The start of the year can sometimes be a quiet time in relation to live concerts but 2026 seems to be bucking that trend. Indeed, there is perhaps the difficult choice of what gigs to definitely go to and one or two that might have to be unfortunately missed. As problems go, it’s not a bad one really and there’s nothing much to beat the live environment so do read on and consider supporting these artists by getting yourself along to a show or two (or more)!!!!!
Artists: James Grant Venue: Strathaven Hotel Date: 06 March 2026
Talking of bucking the trend, an early gig highlight of 2026 was the first appearance in decades of Friends Again at Celtic Connections. Words will never do justice to the quantum impact that show had on the audience, it was nothing less than sensational. Oh, and the support act seemed as excited to be there as the crowd, no less than Lloyd Cole. I attended the very first FRETS Concert a few years ago which also happened to be Lloyd Cole. One of the next FRETS shows will feature Friends Again guitarist James Grant and having seen James play solo a couple of times, this is guaranteed to be another great night.
James Grant has quite the back catalogue having been in the aforementioned Friends Again before forming Love and Money. Add in several solo albums plus the recent, excellent collaborations with Norman Blake and Bernard Butler and you have a body of work that is seldom rivaled. Another factor that is likely to feature is Grant’s dry wit, being adept at telling humorous stories of the songs written across his musical journey. Oh, and his guitar work is incredible.
Support comes from Fraser Spiers. To order tickets head to the FRETS Concerts website here and while you are there, check out the other shows they are putting on at Strathaven and in Glasgow including Jonny (Norman Blake & Euros Child with BMX Bandits, MacKenzies with Land Surveyor, Thrum and The Countess of Fife.
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Artist: Sparks Venue: Glasgow Kelvingrove Bandstand Dates: 14 June 2026
The word legendary is thrown about all too often but when it comes to the band formed by brothers Ron and Russell Mael in late sixties Los Angeles, that term is spot on. Sparks have always went down a path that others cannot even contemplate, art-pop trailblazers who really are unique, their music to this day remains fresh and innovative. The 2025 album release, Mad! being a case in point, littered with belters such as Do Things My Own Way and A Little Bit Of Light Banter, it hit the U.K. charts at number two, the highest spot in their career to date.
Sparks have been highlighted as an influence to acts such as Joy Division and Beck. It’s also the case that a Glasgow gig seems that extra bit special and it’s not unknown for the brothers to be seen wandering down the streets, taking in the beauty of the city. There will be energy, enigma, delights and drama as the band hit the Kelvingrove stage – let’s just hope the sun is shining and the rain stays away!
To keep up to date with Sparks and to order tickets for the Glasgow show, head to their website here.
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Festival: Day at the Dobbie! Venue: Larbert Dobbie Hall Date: 18 April 2026
Shuffle Down Festival are bringing back the popular Day at the Dobbie! A cracking venue in the middle of Larbert, close to the train station with easy links to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stirling and Falkirk. The festival has been going for a few years now and its popularity is growing year by year. That’s in no small part to both word of mouth and the quality of the bands on offer and the 2026 version is another step forward in class with a host of cool bands on offer with more to be announced ahead of the April date.
Acts participating so far include Helicon, the psych-rock outfit formed by brothers John-Paul and Gary Hughes in East Kilbride. Timing is everything and with the band due to release their fourth long-player, Arise on 13th February, their headline set will feature some of those new songs and choice cuts from their more than cool back catalogue.
There will surely be hips swiveling and shapes cut on the dancefloor when Duke Duncan & the Hurricanes take to the stage mixing their Latin funk and bluesy strung-out psychedelia as their sound warps your mind, taking you down the proverbial rabbit hole.
Stirling’s Transmission Suite are currently creating quite the stir and will be a big draw on the day. Their sound mixes the best of Madchester indie-dance (Paris Angels, Intastella) with convulsive electro hooks and hazy harmonies. Debut album Resonate landed in 2025 and is full of bangers. We expect big things of this band, get along and you’ll be able to lay claim to seeing them before they hit the stratosphere.
There is also quite a considerable buzz about Jasmin Jet who has been named as one to watch in 2026 by the Youth Music Charity. The Grangemouth singer-songwriter has already worked with Sam Ryder and has also been honoured by the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland so she has quite the CV. Jet recently played at Celtic Connections and has other festival appearances booked including Party at the Palace and Summer’s End.
Rob McKinlay (ex Viva Stereo) is the brains behind Paper Machine Music and will likely provide a set covering songs from the excellent The Bare Bones album such as The Last Hippies and others. Shimmering guitars and engaging vocals feature and they will be a welcome addition to the Day at the Dobbie!
Artist: Dea Matrona (supporting The Beaches) Venue: Glasgow Barrowland Dates: 17 February 2026
Sadly, many people (and I generally include myself in this) go the gigs and arrive for the headline act without making time and effort to see the support. I’ve been trying to change this attitude lately and indeed have went to some gigs specifically to see the support. One of the most exciting bands I’ve discovered recently are Dea Matrona who will play the famous Glasgow Barrowland in support of Canadian rockers, The Beaches on 17 February.
Their debut album, For Your Sins was released in 2024 and while it only clocks in at thirty-two minutes, the twelve tracks demonstrate a band who know their chops with some top tunes in there. Recent single Magic Spell has a swagger and confidence that suggests the Irish rockers are more than ready for the next steps in their blossoming career. The duo, (Orlaith Forsythe and Mollie McGinn) met in school and were soon busking locally in Belfast before releasing their first EP in 2019.
With appearances on The Late Late Show, festivals such as Reading/Leeds and Glastonbury plus support slots with Sting and Sheryl Crow, there is no doubt Dea Matrona are on the up and up. They are also due to release their second album in 2026 and perhaps will be heading out on their own headline tour. Meantime, do yourself a favour and get along to the Barrowland to see them in support with The Beaches – you won’t regret it.
For more on the band and tickets, head to their website here.
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Artist: The Pale White Venue: Edinburgh Sneaky Pete’s Date: 08 April 2026
Hailing from Newcastle, it’s ten years since The Pale White first came to prominence with a series of early thrilling rock singles. Since then, two albums have landed (Infinite Pleasure in 2021 and The Big Sad in 2025). Not a band to rest on their laurels, 2026 with see the release of album number three with Inanimate Objects of the 21st Century due to drop on the 27th March. Ahead of that, the band have released the glorious single Absolute Cinema, which features a maelstrom of scuzzy guitar noise and feedback, thumping drums, pulsing bass lines and a vocal delivered by Adam Hope that mixes Cobain and Dulli with a north-east twang. This is alternative rock with grit.
Speaking of the single Adam Hope said “Absolute Cinema’ is a love letter to the big screen. When we were kids in the mid-2000s, ‘going to the pictures’ with a tenner would get you your film ticket, fast food, and the bus fare home. Packed to the rafters with film heads who had eagerly anticipated that week’s new release, you’d take in every second – knowing you wouldn’t see it again for another six months until it finally came out on DVD.Facing facts, it’s not what it once was. The cinema has become just another inanimate object crying for help as we navigate through this century. This song hopes to remind people how important film is to our culture and pays ode to some of our favourites including Martin Scorsese, the face of the well-known meme “Absolute Cinema.” Even if he never actually said it, the fact that he’s become the automatic barometer for incredible filmmaking speaks for itself.”
For more on The Pale White, the new album and tickets to their Edinburgh show at Sneaky Pete’s, head to their website here.
