIDEOS: Trill - https://youtu.be/oS8XKOJE7T4, Sathamel - https://youtu.be/fpHcrmwPdlE

More death a week or so later with Glasgow favourites PENNY COFFIN Italian death-grinders SLUG GORE, and ALI LAUDER's newest project, ENUCLEATE, all of whom are excellent in their own, very different ways. The Italians win song title of the night with 'Necropihiliattitude'

Duncan's a dab hand with the old Photoshop for gig posters, by the way.

VIDEOS:  Enucleate - https://youtu.be/mKeBCVK_fHw, Slug Gore - https://youtu.be/UTVbjipTadY, Penny Coffin- https://youtu.be/nEpsmzWB98Q

Just a week later, and a dramatic shift in direction, with a mixed bag of alt/indie kids, all of whom are young enough to be my grandchildren. Proggy alt-rock from SOL MORTIS playing what might be their first proper gig, groove-metallers SERPENT, and the irrepressibly bouncy BAMBITOS. The first two are very new and play covers for the most part. Even alt-rock 'veterans' Bambitos chuck in one or two non-originals, most notably a turbulent cover of 'California uber alles' in which they are joined by Serpent's singer. I get buffeted about a bit by the crowd, neither for the first nor the last time.

VIDEOS: Sol Mortis - https://youtu.be/-5D2RCRunWg, Serpent- https://youtu.be/QDVjA_ynw9E, Bambitos - https://youtu.be/4t7QASz3E6Q

There aren't too many five band line-ups, but here we have one. I arrive just in time to catch local drone/sludge trio A.V.L's last song but they will, over the next few months, turn out to be one of my favourite new bands. Angry punk/metal next from scene veterans RAZOR SHARP DEATH BLIZZARD, followed by EXDESTRIER, now featuring former TYRANT LIZARD KING STU GORDON on guitar, and Dundee hardcore lads BED OF WASPS. There's not much to link them all, other than a contempt for politicians in general and Tories in particular. Headlining, for an all-too-brief 18 minutes, there's PARIAH, a furious blend of hardcore and some kind of post-metal featuring former members of GEIST. 

 

It's a LOUD one.

VIDEOS: Pariah - https://youtu.be/4z2SiQgafbw, Bed of Wasps - https://youtu.be/CxFT6SPqSQk, Exdestrier - https://youtu.be/QQ3Y6wNjw1A, RSDB - https://youtu.be/QWFRsWofOhg, A.V.L - https://youtu.be/afmPbVeiZ8I

Another week goes by and we come to the last gig of March. It's a loooong delayed album release show for proggy post-rock instrumentalists IDIOGRAM. This should have happened years ago, but COVID got in the way, and stuff and things happened, but now we're here. It's an ambitious presentation in one of Edinburgh's most elegant spaces, with a full light/projection show by SAM HEALY of  BOARDGAME. Support from hypnotic electronic knob-twiddler SLY DIG, and folk/jazz singer-songwriter MATILDA BROWN.

VIDEOS:  Sly Dig - https://youtu.be/pzEfcdZKxnU, Matilda Brown - https://youtu.be/n0XPTLZy3Es, Idiogram - https://youtu.be/lWRQgKcWMWA

April: Only 2 this month(or 3, depending on how they're counted), but one(or 2) of them is a biggie. First, this.

It's been a long time since I last saw PIGS x 7. SONIC MASS, back in 2015 it was. Wikipedia would have us believe that our porcine heroes are a British Stoner Metal band formed in Newcastle, but there's more to them than that. There's a hefty dose of psych and sludge in there, too. They ARE, however, from Newcastle. and they get very sweaty.

Support comes from SPLIT DOGS, turbo-charged punk'n'rollers from Bristol fronted by a lady named, apparently, Harry. And why not? They're dead good.

VIDEOS:  Split Dogs - https://youtu.be/bjfZKWBnry0, Pigs x 7 - https://youtu.be/ZqC0OJbvgcw

Now, that 'biggie', the 10th STRANGEFORMS FESTIVAL, in Leeds. Two days, two gigs? Or one? Either way, it's far too much to go into in detail here. (If you're interested - and you SHOULD be - you can read all about it here: https://echoesanddust.com/2025/06/strangeforms-10-brudenell-social-club-leeds/ )

All of those bands were there, and were mostly excellent. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed ASIWYFA, as I had 'fallen out of love' with them some time ago. But, yeah, they were great. Some exciting new bands for me, too, including, but not limited to, OMOIA, EVERY HELL, CIVIL SERVICE and BIG LAD.

SELECTED VIDEOS:  ASIWYFA - https://youtu.be/O26SCiFoTGw, VLMV - https://youtu.be/15xWOB7YEc0, EVERY HELL - https://youtu.be/pbzFo4n80rM, a-tota-so - https://youtu.be/hB2ufTCpuWE, OMOIA - https://youtu.be/kcWOTFbmwBg

May: A terrible scheduling decision in Glasgow next, when the CATHOUSE decided to put VOLCANOVA on stage as soon as the doors opened. As a consequence, the Icelandic stoners had to play to an almost empty room. Filled up, though, for EARL OF HELL and grunge pioneer ALAIN JOHANNES. The former becomes the latter's band after a bunch of solo (mostly) acoustic songs.

