TRNSMT FESTIVAL 2023 // GLASGOW GREEN, GLASGOW
TRNSMT Festival returned for another year of great music to see this year’s headliners… PULP, Sam Fender and
The 1975 at Glasgow Green despite weather forecast across the weekend.
★★★★☆ (4/5)
PULP HEADLINING TRNSMT FESTIVAL 2023
PHOTOCREDIT: CALUM BUCHAN
It’s midday on a Friday in Glasgow and the gates to one of Scotland’s famous festivals opened with eager fans piling in kitted in their best festival wear which consisted of mainly shorts and t-shirts with funky patterns and Scotland flags wrapped around them. Despite the grey clouds and the rainy weather warning, the air is hot, and I doubt a bit of rain is going to stop anyone from having fun.
Opening the River Stage is Scottish local’s SLIX who are an upcoming band from Gourock. Considering it was early doors and the festival was still warming up, both the boys and the crowd showed off their amazing energy throughout the full set, especially during the bands cover of “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)”.
Next up was Declan Welsh and The Decadent West on the main stage, in between singing his songs he took time out of his set to give a strong political speech on the freedom of Palestine ending the speech with “BBC you may now resume normal programming” before finishing off his set with more songs.
After a short intermission it was Glasgow’s local boy Joseph’s turn to take to the main stage. He powered through his set before addressing the crowd with “It’s good to be back home, here we go”. Joseph’s vocals are soft mixed with a jazzy melody produced by guitars, saxophone, and a tambourine.
As we are now quite a few hours into the day the festival is getting fuller by the minute and eager punters have descended to the main stage for The View with the main stage packed. The View haven’t even finished their first song before cups of beer (at least I’m assuming beer) was getting thrown over the crowds. The lads jumped around the stage full of energy and gave the fans a strong setlist that included popular hits “Same Jeans”, “Face For The Radio” and “Superstar Tradesman”. The Lads also plugged their latest album “Exorcism Of Youth” that will be released in August and announced that they are going on tour.
The evening entertainment included heart throb Niall Horan who sang a mixture of his own songs and threw in a One Direction song that were definitely crowd pleasers including “The Show”, “This Town” and “Story Of My Life” and George Ezra with his famous hits “Green Green Grass” and “Anyone For You (Tiger Lily)” on the main stage to warm up the crowd before the incredible Pulp.
Pulp returned to Scotland as part of their reunion UK tour and also is there first performance in Scotland since their headline set at T In The Park in 2011. One of the biggest bands everyone was excited to see and only those lucky to be at TRNSMT Festival this year would be able to witness their magical set as their set won’t be shown on the BBC this year as part of TRNSMT Festival 2023 coverage.
As the curtains opened, full moon appeared on the screen as frontman Jarvis Cocker appeared from distance in front of the moon kicking off their set with “I Spy” before jumping into one of their biggest belters “Disco 2000” with pyro streamers going off to get the crowd going.
Before continuing with other belters like “Do You Remember The First Time?” and “Common People” bringing day one of TRNSMT to perfect end.
Opening the main stage today is Scottish band Swim School, due to the doors just opening and the crowd still strolling in there wasn’t much of a crowd gathered to witness their brilliant performance but that didn’t stop them being full of fun and energy.
Following on from Swim School on the main stage was Glaswegian Brooke Comb sporting a Scotland shirt followed by Maisie Peters.
King Tuts stage hosted former X Factor contestant Lucy Spraggan who has grown into a wonderful artist since she appeared on the show in 2012. Lucy got the crowd hyped up by singing a Glasgow favourite “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by the proclaimers.
The Wombats were warming the crowd up before LF Systems were due to headline the King Tuts stage, unfortunately the sound was not the best and by the faces of majority of the crowd where I was standing, it didn’t look like they were best pleased either.
Kasabian took to the main stage and put on a fire performance from start to finish, they were a highlight of my weekend. For me it was one of the most fun sets of the day despite the heavy rain that had us all drenched. They for sure got the crowd hyped up and ready for the main headliner Sam Fender who also put on an incredible set. Sam played his usual chant “F*ck The Tories” and despite the awful rain the crowd kept in high spirits and was very lively throughout Sam’s set. During his headline set he not only played his popular hits including “Getting Started”, “Seventeen Going Under” and “Hypersonic Missiles” but he also played a cover of “The Modern Leper” by Frightened Rabbit.
Gates have opened for the third and final day of TRNSMT 2023. In contrast to the previous two days, the sun is shining today as revellers start piling into the Glasgow Green for the final day of the festival.
Opening the King Tuts stage was Calum Bowie as Crawlers opened the main the stage. Like the previous two days, the crowds for the opening artists aren’t as full but that doesn’t stop them from being full of energy and getting the crowd going.
Todays Main Stage was graced with acts such as Pale Waves, Jamie Webster, Ashnikko, The Kooks, and Becky Hill. Today’s crowd is a lot more relaxed than previous two days as they lie on the grass listening to the great sets being played. Jamie Webster’s set was fun and full of energy with the crowd even taken the lead on a “F*ck the Tories” chant that was also chanted the night before at Sam Fender’s set.
Royal Blood warmed up the Main Stage before Sunday main headliners The 1975. Meanwhile on the River Stage was Only the Poets and Nothing but Thieves on the King Tut’s stage.
It was finally time for the Sunday headliners The 1975 to take to the stage and the crowd were all waiting in anticipation as the sun began to set. The band began their show full of energy and the crowd went wild. Matty Healy was him usual self, dressed in his white lab coat, a cigarette in his mouth and a bottle of whatever he was drinking in his hand as he sang their popular hits.
It’s my first time ever attending TRNSMT festival and although I did have a good time seeing the great artists that were on the line-up, I can’t say the crowd was that great. As an avid gig goer in the Glasgow music scene, the TRNSMT crowd just did not live up to my pervious gig experiences. That didn’t stop pretty much every artist claiming that Glasgow is always the best the crowds and how much they love playing here. The front of the crowds in both pens was where the most fun was had by my observations, always jumping around, and singing along no matter how many people were around them and who was on stage. Overall, I would say the festival was a success and it was a very good weekend.
