What’s remarkable about a city like Glasgow is that the metropolis of just over half a million people can compete on an arts and culture scale with a bustling historical metropolis like London, which is home to over eight million people.
Okay, so maybe ‘remarkable’ is underdoing it, but stumbling upon a place like Scotland’s largest city is like finding an almost gated community that is exclusive to music lovers.
It would appear that UNESCO agrees. In 2008 the Scottish city was named a UNESCO City of Music. The organisation cited the city’s on average 130 music events a week – this includes contemporary music, classical, celtic, and country – and the University of Glasgow’s widely recognised music qualifications in higher education.
With some of the most celebrated music venues in the UK located in the city and a vibrant music industry that is estimated to generate £75 million a year for the local economy all the facts indicate that Glasgow is on par with some of the best music cities in the world.
But what names has the metropolis provided to the international music community? Australia can at least be a little bit thankful with the city being the birthplace of founding AC/DC member Malcolm Young before his parents emigrated.
However the birth of Postcard Records in the late 70s is seen as an integral moment that would later define the city’s music history. What would follow in the 80s was the birth of a scene that would become home to highly influential bands such as The Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Screen, The Vaselines, BMX Bandits, Teenage Fanclub and The Pastels.
The Glasgow music scene only became even more fervent in the 90s with Chemikal Underground, Belle and Sebastian and Mogwai all further cementing the idea that this city was at the centre of Scottish music.
The likes of The Fratellis, Biffy Clyro, Frightened Rabbit and Franz Ferdinand would lead the next wave of acts taking the Glasgow brand across the world. While in 2013 the explosion of Chvrches suggests that a new era has begun, which advocates for the idea that the city’s reputation for music diversity is only going to increase.
Folk-pop five-piece Admiral Fallow spoke to Tone Deaf about the vibrancy of Glasgow’s music scene in a Q&A describing the area as having a “diversity of musical life, particularly if you know where to look”.
“It’s home to lots of well-established bands, but on most nights of the week there are local acts playing. And there’s a big range of gig venues, from small clubs like Nice n Sleazy’s to the legendary Barrowland Ballroom to the newly opened Hydro arena. As well as the indie and pop side of things, there’s also a vibrant folk and traditional music scene, and a strong jazz contingent, plus two Glasgow-based orchestras.”
The biggest band’s in the world may not have come from Glasgow, but as the aforementioned bands evidence, the music that does come from the city is eclectic and most importantly it’s interesting.
This is what sets Glasgow apart from other music cities. This is what makes Glasgow a unique and must-visit music destination.
Shop
Love Music, 34 Dundas Street
Voted as best Independent Record Shop of the Year in 2011 in Scotland and seen as one of the most beautiful vinyl establishments in the world by Buzzfeed this stores title is far from superficial. With a bent towards indie rock, classic rock, punk, metal, country, blues, soul and jazz Love music sells new and old vinyl, DVDs, magazines, comics, posters and more.
Volcanic Tongue, The Hidden Lane, Unit 24A Argyle Court
How cool is this venue? So cool that they had their own Cassette Store Day before International Cassette Store Day was even a thing. But seriously this record shop, which is just one facet of a distribution company and record label, specialises in quality underground music from around the world. New and second hand CDs, DVDs, books, magazines, vinyl and apparel are all on offer with the focus on “anything birthed from the fists and throats of free thinking humans”.
Mixed Records, 18 Otago Lane
This establishment is the type to overwhelm with 1000s of titles in stock and knowing where to begin is likely to cause an aneurysm. What we can definitively tell you though is that Mixed Records is a bag of varying goods. Vinyl, CDs, DVDs, BluRays and books representing diverse genres of music should have just about every music fan covered. You can also sell your second hand goods here too.
Listen
Mono, 12 King’s Court King Street
Who knew that one of Glasgow’s must visit music destinations would be situated beneath a train station? Mono has everything. Besides being one of the city’s foremost places to catch emerging and popular acts there’s a bar, restaurant, microbrewery and grocery shop in this complex. That’s not to mention the record store which the best of its kind in the city. With the restaurant providing vegans and vegetarians organic produce Mono is a destination, which just about provides for all of your needs.
King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, 272a St. Vincent’s Street
With its reputation forever upheld by the tale that saw Oasis signed by Alan McGee at the establishment King Tut’s is your traditional small sweaty rock club. With its capacity of 300 punters quickly filled (or at least it feels like it) punters are warned to arrive as early as possible or they might find themselves enjoying the pool table downstairs more than the back of another crowd members head. Oasis fans should also appreciate the “Wonderwall” titled urinal because how could you pass up such a puntastic opportunity when something like this presents itself?
Nice N Sleazy, 421 Sauchihall Street
With some of Glasgow’s favourite musical treasures, Mogwai and Arab Strap, making their name in this venue in its infancy Nice N Sleazy has grown to encompass just about any style that you can think of. With gigs held almost every night of the week expect the crowd to be on the hipster side of things and the music to be cooler and far less pretentious than what you might be expecting.
See
The Arches, 253 Argyle St
A live music venue that quite easily could have sat beside Glasgow’s best in the Listen section, this establishment has found its place here because aesthetically it’s pretty suave. As its name suggests it’s defined by brick arches with the venue sitting beneath the Glasgow Central Station. Opened in 1991 and run by a non-profit organisation everything from live music, arts, theatre and nightclub events are held here.
Glasgow Green
Every city has a park and as a tourist seeing green pastures and statues can become quickly tiresome the longer you’re on the road for. But Glasgow Green is worth mentioning here because of its significance to the local music scene. The Stone Roses played what is regarded as one of their most memorable shows here 1990 and made a triumphant return to site in 2013. In 1992 Michael Jackson performed his only show in Scotland in the park on his Dangerous World Tour. While Download Festival Scotland hosted Metallica, Linkin Park, Korn, Slipknot and many more here in 2004. It was also the home of the World Pipe Band Championships in 2013.
Glasgow Acts You Should Check Out
Mogwai – Facebook
Undoubtedly one of Scotland’s most influential acts the five-piece craft guitar based atmospheric instrumentals that are long and absorbing. With their influence continuing to grow even more over time their eighth studio album, Rave Tapes, is set to be released in early 2014. You can listen to ‘Remurdered’ from the album below.
Frightened Rabbit – Soundcloud
Based in the city since 2004 the indie rock five-piece originally hail from the much smaller town of Selkirk. However after moving to Glasgow the band were able to use the city as a launching pad for the four albums that would follow. Their most recent release, Pedestrian Verse, saw the band garner acclaim as they played even more cities around the globe.
Holy Esque – Soundcloud
Hyped by NME, the publication singled out lead singer Pat Hynes as having the “unholiest shriek in rock” with the four piece’s guitar work and heart wrenching lyrics garnering comparisons with everyone from the Manic Street Preachers to The National. One thing is clear though, the tastemakers have bestowed an almighty amount of promise on this band who have already played SXSW, Glastonbury and The Great Escape.