Videos:  VOLCANOVA - https://youtu.be/ZhfBxYurdro, EARL OF HELL - https://youtu.be/MvXjhbvTHPI, ALAIN JOHANNES - https://youtu.be/PbBt4SewEM4

The end of the month is packed tight with shows - four in four days, and another one. Some surprises. Bands I've never seen before, bands I never expected to see, a band I haven't seen for years, venues I've never been in before.

First up, The second appearance of local metal bruisers HAMMER, who do exactly what it says on the tin, with support from the masked FROGLORD, the 'gay Slipknot' SPACE PISTOL ( they wear pink boiler suits) and doomy stoners KRAKEN WAKER.

VIDEOS:  Kraken Waker - https://youtu.be/SC2kIStWjsY, Froglord - https://youtu.be/ZJ8ccryoyg0, Space Pistol - https://youtu.be/Xoacf7wjFF0, Hammer - https://youtu.be/nq0nBcA-4cw

Next, two nights in the HIVE, a venue legendary for teen dance nights. The place still smells of hormones, alcopops and damp. Night One features US noise/sludge veterans WHORES, proving that (not unlike our own PART CHIMP) age is no barrier to a serious ear-battering. VERY loud, very sweaty. Touring support from Portland's noisy post-punks HELP with locals CODESPEAKER adding some unlikely post-metal to the bill.

VIDEOS: Help - https://youtu.be/1LpWu4d5RIE, Whores - https://youtu.be/WkBHc0qv2L8, Codespeaker - https://youtu.be/-rV5eigRohA

Hive, Night 2, belongs to ROSALIE CUNNINGHAM, who is not somebody I ever considered seeing, as far outside of my comfort zone as she is. Still, Duncan Red Crust asked me along, and who am I to refuse a free gig? Opening was singer/songwriter jijwasnothere who was suffering from a monumental hangover and was, as a result, a mess. Ms. Cunningham and her band of retro rock'n'rollers were, to my great surprise, absolutely brilliant. Bringing the 70s back in glorious style, with a side helping of James Bond movie theme songery

VIDEO:  Rosalie Cunningham - https://youtu.be/mr9Ga3BAo_k

A last minute invitation brings me back to the CAVES for the fourth night of four, and KALANDRA Norwegian (and Swedish) folk rockers. Trust me, that's a lot better than it sounds.

Melancholic, gritty, ethereal, they're all of that and more. And the Caves feels like the perfect venue for them. Support from MAUD THE MOTH, all on her own at the keyboard, doing her dramatic Spanish folk/jazz/prog, and doing it very nicely. Thanks go out to Amaya for inviting us to the show.

VIDEOS:  Maud the Moth - https://youtu.be/2GqxRGeUv7M, Kalandra - https://youtu.be/hPOwxNXCYM0

A few days off to recover before heading through to Glasgow for a band I've not seen for ages in a venue new to me. It's also one of only 3 gigs this year where I am accompanied by Mrs. Fudlip, because she likes the windswept post/alt-rock of MIDAS FALL. She's not so keen on Irish post-rockers OVERHEAD, THE ALBATROSS, though, and is just puzzled by the synth driven art-rock of GRAVELLE. I have mixed memories of Midas Fall - I've seen them at their sublime best and their messy worst. This time they are significantly closer to the former than to the latter. Which is nice.

The FLYING DUCK is not the easiest of places to find, up a little back street and through a totally anonymous doorway. It's also VERY dark down there and I can't actually see the floor.

VIDEOS:  Gravelle  - https://youtu.be/BEfBM2txoXM, Overhead, the Albatross- https://youtu.be/WKVSZf7YTno, Midas Fall - https://youtu.be/OJJJqR_ZUTQ

June: Three more shows and we reach the midpoint of the year, starting with this mixed bill at the BANSHEE LABYRINTH, brought to us by those nice people at THE KURGAN PROMOTIONS, who are basically Ali Lauder.

Headliners ACCEPTANCE, black metal from Leeds, are in Scotland for the very first time, albeit without their bass player who is unwell, and they are very good. It's also my first chance to see A.V.L playing a full set - well, TWO full sets, actually, as they give us a 20 minute drone piece before swapping instruments for their regular sludge/noise show. Additional support from CANAAN BALSAM, mesmerising electronic knob twiddler with spoken word vocals and a fellow bowing a saw.

VIDEOS:  A.V.L drone - https://youtu.be/F89WPZA-MO0, A.V.L sludge - https://youtu.be/jzXn_uQyaQo, Canaan Balsam- https://youtu.be/TVKPEM_SIxg, Acceptance - https://youtu.be/xoPDp4qDBK8

The very next night, we're off to LEITH DEPOT which, in late June, is a total sauna of a room. Headliners WILD AGAIN include former members of experimental post-rock combo DEAD WHITE MALES and, to be fair, don't sound radically different, featuring as they do the use of Just Intonation and microtonally fretted guitar. Brought to us by the consistently weird FUZZBAT GIGS.

