On July 17th, the infamous King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut opened its annual Summer Nights festival for 2025. This year’s festival features a stacked lineup that spans more than a month, with each act carefully selected and each night exceptionally curated. For the important opening night, Glasgow five-piece, Alcatraz, headlined. A big night for a soon-to-be bigger band.
Formed in 2024, the quintet have strengthened their image and sound immensely over the last year, and this headline was a long time coming. Alongside Alcatraz, three other bands took to the stage to warm up the start of this year’s summer festival: Laments, The Drive and Oedipus and The Mama’s Boys.
Laments, a fellow five piece, who formed in 2023, were the very first band to take to the stage and officially begin Summer Nights. This is certainly the sign of something big to come, and the band’s confidence on stage radiated an exciting energy throughout the venue. Though the band are not brand new, their sound was fresh, yet slightly nostalgic, in an early 2000s sense. Backed by four talented musicians and driven forward by the lead vocalist’s tremendous voice, Laments set the scene for what would go on to be an amazing night.
The variety across the night in music and in diversity ensured that this year’s festival will be something fresh and exhilarating, where everyone is welcome. The second band to perform was Oedipus and the Mamas Boys, a seven-piece from Edinburgh, who surely found themselves in the running for the most members on stage across the festival. Their energy was through the roof, with each individual putting equal effort into blending together and creating the band’s immense sound. Complete with a saxophonist and violinist, the Mama’s Boys delivered a great cover of Rihanna’s “Shut Up and Drive,” which had everyone engaged. The sonic diversity presented by the band in only a thirty-minute set displays how they were the ideal choice for this opening night. By now, Summer Nights were in full swing.
As the audience patiently awaited the penultimate act of the evening, The Drive, it seemed everyone was enjoying the night. Further proving the intricately curated lineup each and every night. The Drive, a Glasgow five-piece formed in 2024, are an alternative rock band who had the essential vitality to assert the crowd was ready for the headline act. Their vocalist’s emotion laced throughout each song carried the set, supported effortlessly by the rest of the band.
Finally, as the night drew to a close, it was time for Alcatraz’s headline set. The five-piece band has recently been given the chance to perform at this year’s Belladrum Festival and Tenement Trail, later this year. Having just released their second single, “You Make Me Bleed,” the band are having an amazing year, and it seems that the only way is up. Consisting of friends Eleanor (vocals), Aaron (guitar), Declan (bass), Robbie (guitar), and Peter (drums), the band’s off-stage chemistry aids their performances and sonic ability. The boys’ instrumentation flowed seamlessly with Eleanor’s voice, who proved that they were the perfect band to open this iconic festival. Showcasing local bands all across Scotland, Alcatraz opened this year with a night to remember. Eleanor’s voice is so strong yet seems to come to her so naturally, one of the finest voices around right now. Across their set, they combined their musical abilities, chemistry and humour to create an amazing headline set. Be sure to catch them.
Alcatraz released “You Make Me Bleed” in May, and you can listen to it everywhere. King Tut’s Summer Nights runs from July 17th until August 30th, and there is a night for everybody.