For the love of live
Bands, blogs and promoters- what is the secret formula of Glasgow’s wildly successful punk scene?
BY Nicola Roy
There has never been a more vital and exciting time to be an aspiring musician in Glasgow. In a city historically famous for its eccentric tapestry of scenes and sub-genres, lifelong friendships and communities are being formed all the time through the sheer, unrivalled joy that is live music.
In particular, within the punk scene. 40 years on from its origins as a result of political turmoil in London, it’s still very much an integral part of Glasgow’s culture and values. Take a walk down Sauchiehall Street on any given night of the year and you’re guaranteed to be greeted by drunken and enthusiastic crowds spilling out of small venues such as the Priory and Broadcast, having just screamed their lungs out with all their friends at a gig.
Kyle McGhee and David McFarlane from The Dunts are thankful for the constant breeding ground of new talent that comes from the scene. “There’s a gig on every night,” said Kyle. “Glasgow is quite small, and it’s not too dispersed so it makes it easier.”
Not many bands in Glasgow have a fanbase as loyal as The Dunts. Since the Glasgow indie-punk outfit started putting on gigs around four years ago, a mental audience has followed them wherever they go. David recalls one gig in particular- “When we played Stereo, at one point the sound engineer came to the side of the stage and told us to calm it or they’d have to stop the gig.
“The monitors at the side of the stage- they’re like person sized. People were jumping off them.”
The raucous reception is by no means limited to small venues. The Dunts took to the TRNSMT King Tut’s stage for the first time earlier in the year and were overwhelmed by the support. “I don’t think any of us were expecting it,” admitted Kyle. “We were like, either no-one’s gonna go or it’s gonna be fucking mental.
However, their rise to prominence wasn’t an easy or immediate one. “It does keep catching us by surprise,” David admitted. “Especially when someone asks ‘What do you do?’ and you say you’re in a band. It’s almost still quite embarrassing, cause it’s not a normal career path.
“In my head we’re still playing Broadcast and the Priory, even though that’s not a bad thing. But it’s got to the point now where we’ve played TRNSMT, we’ve played the Barrowlands, and people are like okay- as opposed to ‘How’s your wee band going?’”
But the network of support runs much deeper than the bands themselves. Owner of promotion company Keep Kind Records Millie Whittington describes the hurdles that come with organising gigs- “For me, the biggest challenge is working past my own anxiety of people not coming. No matter how many online ticket sales there are, I still feel it’ll look empty.”
Being a loyal supporter of the scene plays a massive part in her job. “I think what sets Glasgow apart is that it’s a big melting pot. There’s so many different artists that are amazing in their own rights.
From Tom McGuire & The Brassholes, to Lizzie Reid, to Russell Stewart, to Rascalton. Everyone’s doing their own thing and it’s great to see.”
And the support doesn’t stop there. Up-and-coming bands are heavily reliant on music blogs to give them the initial exhibition they need in order to be thrust into the spotlight. Martin Low, who runs Discovery Music, describes the most rewarding thing about managing the country’s biggest new music site- “Scotland has so many brilliant up-and-coming artists who don’t get the coverage they deserve.
“I hope that DM helps to give the artists the platform they need. They all support each other by sharing their music and going to each other’s gigs. There is a real togetherness within the Scottish scene.”
The feeling clearly resonates with the bands themselves. “Everyone knows each other,” said Kyle. “It’s the support as well. I can’t speak for the scenes that are in different cities but it just feels like it’s not the same. It’s mental that we know pretty much everyone in the bands.”
For David, the most special thing about the scene is the people he’s got to know through it. “You’re always meeting new people, so you never get tired of seeing the same faces.
“A lot of people we’ve met through being in this band- they’re like proper friendships.”
The Dunts are ending their monumental year on a high note with a sold-out gig at the Garage- their biggest headline show yet. But who would they like to see achieve the same level of success by this time next year? “Definitely Spyres and The Roly Mo,” said Kyle. “Fiendz as well, Gallus- there’s too many.”
The continual graft that bands put in certainly doesn’t go unnoticed. “If you pick out any band from Glasgow you’re guaranteed they’ll be doing something- they’ve got so much going for them,” said David.
“There’s so much happening that it would be quite hard not to build yourself up, or actively avoid it.”
All pictures and video footage of The Dunts provided by Daniel Blake photography.
