The Wee Gig Lowdown: June 2026
Our rundown of some of the most exciting gigs happening at small venues in Glasgow and Edinburgh this month, including CupcakKe, Jo Mango, Nuovo Testamento, Wavetable and more
Be still our beating wallets, there’s a lot of good wee gigs on this month across Glasgow and Edinburgh. Want to donate to a good cause? Then head to the trans & non-binary punk night at The Hug And Pint. Want some high-camp rap? Then pop to CupcakKe in La Belle Angele. Want to pretend you’re an indie hipster from the 90s? Then catch Good Flying Birds at Nice N Sleazy. It’s rich pickings across the central belt, so hopefully you'll find a gig to suit you below.
Glasgow
Trans & Non-Binary Punk Night (BRNOUTBBY, Water Machine, Skinny Imps and Anna Secret Poet)
An eclectic line-up will ignite this fundraiser for Galop, the LGBTQIA+ Anti-Abuse Charity. They’re all solid acts, but the jank-punk of Water Machine (pictured above) tickles us the most.
The Hug And Pint, Monday 1 June.
Dez Dare
Ever wondered how Mark E Smith would sound if he fiddled with Moogs instead of verbally flaying bassists? The answer is probably a bit like Dez Dare, a psych-punk mainstay with a DIY flair. He’ll be supported by Edinburgh’s Shi Rivari & The Maybes, and grunge act Opium Clippers.
Bloc+, Thursday 18 June.
Agriculture
Black metal isn’t a genre The List covers enough, so think of this recommendation as a sincere apology on that front. Agriculture are part of a new wave of metal acts in the US crafting forward-thinking, furiously fast screamo music (Shrine Maiden are another shining, must-listen example). Expect an electrifying, exorcising spectacle.
Stereo, Sunday 21 June.
Nuovo Testamento
Mining the anachronistic swirls of Italo-disco, a sense of new wave delight is shot through this band’s Moroder-adjacent sounds. This is their first visit to the UK in quite a while.
Stereo, Thursday 25 June.
Good Flying Birds
Upbeat guitar-pop is the name of the game from this American group, who’ve embraced lo-fi recording alongside a genuine DIY sensibility. They’ll be joined by The Cords, a band having a bit of a ‘this’ll be a cult act for decades to come’ moment.
Nice N Sleazy, Tuesday 30 June.
Edinburgh
CupcakKe
One of the most fun rap projects on the planet right now, CupcakKe’s hyper-sexual, genuinely funny tunes have gained her a fanbase that’s more than up for a good time. One thing I learned while researching her for this article: she calls her fans ‘slurpers’. Let’s not speculate too much on that.
La Belle Angele, Wednesday 3 June 2026; also playing SWG3, Glasgow, Thursday 4 June.
Dara Dubh
An up-and-coming act on Edinburgh’s music scene (who’s previously made our Hot 100), this gig at Pianodrome will preview her upcoming album Go Like Crazy Big Moon. Fancy listening to the first single from the album? Then head over to our latest Singles In Your Area column.
Pianodrome Bruntsfield, Friday 5 June.
Wavetable #52
Wavetable has become one of Edinburgh’s most respected experimental music evenings and, with its recent move to Fruitmarket, it’s welcoming a larger and more diverse crowd. It’s a mind-expanding experience exploring the hinterlands of sound in ways that can alternate between baffling and completely invigorating. This edition will be headlined by Passepartoutduo, with Simon Kirby (one of Wavetable’s founders) opening the night, and Obakegaku providing live visuals.
Fruitmarket, Saturday 6 June.
Jo Mango
The feted alternative folk singer, who’s recently become better known thanks to her hand in the well-received play A Giant On The Bridge, is about to release new record The Lighthouse, the follow-up to 2012’s Murmuration. She’ll be supported by indie-folk upstart Raveloe.
Leith Depot, Sunday 21 June; also playing St Luke’s & The Winged Ox, Glasgow, Friday 26 June.
The Shell
We’re on a Simon Kirby kick this month; his band The Shell (which also consists of Leigh Chorlton and Andrew Ostler) will perform their melange of ambient, free jazz, minimalism, and driving kosmische rhythms. They’ll be supported by fellow experimentalist Sonia Killman, whose work consists of saxophone and electronic elements.
Pianodrome Bruntsfield, Friday 26 June.
Main picture: Brian Sweeny.
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