QUADE, SNEAKY PETE'S, EDINBURGH, SEPTEMBER 25 2025

I have no idea who QUADE are, or what they do. What can possibly go wrong? Apart from mis-spelling 'SNEAKY'...

Line-up:

ELLIANA CRAIG: Apparently, ELLIANA CRAIG is not a person, but a band. Local lads. I'm finding it hard to describe what it is that they do. It seems to have it's origins in post-punk, but it went off the rails somewhere and hooked up with noise rock. And some kind of warped post-rock. There's quite a bit of instrument swapping, and there's a violin. Some of it is quite gentle, and some of it is a discordant scraping noise. I'm not sure if I like it or not. Probably I do.

Video:  https://youtu.be/EmnztJNNacw   https://www.instagram.com/ellianacraig_band/

QUADE: Like the lads above, QUADE are difficult to pin down. They are, as previously mentioned, from Bristol, but that's about the only thing I can definitely say about them. Let's try. They don't talk much, and most of what they do is very quiet. It's a bit folk, a bit ambient, a bit post-rock, a bit jazz, a bit prog. There's quite a bit of instrument swapping, and there's a violin. Wait, that sounds familiar... Well, yes. They are made from a kit of parts similar to the one used by Alliana Craig, but assembled in quite a different way. Less chaotic. The sensible adults to AC's unruly teenager.

VIDEO:   https://youtu.be/pfzr_-vB3tQ  https://www.facebook.com/quadebanduk

CORE FESTIVAL, DAY 2, WOODSIDE HALLS/HUG & PINT, GLASGOW, SEPTEMBER 13 2025

 In which we encounter technical difficulties and schedule amendments.

OK, before we get to the fun stuff, I find that my video camera has stopped speaking with it's battery and will not work. I have spare batteries, but they are 70 miles away and might as well be on the Moon. So, no proper videos from here on. Bugger.

Today is the day when the quotation from Day 1 (look it up) really kicks in.

Line-up:

GOUT: Off to a fine start. One of the highlights of last year's line-up, they do not disappoint. Thunderous sludge, and a nice NIN cover. Top stuff. Apparently most - or all - of the band are also in an indie-pop outfit of some kind. 

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/Hv1KCH58b60

SHOOTING DAGGERS: Raucous 'queercore' punks from London. Very noisy and great fun. Bucketsful of 'attitude'. Joined by Beth(?) from SLOWCORE and FLINCH for a song, making her the only person to play all three CORE festivals.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/T4zu72PgvaA    https://www.facebook.com/shootingdaggersxhc

BELLOW BELOW: Veteran math-rockers, back together after a good few years away. Sturdy stuff, lots of widdly tapping, they still know how to do it. I think they were originally scheduled to play the Hug & Pint, but swapped with LIGHTS OUT for some reason.

VIDEO:                https://www.facebook.com/bellowbelow

MONI JITCHELL: Local noise-rock duo, back for a second CORE visit. Showing off some excellent new material. Seem a bit quiet, although I'm told it sounded really loud on stage. Dead good, though.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/6EbcGLCwDU0    https://www.facebook.com/monijitchell

ROMAN CANDLE: US screamo/hardcore outfit, taking over this spot from OVERSIZE, who I'd planned to see but who pulled out. Their original slot in Room 2 will be taken by Glasgow hardcore folks RESIST, who I miss. Their first ever UK show was two nights ago, so I guess this is their first Scottish show.

DITZ: Post-punk/alt-rock from Brighton. Singer doesn't seem too keen on the lights and switches them all off. And on again. And off again. Then swings them about a bit.

Video:   https://youtu.be/g5HoPJsc0VM    https://www.facebook.com/ditzband

PEST CONTROL: Thrashy hardcore kinda stuff from Leeds. Popular with 'the kids'.

https://www.facebook.com/pestcontrolleeds

CRUELTY: Metallic hardcore from...somewhere in England, possibly. Not really my kind of thing, but still not horrible.

https://www.facebook.com/thesoundofcruelty

DEFEATER: Blue collar melodic hardcore from Boston, Mass. That's in the USA.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/CTJxj5wfTfs   https://www.facebook.com/defeaterhc

Bands who were there but I didn't see:

GRAND SLAM : LIGHTS OUT : NO KNOWN WEAKNESS : RESIST : PERP WALK : TEST OF PATIENCE : FALSE REALITY : THE CHISEL

a-tota-so, SAFARI LOUNGE, EDINBURGH, SEPTEMBER 1 2023

Nottingham math-rockers out on tour turn Edinburgh's bijou cellar venue into a sweaty mess, in the best possible way.

There's no photos for this one, as the Safari Lounge was just too dark.

Line-up:

TASTING SHAPES:  Local alt-pop/indie combo. Their Facebook page says they are a 5-piece, but tonight they are only 4. Is somebody missing? Or is Facebook not to be trusted. Singer Kat will be back later.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/1qyF9Yx1imQ    https://www.facebook.com/tastingshapes

DUSKER: Noise rock from Leicester, spiky and angular, out on a weekend jolly with a-tota-so. Very tall bassist Rory will be back later.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/sYpCeDvqdB4   https://www.facebook.com/duskeruk

a-tota-so: Tonight's lower case headliners, math-rock from Nottingham. Previously instrumental, their last album went all experimental and that with vocals, and they now use that as an excuse to get guest vocalists up on stage when they play. Tonight's lucky volunteers are Kat from Tasting Shapes and Rory from Dusker. Kat was, it seems, the 61st different vocalists to have served. Greg from Codespeaker was supposed to tale a turn but didn't learn the words. We'll have to wait for 62, then.

VIDEO:  https://youtu.be/Fk5tY2_Xxr8   https://www.facebook.com/atotaso