The three-day heavy music festival Core. is returning to Glasgow for its second year.

Scotland’s newest festival lauding everything loud and distorted sets up camp in Glasgow’s Woodside Halls, with assistance from the West End’s independent music favourite The Hug and Pint.

Its inaugural year saw the likes of atmospheric metal band Deafheaven, Connecticut emo star wanderers The World Is a Beautiful Place & I Am No Longer Afraid to Die, and avant-garde black metallers Liturgy grace its stages.

This year looks to be an even bigger affair, as the celebration of noise runs across three stacked days with some very notable highlights adorning its line-up.

Sunday headliner Empire State Bastard features Simon Neil of Biffy Clyro and Dave Lombardo of Slayer notoriety (Image: Core.)
Friday’s opening night sees NYC hardcore experimentalists Show Me the Body headline with banjo in tow, and joined by Title Fight vocalist Ned Russin’s recent project Glitterer. Saturday sees a stacked roster, as Dublin noise rock outfit Gilla Band, metalcore band Employed to Serve, the sludgy noise stylings of Part Chimp, and irreverent post-hardcore legends mclusky fill out the headlining slots.

Sunday has the special gift of supergroup grindcore act Empire State Bastard, which features Simon Neil of Scotland’s very own Biffy Clyro, Mike Vennart of Oceansize, Bitch Falcon bassist Naomi Macleod, and possibly the most iconic drummer in all of heavy music, Dave Lombardo of Slayer fame. Sunday also sees US post-hardcore veterans The Fall of Troy on the main stage, reminding everyone why they made their MySpace song ‘F.C.P.R.E.M.I.X.’ back in 2005.



There is plenty of shine for Glasgow’s vibrant underground music scene too, with old school death metal band Coffin Mulch upping the brutality and grindcore act Gendo Ikari possibly needing to come with a hectic stagediving warning. Other local highlights include K U T  E, Cutty’s Gym, K.yalo, Slowlight, Brasser, False Hopes and more.

Core. will be offering more than just heavy music, with a merchandise market, exhibitions from local artists, and workshops packing in the time across the three days.


Core. runs from 2-4 August in Woodside Halls and The Hug and Pint. Tickets can be bought here.