There was a real buzz in the air ahead of the first Night of the Wolves, and the intimate Attic at Stirling’s Tolbooth proved to be the perfect setting. Tucked away in the heart of the old town, the venue has the feel of a cosy, rustic local, but on this particular Friday night, it was about to get considerably louder.
With its atmospheric lighting, close-knit crowd and three distinctly different bands, Night of the Wolves was truly a celebration of the grassroots rock and metal talent coming out of Scotland.
Image Credit: Night of the Wolves
Opening the proceedings were Glasgow’s The Leadhead Collective, a duo comprising drummer Lewis Fulton and bassist Willow Armstrong. Self-described as ‘racket rock’, they deliver a gloriously unruly mix of metal, punk and thrash, with an infectious energy that quickly got the evening underway.
Tracks like ‘Coppers‘ brought catchy, anti-establishment hooks and a beat that was difficult to stand still to. There was a great sense of enjoyment about the performance, with the pair clearly having fun and bringing the audience along for the ride. The closing number saw the duo take things up a notch with some wonderfully abrasive vocals. These two have a very promising music career in front of them, and made many a fan from their stellar opening performance.
Next up were Stirling’s own Kyn, a three-piece who brought a hefty dose of hometown attitude to the stage. Rough-edged, powerful and full of enthusiasm, they delivered a performance with the sort of raw energy that makes live rock music so exciting. The vocals brought a real intensity to the band’s sound. There was a distinctly Scottish flavour to their stage presence, with an almost Kerry King-esque vibe, complemented by some particularly striking lighting.
Technical difficulties interrupted their set, but the band’s sheer commitment remained evident. It was an energetic hometown performance that showed exactly why they have been building a following around Scotland.
Jamie, the organiser of the event and member of Kyn, initiated Night of the Wolves to offer more variety in Stirling’s music scene: “There is literally nowhere for local alternative bands to play. If you are a folk band or an acoustic singer, there is a regular live circuit around Stirling’s pubs, but they don’t seem to have any enthusiasm for any form of alternative music. I thought we could change that by running regular rock shows.”
He continued, “The Tolbooth was the ‘Goldilocks’ venue; it is a great modern venue, and while I did worry that the size of the main auditorium would be too big and expensive, David suggested using the attic space, which is used a little less, but is more intimate and was perfect for the size of crowd we expected, and it worked out great.”
Taking the final slot were The Dead Dolphins, who took things in a different direction with an atmospheric, almost ambient opening. A striking red guitar set the scene before hypnotic, gradually rising guitar lines and drums began to build the tension. What followed was a wonderfully unpredictable set, shifting from psychedelic textures into surprisingly heavy territory, with some particularly dark, black-metal-adjacent riffs.
There was plenty of variety on display. ‘Frankenstein Jones’ was a particular highlight, its irresistible groove prompting some enthusiastic dancing. The band clearly weren’t afraid to have a bit of fun with their performance either, bantering with the crowd frequently. The drummer, Scott Dawson, was particularly impressive, driving the songs forward with real force and precision.
Drawing on material from their eight-song album, the band demonstrated an impressive range, balancing atmospheric passages with crushing guitar work and more playful moments. There was even room for a rather seductive number before the set gradually drew to a close.
“I toyed with the idea of running a rock/metal night in a pub with a DJ somewhere and would still like to do that in the future, possibly as an after-party after a live show. But we don’t have a Cathouse, Solid Rock Cafe, etc. like Glasgow or Edinburgh.” Jamie said.
Image Credit: Tolbooth Venue, Stirling
“I really would love this to maintain a place in Stirling’s calendar. My dream is to just keep building it and see what happens. I’d love to eventually have larger bands visit, supported by local acts, or even run a multi-venue festival similar to the Core Festival in Glasgow, showcasing the best bands from Central Scotland. We have had further discussions with the Tolbooth, and the hope is that the next show will be in early 2027, so stay tuned to our social media channels, and we will hopefully have some announcements shortly.”
Night of the Wolves set out to show Stirling’s appetite for heavy music, and its first outing made a very convincing case for exactly that. Three bands, three different approaches to heavy music, and plenty of personality throughout.
A brilliant night for Stirling’s live music scene, and hopefully the first of many.
Featured Image Credit: Night of the Wolves
