The classic Scottish summer weather lottery may have delivered a damp, slow start to day one of TRNSMT 2026, but beneath the grey skies and soggy ponchos at Glasgow Green, a view of the future was brewing.
Festivals are often judged by their stratospheric headliners, but the heartbeat of this weekend lies on the smaller stages, the launch pads where young hopefuls take their early steps into the world of the festival circuit, dreaming of the promised land of the Main Stage.
Take Alice Faye, the recently crowned BBC Introducing Scotland’s Young Artist of the Year. Making her festival debut on the BBC Introducing stage, she braved a small, wet crowd to deliver a spellbinding acoustic set. Backed by two bandmates, her deep, timeless vocals cut straight through the drizzle. Moving from the haunting “Do you want to go back?” to the Americana-tinged “Never Enough,” Faye turned a rainy afternoon into a riveting showcase of raw potential. This is precisely where TRNSMT’s smaller platforms can provide a crucial stepping stone for an exceptional new talent to find her footing.
Glasgow four-piece Mercy Girl successfully brought the brooding intensity of the underground club scene to Glasgow Green. Having built a cult following across Berlin and LA with their industrial EBM and darkwave electronics, the band proved their atmospheric tension translates perfectly to a festival crowd. Their recent single ‘Closer’ was a stand-out. Frontwomen Daisy Miles and Kylie MacNaughton-Wright commanded the space with spellbinding energy. It was a triumphant hometown moment, marking the band’s evolution from dark, smoky basements to a major festival stage.
Further up the path, Irish indie-rockers Cliffords demonstrated the step-change moment when a band begins to move up the music food chain. A razor sharp six-piece, the Cork newcomers initially met a thin audience. But, as their triple-guitar assault and silky, passionate vocals echoed across the lawns, the crowd began to swell, magnetically drawn in the hooks of quality tunes like ‘My Favourite Monster’ and Bittersweet’. By the time they hit their explosive peak, Glasgow had been thoroughly converted. Watch out for these guys on the festival main stages next year.
That same infectious energy exploded at later in the afternoon with Manchester’s Arkayla, who strutted onto the BBC Intro stage dripping in classic Manc swagger. Pulling a large, loud, and younger crowd reminiscent of a Lathums gig, tracks like “Lovekid” and the incredibly catchy “Fortune Teller” had the audience bouncing in unison.
Meanwhile, home grown Glasgow punks Soapbox opted for beautiful chaos, bringing a fierce local flavour and “Glasgow bin man chic” to their set. With bass-driven verses and superfast punky choruses, the frontman, Tom Rowan, fearlessly dived, snarling into the crowd, showing the relentless hunger of a band ready to tear down every barrier in their way.
For these new acts, the ultimate blueprint was unfolding concurrently across the park. On the Main Stage, The K’s delivered a masterclass in how to successfully navigate the indie journey. Having grown exponentially since their early days on sticky grassroots stages, Re:Sound reviewed them in PJ Molloys in Dunfermline in 2023, they walked out looking immensely confident, tight, and completely organised. They are exactly where the newcomers aspire to be, proving to every young artist on the bill that the sweat and small crowds are worth it.
Then came Wolf Alice, who provided the definitive masterclass in festival dominance. Performing before a towering, glittering tinsel star, they drew a large, passionate crowd. From the euphoric heights of ‘Beautifully Unconventional’ to the sweeping emotional gut-punch of ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses,’ the crowd went absolutely wild, singing back every single word.
The path isn’t just for the new elite, either; it can be circular journey. The Beta Band, fresh off sold-out Barrowland shows, used the King Tut’s stage to reboot their own triumphant reunion tour. Braving the elements, they treated a dedicated, enthusiastic crowd to a glorious, hippy-infused trance, painting sonic layers with synths, cowbells, and Steve Mason’s unmistakable voice.
As the rain trickled down on day one, TRNSMT proved that the future of indie music is safe. From Alice Faye’s timeless melodies to Soapbox’s chaotic punk, today wasn’t just about surviving the weather—it was about watching the headliners of tomorrow take their very first leap.
Honorable mentions must also go out to Scottish folkies Beluga Lagoon and pop-punk rockers South Arcade who did a great job of helping us forget about the rain when it was at its heaviest. Irish shoe-gazers, New Dad who literally brought the sun out and finally Richard Ashcroft who rocked up with a crowd pleasing headline set heavily weighted with Verve numbers.
Words: Graeme White @head_in_the_bass_bin
Pictures: Calum Mackintosh @ayecandyphotography