Tenement Trail is Scotland’s festival for music discovery, a day of performance that brings together audiences ready to be introduced to their new favourite band. This year’s line-up features headliners Vistas from Edinburgh, a growing force in indie rock music powered by the anthemic tracks on their debut studio album, Everything Changes in the End. Glasgow band Gallus will provide an energetic live show, alongside gigs from Calum Bowie, Rianne Downey, Spyres and an eclectic selection of other acts keen to make their mark.
The festival takes place on Saturday 8th October with 12 hours of shows across neighbouring East End venues including the Barrowland Ballroom, Saint Luke’s, BAaD, Van Winkle and 226 Gallowgate.
Founder Chae Houston explains that the festival grew from Tenement TV, an online platform that began broadcasting live sessions, primarily from the front room of his flat. “We launched to champion music in Scotland. We started the festival with a much smaller footprint, the idea was you could make your way down Sauchiehall Street and watch bands play.
"Kassidy were one of the first bigger bands we had, when they were playing things like South by Southwest. Since then we have started to attract a lot of touring bands. It’s become one day to go see lots of bands to get excited about.”
Chae says Tenement Trail presents the opportunity for local musicians to step up to a bigger stage. “We have venues like Saint Luke’s where Glasgow bands can have their first play and win over new people. That also brings bands from elsewhere that want their first gig in Glasgow when they are starting to generate a bit of a buzz.
"There is a big crowd that just loves to hear new music, it’s a stepping-stone towards headline shows and can lead on to other festivals in Scotland.”
“Glasgow is where bands arrive to get noticed in Scotland and we’d like to think we’ve been part of that story for the last ten years.”
With the neighbourhood takeover of stages around The Barras, the festival takes on an added dimension, “there will be a great atmosphere, we will see people moving around the venues and meeting each other in one of the best up and coming areas in Glasgow.
"It will be a community vibe with a real sense of celebration for the local music scene. Even if they are not playing we have a lot of bands coming along to support new artists.”
Lewis Capaldi played an early gig as part of Tenement Trail. “We knew at the time that he was an amazing talent, but when you pay him £50 to play the bar in the Art School, you don’t know he’s own his way to global success” Chae says.
“We’ve had Sam Fender and Yungblud on the bill at the start of their career and they’re now arena level, playing The Hydro.”
“Vistas are headlining the festival this year and they played a show for Tenement Trail in the Garage Attic seven years ago, they’ve gone on to have sold out gigs at the Barrrowlands and supported Gerry Cinnamon at Hampden over the summer.”
Glasgow has had one of its busiest years for live events, welcoming visitors from all over the world with music. Chae says: “We are now at the stage that Tenement Trail is one of the festivals that people travel to see and that makes me proud, as someone that loves the city, that we are reaching out from here to other places.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here