Into Music : Upcoming Gigs

Well, we have had our summer and what a day it was (a week past Tuesday was an absolute scorcher). It won’t be long until we hear that oft said phrase, “the nights are fair drawin’ in”. Indeed, Christmas isn’t that far away but before you lose all hope, there are gigs a plenty and as usual Into Creative have unearthed the best of the bunch, so read on……..

Concert: His Lordship
Venue: Edinburgh, Voodoo Rooms & Glasgow, McChuills
Date: 08 & 09 July 2022

The hottest new scuzzy rock and roll band on the scene His Lordship hit Scotland this weekend for what is sure to be the best gigs in the country. If you like your R&R mean and dirty, with a splash of punk, a dollop of rockabilly and a no fu#ks attitude then this might be just the band for you.

Mixing their own material with some spot on covers, the band’s live shows are already causing a stir in London so with a national tour on the go, this is the time to see them. Doubly so given the venues – Edinburgh’s Voodoo Rooms and McChuills in Glasgow – are the perfect stage(s) for a band who will leave nothing at the door and will blow your mind with their raw yet musically adept sound. The shows were due to take place a few weeks back but were postponed due to illness so if you haven’t secured a ticket, fear not, there’s still time if you’re quick.

I’d recommend you put the brothel creepers on, get down early and stand by for a real wild one, His Lordship are THAT good. Think a mix of The Damned, Iggy Pop, The Cramps and Gene Vincent and you’ll not be far off. New single All Cranked Up has been going down a storm with national airplay on the likes of BBC 6 music.

Tickets for either/both shows can be purchased here.

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Concert: Ewan MacFarlane
Venue: Edinburgh, Glasgow, Inverness, Dunfermline, Perth
Dates: Various 29 September to 08 October 2022

The former lead singer/songwriter of The Grim Northern Social, Mennska and Apollo 440 has gone solo and with a whole host of solid tunes behind him, it’s no wonder.

Debut album Always Everlong was a bit of a departure with a nod to the likes of Springsteen, Mellencamp and Greg Dulli. The strength of the tracks is immediately apparent with the evident vocal capacity forcing the listener to stand to attention.

This year has seen MacFarlane release three singles so far, Honey, All These Years and Tangled all of which hint at a performer at the top of his game. With a new album in the can, Milk which is scheduled for release later this year and with a series of live shows pencilled in, it’s sure to be a great year for the Scottish singer. The new album promises to showcase his diverse influences which range from Al Green to The Clash.

MacFarlane said of recent single Tangled:

Tangled comes across as an almost possessive type of love song in the realms of Every Breath You Take. Although it screams a neediness, it also exudes a more in depth meaning about its tangible content. It’s about being caught up so much in your lover that you almost can’t get close enough and therefore you need to be literally “tangled” in each other with the twists and turns of life. That desire exceeds anything that life throws at you.

With five dates booked for Scotland, there is ample opportunity to see MacFarlane bring these songs to life in a live environment, not to be missed. In addition to headline shows, MacFarlane will also be supporting Gun on their tour in August including shows in Cumbernauld, Irvine, Newcastle and Dunfermline as well as at FRETS in Strathaven.

For details on all things Ewan MacFarlane including updates on the new album and those tour dates, head to the website here.

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Concert: Arcade Fire
Venue: Glasgow OVO Hydro
Dates: 05 September 2022

No question, when Arcade Fire’s debut album Funeral landed in 2004 the music world stood up and took notice. Not in a long time had a band created such a reaction, their music innovative, different, fresh and exciting. The likes of David Bowie wanted to play with them, it was that good. Songs such as Rebellion (Lies) and Wake Up were and still are truly ground breaking.

Fast forward 18 years and the band are set to tour their sixth studio album We. Despite the high standard of that first album, Arcade Fire have somehow managed to maintain that level while playing to large arena audiences across the globe. They continue to innovate, they continue to make wrong (right) turns, they continue to perplex, change, shift and surprise, sure signs of a top, top band.

New singles from the album, The Lightning I,II and Unconditional I confirm the band are in fine fettle.

A European tour kicks off in Dublin at the end of August finishing up in Warsaw at the start of October. In between, the band come to Glasgow and play the Hyrdo on Monday 5th September which is sure to be a tour highlight given the reaction they get every time they visit the city.

For more details on the new album We and the European tour visit the band’s website here.

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Concert: Spear of Destiny
Venue: Edinburgh, The Caves
Dates: 10 July 2022

Without doubt Kirk Brandon is one of the hardest working musicians on the circuit. Splitting his time across various bands including Theatre of Hate, The Pack, Dead Men Walking and of course Spear of Destiny who hit The Caves in Edinburgh on Sunday 10th July.

Having seen Spear of Destiny about a dozen times or so, they always put on a show, a tight band including ex Sisters of Mercy bassist Craig Adams and ex New Model Army guitarist Adrian Portas amongst their ranks. Of course, centre stage you will find Brandon and that voice, which takes their songs to a level other bands can only aspire to.

Spear of Destiny will be playing the World Service album in full which they re-imagined and re-created during lockdown in 2020, 35 years after its initial release. Tracks such as Come Back, Mickey and Once In Her Lifetime have been re-evaluated to get the mix and sound just as Brandon envisaged it should be. In addition, some other choice cuts from their extensive back catalogue will feature too.

Add in the venue, The Caves which forms part of Edinburgh’s underground vaults where rumour has it Burke and Hare hunted their prey, it has a rich history and is certainly an unusual venue for a gig, more reason to go!

For details on the show and other U.K. dates head over to Kirk Brandon’s website here.