Scotland Calling Tickets

Scotland Calling: Punk's Still Going Strong

Scotland Calling 2015 is an all-day punk music festival for old and new fans alike. It follows on the success of 2014's debut Scotland Calling festival; many of the acts who performed last year are welcomed back on the new lineup.

Schedule

Scotland Calling 2015 takes place at the O2 ABC in Glasgow. Doors open at 12:30 pm for the all-day event. There is an after show party with free entry to everyone with Scotland Calling tickets. The show's line-up includes the Exploited, the Damned, Angelic Upstarts, Anti Nowhere League, UK Subs, Goldblade, Control, Dirt Box Disco, 4 Past Midnight and Skizofrenik. Vice Squad and Fire Exit are slated to play at the after show party.

Trivia

There was worrying news from the Exploited when lead singer Wattie suffered a heart attack on stage in 2014. The band had been scheduled to appear at Scotland Calling 2014, but had to put touring on hold for several months, for the sake of Wattie's health. GBH stepped in to play and were warmly received by fans, particularly those who knew why they were late additions to the roster. Happily, The Exploited have confirmed a 2015 appearance in their home country for the Scotland Calling show.

Bands/Singers

In addition to the good news that the Exploited will take the stage, other legendary punk outfits on the 2015 line-up include the Damned and Angelic Upstarts, both of whom appeared at Scotland Calling 2014. The 2015 event also welcomes the Anti Nowhere League and UK Subs. Goldblade is a band with a foot in both old and new camps, having risen from the ashes of The Membranes. Control and Dirt Box Disco will be remembered by anyone who attended the 2014 Durham Calling, where both brought their very different punk sensibilities to bear. Other bands who don't have far to travel for the event are Glasgow-based 4 Past Midnight and openers Skizofrenik, from Aberdeenshire.

Breakthrough

The first Scotland Calling all day festival took place at the O2 ABC in Glasgow on 26 April 2014, and was organised by the same team who were responsible for putting together the similar North East Calling, Durham Punk Festival and North West Calling events. The day featured sets from bands that are practically household names of the punk world, including GBH, the Angelic Upstarts and the Damned. Also on the roster were Penetration, the Business, SLF's Henry Cluney (in a solo set) and the Red Eyes, as well as the longest-serving stalwarts of Scottish punk, Fire Exit, who later performed another set at the after show party. Scotland Calling 2014 was a success and plans for another event in 2015 are beginning to take shape.

Hit Albums

With formidable back-catalogues from many of the bands appearing at Scotland Calling 2015, picking out the best of the best can only be a matter of opinion. The 1977 Damned album Damned, Damned, Damned is a much-loved classic today. The UK Subs' Crash Course (1980), the Exploited's Punk's Not Dead (number one on the Independent charts in 1981), the Angelic Upstarts' Reason Why? (1983) and the Anti Nowhere League's The Perfect Crime (1987) are just a handful of stand-outs from the 1980s. Control's Punk Rock Ruined My Life (2010) and Goldblade's Home Turf are also worth a listen.

Show Experience

The all-day event offers a rare chance to see some of punk's well-established and much-loved acts in one venue, as well as the opportunity to discover some new blood. Expect shows to start out dark and them, and then explode with smoke and lights. If you're still raring to go after the event itself, head over to the after party in O2 ABC2, which is free to ticket holders and features performances from Vice Squad and Fire Exit.