Support comes from local jangly indie-pop veterans ERRANT BOY, back after some time away and Dundee's wonky post-punks PORTABLE HEADS, who give us possibly the best set I've seen them play.

VIDEOS:  Errant Boy - https://youtu.be/0E2-bVMiSv8, Portable Heads - https://youtu.be/61DZRNMqfkI, Wild Again- https://youtu.be/oeY9-86Zchg

Closing out the first half of the year, we have RED CRUST's final (for now) show, featuring favourites GOBLINSMOKER. Hefty, sludgy doom from Newcastle, telling tales of the Toad King and featuring songs from their forthcoming new album.

We were supposed to get CULT OF SOBEK, but their singer has caught some terrible reptilian lurgy and they can't play, so we get an extended set of galloping MAIDEN-esque heavy metal from Dundee stalwarts SOLAR SONS.

VIDEOS: Solar Sons - https://youtu.be/PXjbPlcI65M, Goblinsmoker - https://youtu.be/Xo8iJ3ARp8s

July: Not much happening in July, to be honest. Just the one show - locals BIG IRON doing their high energy, rather daft-but-in-a-good-way rock thing and pushing their brand new EP. Fully kitted out in horrible pullovers, they are a bit sweaty and great fun. LEGENDS is sold out and it is VERY hot.

Support from bouncy alt-rock kids BAMBITOS and hard-rockers NOTHING SPEAKS. I had some camera issues and tried to take some stills with my video camera. Failed. So, no pics. But there ARE videos.

VIDEOS: Bambitos- https://youtu.be/KmT26x1-phQ, Nothing Speaks- https://youtu.be/TaLehidCYpY, Big Iron - https://youtu.be/TTZ-48atZ-M

August: August in Edinburgh means it's FESTIVAL time, and most venues are booked up with comedy shows. Normally, I'd avoid the city entirely during the Festival, but this year I do make an effort and catch a couple of shows. Plus one oddity at the FRINGE BY THE SEA in North Berwick, to which we will go first.

Since it's only a few miles from FudTowers, it would seem rude of me not to have a look. There are some big names appearing- notably AIR, BOOMTOWN RATS, EDDI READER, and THE BLUEBELLS - but I opt for a local shoegazey/psychedelic/post-rocky instrumental unit, SLOTH, playing in the small dome over in the corner. This is the weirdest audience I think I've ever been a part of - a mix of holidaymakers, middle-class parents and a swarm of confused small children. And me.

Sloth are good, but it seems to me that they would excel when playing MUCH LOUDER, and in the dark when their visuals would be more effective. Still, the little ones mostly behaved themselves.

Next year I shall investigate the Festival further.

VIDEO: Sloth - https://youtu.be/1e1OBqYKGhE

From SLOTH to CLOTH in one week. This is a proper Festival Fringe event, down at the LEITH DEPOT, combining live music and chat. Glasgow-based indie duo, fresh from dates with MOGWAI, drop in for a chat with presenter/DJ VIC GALLOWAY and play us a few songs. 

Interesting, especially if, like me, one knows nothing of the band and their story, but I'd like more songs and less chat, because they're really rather fine. Support comes from SIOBHAN WILSON, local dream-pop singer/songwriter and organiser of the event, one of a week-long series here during the Festival.

VIDEOS:  Siobhan Wilson - https://youtu.be/sNwln8sTf2c. Cloth - https://youtu.be/GNFMzXI7GEM

The second Festival gig  - and the second appearance of Mrs. Fudlip - features a band I've not seen since they played the now-gone ELECTRIC CIRCUS in 2013, Tynesiders LANTERNS ON THE LAKE in the more generously proportioned LA BELLE ANGELE.

In the intervening 12 years, they haven't changed much. Still doing that lovely folk-soaked indie rock thing, but they have lost their violinist, which is a bit of a shame.  Never mind, they're still a class act. We get some new material, too, which is nice. Support from singer/songwriter THEO BLEAK, who isn't really called Theo (real name Katie) and isn't really bleak.

VIDEOS:  Theo Bleak - https://youtu.be/JH2LqyjAN0I, Lanterns on the Lake - https://youtu.be/RmrwDQTigqg

August ends with something which, logically, I should be avoiding like the plague. I dislike 'tribute' bands, and I never liked JUDAS PRIEST, yet here I am at a Judas Priest tribute gig

It is, on the plus side, a charity gig in aid of CATS PROTECTION and, because cats are awesome, this makes it OK. Also, it's a fun project by the 'busiest man in metal', Ali Lauder, and some pals. Deliberately, though, they avoid the hits and go for a selection of deep cuts, mostly songs I have never heard before. Bannerman's is rammed and, despite my dislike of the source material, it's great fun, and raises a decent amount of cash for the cats. Deathly support from PENNY COFFIN and TYMVOS.

VIDEOS: Delivering the Goods - https://youtu.be/2-lzaskObhM, Tymvos - https://youtu.be/Q-5ehFX1c_4, Penny Coffin - https://youtu.be/BcmAsxWkcSM

September : A busy month, in which we find the biggest event of my year and some very large trousers. the trousers belong to LEO BARGERY of DAY SLEEPER, who were magnificent in SNEAKY PETE'S, despite persistent technical problems. Thoughtful and intelligent indie-pop/rock, their set varies between full band and Bargery baring his soul alone at the piano. 

