Anastacia 

The ultimate early 2000s pop diva is coming to Glasgow as part of the Summer Nights outdoor gig series. Hear her belt out hits like ‘I’m Outta Love’ and ‘Left Outside Alone’ into the open West End air as you reminisce about the original days of low-rise jeans and tinted shades.

Summer Nights At The Bandstand, Kelvingrove Bandstand, Glasgow, Wednesday 26 July.

Boygenius

In their only Scottish tour date this year, indie starlets Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker will take to Connect’s main stage. While aboard that platform, the trio will perform songs from their latest album the record, as well as a few oldies, and tunes from their respective solo discographies.

Connect, Royal Highland Showgrounds, Edinburgh, Sunday 27 August.

Corto.alto 

Hot on the heels of a new album announcement, jazz producer Liam Shortall will perform live at George Square Spiegeltent with his band of virtuosos which includes Mercury nominee Fergus McCreadie on keys and STRATA boss Graham Costello on drums. 

Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, George Square Spiegeltent, Saturday 15 July. 

Dead Pony 

You’ve seen them in our Future Sound column and on BBC Introducing stages. Now catch this emerging four-piece serving up some of their indie post-punk-flavoured tunes at Belladrum.  

Tartan Heart Festival, Belladrum Estate, near Inverness, Thursday 27 July.

Eclair Fifi  

This seasoned Edinburgh-born DJ is one of Scotland’s finest selectors. She delivers groovy beats and seamless blends in her expertly paced sets, fusing house, breakbeat, jazz and techno to ensure revellers can dance the night away. 

Connect, Royal Highland Showgrounds, Edinburgh, Saturday 26 August.

Fred again.. 

It’s not quite got the intimacy of a community centre in the Hebrides (where the Grammy-nominated artist undertook a mini-tour earlier this year), but DJ du jour Fred again.. will certainly deliver a showstopping performance full of impressive light design, visuals and, of course, stone-cold bangers. 

Connect, Royal Highland Showgrounds, Edinburgh, Saturday 26 August.

George Ezra

Who knew ‘G’ artists were so thin on the ground? Thankfully, pop’s favourite nice boy swoops in to save the day. Enjoy Ezra’s saccharine melodies and sonorous tones at Glasgow Green. It’s that or ceilidh duo Gunna Sound at Tiree Music Festival the same weekend. Your choice! 

TRNSMT, Glasgow Green, Friday 7 July.

Heartworms  

Fronted by arresting vocalist Jojo Orme, this post-punk outfit will be closing off peak festival season as part of Edinburgh’s inaugural Psych Fest. Having worked with producer Dan Carey (Wet Leg, Squid, Kae Tempest) on singles such as ‘Consistent Dedication’ and ‘Retributions Of An Awful Life’, if Heartworms aren’t already on your radar, they will be after this. 

Edinburgh Psych Fest, Summerhall, Sunday 3 September. 

Ibibio Sound Machine

Offering a refreshing fusion of electronic funk and distinct Afro-inspired rhythms, this talented octet ensure that no two live performances sound the same. One for those in search of boundary-pushing jazz.  

Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival, Queen’s Hall, Thursday 20 July.

Jasmin Jet

Rising star Jasmin Jet is poised to make a return to Callendar Park, having picked up plaudits for her appearance on the Breakthrough Stage in 2022. Vibration Festival is a homecoming affair for the Falkirk native who has already racked up an impressive collection of nods, including Best Vocalist at last year’s Scottish Young Musicians awards.

Vibration Festival, Callendar Park, Falkirk, Saturday 2 September. 

Katie Gregson-MacLeod

A year on from her moment of TikTok-takeover stardom, the singer has avoided losing her footing in the industry, while crafting herself a space as an important new voice in bedroom pop. Lush melodies and chilling one-liners can be expected. 

Tartan Heart Festival, Belladrum Estate, near Inverness, Saturday 29 July; Connect, Royal Highland Showgrounds, Edinburgh, Sunday 27 August.

LaFontaines 

Following a relatively quiet couple of years, The LaFontaines re-emerged on the anniversary of 2019 album, Junior, to announce that recording on their fourth full-length release was officially complete. For the best chance of hearing some new material alongside the hits, get yourself down to this headline slot.  

ButeFest, Ettrick Bay, Isle Of Bute, Friday 28 July.

Modern Studies 

The only mugs at Strathallan Castle will be those who don’t take the opportunity to watch Modern Studies flex their genre-bending, folk-pop muscles. Fit for any occasion, from dancing to dealing with a break-up, the quartet have been quietly slaying the Scottish indie scene for several years now. 

