Music has always had a home in Glasgow. We’ve produced great bands from The Vaseline’s and Primal Scream, to the likes of The Fratellis and Franz Ferdinand (not to forget Wet Wet Wet – if that’s your thing).
Now, Glasgow’s punk music scene is taking over and absolutely no one is complaining. The uprising of the modern punk band is a much-welcomed new take on the classic genre that we as a city loved in decades past.
The city centre is heaving with venues boasting fantastic schedules of home-grown music night after night. One which has been gaining a lot of attention from Glaswegian music fans is The Priory Bar on Sauchiehall Street. It’s dim lighting and crowded bar provide the perfect atmosphere for a punk gig, provided you don’t bump your head on the low ceiling during the set. Fans clamour on to couches and ledges wherever they can find them to get a view of the stage – which is not so much a stage, but rather just part of the dancefloor.
Here you will find Glasgow’s most prominent bands, with Baby Strange, Rascalton, and The Dunts recently taking to The Priory’s stage, promising a night of spilled drinks and controlled chaos. The gig’s success can be measured not only by the television cameras that filmed the whole thing, but most importantly by the crowd – who screamed every lyric back to the bands.
A five-minute walk down Sauchiehall Street will take you to Broadcast, a thriving indie music venue that sits below an equally brilliant bar. Considered a grassroots Glasgow venue, you’ll find a gig there almost every night of the week. Hosting many a single or EP launch, Broadcast is a must for the avid music fan in Glasgow. The basement venue creates a feeling of obscurity; the separation of the downstairs gig adds to the excitement – those at the bar upstairs wish they’d gotten a ticket in time.
Next door, you’ll find Nice ‘N’ Sleazy. The name says it all, really. Similar to its neighbour, the bar upstairs is separate to the downstairs venue but is just as fun. Up and coming punk bands in Glasgow are often seen at Sleazy’s hosting a club night or DJ set. Along at Renfield Lane, you’ll find bars like Stereo and The Old Hairdresser’s which regularly host Glasgow’s best punk and indie bands, such as Gallus and The Vanities.
Glasgow is no stranger to promoting up and coming music. King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut on St. Vincent Street has been named one of the “best small venues in the UK”, and is most known for hosting Oasis on the night they were signed. King Tut’s frequently hosts events throughout the year such as their ‘New Year’s Resolution’ festival, which showcased the cities ever-growing music scene, with new bands such as Bad Hombres and The Morning Retakes gracing the stage.
With Glasgow continuing to produce more and more successful indie punk bands, there’s no knowing what 2019 will hold. One thing is for sure, if you’re on the search for some decent music, Glasgow is definitely the place to be.
By Eilidh Waddell
Check out some of the very best Glasgow punks in our playlist:
