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The Backline Newsletter - Issue 18
Issue 18
Allan Watson
September 18, 2025
The Backline Newsletter
Issue x - Thursday, 18th September 2025
What’s This All About?
The Backline is your weekly fix of Scotland’s loudest and proudest. Every Thursday we drop straight-talk Q&As with rising bands, must-see gig picks, and essential gear finds — plus the stories you won’t hear anywhere else.
We’re still young and only getting louder. Subscribe now and be part of Scotland’s music scene as it happens.
Let’s get loud.
Spotlight Q&A
This Week’s Feature Band: Palejoy
Aberdeen’s Palejoy are carving out a space with their singalong, grunge-tinged emo. They’ve already sold out hometown shows, opened for rising heavyweights, and are making plenty of noise across Scotland. We caught up with the trio to talk early gigs, dream tours, and the golden age of new music.
1. Who’s in the band, and what do they play?
Dale Sutherland – Guitar/Vocals
Jamie Reid – Bass/Vocals
Kieran Angus – Drums
2. Describe your sound in 5 words or less.
Singalong grunge-tinged emo.
3. What was your first gig as a band?
A Christmas show at The Blue Lamp in Aberdeen. An emo band at Christmas is quite something.
4. Biggest show so far and how did it feel?
We sold out our own headline at The Blue Lamp in Aberdeen, but the biggest was opening for Split Chain. They’re signed to Epitaph Records and really starting to blow up. It was an incredible opportunity, and great to connect with a band operating on that “next level.”
5. Which Scottish venue feels like home?
Jamie: Krakatoa in Aberdeen.
Kieran: Krakatoa.
Dale: The Tooth & Claw in Inverness—it’s my hometown venue and has given me some incredible moments.
6. If someone’s never heard of you, what song should they start with?
Next Goal Wins. It’s our strongest single yet and sets the tone for where we’re heading.
7. One band or artist you’d love to open for?
We’ve been told we’re the kind of band The Wonder Years would love to take on tour. That would be sick!
8. Ever had a song idea that totally flopped live?
Not yet! Thankfully with this band everything’s landed so far.
9. Are we in a golden age or a dead zone for new music?
It’s always a golden age for new music—there are incredible musicians releasing incredible songs every day. The industry might be a dead zone, but the music itself never is.
10. What venue do you pretend to love but secretly hate?
Honestly, none. If we love a venue, we love it. If we hate it, we hate it.
Essential Gear
Gig Performer
Why we love it
A DAW alternative built for the stage. Gig Performer lets you run plugins live, switch effects on the fly, and design custom rackspaces—all without the bloat of a full DAW.
What it does
Hosts VST/AU plugins and gives you total control in a streamlined live setup.
Best for
Bands or solo artists who want flexible, pro-level live rigs without dragging a studio computer on stage.
Try it if you like
Experimenting with sound, building weird live sets, or making laptops feel like an instrument, not just a tool.
Gig of the Week
Blue Nicotine - Friday 19th September, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow
A Scottish threepiece on the rise. Blue Nicotine’s raw energy and riff driven rock are perfectly suited to Tut’s legendary sweatbox. This will be their biggest headline yet.
Best of the Rest
Lizzie Reid – Saturday 20th September, The Poetry Club, Glasgow
One of Scotland’s most affecting songwriters. Lizzie’s voice and stripped back style can silence a room in seconds. Intimate, powerful, and not to be missed.
Get Involved
Got a story from the rehearsal room, a feature you would like to see, a gig pick, or a gear review you want to share, or just want to plug some great Scottish music, suggest a band or get featured? Have you attended our gig pick - write a review we may feature it a future issue.
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