For those who braved through the first day of TRNSMT, Saturday really was a much-needed ray of sunshine. Scotland’s biggest festival has always had a smattering of local acts on the roster; however, today, the BBC Introducing stage looks especially stacked. It is a brutal day for clashes, which, of all the problems a festival organiser can have, is one of the better ones.
First up is Glasgow’s brat rockers SISTER MADDS, who are consistently one of the best live shows around. They are somewhere between Olivia Rodrigo and Arctic Monkeys (00’s era) with relatable storytelling backed by the catchiest of indie hooks. Maddie owns every stage she is on, and while opening the smaller stages at a day festival can be a tough gig, it still ended up as a highlight of the day.
On the main stage, we catch English Teacher, a stage they look to have comfortably grown into with their meteoric rise. They are confident and casual with little in terms of theatrics, while “The World’s Biggest Paving Slab” fills the air with captivating and dreamy afternoon vibes.
“We are contractually obliged to entertain you for about 30 minutes”, opens Big Special on the King Tuts stage. More of a hypnotising sermon than a regular rock show as Joe Hicklin preaches to the crowd. They are a unique show full of sharp and witty lyrics, and well worth catching.
Next up on the King Tuts stage are Madra Salach, who are not above flattery, and their “wait till you see their neighbours” joke gets the Scottish crowd on board for their branch of Irish folk punk. One of the hotly tipped bands of the day that also gave good afternoon vibes, although their evening show in the actual King Tuts venue sounded like a much wilder affair.
We go from “6 young lads” Back down to the BBC Introducing Stage in time for Girl Group, as much of a feminist project as a band, the 5-piece band change their form constantly as they all swap lead and instruments between each song, while they all maintain a core of being pop bangers alongside choreographed dances. It’s a joyful set that gets people dancing.
TRNSMT audiences often end up divided between the youngsters on the dance stages and the elders on the rock side; however, our next band, Keo, brings a huge crowd of enthusiastic young-uns to the King Tuts stage. They are unapologetically grungy, it is an alternative reality, we are back in the 90’s, and Noel Gallagher went more Nirvana than Stone Roses.
Back to the Main stage and the Last Dinner Party bring back the feminine energy, lead singer Abigail skipping around the massive stage to an adoring, joyful and sometimes tearful audience. They were one of the big draws of the festival, and it’s easy to see why.
A quick jaunt back to BBC Introducing in time for another Glasgow act, Tina Sandwich, playing their recently released single “Dandelion” while getting the crowd to join in with a football-like chat. Tina plays each song with a huge grin, and the joy is infectious; it’s unpretentious and joyful indie rock at its best.
We hang around on BBC Introducing for fellow Glasgow sisters, Tanzana. It is a markedly more gothic and atmospheric affair. Freya’s singing is brooding and powerful, and from the band, you can almost hear Tool during “Pulse, Pose, Position”. Another band that really highlights the depth of Glasgow’s music scene at the moment.
Much like Keo before, Basht brought a surprisingly large and young audience to the BBC Introducing stage, there is a feeling that indie rock is having its cool again moment. Emotive rock that feels a little like the straight edge cousin of Fontaines D.C.
Loyle Carner is next up on the King Tuts stage and marks one of the few hip hop acts on the bill for the weekend. It’s quality over quantity as he attracts a headline-worthy audience. “It’s good to be home”, as Loyle explains to much of a surprise that his family is from Prestwick. It’s a relaxing, much-loved set to close out the King Tuts stage.
While most of the day on BBC Introducing has been dedicated to local bands, they make way for the much hyped Radio Free Alice, hailing from Melbourne. Jangly and nostalgic post-punk that has pulled a huge crowd away from the main stages.
Much is made of TSNMT’s duality, a highlight for the young crowd while keeping the elder rockers on board, and Kasabian fit snugly in the middle of those demographics. The unmistakable intro of Club Foot has the crowd bouncing from the first song, and while it might not be the most innovative choice for a headliner given they also headlined 2024, it’s hard to argue that they are not a crowd pleaser.
Words and Pictures: Dale Harvey @daleharvey