IPO Glasgow 2026
Click on artist name to go to their music page
CLICK HERE to see IPO Glasgow 2026 Artist Yearbook Photos
Artists From Glasgow
Lavinia Blackwall & Stilton – The bastard love-child of Marco Rae of The Wellgreen (see below) and Lavinia Blackwall of Trembling Bells, Stilton combines ‘60s inflected harmony, sunshine, and soft pop influences with those of the late ‘60s/early ‘70s British pastoral folk movement, and a touch of whimsy, resulting in beautiful music you can dance to. Fans of artists like Burt Bacharach, Randy Newman, Brian Wilson, Sandy Denny, Kate Bush, The Wellgreen and Trembling Bells will not want to miss them! Check out Lavinia’s album, The Making, which received a five-star review in Shindig! Magazine and earned the top spot on this reviewer’s “Best of 2025” year-end list!
The Fast Camels – Glasgow is a veritable fountain of psychedelic garage music, and these guys are quintessential purveyors of that sound. Their trippy, ‘60s-inspired sounds bring to mind such bands as early Pink Floyd, Love and The Byrds. They’ve been scarfing up airplay and fans in the UK, US, and Europe since the release of their 2007 debut album, The Magic Optician. Their eagerly awaited fifth album, Lost To This World has just been released, and adds a touch of wistful Americana, channeling artists such as The Doors, while still kicking the psychedelic jangle and harmonies up to 11! If you don’t already know them and love them, you must come to their IPO Glasgow showcase to see and hear for yourself why they’ve become a perennial IPO Liverpool favorite of both fans and fellow performers alike!
The Folk Drama – Edinburgh songwriter Aaron Wright and LA songstress Violetta combine talents and voices in this ‘60s orchestrated folk and pastoral soft pop meets ‘80 new wave and ambient pop duo. They’re recording their debut EP, which we can hardly wait to hear!
How to Swim – Punchy pop with an eclectic array of influences is the order of the day with this Glasgow-based combo. The songs on their recent Poundstore Diabolism album channel everything from quirky ‘80s new wave and college rock to orchestrated pop, post punk, funk, soul, folk, and even rap! Fans of artists from Weird Al and Zappa to XTC, ELO and Randy Newman as well as fans of artists such as The Cure, Funkadelic, Waylon Jennings or The Beastie Boys will all find something here to love!
The Jackal IV – Mix psychedelic jangle with a bit of punk, garage, and soul, and what do you get? Just one of the hottest bands in Glasgow, made up the lead guitarist of the Vindicators joining forces with members of The Goldenhour, who were one of our favorite bands of the 2000’s. They’re back with a revamped 2026 lineup after the passing of drummer Andy Gailey, wherein Stevie Kemp and Neil Menzies are joined by new drummer Derek McKee. Their recently released Songs From The Bunker ep is pure Garage Psych Punk for the 21st Century, and provides a tantalizing preview of a forthcoming full-length!
The Laynes -While there are many a band who we’ve had at the festival over the years who do that mod/punk/psych/garage revival thing, there are few who do it as consistently well as The Laynes. Think The Beatles, The Small Faces, and The Who…or better yet, check out their latest album, Come On Board With The Laynes, and their IPO showcase to see and hear what we mean!
The Martial Arts – Paul Kelly has been making pop music as The Martial Arts, and releasing it under that name since 2003. You may also have seen him in recent years as a supporting musician with Carla J Easton, Raveloe, BMX Bandits & The Primary 5. In There Like Swimwear, his latest album with The Martial Arts, mixes all kinds of indie pop, power pop, psych pop and soul influences in all the right ways. A brand-new single, “Seeing Double,” also hints at more goodness to come for 2026! We loved this band when they played IPO Liverpool in the 2000’s, and they’ve gotten even better!
Midnight Painters – They’re Scottish and Irish duo Aoibhinn Sweeney and Anthony Madden, who play originals to tingle your bones! Whether playing stripped-down or upbeat folk tunes, they have a unique approach to songwriting and an ability to create a rich, layered sound despite their minimalistic setup. Their harmonies transport listeners to a place where every note feels personal and every lyric resonates deeply.
The Poachers – A folk/roots band featuring Neil Donaldson, Seb Jonsen, Toby Virgo and Davie Johnston, The Poachers will appeal to fans of The Band, The Traveling Willburys, and The Grateful Dead. Check out their recently released debut full length, Introducing…The Poachers, and be on the lookout for more new music to be released soon!
The Red Eyes – If you like your punk pop fast, loud, raw and fun, with sticky sing-along anthemic choruses, then look no further! The Red Eyes do it old school, bringing the sound and spirit of ’70s UK Punk into the 21st Century! Check out any of their full-length albums and their IPO showcase to become an instant fan!
Diana Schad – Anywhere you can find a piano, that’s where you will find Diana Schad. She started playing covers and then originals since before she could sit at one without help from her dad. Perhaps you’ve heard her at The Waterfront in Bristol for her first gig, aged 16, in the hospital wards as a student nurse or in nursing homes or on neglected, dusty pianos in deserted old halls or on organs in empty churches or an upright old piano unlocked on some random train platform, or in some random open mic night. Her songs have the familiar comfortable feel of a hit you think you should know, even if you’ve never before seen and heard her play. Check out her debut album, Lulladi, and her IPO showcase to see and hear for yourself!
Neil Sturgeon & The Infomaniacs – Sturgeon has previously last played IPO in Liverpool, both with The Informaniacs in 2019 and way back in 2006, when he fronted The Goldenhour (one of our favorite Glasgow bands ever – which says quite a lot!), so we’re thrilled to have him back for our first IPO ever on his home turf! Their latest album, Fermata, showcases both Sturgeon’s talent for writing a great hook and the band’s easy feel for jangle and harmony…as well as their knack for rocking it up a bit just where you least expect it!
