LAST week we charted a selection of Scottish acts attending this year’s The Great Escape supported by Creative Scotland. Now, we delve deeper into the line-up to bring you a pretty impressive mix of acts to catch over the weekend in Brighton. Here’s our top picks over 19th-21st May 2016.
MAN OF MOON
A hotly tipped act who’ve gained massive amounts of praise since dropping into the scene 18 months ago, and one which we crowned our ‘Rising Star of 2015’, Edinburgh’s Man of Moon are unlikely to see the buzz surrounding them simmer anytime soon. Man of Moon’s Medicine EP is available to download form 6th May, and is released on vinyl on 10th June.
CATCH THEM: Friday 20th – 14.30-15.00 – Brighthelm and Friday 20th – 18.15-18.45 – Concorde 2
BLACK PEACHES
A midway point between the swamp and the tropics, Black Peaches’ music is gloriously loose-limbed and strung-out: a psychotropic stew of country boogie, spiritual jazz and funk. Black Peaches’ line-up features Smoughton – long time live member of Hot Chip. Really exciting live band.
CATCH THEM: Saturday 21st – 1:15pm – 1:45pm – Horatios
TANGERINES
Formed in Peckham late 2014 by singer and guitarist Gareth Hoskins and childhood friend and drummer Isaac Robson, Tangerines were born from early demos aired before Hoskins and Robson could even recruit a full band. They’ve played some amazing support shows with the likes of Hooton Tennis Club and The Parrots and we’re expecting them to rocket into more touring after TGE this weekend.
CATCH THEM: Thursday 19th – 6:45pm – 7:15pm – The Haunt
HIDDEN CHARMS
With an expect re-interpretation of the R&B end of the spectrum that once housed bands such as The Yardbirds, The Move and more, the London based outfit have just dropped new viscous psych rock track ‘Cannonball’, one which we can’t wait to hear live at TGE. It’s a is a dizzying, gripping and irresistibly decadent track which recalls the more hard-edged side of bands such as 13th Floor Elevators and Vanilla Fudge.
CATCH THEM: Thursday 19th – 7:30pm – 8:00pm – The Hope & Ruin
WHITE
Sharp synths and guitars collide to create a head-turning act that have been the talk of Scotland and beyond for some time now. They’re fresh, funky and inspiring to watch. Check out their amazing performance at Saint Luke’s church in Glasgow below, in our special On Location session.
THEY PLAY: Friday 20th – 3:30pm – 4:00pm – Brighthelm and Saturday 21st – 8:15pm – 8:45pm – Patterns
THE PARROTS
Dropping by Tenement TV HQ last year, The Parrots went on to get signed by Heavenly and have been playing really tight, inspiring live sets ever since. They’re playing various shows over the weekend, as well as being one of the first to play, on Thursday. Be sure to check them out for their instantaneous twanging guitars and perfected garage surf sound this weekend.
CATCH THEM: Thursday 19th – 12:00pm – 12:30pm – Horatios
CATHOLIC ACTION
A band that we’ve tipped for greatness since their days of playing The Old Hairdressers and releasing limited release tapes on Fuzzkill Records, it seems that all of that early promise is coming to fruition and looks set to catapult them onto even bigger stages than the ones that they’ve grown accustomed to playing this year. We can’t wait for the TGE audience to get their teeth into this amazing Scottish band. It’s going to get wild…
CATCH THEM: Thursday 19th – 14.30-15.00 – Brighthelm and Friday 20th- 19.15-19.45 – Green Door Store
THE AMAZONS
Signing to Fiction Records in at the end of 2015, the band have just finished their debut album with Catherine Marks (Wolf Alice, Sunset Sons), which will be released in early 2017. They were one of the amazing bands on our very own Tenement Trail line-up in 2015, we’re looking forward to seeing how their live set has progressed.
CATCH THEM: Thurs 19th – 10:30pm – 11:00pm – The Hope & Ruin
BLOSSOMS
Set to release their debut album in August, Blossoms will play a special acoustic set at this year’s TGE after a massive year playing shows with the likes of Jake Bugg. They smashed their performance on Jools Holland this week and are fast becoming one the UK’s most promising acts set to follow in the same striding steps as the likes of Catfish and The Bottlemen.
