The Backline Newsletter - Issue 38

The Backline Newsletter
Issue 38 - Thursday, 19th February 2025

Editorial

There’s something quietly powerful about bands who just keep going.

Line-up changes. Funding headaches. Venues closing. Algorithms shifting. Radio slots shrinking. And still — rehearsal rooms are full, songs are being written, and stages are being stepped onto.

This week’s Q&A with Dark Hearts is a reminder that the graft never stops. They’ve stabilised their line-up, put the work into recording, and now they’re stepping onto some proper stages in March. That’s how it’s done. No shortcuts. Just momentum built the hard way.

If you’re in a band right now feeling like progress is slow then good. Slow progress is still progress.

Let’s get into it.

Artist Q&A – Dark Hearts

1. Who’s in the band, and what do they play?

We are a five-piece indie rock and pop band from Edinburgh. Jac on vocals, Robin on lead guitar, Dean on bass, Peter on keys and Neil on drums.

2. Describe your sound in 5 words or less.

Melodic, catchy, dark, retro, cool.

3. What was your first gig as a band?

We’ve had a few line up changes, so with our current stable line up once our drummer Neil joined, it was either Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh or Purple Orange in Bathgate. Both were great.

4. Biggest show so far and how did it feel?

We’ve just started serious gigging again after the line-up changes and focusing on recording last year. Our biggest shows so far will actually be in March this year. We’re playing the main stage at The Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh on 21st March supporting Block 33 from London, followed by 28th March with All The Young at the Wee Red Bar.

These are both great bands with a fantastic track record and we’re really excited to be main support. We’re also competing next Friday 27th at Banshee Labyrinth for a main stage slot at Wildfire Festival this summer.

Honestly though, every single gig is important to us. Supporting bigger name bands is such a great opportunity. We also work with organisations like Loud Women in the UK and SheBeat here in Scotland. We’re back at Banshee again with them for International Women’s Day on 8th March.

5. Which Scottish venue feels like home?

We love Banshee Labyrinth. The sound is great and it’s such a friendly place to play.

6. If someone’s never heard of you, what song should they start with?

Start with Gun, then Terrible Angels, then our new single I Fell in Love with a Rockstar.

7. One band or artist you’d love to open for?

Garbage any day of the week. Jac loves Shirley Manson and met her a few years ago through Girls Rock School in Edinburgh. Shirley is an icon alongside Debbie Harry and Siouxsie Sioux. Incredible inspirations.

8. Are we in a golden age or a dead zone for new music?

There’s probably a difference between music and the music business. On the business side, it’s getting harder for smaller bands to make headway because the barrier to funding and proper support is high. You have to build a lot yourself before accessing the next level like Wide Days or Creative Scotland funding.

It’s also tough for venues. People don’t go out as much, and even well-known bands are cancelling gigs due to low advance sales. Constant Follower has spoken a lot about the lack of support for independent music in Scotland recently, especially around BBC cuts. BBC Introducing is also incredibly competitive here.

On the upside, the venues that are hanging on are lifelines. Bannermans, Sneaky Pete’s, Banshee, Leith Depot in Edinburgh. Ivory Blacks in Glasgow. Huge credit to those owners.

And a big shout out to independent radio. Jim Gellatly, Tom Robinson, Amazing Radio, Wigwam Radio, Scotland Rocks. These platforms are critical for getting music heard.

So you have to put the graft in. Invest in yourself. That’s what we’re doing.

But in terms of music itself, music is creativity, life lessons, heartache, revenge, despair. As long as we’re living, music is how we tell our stories. Hopefully creativity never dies.

9. What’s the most dangerous thing you’ve done on stage?

This question makes us want to be more dangerous. Jac wears glamorous outfits and occasionally something gets caught on a guitar or bass mid-performance. But honestly, the most dangerous thing anyone can do is step onto the stage in the first place. It takes guts to put yourself out there.

10. What makes a band authentic to you?

Their stories and emotional connection. Performance matters, but songwriting is key. A song should be raw emotion set to music. If you don’t feel it, it won’t feel authentic.

As songwriters, we aim to say something honest and interesting. Being brave enough and vulnerable enough in your songs is everything.

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Essential Gear – Hosa Snakes

Short Description
A set of Hosa multi-channel XLR cable snakes that bundles multiple mic-grade lines into a single tidy harness. Built to be travel-ready and work-ready with durable jackets and reliable connectors designed for repeated stage use.

Why We Love It
Organised cabling isn’t glamorous, but it’s one of the simplest ways to speed up soundchecks, reduce stage clutter, and avoid accidental disconnections mid-set. A good snake means fewer trips across stage with loose cables and fewer “which mic goes where” moments for engineers. When a setup looks neat and sounds solid, everyone band and sound tech wins.

What It Does
Hosa snakes take individual XLR runs and combine them into a single multi-core cable, usually in configurations like 4-way, 8-way, or more. Each snake leg terminates in high-quality male and female XLRs, so you can run everything from vocals and overheads to DI boxes and tom mics back to the desk without tangles. They’re durable, flexible, and forgiving of the twists and turns of live stages.

Best For
Drummers needing quick overhead and room mic runs, bands with multi-mic setups, small venues that want tidy stage runs, and sound engineers who like getting levels up fast without a spaghetti nightmare. If you’re regularly running more than two mics, this will save you time and headaches.

Bonus Tip
Label both ends with a simple number or colour code using gaffer tape or printed cable tags. It sounds basic, but it drastically cuts down on confusion during dark, rushed soundchecks, especially in unfamiliar venues.

Gig of the Week

Voka Gentle - 20th Feb, McChuills, Glasgow

McChuills is one of those Glasgow rooms where everything feels close and alive. Voka Gentle bring art pop energy that’s rhythmic, textured and slightly left of centre in all the right ways. If you like grooves that move but still surprise you, this is the one. Expect tight musicianship and a crowd that’s properly locked in.

Best of the Rest

Belle and Sebastian – 20th Feb, Troon Concert Hall, Troon
A rare chance to catch one of Scotland’s most beloved indie exports in a more intimate setting. Expect melody, storytelling and that unmistakable wistful charm. These are the kinds of shows that remind you why live music still matters.

Psychedelic Porn Crumpets – 25th Feb, SWG3 Galvanisers, Glasgow
Big riffs. Big energy. Controlled chaos in the best way. SWG3’s Galvanisers is built for this kind of show loud, immersive, and slightly unhinged. If you’re into modern psych with serious bite, don’t sleep on this.

Wrap Up

Get involved.

Got a rehearsal room story, a gig we should be talking about, a band you think deserves a spotlight, or a piece of gear you swear by? Send it in. If you were at one of our gig picks, write us a short review we might feature it in a future issue.

Hit us at [email protected]

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See you next week.