The Backline Newsletter - Issue 27

Issue 27

Author

Allan Watson
November 20, 2025

The Backline Newsletter – Issue 27

Thursday, 20th November 2025

Editorial

Another week has passed and the gigs are getting a little sweatier, louder, and somehow even more chaotic, Issue 27 lands with one of the most honest and hard-working bands in Edinburgh right now: Bad Knees. If you’ve ever crammed yourself into the Banshee for one of their DIY free-entry blowouts, you’ll know exactly why they’ve built such a loyal crowd with their big hooks, bigger breakdowns, and the kind of personality you can’t fake.

What stood out most in this week’s Q&A is their belief in accessibility and authenticity. In a year where everyone’s trying to hack algorithms, Bad Knees are instead doubling down on being real humans making real noise for real people. It’s refreshing. It’s punk as hell. And it’s exactly the energy this scene thrives on.

We’ve also got a killer Essential Gear pick with the Strymon Deco V2, a Gig of the Week that’ll sell out twice over, and a couple of killer shows in Glasgow.

As always - support your local bands, share their stuff, turn up early, stay late, and keep the Scottish music ecosystem alive and loud.

Artist Q&A - Bad Knees

Who’s in the band, and what do they play?
Singer & Rhythm Guitar - Michael Jewitt
Singer & Lead Guitar - Rodrigo Fernandez
Bass - Matthew McGarry
Drums - Seb Cherry

Describe your sound in 5 words or less.
Very loud, lots of fun.

What was your first gig as a band?
Our first gig as a band was as a three-piece with a different drummer, at a jam night at Legends on the Cowgate in Edinburgh. This was just to get us out of the studio and playing live, and we had a really nice reception from the regular mob who jam there.

Biggest show so far, and how did it feel?
We haven’t played any super massive crowds, but the first time we filled a room at Banshee Labyrinth felt really cool. We decided to flip the notion of paying for a ticket in advance on its head, and instead made the show free entry to punters, but donations were welcome if they enjoyed themselves. We were nervous as we had to cover the venue out of our own pocket, but we received enough donations to cover the venue and the room was full. It gave us heart that we could start doing this regularly.

Which Scottish venue feels like home?
For the reasons above, Banshee Labyrinth. Since that first night, we generally aim to put on a show there every 3/4 months. They’re always busy, full of good energy, and the gigs are easily the ones we most look forward to. The venue is really cool, the sound techs are great, and Esje (who handles bookings) is absolutely lovely.

If someone’s never heard of you, what song should they start with?
Our song Wallace captures what we do pretty well, 00’s nostalgic punk rock with big chunky breakdowns two-thirds of the way through. We float between pop-punk hooks and choruses, then stray into something heavier when we hit the instrumental sections.

One band or artist you’d love to open for?
Recency bias would have us say Turnstile, but honourable mentions go to Misfits, Biffy Clyro, and Viagra Boys.

Are we in a golden age or a dead zone for new music?
It’s hard to tell. Music has never had a lower barrier to entry, which is democratic and great. It’s relatively easy for people to produce decent recordings from home now. I see a lot of well-attended shows for small local bands, which can only be good. Social media makes it possible for bands to breakout out of nowhere. Edinburgh icons High Fade come to mind.
That said, AI can now produce pretty good music indistinguishable from human-made tracks. I’m not overly worried about it, because people fall in love with bands for the personalities behind the music. I don’t think we’re in a golden age or a dead zone; we’re somewhere in between. The only constant is change.

What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve done on stage?
We’ve not really done anything dangerous on stage. When we busk as a band we often get some fairly mental people coming up to us, but they’re usually okay.

What makes a band “authentic” to you?
Authenticity is just being yourself. There’s a temptation to copy what’s going viral on social media. I’ve fallen for it myself. But a part of me always cringes it feels dishonest. Music is tied to personality, so authenticity to me is honesty.

Catch Bad Knees Live:

2025
5th  December - Banshee Labyrinth, Bad Knees Christmas Spectacular, Edinburgh

2026
9th January - Ivory Blacks, Glasgow
21st February - Purple Orange, Bathgate
20th March - Banshee Labyrinth (For Another Life Promotions), Edinburgh

Essential Gear

Strymon Deco V2 – Tape Saturation & Doubletracker

Why we love it:
The Deco V2 captures the musical warmth of classic studio tape machines without the maintenance, weight, or fragility. It adds that unmistakable analogue sweetness, from subtle harmonic lift to chewy vintage drive, while keeping your core tone intact. For guitarists who prefer character over chaos, it’s one of the most expressive pedals available.

What it does:
By modelling dual tape decks, the Deco offers tape saturation, compression, and a lush doubletracking engine with adjustable lag, wobble, and stereo width. It moves from a refined clean boost to wide, chorus-like textures and thickened lead tones with studio polish.

Best for:
Indie, alt-rock, and singer-songwriter players wanting warmth, depth, and subtle motion rather than heavy effects. Perfect for adding presence and dimension in small Scottish venues where space and clarity matter.

Bonus tip:
Use the doubletracker in wide-stereo mode when recording direct it adds space normally needing multi-mic setups or post-production trickery.

Gig of the Week

Wet Leg - 23rd & 24th November, O2 Academy Glasgow
The Isle of Wight duo return with their sharp, infectious blend of post-punk quirk and sly pop songwriting. Their rise has been rapid but deserved on stage they’re tight, charismatic, and genuinely funny. Two Glasgow dates mean twice the chance to see one of the UK’s most distinctive new acts at full tilt.

Best of the Rest

Leisureland - Friday 21 November, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow
Genre blurring indie with a cinematic edge making the short trip from Paisley. Expect big dynamics and a set that shifts confidently between atmospheric introspection and full-band punch. Are they named after the towns old arcade / pool hall? Maybe they’ll do a Q&A and we can find out!

Wheatus - Wednesday 26 November, SWG3, Glasgow
Still riding the wave of alt-rock nostalgia, Wheatus bring their unmistakable mix of humour, hooks, and crunchy guitars. Expect a crowd ready to sing every word.

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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