The Wee Gig Lowdown: August 2026
In this month’s celebration of wee gigs in Glasgow and Edinburgh, we’re highlighting Kankawa Nagarra, Radhika, Theon Cross, Vulva Voce and more
As we enter Edinburgh Festival season, a time when thousands of people descend on the city to crowd into tiny makeshift gig venues, there’s no shortage of ‘wee gigs’ on the central belt. For the most part, the listings below eschew the Fringe (although that’s an impossibility during August, so a few have crept in), favouring our usual collection of art-pop, experimentation and other esoterica.
Glasgow
Kankawa Nagarra
At 80 years of age, Nagarra is a Walmatjarri Elder from the Kimberley who fuses gospel singing with the tribal songs of her youth, layering on a sprinkling of bluegrass for good measure. The effect is intoxicating and meditative, like lying in a woodland to drink in nature. She’ll be joined by Darren Hanlon, the producer of her award-winning album Wirlmarni.
The Glad Café, Wednesday 5 August.
Clean Slate
Forming as part of Girls Rock Glasgow, expect plenty of riotgrrrl vibes from this punk outfit, who’ll be celebrating the release of their debut EP Ren Skiffer. They’ll be supported by Knife Off, a group of screamo metal heads who brilliantly describe their sound as ‘knifecore’. This one’s free entry.
Bloc, Sunday 16 August.
Zu
This Italian experimental group have spent decades crafting pioneering, near-uncategorisable mash-ups of prog, metal, industrial, jazz, punk and almost any other genre with the potential for discordance. Enjoy Black Midi? Zu makes them sound like Ed Sheeran by comparison.
Nice N Sleazy, Monday 17 August.
Talib Kweli
The legendary rapper of Black Star fame never quite reached the heights as his former sparring partner Mos Def, but he certainly deserved to. More literate than many of his peers and wedded to the underground, he remains an invigorating presence.
Room 2, Tuesday 18 August.
Radhika
With Cine Pop, Radhika has imbued landmarks of Glasgow’s underground dream pop scene with her own ethereal sensibility, and produced an album that’s difficult not to love. Her touring schedule is pretty tireless right now, so catch her before the mainstream notice. She’ll be joined by Flower Market and Sacul.
The Hug & Pint, Monday 24 August.
Teen Mortgage
Touting a bratty punk from Washington DC, there’s a no-nonsense, Hüsker Dü-ish quality to Teen Mortgage. If you like your punk blisteringly fast, this one’s for you.
Room 2, Friday 28 August.
Edinburgh
Day Sleeper
Local favourites in Edinburgh, the lo-fi synth of Day Sleeper and vocals reminiscent of Blue Nile has a romantic flair. The band will play two ‘unique’ sets to celebrate festival time, one at 7.45pm and the other at 9pm. Even better – they’re both free.
Sneaky Pete's, Sunday 9 August.
Theon Cross
The tuba extraordinaire has been a kingpin of the new jazz resurgence since his days as a core member of Sons Of Kemet, though his work hasn’t shied away from London’s equally febrile electronica scene. He’s also unafraid of a danceable, woozy groove, so expect a fun night.
La Belle Angèle, Wednesday 12 August.
Vulva Voce
Melding the string quartet into new forms, this four-piece use a combination of singing, movement and storytelling to honour women’s stories from throughout history. If you’re thinking ‘this all sounds a bit Fringey’, you’d be right; it’s part of Pianodrome’s packed Fringe programme, which features plenty of intriguing acts. Read the full programme here.
Pianodrome Bruntsfield, Friday 14 August.
Pictish Trail and Martha Ffion
Programmed as part of Howlin’ Fringe, these Lost Map favourites are arguably cult indie icons at this stage. Trail (aka Johnny Lynch) is currently hot on the promo, well, trail of his new album Life Slime. Apparently he uses real slime on stage, so expect things to get a little messy.
Leith FAB Cricket Club, Wednesday 19 August.
This Is The Kit and Seamus Fogarty
Known for their calming indie-folk, both This Is The Kit and Seamus Fogarty have become critically acclaimed for their winding arrangements and beautiful vocals.
La Belle Angèle, Tuesday 25 August.
Main picture: Radhika / Laura Meek.
Related articles
All news, reviews and features on The List are chosen independently by our editorial team. However, we may earn a small affiliate commission when you make a purchase through one of the links embedded in this article.