Puppy Teeth launched the evening like a fairytale with fangs—lead singer Anna, a pint-sized Emma Watson reborn with a guitar. Her thick accent turned every lyric in “Blood” into an ethereal whisper, like confessions behind a veil of distortion. The effect was unmistakable: soft violence in audio form, a kiss that bleeds and leaves you trembling. Their opening salvo set the tone—whooping crowd, nervous heart, and a sense that innocence had just become something slightly dangerous.

Edinburgh’s own National Playboys strutted onstage in kilts, part ironic student-union chaos, part tartan-clad punk with messages scrawled across calves that said, “Fuck the Tories” looking like a subversive tattoo more than a slogan.

What they delivered was visceral: Joy Division–deep mood with the drunken, snorting impatience of early Idles. Kilts, snarls, and the kind of raw swagger that makes you want to both vomit and dance and dance we did.

Stand out tracks for us where; “Red Spy”, “Black Gloves” and “Fragments”

There was theatrics aplenty weather that was the frontman singing from the crush barrier, middle of the mosh pit or instead they were asking the audience to hunker down and then dance in an explosion of pogoing – the band had the audience suitably primed for action.

Then came Apologies, the sonic equivalent of saying sorry—before launching into your worst heartbreak. Their set was full of regret-soaked guitars and hi-hat-lit choruses. Jagged, bittersweet, and emotionally dangerous—you felt like someone greased the stage with tears. Thier songs felt like half-forgotten memories from the Emo era – somwhere between sorrow and revelation, with restraint weaponized as much as charm.

At last, the headliners: PVC—a five-piece on the cusp of trimming to a quartet when Forrest takes her final bow before heading back to academia.

Opening tonight’s set with “Hastle Castle” their lo-fi garage punk is instantly charming.

“Red Stars” and “Cara’s Song” followed.

Forrest’s exit from the band came midway through, delivering the fourth song “Black Seeds” which sees the soon to be Dr. Take centre stage singing a farewell masquerading as a sing-along. The group, still a quintet but soon to be four, didn’t lose any bite—just got sharper.

Their single “Lucky Kennels” was released on 25 July 2025, just a couple of weeks ago, serves as their penultimate song. It’s heartbreak set to tambourine and four-part harmonies—like collapsing on a park bench under neon lights. Their set was a siren song of big bangles, sheer blouses, pixie haircuts, and dreamy guitar loops—equal parts saccharine and post-punk grit.

They closed the night with “The Pit”, and by then the audience were chanting “PVC” so hard it felt like a benediction—or a curse you’d gladly never seen coming.

Words: Angela Canavan

Images: Angela Canavan