GOBLINSMOKER, LEGENDS, EDINBURGH, JUNE 28 2025

Newcastle's premier Toad King worshippers return to Edinburgh for RED CRUST PROMOTIONS' last gig before Duncan takes a well earned break.

Line-up:

SOLAR SONS: Old school hairy heavy metal from Dundee with an evident fondness for IRON MAIDEN, which will become clear. For fans of galloping riffs, beards, etc. Slightly extended set tonight, because of the below.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/PXjbPlcI65M   https://www.facebook.com/solarsonsofficial

CULT OF SOBEK:  Sadly pulled out, because it seems the singer has picked up some heinous lurgy from the fetid swamps of the Nile, or something.

GOBLINSMOKER: Out on tour promoting their new album, part 3 of the Toad King trilogy, 'The King's Eternal Throne'. Slightly extended set tonight, because of the above. As expected, new tunes are played. Not, to be fair, radically different from the OLD songs. But, then, why would they be?

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/Xo8iJ3ARp8s   https://www.facebook.com/Goblinsmoker

And with that, Big Duncan at Red Crust takes a step back from gig promotion, to have some well-earned family time. But he'll be back, eventually. He has plans...

RED CRUST FEST, PART 3, VARIOUS VENUES, EDINBURGH MARCH 30 2024

Saturday at the RED CRUST FEST in Edinburgh. The kids had their day yesterday, and now it's time for the old guys to do their thing. Most of the action takes place in LA BELLE, but there are still the after-show gigs. If things go according to plan, we might see some stuff at BANNERMAN'S and, maybe, LEGENDS later. Or we might not.

VENUE:  LA BELLE ANGELE:

LINE-UP:

SOLAR SONS: We're told that TALES OF TIME have had to pull out, so things start a bit later than planned with Dundee's trad metal heroes getting a slightly longer slot for their second set of the weekend. This is MAN metal. Not like the pumped and oily man-metal of MANOWAR, but rough and hairy MAN metal. Not man-metal with a shiny polished sword, but MAN metal with a chipped and chunky axe. MAN metal.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/CV5oxdNscGs   https://www.facebook.com/solarsonsofficial

CODESPEAKER: I maintain that CODESPEAKER are amongst the finest of British post metal bands, and will have no argument. Danged hard to photograph though. Anyway, they premier a NEW SONG today, which is nice, and the video of it is right there below the pics.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/5brPzAEFT3I   https://www.facebook.com/codespeakertheband

FAMYNE: Quality doom stoner metal from Canterbury. The one band on today's menu that I knew absolutely nothing about. Decent, though.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/sLtnooL-1f8  https://www.facebook.com/famyneuk

1968: RED CRUST favourites, no-nonsense retro rockers back with a new singer, formerly of OAK. The London OAK, not any one of the many other OAKs. 

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/za2JNdRvB18   https://www.facebook.com/1968Band

DOG TIRED: I miss BRAINBATH, because I had to go get my car from where it was parked, and come back in time to catch a bit of PANTER....er, DOG TIRED, all the way from the leafy suburb of Penicuik. DOG TIRED do exactly what DOG TIRED do, and do it very well indeed.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/PoiLJBnGPc8   https://www.facebook.com/dogtiredmetal

PARTY CANNON: Notorious Fife party-slammers playing Edinburgh for the first time in ages, Traditional inflatable killer whale makes it's usual appearance, joined this time by a shadowy skeleton lurking in the shadows.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/lI_vQUAnzRs   https://www.facebook.com/PartyCannonUK

DEVIL SOLD HIS SOUL: Post-metalcore veterans making a rare Edinburgh appearance, headlining the Saturday night main stage. Excellent stuff.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/TtBZD1pbN5k  https://www.facebook.com/devilsoldhissoul

That's it for the main stage, and I'm feeling the strain. I'm going to have to miss the ISAK set at LEGENDS, because I'm very old and tired, but there's still just enough gas in the tank for...

VENUE: LEGENDS:

Line-up:

PLEIADES: Nice lads from Manchester, doing a blend of everything post - post-rock, post-hardcore, post-metal, post-malone...wait, no. Not that last one. One of the guitarists is very tall. And it's pronounced PLAY-a-dees.

There's no video for this one because, once again, the sound was terrible. 

https://www.facebook.com/pleiadesuk

That's Saturday done. I'm knackered and I need to go to bed. Back tomorrow.

SOLAR SONS, BANSHEE LABYRINTH, EDINBURGH, NOVEMBER 18 2023

An evening of assorted metal, beards, camo shorts, denim'n'leather. You know the sort of thing.

LINE-UP:

MELTED MESSIAH: Fifers. Two of them. Wonky black/sludge/jazz metal. 

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/IQ5yb4zi-l0    https://www.facebook.com/MeltedMessiah

ROBOT DEATH MONKEY: Locals. Used to be two of them. Now four of them. Hardest band in Scotland. Allegedly. At least one of them shops at ASDA.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/dVe8SEi7LR4   https://www.facebook.com/RobotDeathMonkey

SOLAR SONS is 'a leading solar and electrical contractor with the goal of assisting Australia to shift towards a more sustainable future'.... Wait. No. Not that SOLAR SONS... THIS Solar Sons is from Dundee, but don't hold that against them. Progressive metal. NOT prog rock, thank fuck.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/1-L6qpFoGmA   https://www.facebook.com/solarsonsofficial