GLASGOW'S 1990 CELEBRATES FIRST BIRTHDAY WITH TOP SCOTTISH TALENT |

LIVE REVIEW | SCOTSTOWN DANCE BAND, PUPPY TEETH, FORFAUNA, TOURIST TRAP | 1990, GLASGOW | 9th October 2026 by Ella Dowell

On Friday, I spent my night on Sauchiehall Street in celebration of 1990’s first birthday! Four talented Scottish bands blessed the Glasgow venue’s stage in birthday spirit, and I had a fabulous time.

Tourist Trap

Serving as an effective icebreaker for the birthday celebrations was Tourist Trap, swaggering through a set of punky tracks with a snarling angst. They commanded the room with their upbeat energy, unapologetically Glaswegian and attitude-laden. They were a huge hit with the crowd, particularly during their song ‘Whitey Bounce Back’ that saw heads and limbs in a frenzy, introduced as “a wee song about whiteying”, followed by a “yas”.

There was an irony in their dainty spotty party hats as they thrashed into each tune, and their humorous approach went down a treat. Propulsive drive compelled the audience to keep up their headbanging, with the occasional mosh breaking out too… Tourist Trap were a fun opening act; they kicked off the celebrations with a fiery enthusiasm!

ForFauna

The multi-talented ForFauna were next to grace the stage, nodding to 1990’s birthday by sporting party hats and clown makeup. Under red light, the crowd were beckoned into their soundscape with ominous sounds of transmission; the Glasgow four-piece are skilled in setting a scene and doing so with intrigue. ForFauna have a beautiful complexity, balancing each squeal and roar with floating melodies and breathy vocals.

A highlight for me was drummer Ruby Prior, who enhanced each track and fluid time signature with masterful precision. They are a band that draws you in and keeps you on your toes with a whimsical style and ferocious execution. ForFauna’s theatrical excellence is exciting; they are impressively versatile musicians and natural performers.

Puppy Teeth

We were then treated to the transcendent “bubble-grunge” sounds of Puppy Teeth, a week after the release of their first EP Teething.

Fronted by the wonderful Anna Trost, the five-piece delivered a romantic and driven array of their technically brilliant tracks through a (fitting) smoke machine haze. Every noise was intentional and masterfully crafted; they eased into their focused sound, creating atmospheres that left the crowd immersed in awe. Their set travelled through the dynamic elements of their gentle yet gritty discography, as the audience teetered between headbanging and swaying.

Puppy Teeth had me truly enthralled from start to finish. They are a powerfully poetic band, confident in captivating and doing it in style.

Scotstown Dance Band

Rounding off the night perfectly was the lively Scotstown Dance Band, invigorating the audience with their brilliant blends of Scottish traditional music and contemporary style.

Now this was a party. Their sound radiated this infectious, feel-good energy that lit up everyone’s dancing feet. They call themselves post-ceilidh, which I love. The sounds of the accordion and traditional tones washed a sense of Scottish pride across the room; audience members chanted “SCOTLAND! SCOTLAND!” as they jigged and clapped along with big grins on their faces. I admit, I stopped taking notes at many points to dance- so take that as the glowing review it is.

The audience was united and sprightly, swinging each other around the room, performing some fragmented recollections of ceilidh reels from school – I love Scotland me. Scotstown Dance Band gave a charming and joyful underline to a great night of diverse Scottish talent. I thoroughly enjoyed the array of performances on Friday, in celebration of a venue proving to be a heartbeat of Glasgow’s music community.