They're joined by DEEP SEA CREATURE - singer/songwriter LIAM DEMPSEY with occasional friends - and GOODNIGHT LOUISA, the current project of singer/guitarist LOUISE McCRAW . Sneaky Pete's is, incidentally, really quite small but sounds great. Overly fond of the smoke machine at times, though.

VIDEOS: Deep Sea Creature - https://youtu.be/zDlYtqvscuo, Goodnight Louisa - https://youtu.be/FlS77OtGLKU, Day Sleeper - https://youtu.be/k96zTDS2C0g

Now, that big thing- the third appearance of the CORE FESTIVAL in Glasgow. Three days of 'underground' rock and metal in three rooms - WOODSIDE HALLS 1 & 2 and the intimate HUG & PINT. There's FAR too much to go into here, but you can read all about it here:  https://echoesanddust.com/2025/10/core-festival-2025-glasgow/ 

A few extra notes from my point of view :

My Friday starts with Irish math-rock nutcases GOD ALONE in the Hug'n'Pint. I realise that if I leave the venue to catch anything at the main hall I'll never get back in to see ASIWYFA. Having seen them down in Leeds at StrangeForms, I suck just it up and head up to the Woodside Halls for the rest of the night. OMO are back for a second CORE, and they ae still bonkers. I've wanted to see HELMS ALEE for years, but this is my first chance - the first time they've played in Scotland, in fact - and it's worth the wait. Floridian sludge-beasts TORCHE are also immense, having been brought out of retirement for a few shows in the UK. That's it for Friday. Everything was fine. This will not last.

VIDEOS: God Alone - https://youtu.be/2FAWOOoBgcU, OMO - https://youtu.be/K537THIjWqo, Helms Alee - https://youtu.be/i-RoWcRtEDU, Torche - https://youtu.be/G42l23j17fA

I'm all set for Saturday, but my video camera decides to stop talking to its battery and will not work. I do have a spare, but it's 70 miles away on the other side of Scotland. I will cobble together some things with a mix of audio and still pics, but it's not the same and I am grumpy.

It's a day of running back and forth between venues, and it's a bit damp out. I saw GOUT last year and absolutely MUST see them again. They are as ferocious as I remember, but sadly don't play 'Newcastle'.I catch BELLOW BELOW because I like them, and SHOOTING DAGGERS because I have no idea who they are. Turns out they are a trio of punky riot-girls who make a fine racket. Old friends noise duo MONI JITCHELL are fierce and abrasive but not, to my ears anyway, loud enough. PEST CONTROL, ROMAN CANDLE and CRUELTY make a lot of noise but I don't remember much about them. DITZ are a bit odd, an alt-rock kind of thing with a singer who seems fascinated by the dangly lights and spends half the show batting them about like a cat with a ball on a string. Veterans DEFEATER end the night with a rousing set of working man's hardcore to the general delight of the crowd.

'VIDEOS':  Defeater - https://youtu.be/CTJxj5wfTfs, Ditz - https://youtu.be/g5HoPJsc0VM, Shooting Daggers - https://youtu.be/T4zu72PgvaA, Moni Jitchell - https://youtu.be/6EbcGLCwDU0 

Sunday: 

Day 3, the strongest day of the weekend and the one in which we will find the Band of the Festival and other exciting things. I'm still without my camcorder, though, but I'll try something different later.

We start the day camped in the Hug'n'Pint with BELGROVE, the electro-industrial opera of MRS FRIGHTHOUSE (who will crop up again more than once before the year's end) and the whiplash punk-o-metal of Mexico's VIOLENCIA. We'll be back later for quality post-metal from BENEATH A STEEL SKY(stepping in at short notice when POOR CREATURE pull out), but before that it's up to the main hall for old post-rock pals SHUTTER, back after a long hiatus. Following the aforementioned quick post-metal interlude, it's time to settle down for the rest of the day in the Woodside Halls, starting with black(ish) metal locals ASHENSPIRE, who are magnificent, despite their singer being on crutches.

Extreme tech-metal face-melters FRONTIERER are next, back again for another assault on the Glasgow crowd. Crowd receives said assault eagerly. And then BAND OF THE FESTIVAL, the sublime AGRICULTURE, black metal and so much more. They deserve every ounce of the hype they're getting. Absolute joy.

A quick visit to the smaller hall for JO QUAIL, in a room so dark that photographs are impossible. I'll be seeing her - and her cello - tomorrow in Edinburgh so I stay for only a couple of pieces before heading back to make sure I get in to see the re-born CAVE IN, who will be celebrating the 25th anniversary of their 'Jupiter' album. Since they're the last band, I decide I can spare the memory card space to record a video with my stills camera. Does it work? See for yourself below. It's a fine end to the weekend. CORE 2025 has been, possibly, the best one yet., but they're already promising big things for next year.

