Closing out its first month of shows at the Hug & Pint, the Endless Summer festival has cast a bright light upon the emerging talent within the Scottish music scene. A celebration of homegrown talent paired with pizza and a cold pint; all without the dreaded long walk to the bar, has made the festival a key talking point within the city’s grassroots community. If you missed July’s shows, you have until August 31st to catch some of the incredible talent who will be gracing the stage at the festival!
UNSPEAKABLE MONDAY
https://music.apple.com/gb/artist/unspeakable-monday/1844664107
Kicking off night 13 at the Hug & Pint was Unspeakable Monday. A 5-piece alt-rock outfit from Edinburgh. They immediately captured the audience’s attention with a blend of floating pop hooks and crunching guitar licks which brought an intensity to their performance that gradually built throughout their set.
Their talent for commanding the stage and confidently engaging the audience spoke to their level of experience and drew comparisons to Paramore and Hole. Performing a full set of original material, the band blew through tracks from their self-titled album which was released on June 12th.
The contrast between funk-influenced tracks that would be fit for any dancefloor and others which would be suited to a slot at Download Festival really kept spectators on their toes and created an anticipation for what was coming next. Frontwoman Bekah’s hypnotic stage presence alongside the rest of the band’s unwavering confidence, lit up the stage and got the evening off to an electric start.
LONELY DAZE
Next up was Lonely Daze. A 4-piece alt-rock/shoegaze group from Glasgow. Emerging from a haze of reverb drenched guitar, the band tore into their first song with a frightening intensity which energized the audience. Reminiscent of bands such as The Smashing Pumpkins Fleshwater and Cocteau Twins, the groups cool swagger and 90’s charm kept you from being able to look elsewhere.
Thundering drums and brooding basslines which pulsed underneath a sea of airy guitars created a vast soundscape which the audience became lost within. However, this trance was soon broken halfway through the band’s set when singer Mia wandered into the crowd where she performed the remainder of the song whilst the audience looked on in awe. The intimate, underground setting really enhanced the band’s powerful and atmospheric presence that rippled through the room and created an invaluable connection between the band and crowd.
Closing out with their newest single ‘Serendipity’ fans sang with passion as the sound soared and their set came to a triumphant end with murmurs of a stunned audience walking up towards the bar. With a headline show lined up at King Tuts Summer Nights Festival on August 23rd, this is a group you’ll be seeing a lot more of in the months to come.
ANDSOFIA
Half an hour and two drinks later, AndSofia took to the stage at the Hug & Pint. Opening with a brand-new jam track, the packed-out audience nodded their heads and grooved to the experimental number which featured impressive vocal improvisations from frontwoman Skye and jangly Marr-esque guitar leads from guitarist Charlie. After some classic onstage banter, the band performed an Alanis Morissette cover which easily could’ve been mistaken for their own original track. The crowd erupted into sing-along and was a moment which really cemented the success of the night and the connection the group has with their fans.
Their debut single ‘Change’ was next up on the setlist and the ethereal vocal harmonies between bassist Christy and vocalist Skye really gave the band a unique sound which complemented the subtle instrumentation and fluid chord changes. Skye’s confident stage presence ensured the audience would engage with the performance as the dynamics shifted from one area to another. It was a show to remember for newest addition Tom who was rock solid on rhythm guitar and drummer Ren keeping it steady at the back.
The performance of their latest single I Know A Place (Runaway) was a beautiful stripped-back moment within the set featuring the addition of some dreamy keys to enhance the atmospheric shift from the original track which was reminiscent of some of Wolf Alice’s tender moments. Finishing up with a cover of ‘Dakota’ by Stereophonics, the band truly made it their own and transformed it into an introspective, emotional moment to wrap up the night.
The band have announced a show at Lucky Strike on August 26th make sure to catch them and tickets are available on their socials.
https://www.instagram.com/andsofiaband?igsh=MnlndmtnYXdlbnk0
If you’ve not been able to make it to the July lineups at the Endless Summer Festival make sure to get down to the August shows as the night promises a comfortable setting, warm hospitality and fantastic music. It is crucial to support live artists and venues so if you can go and check out all the awesome festivals and shows happening around the city this summer!