MugStock, Strathallan Castle, Auchterarder, Friday 4–Monday 7 August (festival dates). 

Nuala Kennedy  

Approaching traditional music with a unique modern flair, Kennedy is a seasoned performer, expertly proficient at the flute and whistle with a striking singing voice to match. Stonehaven attendees can expect a blend of Irish and Scottish-inspired styles, reworked to suit a 2023 crowd. 

Stonehaven Folk Festival, Town Hall, Friday 7 July.

Optimistic Soul 

Having plied his trade at the likes of the Berkeley Suite and Sub Club, Optimistic Soul is swapping underground nightclubs for country air at Kelburn. Optimistic by both name and nature, he’s set to deliver a positive, high-energy set, packed with a few Afro-house bangers. 

Kelburn Garden Party, Kelburn Castle, near Fairlie, Sunday 2 July.

Project Smok  

Providing a much-needed modern take on the Scots sound, Project Smok are pioneering the neo-trad movement, an effort that appears to have been appreciated judging by the ever-growing following they’ve attracted in just three short years.

Tiree Music Festival, Tiree, Friday 7 July.

Queen Of Harps  

Mixing strings with killer beats and perceptive lyrics, Queen Of Harps is fast becoming one of the more compelling rappers in Scotland. Delve under the surface of her danceable tunes and you’ll find songs defined by sincerity and emotional openness. 

Kelburn Garden Party, Kelburn Castle, near Fairlie, Friday 30 June. 

Róisín Murphy  

The former Moloko lead has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, for the simple reason that her last few albums have been very good. She’s cornered the market for instantly accessible synth-pop, and her live gigs showcase this dance legend’s raw and powerful vocals. 

Connect, Royal Highland Showgrounds, Edinburgh, Saturday 26 August.

Sam Fender 

The current heartthrob of lyrically astute indie bangers, Big Boy Fender (as nobody’s calling him) has been hard to avoid over the past few years. Hits like ‘Seventeen Going Under’ and ‘Dead Boys’ have shown that he can craft festival chant-a-longs crammed with melancholy and substance. 

TRNSMT, Glasgow Green, Saturday 8 July. 

Tony Hadley

‘You are GOLD, gold, always believe in your so-o-o-ul,’ etc and so forth. Spandau Ballet’s former frontman has transformed himself into a Radio 2-friendly balladeer over his past few albums, but he’ll almost definitely belt out some of the classics that made him and his pals famous.

Rewind Festival, Scone Palace, Sunday 23 July. 

Ulrika Spacek

Mope-rock afficionados will be well served by Ulrika Spacek, who mix grunge and noise-pop to create a blistering wall of sound. One for the Gen X crowd. 

Edinburgh Psych Fest, Summerhall, Sunday 3 September. 

Visceral Noise Department  

Sitting somewhere in the Venn diagram between grunge and off-beat metal, Visceral Noise Department aren’t afraid to turn the volume up to 11. Think Queens Of The Stone Age by way of Alice In Chains, with a light soupçon of Runrig, and you’re halfway there.  

MugStock, Strathallan Castle, Auchterarder, Sunday 6 August.

Wunderhorse 

Dependable indie guitar tunes for those who enjoy The Walkmen or Band Of Horses. Wunderhorse’s debut album, Cub, came out last year and combined a splash of darkness with enough sing-a-long choruses to reel in the festival crowd. 

Connect, Royal Highland Showgrounds, Edinburgh, Sunday 27 August. 

Xcerts 

Fans of Bring Me The Horizon, Frank Carter and Sum 41 will love the pop-punk stylings of The Xcerts, an emo screamo concoction from Aberdeen who’ve built a diehard following among those who love guitar music that wears hearts on sleeves. 

Tartan Heart Festival, Belladrum Estate, near Inverness, Saturday 29 July.

Young Fathers 

Young Fathers’ latest album Heavy Heavy (their best work to date) has brought them a new generation of fans. The album may in part be about getting older, but nothing has dulled the incredible energy they bring to their live shows. 

Connect, Royal Highland Showgrounds, Edinburgh, Saturday 26 August.

Zutons  

The band who wrote ‘Valerie’ and, erm, probably some other songs hit Scotland on the comeback trail. Due to a lack of Z festival-act competition, they may be here by default, but those hankering for some mid-00s indie nostalgia could do a lot worse.

Tartan Heart Festival, Belladrum Estate, near Inverness, Thursday 27 July.