VIDEOS: Shutter - https://youtu.be/wbzJIb0bEDc, Belgrove -https://youtu.be/PO4arKdo1fo , Beneath a Steel Sky - https://youtu.be/n2B8buhEy4k, Violencia - https://youtu.be/speuTvNz0J8, Frontierer - https://youtu.be/0pBMv4Psn3Q, Agriculture - https://youtu.be/AG_TSeUAhug, Cave In- https://youtu.be/E07b_zC5eB4

Right. As I mentioned up there, I see JO QUAIL again in Edinburgh, accompanied by MRS FRIGHTHOUSE, in the elegant surrounding of the VOODOO ROOMS, a former Georgian townhouse. It's quite a contrast - visceral and unsettling industrial noise from the Frighthouse ladies against the mesmerising neo-classical looped cello gorgeousness of Ms Quail, who tells us tales about how and why each piece was composed. She is supremely approachable, and an all-round lovely human being.

Now, you may remember the sad story of my video camera battery. Now it's sorted and I catch Mrs Frighthouse in action. BUT. I try to catch Jo Quail and the camera is fine. This time it's the mic that craps out. It's not the battery. It is, frankly, fucked. Still, I have photographs and I have audio from the previous night, so I cobble them together and make something that works.

VIDEOS: Mrs Frighthouse - https://youtu.be/qtnIKe7X084, Jo Quail - https://youtu.be/u8GfbsAKUOY

That's it, I'm off to buy a new mic and a new spare camcorder battery. These have been an expensive few days.

We're nearly done with September, and my tech is restored to full functionality. Next on the agenda is QUADE, about whom I know nothing, promoting their new album at Sneaky Pete's. Turns out they're from Bristol, and do something poorly described as post-folk ambient indie, and they're very fine. ELLIANA CRAIG supporting, who are not a wispy singer/songwriter, as their name might suggest, but are a youthful local quartet doing off-'kilter post-punk. Interesting, uneasy listening. I like them.

It's nice when these 'pot luck' gigs turn out well. 

I wonder where 'Sneak Pete's' might be...

VIDEOS: Elliana Craig - https://youtu.be/EmnztJNNacw, Quade - https://youtu.be/pfzr_-vB3tQ

Now, I live out in the sticks in East Lothian (It's in Scotland. Look it up.) and not much happens out here. So when I hear of the DUNBAR MUSIC FESTIVAL, I feel obliged to have a look at what's on offer. Mostly, it seems to be middle-aged folkies with fiddles and accordions, which is fine but not for me, but there are some gems to be found. I'm tempted by the AAC TRIO, but clashes prevent that More about them later, though. I pick a pair of folky Irish acts for the first day, the very lovely GAZE IS GHOST and DARA DUBH/HARRY HIGGS in the HARBOUR CHAPEL. A perfect venue for the evening's entertainment.

LAURA McGARRIGLE - AKA Gaze is Ghost - is a local-ish music teacher, originally from Northern Ireland - who plays and sings ethereal dream-pop/folk and is just magical. She is joined for part of her set by a chap adding some beef with a guitar, who turns out to be LUKE SUTHERLAND, often to be seen playing with MOGWAI. Nice.

Irish harpist and singer Dara Dubh was here on her own last year, apparently, and now she's back accompanied by local jazz guitarist Harry Higgs. They play a mix of her tunes, his tunes, collaborative songs and the odd cover, and it's all very pretty. 

VIDEOS:  Gaze is Ghost - https://youtu.be/BYD5AONvU_A, Dara Dubh/Harry Higgs - https://youtu.be/X6WSByi3MKg

Next night sees me in the ROYAL BRITISH LEGION, not the sort of place I would normally frequent, for one of the finest Edinburgh alt-rock bands, SCARRED LIP. First up, though, is THE SOUND RAYS, a pair of 'mature' gents playing some woozy kraut-rocky hypno-tunes, and I THINK they're very good, but the audience seems uninterested and talks loudly throughout their set and I can barely hear them. I get the feeling that the crowd as a whole, doesn't know who Scarred Lip are and are unprepared to have their chat erased by sheer volume. The band are on fine form and give me, unexpectedly perhaps, one of the best sets I've seen them play. There's a moment of confusion at the end, though, when the stage sound cuts out but the band plays on unaware, as they are getting their own sound via in-ear monitors.  

My evening ends with RACECAR, an eight-piece indie-pop combo who are clearly the crowd's favourites. They are, to be fair, very good at what they do.

I should note here that the stage - lighting, sound, everything - is being run, under supervision, by kids from the local secondary school, and they are actually very competent. Still, it's weird seeing a bunch of youths running about with I-pads and pointing at things.

VIDEOS:  Sound Rays - https://youtu.be/AvmlPSMDfB8, Scarred Lip - https://youtu.be/NytVuGq5fQM, Racecar - https://youtu.be/5GTpCIyq_Y0

October:  We're not finished with the LEGION just yet, but more of that later. in the meantime, it's back up to the big city for WULFHERE PRODUCTIONS' first black metal night at the Banshee. They're a Cumbria-based extreme metal promoter/record label, and they're spreading north, like a plague. It's nice to see them.

Opening things up are the hard-to-pronounce locals NECROCRACY, who take themselves perhaps a little too seriously. They are suitably grim and dark and abrasive, witty banter entirely absent. But, yeah, they do a fine job of the old school black metal thing. 