The Wellgreen – The Wellgreen combine classic ‘60s songwriting, early power pop and psychedelia on top of vintage recording techniques to create a familiar yet fresh and original sound. Written, recorded and produced by Marco Rea (of Lavinia Blackwall and Stilton, see above) & Stuart Kidd in their spiritual home of The Barne Society on the outskirts of Glasgow, their latest album, Summer Rain, was released on Spanish label Pretty Olivia Records, and features both new songs created for the album and a few older favorites. Physical copies are hard to find, but the album is available for streaming via Spotify and other fine services. Fans of Neil Young, CCR, and George Harrison will dig ‘em!
Scottish Artists From Outside of Glasgow
Iodynes – An energetic and dark anthemic rock band from Inverness whose hard-hitting grooves and sing along hook lines will also appeal to many a power pop fan. Check out their recently released LUX EP and their IPO showcase to see and hear for yourself!
The Vapour Trails – With a love for chiming guitars and pretty harmonies, Aberdeen’s The Vapour Trails are a jangle-pop band with tendencies toward the psychedelic. Not to be pigeon-holed to their ‘60s influences from the likes of The Byrds, Beatles, CSNY and Love, they also take cues from artists such as The La’s, The Stone Roses, The Smiths and The Rain Parade. The result is a heady, harmonious swirl of jangle that will tangle itself around your brain. Just one listen to their latest Futureman Records release, Underneath Tomorrow, or their more recent (and already sold out!) EP, On A Beautiful Day, will turn you into an instant fan (if you don’t already know and love them)! We’re extremely honored that they’ve decided to make IPO Glasgow their first gig after an 18-month hiatus!!
Artists From Outside of Scotland
Fair Green – A rock/alt rock band based in the west of Ireland, the band consists of Harry Bouchier, Thomas James Simon, Udo Grunewald and Roy Branagan. Their debut 10-track album, Killer Universe, was recorded at The Barne Studios Glasgow and is set for release on Scottish independent label The Barne Society later this year! Fans of Jason Falkner or The Wellgreen (see above) will dig it!
Mylittlebrother – “There is something happening in the Lake District that is really rather special” (Louder Than War), and these Cumbrian indie-poppers are a big part of that. Their music is a mixture of ‘60s harmony pop, experimental Britpop, and folk pop that will appeal to fans of Fairport Convention and Brian Wilson, but they can also turn up the rock when they want to. Their latest album, Throwing Darts At Maps, was five years in the making, and finally released late last year to rave reviews, earning 4 stars from RnR Magazine and appearing on several year-end best of lists (including mine!). As beautiful as these songs are on record, they are completely different (and we mean that in an incredibly good way!) when experienced live. Don’t miss their dynamic live performance!
Plasticsoul – Still collecting praise and fans around the world for their third and most rocking album, Therapy (on Big Stir Records), LA & Central California-based Plasticsoul are a hook-propelled American spin on the history of British rock from The Beatles to the Bunnymen to Oasis, blessed with the powerful voice and sharp-edged tunes of front-man Steven Wilson. Their prior releases both won multiple Album of the Year awards and garnered rave reviews. With a formidable and propulsive live act that’s pure rock and roll energy and a deep catalogue of finely crafted and emotive songs, Plasticsoul is currently at the height of their considerable powers. Their IPO Glasgow showcase will feature songs from their forthcoming new album, along with a few faves from their prior releases. Definitely a show not to be missed!
Slumberjet (solo) – Dublin-based purveyors of finely tuned powerpop, led by Barry O’Brien, who has played IPO both as a solo artist (as he will at IPO Glasgow) and with the band, Slumberjet has drawn comparison to the likes of Elvis Costello, The Beach Boys, and XTC! For their most recent album, World of Sound, O’Brien has teamed up with producer par excellence, Duncan Maitland (who has previously worked with XTC, Pugwash and Colin Hare, and has also previously performed his own material at IPO Liverpool). The result is a collection of should be hit singles that pop fans everywhere will adore!
David Stevenson (The Restless Souls) – Hailing from Atherstone, The Restless Souls play guitar driven British indie pop music, infused with soul. This talented band have previously played with a range of well-known artists such as Wham!, The Beat, The Dream Factory, and Paul Weller. They originally formed in 2019 to play IPO Liverpool, but unfortunately the pandemic nixed that, but they’ve recently re-formed with a new all-star line-up and two brand new songs, “The Future Starts Here!” and “Wasted Time.” Stevenson is quite the charismatic leader, regardless of which configuration of the band he plays with; his shows in Liverpool and Stockholm were magnificent and we can hardly wait to see and hear what he pulls together for IPO Glasgow!
The Strange Encounters – An adventurous mixture of folk, blues and rock ‘n’ roll from the psychedelic heart of Berlin. Based on the compositions and harmony vocals of Guido Kreutzmüller and Joe Armstrong (who once made his home in Glasgow before moving to Berlin), The Strange Encounters take you on a trip with songs shining of pure beauty and craftsmanship. Their debut LP, All In The Mind, is “…chockfull of jingle-jangle guitars, catchy chord progressions and harmonies sure to keep listeners up into the wee hours of the night. Think Big Star, Shoes and Gin Blossoms, aka acts and artists who channel(ed) the early Beatles as well as the Gene Clark-era Byrds” (Jeff Gemmill, OldGreyCat blog). And yes, it really is that good, and deservedly ended up near the top of several 2024 year-end “best of” lists.