Music

Stanley Odd is an alternative hip-hop group from Edinburgh. Commenting on aspects of society and culture ranging from Scottish Independence to quality of life to the inexplicable rise of Robin Thicke, it’s fair to say these guys like to keep an eye on things. AAA caught up with frontman/MC Dave Hook (aka Solareye) ahead of Stanley Odd’s appearance at Summerhall’s ever-impressive Nothing Ever Happens Here series of gigs. Who/what inspired you to start the band? Stanley Odd…

Last weekend, The Feeling brought the first ever Hard Rock Rocks Edinburgh festival to a triumphant close with a crowd-pleasing set in the Spiegeltent. But there’s no rest for the wicked and the popular five-piece – whose best known hits include I Love It When You Call and Fill My Little World – are already gearing up to spend their second consecutive weekend performing locally. Ahead of Party at the Palace in Lintlithgow, AAA caught up…

Ben Montague is a singer-songwriter, and co-owns an acclaimed custom guitar business, The North American Guitar, in Fulham, London. Last month, Montague released his third album, Back Into Paradise, which has been described as his most lyrically raw and moving, anthemic and beautifully produced release to date. On Sunday, August 2, Montague plays at Hard Rock Rocks Edinburgh, a three-day music festival in St Andrew Square Garden. AAA caught up with the singer earlier this week. Your third…

It’s hard to believe it’s been more than 20 years since Boyzone began their assault on the pop charts, breaking hearts and churning out hits like they were going out of fashion. Looking around Edinburgh Castle’s half-empty esplanade before the show, it was easy to be cynical about the reformed man band’s chances of resurrecting the pop dream. Yet, for every seat that sat vacant, there was a hyperactive 30-something-year-old fan that erupted into nostalgia-fuelled…

Glasgow psych-folk band Trembling Bells have been known to folks in these parts for a while now – but their upward trajectory received an even bigger boost when Alexis Petridis, The Guardian’s influential head rock and pop critic, picked them out as one of the highlights of this year’s Glastonbury festival. The band, who came together out of a mutual love of Sixties prog/folk rock, are now five albums into their career – and it’s…