Keeping things glum, we next get Darkthrone worshipping bass'n'guitar duo NEFARIOUS DUSK, who sound maybe exactly how you might expect.

It may seem that I'm being a bit flippant here, and maybe I am, but I DO like black metal. But, being honest, I prefer my black metal with it's tongue in its cheek, where it belongs. Which brings us to OLD CORPSE ROAD, back out on the road with a new line-up. Gothy and symphonic metal, these lads from Darlington really don't take themselves too seriously, and I reckon they're all the better for it. They still sport the corpse paint and sing songs about witches and stuff, but they're a bit silly and they know it.

WOLFBASTARD, from Manchester, don't faff about with cloaks and face-paint, though, and go straight for the throat. It's a kind of black metal, but turbo-charged death/sludge black metal, with songs featuring Satan and many swears. And they're cheerfully rude about their supports, calling the singer of Nefarious Dusk a 'Teemu Dannii Filth' which, to be fair, isn't far from the mark.

VIDEOS: Wolfbastard - https://youtu.be/p2GUDawbMkI, Old Corpse Road- https://youtu.be/McfH6SFUj54, Nefarious Dusk - https://youtu.be/Zkwzewz1Prc, Necrocracy - https://youtu.be/6vq-F6n3frI

Two nights, now, and two very different gigs.

Friday sees my overdue first encounter with AAC TRIO, a strange melange of sludge and jazz, featuring the biggest saxophone I have ever seen. That thing is MASSIVE. Something of a change for Andrew Cairns, guitarist of ACIDSAURUS BONG, seen here on baritone. On to Glasgow-based FOREVER MACHINE, who describe their sound as 'funeral thrash' which, to me, seems more like a sludgy kind of post-metal. Still, it's their thing and they can call it whatever they will. Bass player has flown in from Belgium for this gig, apparently. Because that's where he lives.

One might think that the sparse crowd would dampen everyone's enthusiasm, but A.V.L launch into their sludge set with some ferocity. Singer Ryan tells me that he's just happy to play, and will give it everything whether it's in front of 5 people or 500. Which also seems to apply to Glasgow youths ACID REFLUX, who deserve a bigger audience for their filthy sludge noise.

VIDEOS: Acid Reflux - https://youtu.be/NKAAkb7jB6o, A.V.L - https://youtu.be/F0681vZOU3s, Forever Machine - https://youtu.be/CeregGyejXU, AAC Trio - https://youtu.be/DEpDVY9NZO4

My only visit to the WEE RED BAR this year, and my introduction to Yiddish folk-punks OCH VEY, which is a terrible pun. They're a great fun warm-up for the double EP launch for VEXATIONS and SHINLIFTER, keeping the spirit of klezmer music alive whilst joyously kicking against authority. Also they come VERY close to making the accordion acceptable.

The rest of the bill is resolutely post-punk, oozing lo-fi dissonance, with SHINLIFTER being, perhaps, the more chaotic of the two. VEXATIONS are similarly off-kilter, but maybe hookier and more 'arty'. True mayhem is unleashed at the end of the evening when the the former join the latter for a rendition of THE STOOGES' classic  'I Wanna be Your Dog'. Bodies everywhere.

VIDEOS: Och Vey - https://youtu.be/p-gLczzLhZU, Vexations - https://youtu.be/fFwOKf8N6T4, Shinlifter - https://youtu.be/lLixPecIp0M, Shinlifter/Vexations - https://youtu.be/hmM-U5-55N0

October ends back in the Dunbar Legion, with a showcase of local youth talent in aid of THE SPACE, a community based action, education and enterprise facility. The evening is headlined by ROBOT DEATH MONKEY, who used to hang out when The Space was in North Berwick, skateboarding and being noisy.

It must be noted that Dunbar is not a big place, and the pool of rock talent is pretty shallow, so there are a few faces which pop up in more than one place, most notably a damn fine young guitarist, whose name I can never remember, who can shred with the best of them. Anyway, those who plated are as follows:

THE MOTLEY- Very young, garage-rock sort of thing. Excellent drummer who appears to be about 12.
HAZED - FKA ATOMETAL. Decent, enthusiastic thrash metal. Includes that guitarist.

THORNE - Grungey pop, heavy SMASHING PUMPKINS influence. Singer seemed to be having an off day, very nervous. I'm told she's usually much better.

INFERNAL SLAUGHTER - Hefty death metal, rich in potential. Had some technical issues, though, so I couldn't get a video.

THE REIVERS - Chaotic punks, fond of the odd BLACK FLAG cover.

ROBOT DEATH MONKEY - Edinburgh-based turbo-stoners, Fond of beer. Owners of actual beards and tattoos. The Hardest Band in Scotland(TM)

VIDEOS:  The Motley - https://youtu.be/8heAX5pUXU8, Thorne - https://youtu.be/pb0BsjboNas, Hazed - https://youtu.be/y4u5_iUqOBw, The Reivers - https://youtu.be/Ac64tcZcHag, Robot Death Monkey - https://youtu.be/vxVnU9Y0Md4

November:  Just a quick note about Japanese post-rock legends MONO in ST. LUKE'S, because the security chap at the door wouldn't let me in with my camera. So, no pics or videos. Still, they were, as expected, magnificent, showcasing some songs from their recent new album Which is both a positive and a negative. It's nice to hear some new stuff, but that means that they have to drop some old favourites from their set. No 'Halcyon'. No 'Yearning'.  But we did get 'Ashes in the Snow' and 'Com(?)'. The third and last of the gigs attended by Mrs. Fudlip, because she really likes Mono. Mono supports can be a bit hit or miss, but this time it was mathy instrumental duo CAHILL COSTELLO, who were better than many.

