STONED STATUES, BANSHEE LABYRINTH, EDINBURGH, SEPTEMBER 25 2026

 RED CRUST PROMOTIONS back in action with a mixed bag of alt-metal in Edinburgh

Line-up:

ARCHANGEL: Local youngsters doing a hefty death-metal thing, mixing covers and originals. Unusually, the originals compare well with the covers. Also, I'm sure I've seen that singer before somewhere...

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/ohokn2NRxhE   https://www.instagram.com/archangel__music

VISHA: Unexpectedly chunky alt-metal from Perth. Perth, Scotland, obviously.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/3ER5bpIJHMY   https://www.facebook.com/vishaofficial

BAMBITOS: Irrepressable, funky alt-metal locals. Been around a while, and continue to get better every time I see them. Still very hard to get a pic of singer India.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/C09VPVgn6bA   https://www.instagram.com/bambitosband

STONED STATUES: Finnish alt-metallers kicking off their UK tour in Edinburgh, Anthemic, high energy and great fun.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/-moZmL4yISk   https://www.facebook.com/stonedstatuesofficial

Thanks once again to Duncan at RED CRUST for having me along.

BIG IRON, LEGENDS, EDINBURGH, JULY 19 2025

Dang, this was a sweaty one! Loud people in a sold-out LEGENDS.

My stills camera died a couple of days ago and the video cam stills are horrible, so there are no pics from this gig. Just to fill the space, I'll add some pics of my cat, TRICO. 

Line-up:

BAMBITOS: Very young, very bouncy, local alt-rock kids. An appropriately kittenish pic of Trico.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/KmT26x1-phQ

NOTHING SPEAKS: A band I've not seen before and know nothing about. Local, hard rockers, a bit grungy in parts. Not grungy at all in other parts. Trico, showing his teefs.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/TaLehidCYpY    https://www.facebook.com/Nothingspeaksuk

BIG IRON: More local hard rockers, fronted by the wild-eyed and unpredictable Oliver Wardell, and here promoting their brand new EP. Interestingly, they wear the very same woollen garments displayed so fetchingly in the poster pic above. Trico looking wild-eyed and unpredictable.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/TTZ-48atZ-M   https://www.facebook.com/bigironisbig

BAMBITOS, BANSHEE LABYRINTH, EDINBURGH, MARCH 8 2025

 A step away from the recent spate of death-metal. Something a wee bit different from RED CRUST.

I'm entirely used to being older than most of the people onstage at gigs, but tonight even my children are older than everybody up there. Also, all of the bands featured here tonight are clearly far too cool for Facebook. I suspect that Instagram would be the place to look for them. That's where all of the young people hang out these days, is it not?

Line-up:

SOL MORTIS: The first of tonight's young hopefuls. It's not easy to work out exactly what it is that SOL MORTIS do, because they play only a few originals and mostly do covers, including the likes of THE CRANBERRIES, PARAMORE(I think) and, rather ambitiously, TOOL. Some kind of proggy alt-rock perhaps? This might well be their first proper gig, and their singer is clearly nervous. They're still finding their way, and just need more experience, and more original songs.

SERPENT: Confidence is something not lacking with these young fellows. Again, though, it's mostly covers - the usual kind of stuff you'd expect from a young 'groove-metal' band, including METALLICA, MOTORHEAD, PANTERA, BLACK SABBATH, LIMP BIZKIT, etc - with a smattering of sturdy originals, all delivered with the bravado of a band with years of experience. If I could offer one piece of advice, it would be for the singer to ditch the tie around the forehead. 

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/QDVjA_ynw9E

BAMBITOS: Tonight's headliners, alt-rockers absolutely bursting with youthful energy. A set of mostly original songs barring, I think, just the one cover - a turbulent version of the DEAD KENNEDYS' 'California uber Alles' for which they are joined by SERPENT's singer, and during which I get punted onto the stage by the seething crowd. And a 'crowd' it certainly is, in a sold out Banshee. These kids are POPULAR and, if there is any justice, have good things ahead of them. 

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/4t7QASz3E6Q

NIGHT THIEVES, LEGENDS, EDINBURGH, JUNE 1 2024

RED CRUST PROMOTIONS step outside of their metally comfort zone with an evening of alt-rock, featuring a pair of touring bands and a couple of youthful local upstarts. You might notice that only ONE of those perky locals appears here, and you'd be right. Due to an early start, roadworks, accidents and ridiculous Edinburgh traffic, I didn't get to see THE CLOVERS, but I'm sure they were amazing.

VENUE: LEGENDS

Line-up:

BAMBITOS: Youth, enthusiasm and alt-metal in one bouncy package. They don't, however, seem to have a Facebook page, so good luck finding them out there. Instagram seems to be the place to look.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/tn_mmqXjgqE   https://www.instagram.com/bambitosband/

CRYSTALLINE: With that name, you might expect shoegaze, or dream-pop, but no. CRYSTALLINE are 'melodic and serrated' alt-rock. From Wales.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/9ncYC-2WDSk  https://www.facebook.com/CrystallineBand

NIGHT THIEVES: The 'heaviest' band of the night, alt-metal from the bottom right corner of England, featuring a man with a hat, and what is probably the ugliest bass guitar I've seen in a long time.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/i1HYQE07UPo  https://www.facebook.com/NightThievesOfficial

If I could offer Night Thieves one piece of - non-musical - advice, I'd ask them to rethink their logo. I can see where they're coming from, with the N and the T, but it still looks a bit... nazi.