GOLOMB, SNEAKY PETE'S, EDINBURGH, AUGUST 25 2026

Foreigners in Edinburgh in August, and NOT PART OF THE FESTIVAL!

Line-up:

SCARRED LIP: Local indie veterans, ding what they do and doing it very well. A sneaky preview of some new songs, too, more of which will be revealed in October.

VODEO:   https://youtu.be/tVIhIE-ogpM   https://www.instagram.com/scarredlipband/

GOLOMB: Ohio indie/psych kids, who have been around longer than their youthful appearance would suggest. Their first time in Edinburgh. Very, very good. Hopefully they'll be back.

VIDEO HERE:   https://youtu.be/UFImXmPF5eY   https://www.instagram.com/golombgolombgolomb

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/

DR. SALAD, SNEAKY PETE'S, EDINBURGH, DECEMBER 16 2025

OK, so the HAMMER gig wasn't the last gig of the year after all. A last minute invitation brings me this. I have no idea who these people are. Or what they do.

LINE-UP:

SCARRED LIP: Last minute replacements for THE RAEBURN BROTHERS. You should know who they are by now. Cinematic, alt-country, grunge, indie, alt-rock - all of these and more. I'm only here because their man Matthew asked me along. 

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/kbam7MD3Gxc   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093419917600    https://www.instagram.com/scarredlipband/

THE RAEBURN BROTHERS: Unable to play, Replaced at the last minute by them up there. So I still have no idea what they do.

DR. SALAD: Having seen them in action, I STILL have no idea what these guys do. They call themselves 'Heavy Romance', which is as good a descriptor as any, I suppose. 'Jangly, melodic, salady, spicy, saucy, sultry, sxc, stringy strong, succulent, seductive, saoochay, smoky, silly, silky...' in their own words. All of that, I guess. They're actually very entertaining, definitely silly, but smart and very skilled musicians. They remind me of a Cambridge Footlights version of indie-pop. Featuring the skankiest Strat I think I've ever seen. Looks like it's been used to remove somebody's burst appendix before digging a hole to bury it in.

                                       

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/uayUQZAsGXY   https://www.facebook.com/DrSaladBoys

DUNBAR MUSIC FESTIVAL, SEPTEMBER 26/27 2025

In which I sample some of the goods on offer a lot closer to home than usual.  A bit like North Berwick's FRINGE BY THE SEA, but  just music. And not in North Berwick.

FRIDAY VENUE:  HARBOUR CHAPEL Formerly the DUNBAR METHODIST CHURCH, it's not much to look at from outside. Plain and utilitarian, painted a rather fleshy shade of pink. Right across the road from a big free car park.

But inside it's lovely. Original features include fancy tiled floors, stained glass windows, wooden pulpit, exposed stonework, and so on. Oddly, though, the pews (on wheels) are all set perpendicular to the stage, so we all have to twist around to see the action. 

Line-up:

GAZE IS GHOST: East Lothian based Northern Irish solo pianist and singer LAURA McGARRIGLE, now with added guitarist for the first time(Luke Sutherland, frequent MOGWAI collaborator). Classically trained, with roots deep in folk territory, her music is absolutely gorgeous. Also the first time I've ever seen her pick up a guitar. Wearing a suit apparently made of William Morris floral pattern curtains.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/BYD5AONvU_A    https://www.facebook.com/GazeisGhost

DARA DUBH/HARRY HIGGS: Another young Irish lady, Dara Dubh (Government name D. WATSON) and her lovely harp. She was here last year as a solo artist, but she's back with jazz guitarist HARRY HIGGS, playing a mix of her stuff, his stuff, collab. stuff and covers. Even a mash-up of one of Dara's songs and Cher's 'Bang Bang', which you can see below if it takes your fancy.

VIDEO:    https://youtu.be/X6WSByi3MKg     https://www.facebook.com/darawatsonharpist   https://www.facebook.com/harry.higgs.31

SATURDAY VENUE:  ROYAL BRITISH LEGION  Down a dark little close off the High Street, you'd find it easy to miss. Recently re-modelled, it's a standard social club inside. Clean, bright and functional.

Line-up:

THE SOUND RAYS: Hypnotic psych/kraut-rock guitar/bass duo with a drum machine. I THINK I like them, but they're quiet and hard to hear over the VERY chatty audience. 

VIDEO:    https://youtu.be/AvmlPSMDfB8   https://www.facebook.com/thesoundrays   https://www.instagram.com/the_sound_rays/?hl=en

SCARRED LIP: Edinburgh based alt-rock folks, doing their best to drown out the background conversation and, mostly, succeeding. They draw a pretty big and enthusiastic crowd, and there is some dancing. They play a mix of old stuff, current stuff and some rather fine new stuff.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/-xAZf_-4dRg   https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093419917600   https://www.instagram.com/scarredlipband/

RACECAR: I know nothing of these folks, but research would suggest that RACECAR are a trio. Clearly this is not the case. There are EIGHT of them. They do a nice line in perky alt-pop. And they appear to share a drummer with SCARRED LIP.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/5GTpCIyq_Y0   https://www.facebook.com/racecarband   https://www.instagram.com/racecar.band/

There's plenty more to see at the Festival, and a whole third day, but that's all for me. It's a nice wee thing, very mixed and very friendly. And very free! Anyway, now that I know it happens I'll look out for it next year and try to see a bit more.