“People telling us about what our music meant to them“
On March 13th 2020, I attended an incredible gig at Edinburgh’s Mash House. Exactly a week later, a national lockdown was announced that stopped concerts and live music entirely for over 18 months. That gig was a Dancing On Tables one, and I will always remember this as one of the best I’ve ever been to. That was one of three times I managed to see Dancing On Tables live. My experience is just one of hundreds that have been shared since Dancing On Tables announced they were splitting up on June 5th this year.
From supporting one of the biggest UK indie-rock bands to having a multi-year ad campaign with their song “Oh” representing Scottish Water, Dancing On Tables have achieved a vast range of accomplishments. They serve as an inspiration to a number of other Scottish artists and bands, and have even helped other local bands/artists build up their own live music experiences. The five-piece pop-rock band is formed by Callum Thomas on vocals and guitar, Robbie McSkimming on vocals and keys, Gregor Stobie on vocals and bass, Hamish Finlayson on guitar, and Reece Dobbin on drums.
In an impressive musical history spanning over 8 years, many shocked people took to the comments section of the Fife band’s post, sharing their stories of meeting them and seeing them live. Ahead of their final ever shows as a band on July 13th and 15th, I managed to speak to Robbie to discuss the 8 year journey that is now coming to an end. This interview demonstrates how a small Fife band which began in high school became one of the biggest and most memorable acts in Scotland, and even the UK. The Dunfermline date is now sold out but there is still time to purchase tickets for Aberdeen to see their penultimate show as a band:
https://www.dancingontables.co.uk/
Interview
How did the band begin? What sorts of musical influences were you following at the start?
“We were all friends at school who played the right instruments, so it seemed like the obvious move to start a band … When we started, it took quite a while to work out what type of music we wanted to make, and we all had quite varied musical influences, so we explored a lot of different genres and styles of music.“
When you all started the band, did you all have the same visions and goals for it? What sort of things did you want to achieve together?
“For the first couple of year or so we were just doing it as a hobby with no real end goal. It was only when we started getting messages from labels and crowds were building at each show did we stop and talk about what it could actually be. Our one aim was to play Barrowlands, which we didn’t actually do, but we achieved so much more than we ever thought we could.“
Did you play in any venues that were your favourite? e.g. crowd wise, atmosphere etc.
“Any time we played in Aberdeen we were blown away. I used to say it’s because that’s where I went to uni, but had to stop as I was mocked for mentioning it at every show (although I still take some of the credit…)“
Were there any venues you performed in that you never thought you would or that seemed too surreal to ever play? Which cities have you enjoyed playing in the most?
“Playing the Hydro and AECC with Catfish and the Bottlemen were real pinch yourself moments. Playing the same set that we had to 200 people to a room of over 8000 is something we’ll never forget.“
A question requested from Instagram: out of the bands that have supported you on previous tours, do you have a favourite?
“There are a few bands that we’ve stayed good friends with after supporting us. We knew Swim School were destined for big things after watching them open for us. I’m excited to watch TA, who support us in our last show in Dunfermline, for the first time. It’s nice to see bands from our hometown doing well and being in the same position we were towards the start of our careers.“
Another requested one: what was it like supporting Catfish and the Bottlemen on their tour in 2019? Did you meet them, and what were they like if you did meet them?
“We were nervous for meeting them, but the whole team were so welcoming and helpful over the shows. We spent a bit of time with the band after the shows and swapped stories about venues that we have both played over the years. They went the long route to the top of music, which I think showed in how well they treated us as support.“
Of the amazing things you’ve all achieved as a band, are there any accomplishments or achievements that you’re most proud of? Is there anything you managed to do that never seemed possible when you first started the band?
“Pretty much all of the last eight years we have had seemed impossible when we first started the band, so it’s tricky to find something we are most proud of. When we announced that we were finishing we had so many messages from people telling us about what our music meant to them which I still find hard to get my head around, so I’ll go for that.“
Have your musical influences changed throughout the 8 years?
While their personal musical influences didn’t change to specific artists or bands, Robbie did say:
“Music is constantly evolving, so we’re always trying to keep an eye on what other musicians are doing and take inspiration from them to try and make ourselves better.“
Were there any periods such as during the pandemic that made being in the band and making music more difficult? How did you recover from those struggles or barriers?
“We felt like we were on top of our game and finally starting to build real momentum when lockdown hit, which is still a sore thought. We realised that we had to spend the time wisely, so Cal [Callum Thomas] and I starting writing on zoom every day and we were filming content as a group a few times a week (including starting a podcast and a very silly cooking series.) The time gave us the chance to write our album and really focus on what we wanted Dancing On Tables to stand for, so we managed to make the most of it despite feeling like we were back at square one.“
What are the emotions behind calling it quits 8 years on? – Is it just the right time to stop? Are you happy to have more free time? Are you satisfied that you’ve done everything you set out to do?
“It’s definitely sad, but we all feel like it’s the right time to be grateful for the incredible experiences that we’ve had and move on. It feels like DOT has always been the main focus of our life, so it’s going to take a bit of getting used to. Not seeing the rest of the guys all the time will be tough too as we’ve literally grown up together. If you told me what we were about to achieve over the next 8 years at the start of DOT I would never have believed you, so I’m proud of what the five of us have done as a group.“
What’s next for Dancing On Tables, and/or everyone in the band?
“There will definitely be new music from people going forward, but that will be the focus after our last shows. Music has been such a huge part of all of our lives, so I don’t think any of us will be able to stop making music.“
Sum up your time and experience as part of Dancing On Tables in 5 words.
“The best silly experience imaginable.”