Just a few days later, on the other side of the country, and something noisier.

Local 'beatdoon kings' KAKIHARA kick things off, mostly out on the floor in amongst the crowd, in that shouty hardcore metal style that we all know and love. It's VERY loud, and the sound is a bit ropey, so video quality is going to suffer. Indeed, it's so bad later that the audio recording of headliners PORTRAYAL OF GUILT is rendered unusable. But before that, it's my first encounter with GOUT in Edinburgh, and this time they DO play 'Newcastle', their sludgy take on an old Irish folk song and that makes me happy.

Portrayal of Guilt are new to me, an incendiary black metal combo from Texas, fresh off a tour with DEAFHEAVEN. They are ferocious and so loud that my poor mic throws its hands up in horror and gives up. So, no video. Bugger. It's also very dark and smoky, so the pics are shit too.

VIDEOS (for what they're worth) : Gout - https://youtu.be/p1kWmpyqYmM, Kakihara - https://youtu.be/uTuOP-2ZXG8

And then it's something a bit special.

We're off the the LIQUID ROOM for monumental Belgian post-metallers AMENRA, who once said, apparently, that they wouldn't pay Edinburgh because there wasn't a suitable venue. Well, they're here now and they are magnificent. Crushingly heavy and soul-destroyingly beautiful, as perfect post-metal should be. And only HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN come close to the emotional devastation they wreak. They only play for one hour, on the nose, and it's never going to be enough. No encore, no 'thank-you-goodnight', just gone. And that, in a way, hurts.

Support comes from WEIGEDOOD's Gilles Demolder's solo acoustic project, SIEM REAP. Sadly, he is paid scant attention by the crowd, who chat amongst themselves loudly throughout. He does ask them to keep it down a bit, to no avail. As with the one voice from the back of the room who shouts 'Haw, lads! Gonnae shut the fuck up!'

VIDEOS:  Siem Reap - https://youtu.be/5bznzVoIuZw, Amenra - https://youtu.be/DcabdMGmFks

WULFHERE see out November with the second of their black metal nights in the Banshee Labyrinth.

dreich /dri:x/- adj. dreary, bleak

DREICH - DSBM band from Aberdeen. Dreary? Perhaps not. Bleak? Certainly. Singer NEMUS (possibly not his real name) keeps us fixed in his deathly, unsmiling gaze and periodically urges us to kill ourselves. Few of us do. That aside, Dreich are a quality, atmospheric and raw black metal band. Worth watching out for.

MOURNING OF THE HERETIC have come all the way from Norn Irn to be here, their first visit to Edinburgh, as ULLENWOOD have had to pull out. Theatrical and goth-infused, they are most entertaining, one of those bands who don't take themselves too seriously. Unlike, perhaps, THY DYING LIGHT, whose corpse paint faces never crack the slightest of smiles. I think I recognise the guitarist/singer and, indeed, he is HRAFN from NEFARIOUS DUSK who were here not too long ago. Songs about death, Satan, black death and more death. I reckon that they're laughing their heads off behind that white paint.

Headliners BURIAL are from Manchester, don't bother with the corpse paint, swear a lot and include the guitarist from FOETAL JUICE/WOLBASTARD on bass. And the drummer of WOLFBASTARD. On drums. They are resolutely anti-religion, and not overly fond of politicians in general. More death-metal that black, perhaps, but they do have a song about Satan, so that counts.

VIDEOS: Dreich - https://youtu.be/dknPudKbtiM, Mourning of the Heretic -https://youtu.be/EhKO_EjS32o , Thy Dying Light - https://youtu.be/nKHufhEtft8, Burial - https://youtu.be/CxiUKfRrC1Y

December: Nearly done. Only four gigs to go. Starting with this trio of Weegies.

This is the third time I've seen Glaswegian doomy psychedelic stoners THE RHUBARB, but previous efforts have both failed, in one way or another. First time, they were missing a member, second time their bass player broke a string during their first song and had to struggle on for the remainder of the set, with limited success. This time, there are no problems, and they are on fire. Sporting heavy ELECTRIC WIZARD vibes, their singer HANNAH WHITE has a voice she could use to knock down walls. Not sure about the other singer's shorts, though.

Then there's the years' final appearance of those GOUT boys, who continue to be magnificent in their own sludgy fashion - and, yes, they play 'Newcastle' again.

Bill toppers CWFEN show us why they are being held up as the future of Scottish doom metal. Witchy and intelligent, they shrug off a few technical niggles to deliver a doomgaze masterclass, featuring a few songs from their recent new album. Soon to be seen supporting PARADISE LOST in Ireland next year.