NIGHT BEATS
Taking the trophy for the loudest band we’ve had in session at TTV HQ in almost five years, their unique psych rock tracks punch with waves of colour. Their song ‘Power Child’ especially hypnotic. Having previously toured extensively with Roky Erickson, The Zombies, The Jesus and Mary Chain, The Strange Boys, Black Lips, The Growlers and The Black Angels in North America, Europe, Israel, South Africa and Australia, Night Beats are making a massive impression on the UK. It’s great to have them back so soon.
CATCH THEM: Thursday 19th – 8:30pm – 9:00pm – Brighthelm
TEMPESST
Playing our TTV stage at this year’s Stag & Dagger Festival, TEMPESST only have two tracks out on Spotify leaving little to the imagination. That’s the opposite of their live set though, their recent sold out London gig at the Sebright Arms filled with a flux of merging tracks packed with funky licks and incredible vocal ability. We’re hooking up with the band for a chat and can’t wait to ask them all about their really incredibly put together live act. Stay tuned.
CATCH THEM: Thursday 19th – 9:30pm – 10:00pm – Queens Hotel
JR GREEN
Called out by Louie from Hector Bizerk in our recent takeover feature as being “dangerously close to making accordion the coolest instrument in the world,” JR Green are on the forefront of what is sure to be a really exciting career. The band consist of two brothers from Strontian, a remote Scottish village a few miles from the most westerly point on mainland Britain, bringing a more youthful, virile edge to folk and traditional music.
CATCH THEM: Friday 20th – 13.30-14.00 – Brighthelm and Friday 20th – 21.30-22.00 – Uniterian Church
EAGULLS
Fresh from blowing the roof off of Stereo in Glasgow last week, the ever-progressive EAGULLS are continuing to forge a fierce and prominent British voice in the world of music. The band have really knocked it out the park with their recent second album, Ullages is a near perfect distillation of their agenda; a record that recalls the shimmering opulence of the Cocteau Twins and the melancholic majesty of Disintegration / Pornography-era The Cure.
CATCH THEM: Friday 19th – 11:00pm – 11:45pm – Horatios
JAGWAR MA
Currently on a UK tour which includes a Glasgow date, Jagwar Ma really have to be seen to be believed. Having recently played two massive sold-out London shows with Tame Impala, the band are set to record their second album which will be the follow-up to debut Howlin. The band are making a TGE appearance as one of the special guests at the Q Magazine closing party. This will be one special show.
CATCH THEM: Saturday 21st – 12:15am – 1:00am – Corn Exchange
LUSTS
Releasing a new record in 2015, the release was produced by MJ from Hookworms in his Leeds studio, it combines distorted organs and synths with fuzz guitars and a driving chorus of ‘uplifting misery’. The band are made up of brothers Andy and James Stone who create dark, New Wave indie with reverby chorus-laden guitars, strobes and melodic pop hooks.
CATCH THEM: Saturday 21st – 3:15pm – 3:45pm – Horiatos
HOLY ESQUE
A band who create an atmosphere at their live shows that is second to none, Holy Esque have really stepped up the bar with their new EP and expertly crafted live set. Creating rigorous and pulse-racing tracks, Holy Esque transcend all boundaries and really suck you in. Mastering a sound that triggers all your senses, we’re expecting this TGE show to be one to remember.
CATCH THEM: 6pm at Carousels (Believe Party) and 10pm at Green Door Store (Official Doc Martens showcase).
THE TELERMEN
Another Glasgow export, newcomers The Telermen will embark on their biggest show to date in Brighton this weekend. The band are set to release their very first EP in CD format four track CD, available digitally in the next couple of days as well as a limited 100 run.
CATCH THEM: Thursday 19th – 21:15-9:45 – Concorde 2
BAND OF SKULLS
Another of the bands to appear on the TTV Presents stage at Stag & Dagger festival earlier this month, Band of Skulls recorded an explosive session at TTV HQ – coming soon – proving their musicianship really is second to none. Speaking about their new record, Russell from the band said: “We thought, why not go brave with it? Calling it something with an epic title seemed quite fitting as that was our manifesto all along.”
CATCH THEM: Friday 20th – 9:15pm – 10:00pm – Concorde 2
VLADIMIR
2015 saw the band finish on a high playing tour supports with The View, Mark E Smith & The Fall, and The Libertines, shortly after slots at Festivals such as Belladrum, GoNorth and Stag & Dagger. Completing the year with a UK Headline tour, Vladimir have established themselves as one Scotland’s most formidable live acts.
CATCH THEM: Friday 20th – 23:00-23.30 – Green Door Store
