On bank holiday Sunday May 5th, Stag and Dagger festival returned to some of Glasgow’s finest small venues to showcase the best of music’s fresh new talent. The lineup, which was already incredible, just kept getting better and better with the additions of bands and artists such as local heroes Rascalton and Liverpool’s increasingly popular Red Rum Club.
Stag and Dagger prides itself on being Glasgow’s original festival for music discovery, so it’s the perfect festival to head to for a day out discovering the finest new music Glasgow, Scotland, and the rest of the UK has to offer.
Here’s how Discovery writers Chelsea, Nicola and Chloe spent their days…
CHLOE
The Vanities
After some civilised drinks at a friend’s flat, we made sure to be at Firewater on time to catch The Vanities, the first act we all wanted to see – the band have been on my playlist for some time now, but for various reasons I had kept missing out on seeing them live. Naturally, I was thrilled to finally see them and they were definitely worth the wait. Despite being primarily considered a punk band, they draw influences from ska music, something which was highlighted by the sleek suits and ties worn for their performance. They managed to pack out Firewater from the start, pulling an impressive and very enthusiastic audience who went for it with every song. For me, the real Stag and Dagger party began with their popular anthem Adult Essence, which the adoring crowd went wild for.
SNASH
Sticking with the theme of music discovery, SNASH were actually a discovery I made during last year’s Tenement Trail at the recommendation of a friend, and I’ve been going to see them ever since. My only (petty) criticism of Stag and Dagger was that there were so many bands I loved on the bill and many of them pretty close together, so I unfortunately missed a large chunk of SNASH’s set. However, after coming out of Fiendz YT at the Priory and realising I was missing them, I ran (what felt like) the length of Sauchiehall Street to ensure I caught whatever was left of their set in G2. It was worth the run! Watching a few rows behind the madness down the front to let me catch my breath, I got to see the carnage of a SNASH gig from a different perspective, which reminded me how much I love them as a band. You can’t beat the moment they first start playing White Out!
The Roly Mo
The Roly Mo are one of my most favourite newer Glasgow bands to hit the scene, and much to my delight they were a late addition to Stag and Dagger. With two singles under their belt, the promise of more on the way and regular gigs in Glasgow, I’m glad to see the hype around these guys building and it was great to watch them tear apart the Priory again, to a crowd full of energy and fighting to get close to the band. I think it was after this set that I ended up with a perfect footprint imprinted on my outfit, which gives you an idea of the madness! I’m quite confident that The Roly Mo will be among the leaders of Glasgow punk’s next wave.
Heavy Rapids
Like The Vanities, I’d been listening to Heavy Rapids for a while but hadn’t seen them live. Knowing the loyal fan base and the massive tunes these guys have, I was very excited to see what they were all about live – and they didn’t disappoint. For starters, they know how to hold a crowd and use it to their full advantage. Every song was a performance in itself, but the highlight for me was my personal favourite tune Money Is Power. With the lyrics in the closing sequence referencing CSC, Club Sabbath and ‘several double drinks in the Priory’, I feel as if it’s a song most of us who are regulars on the Glasgow music scene can relate to!
Rascalton
Rascalton were one of the Glasgow bands who kicked it all off for me, being among the first I listened to and in turn making me want to listen to the rest, so it seemed appropriate to be watching them at a Glasgow festival with music discovery at its heart. Their evening set at G2 was a riot from the word go, with all the things you’d expect from a Rascalton gig – pits, crowd surfing, people on shoulders, stage dives, passionate singalongs, and a lot of sweat. I’ve seen them perform This Is It many times now, but last Sunday in G2 may have been the wildest This Is It I’ve seen so far! After a music-filled day and some class sets from The Vanities, Fiendz YT, SNASH, Gallus, The Roly Mo, Heavy Rapids and Rascalton, I quietly grabbed some chips and bowed out in an Uber sometime around 11pm. Pathetic, I know.
NICOLA
Pleasure Heads
Having arrived stupidly late last year and therefore being unable to get in to the venue they were playing at, it was a relief to be able to see Falkirk’s finest Pleasure Heads this time around. Although they were still on relatively early, the atmosphere was no different than if they had been given a headline slot. They’ve got one of the most loyal fan followings I’ve ever seen for a band- each song they played had everyone singing every word and throwing themselves at each other. I’m very eager to see what their next release brings, as I can imagine their climb to bigger shows and more popularity will be a steady and spectacular one.
Fiendz YT
One of the newer bands on the scene right now, there was no better place suited for Fiendz to play than the Priory. When I first saw them supporting The Dunts in January this year, I couldn’t help but feel you had to see them in a smaller, more intimate venue to really appreciate them. Of course, you don’t get more intimate than the Priory, and their set was a frantic, thrashing combination of fast guitars and in-your-face lyrics that brought to mind IDLES and Fontaines D.C. I’m expecting that if their slot at Stag and Dagger this year was anything to go by, more and more people will have discovered them, and they’ll be given an even bigger one this year.
