Radar: Bands to watch at the Wickerman festival
The Wickerman festival takes place this weekend in Dumfries and Galloway. Picture: Robert Perry
The Wickerman brings to mind images of pagan dancing and flaming effigies. While that’s a staple of the music festival as well as the cult film, the Dumfries and Galloway weekender has also established a reputation as a hotbed of new Scottish music.
The Solus Tent in particular is a reliable source of new discoveries for festival goers, and more recently Wickerman’s new music credentials have been bolstered with the addition of the goNORTH festival tour tent.
Here we pick out some of the bands to watch at these stages.
What? Rolling Stone-touted singer-songwriter from Glasgow
Where? Solus Tent
When? Friday
What we said: “Peter Kelly’s vocal delivery is full of controlled emotion, straining only when required and crucially never becoming too big to distract from the quality of his songwriting. It helps also that his finger-picking guitar style is incredibly tight. He has all the elements required of a great performer and he has them in perfect balance.” (Stevie Kearney)
What? Pop meets post-rock in this Glasgow group
Where? goNORTH tent
When? Friday
What we said: “They have often listed their sound as ‘post-rock pop music with a heart’. While that may sound like a throwaway poster line, it’s not far from the truth. There is a togetherness and purpose to their music that could only come from a collaborative working relationship.” (Nick Mitchell)
What? Primal rock three-piece from Glasgow
Where? Solus Tent
When? Friday
What we said: “The news that Chemikal Underground had signed luscious-locked, riff-heavy Glasgow trio Holy Mountain was exciting. The added announcement that a mini-album would be released in ‘early 2012’ was even better.” (Elaine O’Connor)
What? Minimalistic drums’n’rap combo from Glasgow
Where? Solus Tent
When? Saturday
What we said: “Hector Bizerk is the very essence of doing things for yourself, and doing them differently. A two-piece hip-hop act from Glasgow, with just percussion and lyrics to hold an audience, they’re taking on the music world on their terms.” (Euan Robertson)
What? New electronica project from Arab Strap man Malcolm Middleton
Where? Solus Tent
When? Saturday
What we said: “Human Don’t Be Angry sees Middleton steering well clear of the miserablist tag he has previously been lumbered with, and instead embracing instrumental and electronic soundscapes to stunning effect.” (Nick Mitchell
What? De Rosa frontman goes solo
Where? Solus Tent
When? Saturday
What we said about his album: “A lighter, poppier affair than much of the darker swirl that surrounded De Rosa, with plenty of synths throughout, it showcased a different side to Henry’s songwriting.” (Stuart Lewis)
What? Glasgow indie favourites on the rise
Where? goNORTH tent
When? Friday
What we said: “Their live set combines potentially melancholic lyrical content with lush, epic shoegazing sounds and waves of reverb to a profound, at times emotional end.” (Lauren Mayberry)
What? Literate, ambitious Glasgow band make long-awaited return
Where? Solus Tent
When? Saturday
What we said: “Back in 2009 There Will Be Fireworks stood out from the glut of pretenders threatening to break out of Scotland. With their self-titled debut album, the Glasgow-based band forged a style of heartfelt indie-rock that raised goosebumps and rumbled eardrums in equal measure.” (Nick Mitchell)
What? Splintering guitars and intricate grunge from Glasgow
Where? Solus Tent
When? Friday
What we said: “Their early material drew from a number of discordant influences from Jesus Lizard and Sonic Youth to the Pixies ... but like any band worth their salt, United Fruit have honed and developed this sound, resulting in a considerably more melodic but no less direct and affecting approach.” (Ryan Drever)
What? Vocal-free rock from this Edinburgh three-piece
Where? Solus Tent
When? Saturday
What we said: “Tooled up with guitar, bass and drum, the instrumental trio chomp at the jugular with a series of thrashing cuts that swing between barbarous metal and hexagonal math noodles.” (Billy Hamilton)
What? Quintet steeped in Glasgow’s indie heritage
Where? goNORTH tent
When? Friday
What we said: “Simple yet poignant lyrics, sung in a broad Scottish accent, that sit nicely over the accompanying plucky guitars and flute trills. Alongside the usual staples they have a unique mix of instrumentation that includes the singing saw, piccolo, mandolin and a mixture of melodicas, maracas and a bouzouki. (Aimi Gold)
What? Aberdeen-based singer-songwriter with a unique style
Where? goNORTH tent
When? Friday
What we said: “With a unique voice that sounds like a mix between Nick Drake and Ray LaMontagne ... it may sound overly-affected to the untrained ear, but his is a wonderfully original, heartfelt and seemingly accidental style.” (Stevie Kearney)
RADAR: SHOWCASING THE BEST NEW MUSIC IN SCOTLAND
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Tuesday 18 June 2013
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