King Tuts New Year’s Revolution may have come to a close now, but for Edinburgh-based alt-rockers Flame, the year has only just begun.
Formed after a “collision of different worlds at different times”, Flame Nisio, Ciaran McKinven, Francis Brewitt, James Campbell and James Veitch largely met in and around the campus of Edinburgh University. Vocalist Nisio and bassist Brewitt knew one another first, with Brewitt quipping to Discovery Music: “We’re the OGs mate; we’re the founding members.”
Guitarist McKinven and keyboardist Veitch originally met one another in secondary school, with members of Nissio’s other band already knowing Campbell from around the Edinburgh gig circuit. Since Flame’s formation, the five-piece have five releases under their belt, with 2025’s ‘Gravity’ being their first track to receive radio play.
“We nearly missed it”, McKinven said of BBC Introducing airing the single. Nissio recalled that she had received an email from the show’s producers and “completely lost it”, organising a last-minute listening party at her flat. “It changed the course of my life”, she said, adding that it came just a few days after Flame played their first gig together as a group.
Since then, they’ve performed in venues like Sneaky Pete’s as well as Tuts. Their opening slot for Meep in January was just one of several shows lined up for the rest of 2026. In February they performed two acoustic sets for charity, one to aid Palestine and another raising funds for Edinburgh-based organisation Change Mental Health.
Flame will perform at the Mash House in Edinburgh on March 27, with plans in motion for a gig later in the summer. The group discussed which of Scotland’s most iconic venues would be their dream to perform in, with Glasgow institution the Barrowlands being a popular pick. Edinburgh’s Liquid Rooms and Queen’s Hall also received nods.
As the one year anniversary of Gravity’s release approaches, the band revealed that more music is on the way. Drummer James Campbell told Discovery Music Scotland that Flame had been back in the studio in late 2025, coyly saying the recording – largely done live – is “pretty good”. Details on a title or release date are being kept close to their chests for now, but Campbell called it “the big recording project” in between gigs this year.
As a five-piece with varying tastes, it’s clear Flame’s sound is an amalgamation of a range of musical influences. When asked which artist or producer, dead or alive, would be their dream collaborator, answers ranged from Beatles stalwarts to hyperpop stars.
“Paul McCartney”, Brewitt said without hesitation. Nisio listed former Alice in Chains vocalist Layne Staley, whilst Campbell said the late, great Prince. “He’s dead, obviously,” the drummer said, “but I would have loved to be able to work with him”.
McKinven offered a slightly out of left field answer, saying: “Charli XCX produced by Phil Spector.” Last, but by no means least, Veitch pointed to Stewart Copeland, best known as the drummer for The Police.
For more information on upcoming gigs and music releases, you can find Flame on Instagram here.