Gallus
There is literally no other band in Glasgow right now that are doing what Gallus are doing. What other band has a brass ensemble present on stage with them, and what frontman has better moves than Barry Dolan? To think they’ve only been together less than two years is absolutely mental- of all the acts I saw that day, the energy from the audience when Gallus were playing was unrivalled. There wasn’t a minute when someone didn’t fling themselves off the stage into the arms of the crowd, and everyone just looked like they were having a ball the whole time.
Honeyblood
I can imagine being a girl lead singer in a band must get tiresome from time to time. How many times must you have to hear the term ‘female fronted’ as if it’s a genre? Luckily, it seems like Honeyblood don’t seem fazed at all as they played to a packed-out Garage. This was the first time I had ever seen them, but I will definitely be making the effort to see them again, as there’s nothing more cool than seeing talented women do well for themselves.
Franky’s Evil Party
I suppose I just stumbled across this band, as it was half past one, we’d been kicked out of the Priory due to a plumbing issue and I had almost run out of money. But thank goodness we went back to Broadcast and managed to catch this band, because they were one of the standouts of the whole day for me. What better way to end an amazing day than having a sweaty, topless man with ‘No Surrender’ tattooed on his chest spit on you for half an hour? Sleazy yet brilliant, with a streak of manic angst, Franky’s Evil Party were the underdog of the day for me and I hope they return to Glasgow soon.
CHELSEA
Parliamo
The one thing I love about Stag and Dagger festival is the freedom of making your own way round some of the best bars in Glasgow to see some of the most talented bands in the Scottish music industry. After one or too many drinks from the night before, I couldn’t wait for a cold pint and a quality band to cure me. Thankfully, we picked the right decision to start at Firewater just in time for Parliamo to begin. Parliamo are a Scottish indie band all the way from a ‘shitey wee town called Perth’ – the band’s words not mine! Surprisingly, I’d never actually heard of them but judging by the amount of people in the crowd, I knew I was in for a treat! As soon as they started, they reminded me a lot of Oasis and Stone Roses… the crowd absolutely adored them! The catchy guitar riffs made it impossible to stand still and after only a few songs I was automatically a fan! A band must create the right atmosphere in the venue for their set to work and Parliamo certainly achieved that. Unfortunately, it was only a half an hour set which definitely wasn’t long enough but that just means I’ll need to go see them again!
Pearl Charles
The next venue had to be Nice N Sleazy’s and although we had no idea who we were going to see next, the next act was a pleasant surprise. Pearl Charles is an American soulful artist with a stunningly unique vibe. Her voice is similar to US actress, Zoey Deschanel, a very rare but classy vocal range. My favourite song and one I highly recommend you check out is called, ‘Sleepless Dreamer’. Such a feel-good song that really highlights her talent. Pearl’s style just totally matched her music and the whole ambience on stage was really lovely to watch. From American folk to a little rock n roll, Pearl’s performance had great variety for the crowd. It was great to discover an artist so different to anyone I have seen before!
The Capollos
After hearing The Capollos single, ‘Solitude’ previously they were the one band that I’d actually planned to see. Starting the set with song ‘Get out’, the atmosphere in the room erupted. People dancing and singing – a sight you always want to see at a gig! It’s clear the band has been in the music scene for years with their professional attitude. The Aberdeen four-piece reminded me a lot of Catfish and the Bottlemen, The Sherlocks and Kasabian all rolled into one but with their own groovy style. Lead singer, Kyle McDonald not only has the voice but also the charisma essential for a front man. The Capollos work so well together which is easily seen on stage … Another excellent band I recommend you all check out within the indie/ alternative genre!
Zoe Graham
So, I was recommended by a friend to go and see Zoe, again like the other two acts I hadn’t heard a lot about her, so I really wasn’t sure what to expect but WOW…. What a talent! Very different from the previous acts but that’s one of my favourite things about Stag and Dagger! Her voice was just so effortlessly beautiful. The stage she performed on was by far the biggest venue I’d been in that day and she just totally owned it. It was just so enthralling … the whole room drawn to her in silence. Everyone totally lost in her lyrics – a true performance. Her single, ‘Hacket & Knackered’ was a true highlight to the set, the Scottish twang in her voice was chilling, giving me goosebumps throughout! Zoe connected with the audience so naturally and I’ll definitely be booking tickets for her next show!
It's already been announced that the next Stag and Dagger will take place on bank holiday Sunday May 3rd 2020 - bring it on!
Comments