The seventh edition of Tenement Trail Festival - Scotland’s one day festival for music discovery - took place in Glasgow’s East End yesterday as music fans uncovered and discovered over 60 bands across 13 venues and 12 hours.
The first band, Paris Street Rebels, took to BAaD before 2PM getting things off to a rocking start. The winners of the Gorbals Sound New Artist competition, the band brought a huge energy to the art space.
Artists including hotly-tipped emerging performer Oscar Lang, who will tour with The 1975 later this year, WEB, Kitti and Squid ensured fans had no shortage of choice for the 12 hour celebration.
Barrhead local Kitti, who has been described as Glasgow’s answer to Amy Winehouse, spoke about her complete rebrand and the rising Glasgow jazz scene.
“The jazz scene in Glasgow is quite hidden but it’s a really nice community and there’s lots of collaborative projects going on too" she said.
“As soon as the Blue Arrow was taken over by 432, jazz started on the way up in Glasgow. It’s almost like jazz is cool now."
From established veterans to brand new local bands, Tenement Trail has a vibrant history of acts who progressed to become some of the biggest stars in the world.
Man of the moment Lewis Capaldi played The Vic Bar on Sauchiehall Street in 2016 and Mercury Prize nominated The Big Moon played in 2017. Known for its ability to seek out the most interesting rising stars in the UK music scene, BRIT award winner Sam Fender played in Flat 0/1 back in Tenement Trail’s second year and then returned in 2017 to play Sauchiehall Street’s Nice N Sleazy.
Notable performances on Saturday included the jam packed VanIves set in St Luke’s, the HUGE Vlure performance in The Winged Ox and Beta Waves in BaAD.
Baby Strange brought their usual punk energy to BAaD later on with the famous Jokey from one of Glasgow’s most-loved watering holes collaborating for their new tune ‘Bad Man In Prague’.
The winners of the day were definitely Fatherson, who had a very special headline slot in The Barrowland Ballroom.
Front man Ross Leighton said that he was honoured to be headlining this year’s Tenement Trail, having usually attended as a music-lover.
“As a punter it was always a good laugh with good bands" said Ross.
"It’s one of those things, when you stay in Glasgow, and there are so many bands to go and see, sometimes you can miss things.
"There’s a whole new scene that’s exploding in Glasgow, particularly with a new romantic feel. It goes back to Glasgow’s heritage of great music.
“Scottish music has always had that left field feel, and it’s exciting. It always ebbs and flows, it reinvents itself every 18 months. It’s great to be around the new scene but also keep in touch with the old.”
Glasgow indie-rock band LUCIA played a secret set on the YALA Records curated line-up on Saturday evening. Getting right in amongst the crowd, front-woman Lucia Fairfull brought put on a hypnotic performance, with fans screaming in delight as she weaved through the crowd.
The party kept on going with two afterparties in Firewater with The Magic Gang and Fatherson on the decks and in The Garage.
Speaking about the festival, Festival Director Chae Houston said:
“The move to the East end brought a fresh energy to the seventh edition of Tenement Trail, but it was the fans that took it to another level.
"The atmosphere around the east end was incredible and bands like our headliners Fatherson, Baby Strange, The Magic Gang plus the likes of Squid, Drenge, Kitti, Cara Rose, Oscar Lang, Paris Street Rebels and Beta Waves ensure it was our best Trailyet.”
Organisers have confirmed that Tenement Trail will return next year.
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