Ferocious Dog – A Folk-Punk Party to Remember at MacArts

Where – MacArts, Galashiels

When: 7th March 2026

Support – Jake Martin

Review and photographs by Linda McDermott

If you’ve not been to a gig at MacArts in Galashiels in the Scottish Borders, you’re missing out. Originally a church, the venue has been transformed into one of the area’s standout live music spaces, with the main hall holding around 300 people. Not only that, it has just won venue of the Year at the Scottish Live Music Awards.

Plenty of big rock names have already graced the stage here, including Gun and The Skids, as well as newer rising bands such as The Virginmarys, These Wicked Rivers, and Florence Black. It’s fast becoming a must-play stop for bands heading north. If you’re a band looking for a venue or just want to check out what’s coming up, you can do so here:https://www.macarts.scot/

Being an old church, the acoustics are something special. The high ceilings bounce the sound beautifully around the room, and with a sound engineer who clearly knows the space inside out, the whole experience sounds fantastic.

Tonight, we’re in for a great night of folk punk from the amazing Ferocious Dog, a six-piece who deliver folk punk with real bite. Think The Levellers, The Wonderstuff and New Model Army, and you’ll get the idea, but at their core Ferocious Dog have carved out a sound that’s entirely their own. Fiercely proud of their Nottinghamshire roots, they wear their left-leaning convictions on their sleeves, using music to speak out about social injustice, politics, and real-life struggles.

Having announced that this will be their final year as a band, they clearly don’t plan to go out quietly. Why would they when they have built their reputation on saying exactly what they think as loud as they can?

But first, opening the night is Jake Martin, a solo acoustic singer-songwriter who has built his reputation through sheer hard graft. For more than a decade he’s been out on the road, taking his music across the UK, mainland Europe, the USA, and Australia, steadily building a following through word of mouth and relentless touring.

His sound fuses acoustic punk punch with melodic indie-folk, delivered with raw drive, heartfelt songwriting and a sharp sense of humour that intertwines his songs. There is an honesty to what he does. Nothing overblown, nothing forced, just well-crafted songs played with conviction.

Tonight, Jake walks on to the stage with a well-packed room waiting patiently and immediately thanks the crowd for getting down early to support the opening act, something I wholeheartedly agree with. With a great sense of humour, he has the crowd laughing and singing along in no time.

After the first couple of songs he decides everyone here is now his friend, mainly because they hadn’t left yet, a statement that has people laughing. His songs are tuneful and well balanced, covering a wide range of topics, and the relaxed back and forth with the audience makes the whole set feel easy and natural.

As he works through his set, his prediction that it is going to be a good night proves spot on, thanks to the crowd’s willingness to join in. I really liked Jake. He was a smart choice as support and had me laughing when he got the audience singing back the line “You’re an arsehole.” If you fancy a good singalong and a few laughs, I would definitely suggest catching him live somewhere.

Jake Martin

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/jake.martin.742029

With the venue really busy, it is not long before people start jostling for position, all trying to grab a good spot near the barrier. Judging by the sea of band T-shirts and the conversations around me about where people last saw them, this crowd is packed with long-time fans.

With the set lists placed on stage, it is time for Ferocious Dog to get started, and this crowd is more than ready. The band dive straight in with songs Cry of the Celt and Victims, which have the audience joining in immediately, with no encouragement needed.

They power through a twenty-two song set packed with passion and purpose. Their songs tackle a wide range of political and social topics, from broken soldiers to the travelling community, from the miners to Margaret Thatcher and everything in between. Along the way comes the shout-out that always got a cheer from the crowd: “We are not a political band; we just sing political songs.”

Their sound is instantly recognisable, with that rousing fiddle cry leading the charge and getting the room moving. Add mandolin, whistle, guitars, bass and pounding drums into the mix, and there is simply no chance of standing still. The floor quickly becomes a sea of clapping hands, bouncing bodies and voices singing every word back to the stage.

The connection between the band and audience is obvious throughout the night. This is a crowd who know the songs, know the message, and are fully invested in every moment. Ferocious Dog throw everything into the performance, delivering each track with the kind of intensity and conviction that have built them such a loyal following over the last fifteen years.

Having never seen them before, I had a brilliant time. Not just because of the music, but because of the atmosphere and the sense of unity in the room. If this is what Ferocious Dog brings to every show, it is easy to see why their fans are so devoted.

As the band leaves the stage, leaving only Ken and the audience, there is only one way to finish the night off, a full-volume rendition of Nelly the Elephant. The whole room joins in, voices raised and smiles everywhere. Everyone heads out of MacArts grinning. You really can’t ask for more than that.