RIPCORD FEST, NICE'N'SLEAZY, GLASGOW, MARCH 21 2026

Hefty new post-metal, etc. festival from those nice folks at RIPCORD RECORDS. It's the last gig of the month (It's not, as it happens. Got a short notice one on the 24th), a Saturday, a 70 mile drive away and I've got work tomorrow. This might kill me.

LINE-UP:

WOLVES:  First up, post-hardcore noisy boys from...oh, I don't know. Somewhere grim in England, probably. Fine stuff.

VIDEO:     https://youtu.be/59GwlEXhx74   https://www.facebook.com/theycalluswolves

SOLARS: Sturdy post-rock from Birmingham. 

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/JxLL5qHgxRE   https://www.facebook.com/solarsuk

CIVIL SERVICE:  First band of the day that I've seen before. Synth/sample heavy post-rock from Manchester. Their recent new album is called 'DARK', which is appropriate since they play, mostly, in the...dark.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/zucXqGDBa68  https://www.facebook.com/CivilServiceBand

HELVE: The heftiest of post-sludge, from Leeds. Massive. And that bass players tone is pure filth. Been waiting for aaaaages to see Helve. Totally worth it. Oh, and Andy from WOLVES pops up for a song.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/42fCnMSe4BQ   https://www.facebook.com/Helveband

MILLION MOONS: Last of the day's post-rockers, atmospheric and joyous. That stage-left guitarist can't half throw some shapes, though.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/zWKq-Es6RUs   https://www.facebook.com/millionmoonsband

BENEATH A STEEL SKY: Local lads, post-metal of the most subtle kind, until it isn't. And then it kicks your head in. Singer Greg's first appearance of the day. 

VIDEO:     https://youtu.be/6N-oqQ_ftL8   https://www.facebook.com/beneathasteelskyband

INDIFFERENT ENGINE: Intense and chaotic math-punk. How they can play whilst being dragged around the stage by their singer, I don't really know. Practice, I guess. (Don't try this at home, kids)

VIDEO:        https://youtu.be/dJ8vFcMQ_q8         https://www.facebook.com/IndifferentEngine

CODESPEAKER: Greg's back! His other band, notorious retina-destroyers and ear-damagers, and one of the finest post-metal bands in the country.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/JmckmI-JflQ   https://www.facebook.com/codespeakertheband

HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN: Post-metal again, but the absolute best post-metal in the country. New material, new members, but still the same emotionally and physically devastating noise. Also, still as hard as ever to photograph, with their smoke and their ultra-hostile lighting, the little tykes. Including Greg's third and final appearance, albeit a brief one right at the end.

I can't add a video right now because they need to check any footage before allowing it to be released into the wild. Fingers crossed. I've seen it and it's awesome.

EDIT: Thumbs up from HYOM! Video added.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/XXgpbGcDiGI      https://www.facebook.com/hundredyearoldman

Well, it didn't kill me, but I was good for nothing at work on Sunday. And Monday, to be honest.

As a first attempt at an all-dayer, there can be no complaints here. Nine bands, all killer, no filler, as the young folks used to say. Hefty bits, subtle bits, turbulent bits, intense bits. Well organised, no messing about, totally sold out. RIPCORD will be back on 10th October. You should watch out for it.

Hopefully, the Glasgow roadworks will be finished by then, but I doubt it. Getting to the carpark was a fucking nightmare.

HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN, LEGENDS, EDINBURGH, NOVEMBER 26, 2024

One of my most anticipated gigs of the year. Two of the finest post-metal bands in the country, together, in one place.

Line-up:

CULT OF SOBEK: Waiter, bring me some crocodile doom, and make it snappy! Sorry, couldn't resist. Anyway, you should be familiar with these crocodilian lads by now. Crushing, grinding and harsh. Definitely not snappy. Sometimes I find it hard to be sure, but I think they play a bunch of new stuff tonight, from a gestating new record. Which will be girthy.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/Ab3Cf5nqY_8   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100088422994440

CODESPEAKER: Local post-metal titans, fully loaded with new songs, out on tour with HYOM. New album 'Scavenger' has been receiving top reviews everywhere, and here we can see why. New songs are, I reckon, harder and angrier than the old and singer Greg looks like a man possessed. Thee two new kids seem to know what they're doing, too. Which helps. But, bugger me, it's hard to get a decent pic of them, what with their demonic red lighting and thick smoke. 

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/6qZwfX_5Qpk   https://www.facebook.com/codespeakertheband

HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN: I make no apology for lavishing praise upon HYOM at any and every opportunity. They are the best post-metal band in the country right now. I would sell my children for a chance to see them play. They seem to have regrouped following their tragic loss and are in a much happier place now, but are still emotionally devastating. They hit me hard, right in the 'feels'. And they can continue to do that as often as they like.

Thanks to Duncan at Red Crust for bringing this tour to Edinburgh. Gig of the Year.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/2NwPfK7r84I   https://www.facebook.com/hundredyearoldman

HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN, OPIUM, EDINBURGH, JUNE 3 2018

This was an odd one... Five very mixed bands, two of which I had no memory of until I looked back at my files, and another I am very familiar with, but that I had forgotten were even on this bill. Also, it was my birthday.

Line-up:

BRETHREN: One of the bands I had no memory of, prior to writing this. Turns out they were a Glasgow sort-of-doom trio, playing an unusual variation of a pretty conservative genre. Released an EP back in 2020, but haven't been seen since. Are they still a thing? I'd like it if they were.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/kDk1AeCJcWs   https://www.facebook.com/BrethrenGlasgow

NORTH STAR DESERTER: The other memory dodgers. Locals, describing themselves as 'ambient/post-rock', but I don't reckon that tells the whole story. What they were, exactly, I really couldn't say, but I liked them. They veered into GY!BE/Swans territory, with long-form improv songs. No sign of them since this gig. Internet searches turn up nothing beyond their old FB page and a VIC CHESNUTT album, which isn't really relevant.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/51z2MG1GDh4   https://www.facebook.com/NorthStarDeserterEdinburgh

BOSPHORUS: Glaswegian post-sludge trio. In a sad coincidence, Bosphorus called a halt on the very day I wrote this piece (20/10/2023). I shall miss them, especially Michael Wiseman's extravagant drum-faces.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/JuHZpWSRqQ8   https://www.facebook.com/Bosphorustheband

WE CAME FROM THE NORTH: Classic quiet/loud/quiet/VERY LOUD post rock from local stalwarts. Whom I'd forgotten were even at this gig. Still active, after all these years, and working on new stuff. Hopefully.

There's no video from this gig, for some reason, but there are plenty others out there, should you require one.

https://www.facebook.com/WeCameFromTheNorth

HUNDRED YEAR OLD MAN: This is a hard one, because we lost guitarist Owen David Pegg in 2021. The band carries on, but not unchanged, and remains one of the finest post-metal bands in the country. Seeing them live was always a devastating experience, physically and emotionally, but even more so now. 

They asked me to take down the video from this gig, and I was happy to do so.

https://www.facebook.com/hundredyearoldman