Glasgow Green, Glasgow, Scotland: For those unfamiliar, TRNSMT is Scotland’s largest outdoor music festival, held over three days and four stages in our often unpredictable July weather. This year, however, we were treated — or perhaps somewhat tortured — by temperatures reaching 32°C, just under 90°F, and we Scots are simply not adapted to such heat. It created a somewhat strange, subdued atmosphere as the 50,000-strong crowds occasionally struggled in the blazing sunshine, but one unexpected benefit was that the crowd moved to some of the smaller stages to find shelter from the sun and discover new acts at the same time. With 86 acts performing across the festival, it offers the perfect chance to experience a wide range of genres, from rap to country to rock, and household names to hidden gems, so here are my personal highlights from the weekend.
First up is NOFUN!, an LA-based collective of artists from the US and Ireland performing on the King Tut’s Presents stage. The band came on like an explosion, delivering one of the most energetic sets of the weekend. Blending rock, hip hop, and other influences, they caught everyone’s attention and became a huge hit, especially with songs like “DAYDREAM!” — one of the most talked-about bands over the weekend in the media pit.
Glasgow rockers Twin Atlantic ripped up the Main Stage early on Friday afternoon with a powerful set, starting with new single Salvation. Lead singer Sam McTrusty quickly had the crowd singing along to anthems such as “No Sleep” and “Heart and Soul”, and reminded us why they have been festival stalwarts across Europe for the last decade.
Bemz was the headliner on Friday for the BBC Introducing stage, where he had been the opening act 3 years previously. The Nigerian-London-Scottish rapper is a huge fan favourite here and brought one of the largest crowds to the stage for his performance, with rap music having a massive fanbase in Scotland. His smooth delivery and lyrics on the challenges facing young men make him a name to watch, with his single “Zidane” being a favourite of the audience.
Saturday saw temperatures increase, and Norwegian songwriter Sigrid take the Main Stage. She reminded us all just how many hits she has delivered, but wearing a Scotland-style football shirt (always a popular move), she admitted that she wasn’t feeling too great due to the intense heat. She persevered and still delivered a powerful set with songs like “Sucker Punch” and “High Five”. She’s been busy in the studio and let us hear a new song, “Jellyfish”, a perfect summer-pop groove, so look for some more new material coming out soon.
James Marriott attracted a large crowd to his slot on the King Tut’s Presents stage, and the YouTuber was a confident performer, his anthemic indie-rock-inspired music fitting the setting well. His 45-minute set was received warmly, and he has a very dedicated fan base who sang along to every song, “Toothache” in particular being a standout. Another up-and-coming act to keep an eye on.
The Main Stage was brought to a close on Saturday by Scottish icons Biffy Clyro. With their blend of rock spiced up with a hint of folk, they delivered their usual visual feast, and lead singer Simon Neil commands the stage with an intensity that draws you in close, then explodes with a wall of sound. The audience was in full-on party mode by this point of the proceedings, and the set exceeded all my expectations – honestly, if you ever get a chance to see the band live, take every opportunity to do so. Check out their anthemic “Many of Horror” below.
As the last day of the festival arrived and the temperature eased off slightly, the tempo kept up with Dictator on the BBC Introducing stage. I’ve reviewed them before, but I think they are one of the strongest bands in Scotland just now. They were introduced to the stage by Bemz, who beat them 3 years ago for the BBC Introducing Act of the Year award. There’s no animosity, though, and the band delivered again with their hip-hop/indie-infused hits like “Rubik’s Cube” and new single “1‘z n 0’z”. They’re always brilliant fun to watch live, and I hope that 2025 is the year they go stratospheric.
Rianne Downey was someone that I know many people were keen to catch live and her performance at TRNSMT followed an appearance on the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury with singer Paul Heaton. She started her career busking on the streets of Glasgow, but her beautiful, country- and folk-tinged music from her soon-to-be-released debut album, “The Consequence of Love”, is sure to have her reaching a much wider audience.
Another home-grown talent brought an end to my 2025 experience, and Brooke Combe showed us why her name is being touted as another breakthrough artist. Her Northern Soul-inspired sound oozes class and style, starting with “This Town”, which sounds like it could have been written by Holland-Dozier-Holland. She has an incredible stage presence and is instantly likeable, down to earth, and oh my, what a voice. She finished the set with “Dancing at the Edge of the World” from the same-titled album, and I highly recommend a listen.
TRNSMT returns July 2026
