With the future of the world dangling precariously in the balance, why bother looking forwards? Especially when there’s so much good stuff in the past to reminisce about… and a decent amount of it is coming to Scotland this month. Pretend we’re still living in simpler times by popping along to one or more of these blast-from-the-pasters throughout May.
Though best known for being a touch peely-wally, Procol Harum were genuine genre shape-shifters and pioneered more new styles than you’ve had fake tanning sessions. Witness their unique blend of prog rock, classical, blues and God-knows-what-else at Queens Hall this month.
@ Queens Hall, Edinburgh, 6th May
Bloody hell, is it really more than fifteen years since Wheatus first complained about being a Teenage Dirtbag? Yes, it most certainly is – and regardless of how young you still feel, if you remember this with fondness, you’re most certainly not young anymore. Though their breakthrough album remains their biggest success, Wheatus have been plugging away with four more studio efforts in the interim and bring the whole shebang to O2 ABC.
After thirty-five years, fourteen albums and a larger cast of characters than the Premier League managerial merryground, Swans are back with only one of their original outfit remaining – founding member Michael Gira. By Gira’s own admission, future tour opportunities are likely to be at a premium, so fans should snatch the chance to see these legends of experimental rock doom-and-gloomery in the flesh.
After playing a Hogmanay set in 2013 in her hometown of Limerick, Dolores O’Riordan (aka Mama Cranberry) realised the band were approaching their silver anniversary and decided to celebrate by inviting a string quartet to tour their hits around the UK. And whaddya know… they’re bringing that acoustic loveliness to Glasgow at the tail end of the month.