Spyres
Since their formation in 2019, Scottish band Spyres have gone from strength to strength and cemented themselves as one of the most exciting bands in the country at the moment.
Led by Kiera McGuire and Emily Downie who provide vocals and guitarists alongside Jude Curran on bass and Alex White on drums, Spyres have enjoyed a solid rise through the music scene, having supported Glasgow's own legends in The Jesus and Mary Chain in their early days, to more recently supporting British rock band Sundara Karma at their Glasgow show in late November 2023.
Alongside supporting some big names, Spyres created success in their own right having embarked on tours across the United Kingdom, selling out venues and grabbing slots at major festivals such as TRNSMT, Live at Leeds and Isle of Wight Festival. The release of their 2022 EP "Dear Diary" was greatly received by fans and critics alike. The EP is made up of four melodic songs which mix together well to create a strong debut EP.
Their latest release is the brand new EP named "Karaoke Sellouts" which was released on 24th November 2023, coming right off the back of a sold-out headline show at Glasgow's SWG3.
With such a strong finish to the year, there is no doubt that 2024 promises to be an exciting year for Spyres.
Voodoos
Voodoos are another Glasgow band, this time formed in 2018, who like their counterparts Spyres have enjoyed a solid rise to become one of Scotland's brightest young bands.
Their debut EP "Late Night, Early Morning" released in June 2018 set them on course to build a following which saw them play some festivals early in their career such as Tramlines and Y Not. The 2019 release of their smash-hit single "Do It to Myself", which has now well surpassed 1 million streams on Spotify alone, resulted in sold-out hometown shows and a tour slot supporting The Lathums.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, Voodoos have returned to touring and their December 2023 sees them play headline shows in Edinburgh at Sneaky Pete's alongside Glasgow's iconic King Tuts, as well as a trip north to Aberdeen to play in the AGP Aberdeen Christmas Gig at the beginning of the month.
A return south of the border was also announced and is scheduled for April 2024, stopping at Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and London.
With a tour already lined up alongside the recent release of their single "Don't Want It To Die", 2024 looks to be an interesting one for the Glasgow-based fourpiece.
Gallus
Having exploded onto the scene in Glasgow in 2018, Gallus are as their name suggests: Bold, Loud and In Your Face.
The Glasgow band have an incredibly high ceiling, and are fronted by the ever-entertaining and charismatic Barry Dolan. The group, named after the Glasgow pub in which they were formed, gained fans up and down the country for their unapologetic music and incredibly energetic live shows, cementing themselves as a must-see live act and seemingly carrying on the legacy of fast-paced punk rock music from a bygone era.
The group's highly-anticipated debut album "We Don't Like The People We've Become" was released in June 2023 to rave reviews, with the band recently announcing a Scottish tour in February 2024 which will see them stop off in Aberdeen, Inverness, Dundee and Edinburgh before heading off to the continent to play shows in France, Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy and Denmark. This comes after previous trips in recent years which has seen them play festivals in Netherlands, Belgium and Iceland alongside cracking the North American market with their debut at SXSW festival in Texas in 2022.
Gallus continue to dazzle across the U.K and beyond, and god knows they'll not plan on stopping any time soon.
Dictator
West-Lothian formed Dictator are another band who look set for a big 2024.
Despite perhaps not sharing the same fame as those mentioned previously on this list, Dictator look well on their way to joining them in no time. The versatile, genre-defying group have quickly established themselves as an exciting live act who aren't afraid to experiment with their style; a quality which has seen them garner critical acclaim.
Having already supported Glasgow legends Franz Ferdinand and Glasvegas alongside Yorkshire's The Reytons as well as supporting Dundee icons The View, Dictator have amassed a group of fans who can't get enough of their synth beats, relatable lyrics and pop-sound.
On the awards side, the four-piece have already shown they aren't here to mess around having been announced winners of the Best Rock/Alternative Band at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards alongside reaching the final four of BBC Introducing's Scottish Act of the Year.
Their 2022 debut album "Rubik's Cube" was an instant success and a subsequent U.K tour followed alongside multiple slots at major festivals. The group finish up 2023 alongside Gallus at the AGP Aberdeen Christmas Gig before a show in Edinburgh on 17th December.
With their rapid rise and ability to weave seamlessly across different genres, 2024 could well be the year Dictator break into the mainstream market.
Soapbox
The final inclusion on our list come in the form of the brilliantly-named Soapbox.
Relative rookies compared to the other bands on this list, the punk band made up of bass player Aidan Bowskill, guitarist Angus Husbands, drummer Jenna Nimmo and hard-hitting frontman Tom Rowan have came up the hard way, taking any show they could, including playing at cricket clubs around the west coast of Scotland.
Those days look far behind them now, as the newcomers have sold out all of their headline shows so far, whilst also playing the final farewell show at Glasgow's Priory Bar and supporting American Punk Rock group Screaming Females.
Alongside a sold-out headline show at King Tuts in July 2023 and supporting Scottish band Dead Pony on the Scottish leg of their sold out tour, the group have released two singles so far. The debut single "Value Added Glasgow" received praise for its raucous live performances, perhaps reminiscent of the previously mentioned Gallus.
This was followed up by their second single "Mad Jungle Beat" which, despite being a calmer sound than their debut, still packs a punch which can be felt heavily live.
Soapbox have started life as an upcoming Scottish band very well and with a Scottish tour looking likely in 2024, it could well be Soapbox's year.
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