When – 4th October
Where – La Belle, Edinburgh
Review and Photographs by Linda McDermott
Rockinburgh is a great wee festival held at La Belle in Edinburgh’s Cowgate. It takes place every year to raise money for Andy and Gill Cowe’s charity, Rockin’ for Tots, which supports various neonatal units and bereavement charities. To date, an amazing £45,000+ has been raised and distributed, and this weekend is the latest event to hopefully add funds to their amazing charity work.
This year’s line-up features seven bands.
Oli Brown and the Dead Collective
Gin Annie
Burnt-Out Wreck
The Breathing Method
Blue Nicotine
Black Lesion
Permacrisis
With seven bands on the bill, it was set to be a great day of music. The line-up offered a mix within the rock genre, from heavy to blues and everything in between. There are some familiar names in there that I’d seen before and others new to me, which felt like the perfect balance. It’s now just after 2.30pm, and the first band takes to the stage, ready to get things started and set the tone for the rest of the day.
Opening the day were Permacrisis, a young band from Dunfermline who wasted no time in grabbing the early audience and pulling them in. Their heavy rock sound hit hard right from the off, with Quite Frankly standing out as a cracking new single driven by a thumping bass line and a punch that filled the room. For such a new band, they had a confidence about them, throwing themselves into the set with energy and making it impossible not to take notice.
It was their closing track, the self-titled “Permacrisis”, that sealed it for me. Starting with a powerful intro before easing back to let the drums and bass take charge, it built into a finale that felt far bigger than their years. They’ve got huge potential, and I’d be surprised if we don’t see their name popping up on more gigs and festival line-ups very soon.
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555047760243
I’d been looking forward to catching Black Lesion live, having reviewed their EP and loved it, and they were up next. There’s always something a bit different about hearing the songs live and seeing the band perform them, and they didn’t disappoint. The three-piece delivered a heavy, grungy sound with Andreas’s gritty vocals fitting perfectly against the driving rhythms from Andrew and Craig. Playing four songs,
Including Anomaly, from their Mindless Feeding Device EP, was a real highlight, its kick-ass drum beat giving it plenty of guts. They showcased the EP, playing Sins, Formless, and their final song, Lesion, closed the set at full throttle. Definitely a band I’d like to see again. Check out their EPs to get an insight into their music.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlackLesion
Video
Sins https://youtu.be/HSPMhu6KA3o?si=Na1FsCOTebQBGkoR
Blue Nicotine are a three-piece melodic rock band I last caught at Wildfire Festival, so I was keen to see them again. They played a mix of songs from their album Into the Blue, released last year; my favourite was Placebo Effect, which had a great feel to it live. Their set seemed to be over in no time, but not before they finished with Cinder, with Aiden encouraging the crowd to get up and dance, and while not many broke out their best moves, there was some swaying and clapping along, which wasn’t bad considering it was only 5pm.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bluenicotineband
Video
Fading https://youtu.be/WjRzJ05h9GI?si=FXRoAvZC0RAQq23R
With the changeovers running smoothly, it was now time for The Breathing Method, who brought the heavy rock back after Blue Nicotine’s more melodic set. With a raw energy and a punky edge to their music, they grabbed my attention straight away. They were a band member down, but you wouldn’t have known it, as the band gave it plenty of welly that more than made up for it.
Showcasing tracks from their debut album, After Everything Else, released earlier this year, alongside their new single, My Walls, I was hooked by their raw energy, and I’ve already added their music to my playlists. There’s an undercurrent of Nirvana in their sound that I love. It was touching too that they’d requested to play Rockinburgh for personal reasons, showing real appreciation for the work Andy and Gill are doing to raise funds and awareness.
https://www.facebook.com/TheBreathingMethodOfficial
Video
Burden https://youtu.be/8169SuopqaM?si=6VymHif1q05uNNVg
Burnt Out Wreck cranked things up another notch with a proper AC/DC vibe that the crowd lapped up. From the off, with “Dead or Alive” and “Head Fuck”, they had
Everyone ready for a bit of air guitar to match those cracking riffs? With a few albums behind them, the set was packed with hard-hitting tunes that went down an absolute storm. The riffs were wild, the beat uplifting, and the band made it all look effortless. They’ve got a real spark about them, and definitely a band I’d recommend going to see live.
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/BurntOutWreck
Video
This is Hell. https://youtu.be/URovFD1NDSY?si=FHyDgTz1S2bq53bo
With the full throttle of Burnt Out Wreck now behind us, we are on to the penultimate band, and there’s just no getting away from it: Gin Annie know how to entertain. With duelling guitars, a thumping rhythm section, strong distinctive vocals, and plenty of swagger, they had the crowd hooked from the off. Their energy poured off the stage, pulling people in with one great rock song after another. With their 2019 album 100% Proof and a string of singles behind them, Gin Annie pulled in a strong crowd, with a few fans pressed up at the barrier.
I actually knew more songs than I thought and couldn’t resist a singalong to “New Bad Habit”, “Fallin’”, “Love Ain’t Here” and a few more. They played with real fire and charisma, strutting across the stage and keeping the energy levels high. A fantastic band to set things up perfectly for the night’s headliners.
Facebook: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/GinAnnieUK
Video
Perfect Nightmare https://youtu.be/wt2lnOYp8IU?si=2ZkJ5Tuh2izzzcR9
changeover, Gin Annie left the room buzzing with their upbeat tunes, and after a quick changeover, it was time for the headliners. The mood shifted as Oli Brown & The Dead Collective took to the stage, trading swagger for something darker and more atmospheric.
Oli’s vocals carried real presence, being gutsy and raw one moment, then sultry and emotional the next, with Sam’s guitar weaving in grit and texture. Wayne’s drums, placed to the right-hand side of the stage rather than hidden at the back, gave their set a unique look and feel, showing that they all equally deserve to be front and centre of attention.
They opened with Father, a brooding track that set the tone perfectly, before moving through songs like Heard It Before and Haunted. Every track had its own bluesy, grungy individual mood, pulling the audience into swaying and foot-tapping at a different hypnotic pace.
The riffs drifted across the room and circled back to the dimly lit stage, adding to the atmosphere. With music from their three EPs, they closed the night with a set that was powerful, haunting, and effortless, a fitting end to Rockinburgh.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OliBrownOfficial
Video (by Cecil Paul Studios)
Haunted https://youtu.be/cOUMKIrGO2Q?si=kytvrZlKHRWYP1LA
Looking back over the day, what really stood out was the variety each band brought to the stage. Permacrisis kicked things off in style, setting the tone for what was to come. From the melodic rock of Blue Nicotine, through the heavier edge of The Breathing Method and Burnt Out Wreck’s high-voltage riffs, to the polished rock of Gin Annie and the dark, atmospheric close from Oli Brown & The Dead Collective, every set had its own character. Black Lesion also impressed earlier on, bringing a grungy punch that went down well with the crowd. The organisation throughout was spot on, with smooth changeovers keeping the momentum going and making sure there was never a dull moment. The sound in La Belle was excellent too, giving each band the chance to shine and really connect with the audience.
But above all, Rockinburgh isn’t just about the music; it’s about the cause behind it. Andy and Gill put in so much hard work to make this event happen, raising funds and awareness for neonatal units and bereavement charities through Rockin’ for Tots. The bands gave their all on stage, the audience had a great time, and together it created a day where live music and community spirit came together for something special.
You can find out more as well as support Rockin’ For Tots by going to their website https://www.rockinfortots.co.uk/about/
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