TFEH at Edinburgh's Waverley Bar/Image Credit: Malcy Duff

For experimental music lovers, the recent in-person return of festivals such as Counterflows and Tectonics is cause for celebration. But these great gatherings draw much of their energy from the grassroots experimental music events happening all year round. While each event has its own identity, there’s plenty of overlap between artists and audiences; all share a commitment to presenting experimental music in fun, friendly and inclusive contexts, without compromising artistically.

The new kid on the block, Baked Beans On The Doorstep, takes place once a month at Glasgow’s Old Hairdressers. This ‘multi-limbed curatorial LARPing endeavour’ is organised by musicians-artists Fritz Welch and David Moré, alongside ‘various helpful sidekicks and kickbacks’.

‘The idea for the series came out of an interest in focusing on activity on our own doorstep,’ explains Welch. ‘Everything is possible including comedy, sound art, smells, performance, noise, movement, music, grilled cheese sandwiches . . . ’ 

Baked Beans On The Doorstep

Asked how it fits into the wider scene, Welch waxes lyrical: ‘Like a cuddly worn-out teddy bear riding one of those Boston Dynamics robot dogs into a vast martian landscape in search of a viable living environment.’ Future sessions, Welch adds, will include Horacio Pollard, Gaute Granli, Splay Toe, Ecka Mordecai and Liv Fontaine. ‘We invite the entire central belt to join us in a collective squat thrust of feral imagineering.’ 

Over on the east coast, TFEH is bringing free improvisation, noise and a healthy dose of absurdism to the Waverley Bar in Edinburgh. A sister to long-running label Giant Tank, the series is organised by Firas Khnaisser and Ali Robertson. ‘I wanted to bring the community together and make things happen in Edinburgh,’ says Khnaisser. ‘It's been a wild journey so far. At the start we were primarily doing gigs with local musicians, stretching out to Glasgow and Newcastle. Now we’re getting more international visitors. I think with time we’re starting to develop a distinctive aesthetic. It’s pretty lighthearted, very casual and the quality of the performances has been pretty amazing.’ 

Back in Glasgow, the improvised music scene revolves around a number of happenings, many of them at the Old Hairdressers, whose programmer Rob Churm is something of an unsung hero. Help Me I’m Melting, where saxophonist Tony Bevan performs with hand-picked guests, has returned from its covid hiatus, as has 1.5 Months. Organised by Mhenwhar Huws bandmates Alistair Quietsch, Rafe Fitzpatrick, John MaGill and Michael Truswell, it’s a radical cross-arts event showcasing underground local artists. ‘There’s certainly a deep-seated ethos: non-hierarchical, inclusive, collaborative with open dialogues,’ says Fitzpatrick. ‘It’s spaces like this I always hope to be part of and believe are really important in art and also wider society.’

Democratic People's Republic of Noise

GIOdynamics takes a similarly inclusive and non-hierachal approach. Overseen by Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra guitarist Jer Reid, the free event takes place online and in person at the Glad Café every month. ‘It’s open to anyone to play and the amount of experience you have is unimportant,’ says Reid. ‘The mix of musical styles and interests makes it thrilling. The music supports the risk and allows people to support each other. It’s beautiful to see people getting to know each other through playing music. The air can be thick with connection.’ Reid is pleasantly surprised at how well the online events have worked. ‘The strength of improvised music is that any technical glitches are just material to play with. So I still feel very connected to people through the computer and there are lots of positives about doing online sessions. People from all over the world join in.’ 

For those of a heavier persuasion, there’s Democratic People’s Republic Of Noise at Glasgow’s Audio Lounge and 13th Note. Experimental powerhouse Helena Celle is one of the organisers. ‘Most people involved come from the deep, dark, underground metal and harsh noise scene,’ she explains, ‘but the onus is on open creative inquiry comparable to dadaism and abstract expressionism. Most acts are impromptu. Audience members are encouraged to join in or start their own bands on the spot. There are people painting or drawing in response to the sound. The most recent event was enthusiastically described as a “demonic chaos ritual”.’

Discover more about Baked Beans On The Doorstep at theoldhairdressers.com, GIOdynamics at thegladcafe.co.uk, TFEH at Tfeh.xyz and Democratic People’s Republic Of Noise at theaudioloungestudio.com.