VIDEOS: The Rhubarb -https://youtu.be/qDSltXBHm1Y, Gout -  https://youtu.be/mTIPl9RUj3c, Cwfen- https://youtu.be/q9mbKp2NXHs

It's strange when A.V.L are the most 'mainstream' band on a bill...

...but here we are. Not the usual kind of thing from those weird punky guys at FUZZBAT GIGS, but I guess we can blame TINNITUS for that. Still, it's always good to see A.V.L, and they continue to be as fierce as fuck. MRS FRIGHTHOUSE continue to be nerve-shreddingly visceral, with their electro-industrial operatic noise, their unsettling visuals and their hard-hitting lyrical themes. They're here as part of their tour with headliners BELIEVE IN NOTHING, who are, quite simply, terrifying. Never mind all of that black metal/Satan stuff elsewhere, this is the true horror. Because it is HUMAN horror. Bleak and nihilistic, their persistent theme is 'IT'S OK TO GIVE UP'. Mangled sludgy noise, and a 'singer' forcing a hammer down his own throat, throwing chains and mic stands, and thrusting a mirror into the faces of the audience, this is NOT easy listening. I'm not sure how much of this is just 'performance' and how much is deadly serious, and I can't really say if it is 'entertainment', but I'm glad I'm here to see it. Someone in the audience sees fit to take the piss, and is immediately called out, 'Got something to say, come up here and say it.' needless to say, he doesn't, and leaves the room soon after. Good riddance to him. 

If you choose to watch the BELIEVE IN NOTHING video, please give it some time - it starts dark and develops slowly.

VIDEOS: A.V.L - https://youtu.be/03n6svbE9FE, Mrs Frighthouse - https://youtu.be/OoJeo1KLaPs, Believe in Nothing - https://youtu.be/k-ano0wM6iA

HELLRAISER's annual Christmas party was meant to be my last gig of the year. Didn't turn out that way.

Glasgow's blackened death-metallers PICT get things going in more than acceptable style. I'm told that this is their drummer's first gig with them, but it doesn't show. Definitely seems to know what he's doing. BOZ can't be there - some kind of health issue, apparently - so insert your own 'nae Boz' jokes here. Dundee's CATALYSIS, though, do turn up, with their efficient thrash metal . Just glad to get out of Dundee for a bit, I imagine.

VERMINTHRONE, from far-away Buckinghamshire, have been driving for many hours and arrive tired, but give us a sound sludgecore thrashing anyway, like the consummate professionals that they are. Which is nice.

Closing the show, and plugging their brand new album 'Trapped', local bruisers HAMMER do exactly what it says on the tin. They are LOUD. The crowd gets a bit turbulent, and I am shoved over to the side, in front of the PA, and it gets LOUDER. That'll explain why the video sound get's a bit crackly, then.

Like I said, this was meant to bring the year to a crashing end, but that's not how it panned out.

VIDEOS: Pict - https://youtu.be/_DO885rjRgA, Catalysis - https://youtu.be/6ueQRe9Xt7Y, Verminthrone - https://youtu.be/eSe72IjqQE0, Hammer - https://youtu.be/yYLmVYdxoRo

So, there I was, whining on Facebook that I didn't have any gigs until mid-February, when I got a message from that nice Matthew of SCARRED LIP. Apparently, they had been called in at the last minute to play a support slot for a band I had never heard of, and he thought I might like to go along to SNEAKY PETE'S to bolster the crowd. It would've been churlish to refuse...

Early on, it looked like I was going to be 'the crowd' but, by the time things really got going, Sneaky's had filled up nicely. Anyway, Scarred Lip are always good value for money, and gave us a fine set of old and new stuff, and new stuff that was written ages ago so really is old stuff. It's all GOOD stuff, though. We are urged to go buy their album - available at the table at the door- and I wuld, but I've got nothing to play it on. Would look nice in a frame on the wall though...

DR SALAD are... eccentric. Skilled musicians, clever songs, with lyrics that veer occasionally into the 'nudge, nudge, wink, wink' zone, they are, to my mind, the Cambridge Footlights version of indie-pop. They look like a bunch of off-duty doctors playing a Fringe of the Fringe Festival gig, but are nonetheless, very entertaining. And the crowd knows them and loves them.

VIDEOS: Scarred Lip - https://youtu.be/kbam7MD3Gxc, Dr Salad - https://youtu.be/uayUQZAsGXY

So, that was my year in gigs. In words, pics and videos. Did you read it all the way through? Well done. I didn't.

There was a lot of metal, because that's how Edinburgh goes these days. There's some - but not enough - post-rock and post-metal, some post-punk, some folk-punk, some proggy stuff, some old people, some young people, some weird stuff, some angry stuff. There were some festivals. Some nice stuff and some nasty stuff, and I love it all. Mostly, But not THAT thing. 

Next year is beginning to come together already. STRANGEFORMS is booked, obviously. There's going to be lots more of that sort of thing. It's going to be heavy, and wispy and crunchy and awkward and everything else, and it's going to be the best year ever. And I'm NEVER going to do this year-end round-up thing again. If I even SUGGEST it, please shoot me.