Music

North-East Voices Join National Names at Aberdeen’s Quayside Gigs

Four nights of music spotlight local talent alongside chart favourites in a transformed port setting.

POST

POST

— 3 min read
The Capollos perform live in a packed venue, captured in black and white from behind the drummer.
Aberdeen favourites The Capollos join the Tall Ships music line-up, playing to a home crowd.

A working harbour yard isn’t the usual spot for a summer gig, especially one where local bands will load in their gear beside shipping containers and industrial cranes. But for four nights in July, Peterson Seabase will swap freight for footlights as part of The Tall Ships Races. The Quayside Concerts series brings major acts to the city while giving Aberdeen talent a platform.

There’s already been buzz around headliners like Deacon Blue, Kaiser Chiefs and Ministry of Sound Classical, with demand for tickets quickly outpacing supply. But the latest announcement brings a more local twist, with support acts drawn from Aberdeen and the wider north-east.

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Hometown support takes the stage

Brooke Combe and Glasvegas are among the national names joining the line-up, bringing different sounds from across Scotland. Glasvegas is known for their brooding indie anthems, and Combe for her rich, soulful vocals. But it’s the inclusion of The Little Kicks, The Capollos and Look Busy Collective that gives this run of gigs a more grounded feel. All three have firm roots in the city and have built followings through regular live shows, DJ nights, and festival appearances.

For The Little Kicks, playing on the same bill as Deacon Blue feels especially meaningful. “We have fond memories of their music soundtracking our youth,” they said. “To finally share a stage with them to a hometown crowd will be a real privilege.”

Brett Thain from The Capollos described the booking as “monumental” for the band. Look Busy Collective also noted how important it felt to bring their DJ-led sound to such a large and public platform in Aberdeen.

Glasvegas bring brooding indie anthems to Aberdeen’s harbour stage and The Little Kicks take the stage alongside Deacon Blue

Not just passing through

The ships might only be visiting briefly, but the cultural impact could last much longer; the ripple effect of the concerts is likely to linger. It’s rare to see a line-up of this scale in the middle of a working port, and even rarer to see it reflect the musical energy already here.

Tickets for some shows are already gone, but new ones have just been released for Tide Lines and Calum Bowie. Proceeds will go to the RNLI, which keeps lifeboats running out of Aberdeen year-round.

Deacon Blue (Friday, July 18)

  • Brooke Combe
  • The Little Kicks

Ministry of Sound Classical (Saturday, July 19)

  • Paul Oakenfold
  • Look Busy Collective

Tide Lines (Sunday, July 20)

  • Calum Bowie

Kaiser Chiefs (Monday, July 21)

  • Glasvegas
  • The Capollos

Quayside Concerts run from 18–21 July at Peterson Seabase. Find the full line-up and booking info at tallshipsaberdeen.com.

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