Into Music: Upcoming Gigs

We may sound like a broken down record but there really is nothing like live music, seeing a band or artist up close, not knowing what song will come next, being caught up in the moment, it is just the absolute business. Of course, we are now coming into the main festival season which can be a great way to discover new music for a reasonable price but if that isn’t your thing, there are some amazing acts about to get into a transit van and tour the country, hitting towns and cities across the U.K. Read on then, we have a few great suggestions for you to consider.

Artist: The Secret Goldfish/ The Cords/James Kirk
Venue: Glasgow Glad Cafe
Date: 21st June 2025

The Glad Cafe in Glasgow’s Southside is a really cracking spot (check out their food & drink options) and seems to have something on most evenings. To paraphrase an ex-footballer of poetic talent “there’s a buzz about the place”. DJ sets, comedy and live music are staples of the venue and the upcoming gig by The Secret Goldfish and The Cords is sure to be another memorable night.

The Cords hail from Inverkip and the duo consisting of Eva and Grace Tedeschi are quickly making a name for their selves with a sound firmly in the now but with the merest glance back to 1980s indie pop. Last year saw the release of Rather Not Say, three and a half minutes of shimmering guitar, pulsing drums, cool tambourine and hazy vocals.

The concert is an album launch for Empty Holster, the fourth album by The Secret Goldfish which is a joint release via Creeping Bent and Last Night From Glasgow. The band have already released the singles Holiday Hymn (a cover of Vic Goddard & The Subway Sect) and Get On Board and on this form, the album promises much. The former is laden with hooks, the bass in the background is assured, the drums drive the track and Katy Lironi’s vocal is utterly enchanting “everybody’s singing a holiday hymn“. Amen to that!! On the latter, Katy’s daughter Amelia (Quad90) adds distinctive backing vocals on a cover of the James Kirk track from his album, You Can Make It If You Boogie.

Interestingly, the album idea goes back as far as 1996 with the intention to do a number of cover versions by the band’s favourite artists which include Vic Goddard,, Davy Henderson, The Beach Boys and a few others. James Kirk will also be playing on the night. If the music wasn’t enough, there is the added treat of Nicola Meighan interviewing Katy Lironi to discuss her acclaimed memoir, Matilda In The Middle which covers family, music and mayhem from her time in the C86 scene through to the positive impact on her life of daughter Matilda who has Down’s syndrome. Nicola will also interview Douglas MacIntyre on his time running The Creeping Bent record label and his forthcoming book, A Leap Into The Void. This promises to be a top night of literature and music with great support acts and then a headliner who will play a set of unbeatable top trumps.

For tickets, head to The Glad Cafe website here.

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Festival: The Wake 
Venue: Loxwood Meadow, Nr Billinghurst, West Sussex
Date: 23rd August 2025

Now entering its second year, The Wake is quickly establishing itself as a cracking addition to the festival circuit. No surprise as Jo Bartlett and Danny Hagan, who started The Green Man Festival in 2003 and helped grow it exponentially are behind this venture in West Sussex. The festival oozes coolness, has a child friendly focus and comes with two stages of live music, bars, food, talks, DJs and plenty more besides.

The 2025 line up is already shaping up with the likes of King Creosote, folk artist Chris Brain and C86 stalwarts Bluetrain who supported the likes of The Pastels and The Mighty Lemon Drops back in the 1980s. The talks and interviews will see ex Cocteau Twins/Bella Union Simon Raymonde and there are DJ sets including Richard Norris from The Grid.

The beauty of The Wake is it has been carefully curated from the line up to the food and drink and to the amazing festival site. Jo and Danny clearly have the Midas touch when it comes to festivals but that is borne out through their clear love of music, knowing what their clientele like and want and having utter dedication and passion to deliver on every single detail.

For more details and to purchase tickets, head to The Wake internet site here.

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Artist: Skinny Lister 
Venue: Glasgow King Tuts
Date: 09th December 2025

Sure, December is a long way away but over here at Into Creative towers we are giddy with excitement for this one. Why? Well, occasionally a track will just hit you straight between the eyes, make you stop what you are doing and simply marvel at the sonic delight coming out of the speakers. Step forward Song From The Yonder by London folk-punk maestros Skinny Lister. Without a doubt this will feature on our end of year “best of” tracks, it is an absolute earworm and so much so we’ve since been acclimatizing ourselves with their extensive seven album back catalogue.

The band certainly know their way around tub thumping anthems, sea shanties and indie sing-a-longs such that we can expect plenty of jigs, jumping about and daft dancing come December in Glasgow. If you cant wait that long, the band are also appearing at the Doune The Rabbit Hole Festival in August before embarking on a jaunt across Europe before returning to the U.K. including that King Tuts gig.

For more on the tour, new album and the band, head to their website here.

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Artist: Wendy James 
Venues: Glasgow King Tuts & Edinburgh Cabaret Voltaire
Dates: 22nd & 23rd October 2025

With a solid and active solo career and albums via Transvision Vamp and Racine, Wendy James needs no introduction whatsoever. The singer-songwriter has recently released the exquisite album The Shape Of History which explores and ponders on what a life well lived means.

Speaking of the album, James said “The Shape Of History’ has a lot about love in it, a lot about appreciation of oneself, one’s life and importantly, of others. It is life’s arc of starting out, blooming into something and in some ways maturing. I don’t think my music has got older, I know I’ve not gone mellow! My attitude can be more ferocious and fearless than ever, but there is an acquired wisdom, which naturally comes after having been alive for a few decades! ‘The Shape Of History’ is a love letter and a Thank you note to life so far. The culmination of my tenth album is the result of co-musicians and engineers who I’ve worked with previously and with whom I share a language. We know each other, we choose to work together. We enjoy each other’s talents and personalities. There is a happiness, a belonging, when we meet up, and an open and determined desire to achieve what we know we have to“.

A U.K. tour beckons in October, kicking off at the famous 100 Club in London and including a couple of Scottish dates in Glasgow and Edinburgh. A stellar band will include Alex Ward on guitar and Bad Seed and ex drummer with The Cramps Jim Sclavunos. Wendy James has promised a set which will encompass the choicest cuts from across her whole career, don’t miss it.

For more on the album and tour, head to the website here.

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Artist: Graham Nash 
Venue: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Date: 15th October 2025

The word legend is banded about quite a lot in the world of sport and entertainment. Mainly erroneously but if you asked most music afficionados about Graham Nash, that word would be mentioned time and time again. A key member of The Hollies and then Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young assures that status and that’s before we even mention a significant solo career.

Nash has twice been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and is of course a Grammy winner to boot. Glasgow is in for a special treat in October as the tour, headed Graham Nash – More Evenings of Songs and Stories comes to town. Accompanied by Zach Djanikian, Adam Minkoff and Todd Caldwell, tracks such as The Hollies Just A Song Before I Go and Stop Stop Stop, CSN&Y favourites Marrakesh Express and Teach Your Children plus solo songs such as Military Madness are sure to feature.

Not only that but Peter Asher will appear as a special guest. Asher, of course was one part of the duo Peter and Gordon who had a smash hit with the Lennon/McCartney penned A World Without You in 1964. Nights like this don’t come around much and this one will surely sell out so get on this quickly!

For more details, head to the Graham Nash website here.

John Welsh
@welshjb