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.”
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