MARKING the first time that the travelling festival has set up shop in Scotland, the Mumford and Sons curated Gentlemen Of The Road Stopover is set to take place over the course of the weekend.
Adjourning to the idyllic surroundings of Aviemore’s Dell of Rothiemurchus, this weekend’s event will be the only Gentlemen of the Road to be situated within Britain over the course of 2015.
Despite the fact that the festival is predominantly associated with the previously mentioned folk rock superstars that carefully construct the line-up from bands that they adore, there’s a lot more treasure to be unearthed at the event.
For those who may be unacquainted with its enticing line-up, we’ve delivered a rundown of the sets that it’d be remiss of any attendees to not check out.
PRIMAL SCREAM
There’s little more that needs to be said other than their instantly recognisable name, Bobby Gillespie’s Primal Scream are quite simply one of the most essential bands of the past 30 years.
Managing to keep their sound fresh due to their collective spirit of constant reinvention, the band have dipped their toe into practically every genre known to man and have done so with more style than most groups of their stature can muster.
Sure to turn in a career spanning set that shall encompass bona-fide classic LP’s such as Screamadelica, XTRMNTR, Give Up But Don’t Give Out as well as the more recent yet equally endearing More Light, they’re likely to outshine the majority of groups that shall grace the events’ stages with ease.
NEON WALTZ
Unquestionably one of Scotland’s finest young propositions, Neon Waltz have became known for their spacious, atmospheric and often euphoric brand of alt-rock that has captured the imagination of thousands.
Signing to the historic Atlantic Records after their prowess became abundantly clear, their recent headlining set on T in the Park’s BBC Introducing stage reaffirmed their potential to become major players that their droves of fans have been aware for quite some time.
In the event that you’ve somehow not yet fallen under the spell of this Caithness based outfit, witnessing their set at GOTR is as good a time as any to find a new band to become completely entranced by.
HONEYBLOOD
An exhilarating two piece that have already added a staggering amount of amazing music to their canon, Glasgow’s own Honeyblood have had the attention of the nation’s musos since 2012.
Delivering upon the early promised that was displayed on tracks such as the infectious ‘Kissing On You’ , their eponymous debut record was met with widespread acclaim from all that wrapped their ears around its fuzzy slacker pop.
Set to go on to bigger and better things following a brief line-up and the release of exciting new output such as the intriguing ‘No Big Deal’, they’ll bring a cavalcade of pleasant noise and gripping melodies to the proceedings.
WHITE
Unarguably one of the most dynamic collectives to have surfaced from our country in the past few decades, WHITE are a band that defy convention and focus purely on making the most vital music possible.
Refusing to be confined by the defined scenes that have developed within Scotland’s music industry and forging ahead with a sound that is entirely of their own conception, the band have sent shock-waves through the nation and far beyond thanks to material such as ‘Living Fiction’ and the delightfully confrontational ‘Future Pleasures.’
Culling influence from legendary post-punk acts such as Gang Of Four and Talking Heads as well the vehemently aloof stylings of Roxy Music and David Bowie, be sure to catch their set at GOTR in order to get a flavour of what can be expected during their headline set at this year’s Tenement Trail.
THE MACCABEES
Another band that have found themselves on the bill that harbour an unquenchable penchant for reinvention, former indie-poppers The Maccabees have blossomed into one of the UK’s most downright formidable rock ‘n’ roll bands.
Putting themselves on a self-imposed hiatus following 2012’s remarkable Given To The Wild, this Friday will see them release the much speculated upon Marks To Prove It: their fourth studio LP and an album that is shaping up to be their finest yet.
They’ll no doubt be absolutely jubilant with the response that their new record will have garnered, so expect that to translate into their performance.
RACHEL SERMANNI
One of the finest artists from the Highlands to have left their distinct mark on the music industry, Rachel Sermanni is one of the most striking singer/songwriters to appear in recent years.
Initially building ahead of steam in the realm of contemporary folk, Sermanni jumped at the chance to leap into an inspiring new direction with sophomore effort Tied To The Moon.
Sure to make an impact with tracks from both of her accomplished full length releases, catch this remarkable artist live as she begins to hit her stride and gain more fans than ever.
CATHOLIC ACTION
A group that has rightly found themselves at the forefront of everyone’s minds in recent months, the ever-impressive Catholic Action have practically had time to assess their situation due to an incredibly busy schedule.
Helmed by the Chris McCrory, the band possess an electrifying sound that is borderline indecipherable due to the fact that no one sound bears significant resemblance to the next; straddling everything from slacker pop and 90’s alt-rock to 70’s glam rock and pop.
One thing that every excerpt from their catalogue that the public has been granted access to has in common is the fact that they never fail to leave the public in awe at their sheer likability, catchiness and panache.
Looking to capitalise on the resounding success that 2015 has brought them, Gentlemen Of The Road will be one of a steadily decreasing amount of chances to catch them on a stage that harbours newcomers before the inevitable promotion occurs.
BABY STRANGE
A Glasgow based three piece that have honed their sound into one of the most substantial and engaging of any burgeoning band, Baby Strange are primed for big things.
On an immense run of form ever since tracks such as ‘VVV’ ingrained them in the consciousness of any true music lover, Johnny Madden and the McCann Brothers have became known for their own brand of pungent rock ‘n’ roll that never fails to hold the attention.
Reasserting themselves with the atmospheric ‘California Sun’ that hinted towards a notable progression in their aesthetic, expect them to leave the crowd in raptures following what is shaping up to be a great performance.
MODEL AEROPLANES
Dundee’s Model Aeroplanes have amassed one of the most considerable fanbases of any Scottish band in recent times, soliciting so much adoration that they’ve even got a dedicated US fan club on twitter.
Purveyors of indie rock that appeals to a wide range of emotions, they’ve crafted some of the most righteously joyous yet forward thinking music that has been crafted in the genre’s mould for a number of years.
Recent output such as ‘Deep In The Pool’ has only served to strengthen the widespread speculation that surrounds them; a factor which will most certainly translate to a sizable and enthusiastic crowd at GOTR.
HUNTER & THE BEAR
Emphatic, immediate and heartfelt are a mere smattering of the words that spring to mind when considering the work of Hunter & The Bear, a band whose stock has steadily risen ever since receiving the call from legendary bluesman Eric Clapton to support him at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro.
Another act for whom the festival coincides with the emergence of new material, the band will be marking the release of their latest EP Wildfire.
With the release of what is sure to be another fine collection melodic and attention grabbing rock from the band, they’re sure to win over new converts and delight existing fans when they take to the festival’s second stage.
