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After two years online, Pop Mutations have announced their first in-person festival will be held this October. A four-day-long weekender, the inaugural IRL extravaganza will be held across four of Glasgow’s most loved venues and vegan bars and kitchens. The Flying Duck, Stereo, The Old Hairdressers and Mono will all play host to an incredible array of local and international talent representing the best in cutting edge music.
Pop Mutations kicks off on 14th October at The Flying Duck. Rhode Island’s Container will bring his own brand of punk-tinged techno to the underground basement alongside Glasgow DJ and visual artist DIJA; Manchester-based Club CITS & NTS resident Hesska and Glasgow art-punk live duo Comfort. Manchester’s Iceboy Violet; Leeds’ rock duo Guttersnipe; Scottish rap and post-rock duo HousePlants; and Glasgow-based selector and producer Gynoid 74 also feature, as well as audio-visual artist and one quarter of The Ninth Wave: K.Yalo.
The following day of the festival shifts the party a ten minute walk down to Renfield Lane, to Stereo and its neighbour The Old Hairdressers. Across the day, 2021 SAY Award nominee AiiTee; GABO (Glasgow African Balafon Orchestra); singer, rapper, actor and model Clarissa Woods, and more will play, with the day being headlined by post-punk fourpiece Kaputt and Aberdonian grime champion Ransom FA. That evening, longtime collaborators Mina and Bryte join the bill. Influenced by a shared love for global club culture, the two are renowned for their unstoppable live energy, bringing a vibrant fusion of afrobeat, rap and experimental club sounds to the Stereo Club. Scottish QTIBPOC party starters Mojxmma and some of the city’s most formidable selectors and performers including Bake, Maveen, Roo Honeychild and HUSS also feature. Upstairs in the Stereo bar, Glasgow Southside’s Radio Buena Vida will be taking over from 8pm-4am with a whole host of local DJs.
Manchester post-punk champions Handle will headline the Old Hairdressers on Saturday. Joining them is indie trio Nape Neck and fellow Leeds-based artist The Ephemeron Loop who will be bringing their critically acclaimed psychedelic blur of styles, as well as: Semay Wu, Sound of Yell, Sloth Racket, Tony Bevan + guests and more
Mono takes the baton for the final day of the festival with a vibrant line-up featuring previous Scottish Album of the Year winners Sacred Paws, well known and loved for their life-affirming guitar pop. They’ll share the stage with a whole host of local names, including pop-political new wave outfit Current Affairs and alchemical supergroup Nightshift. Prolific Glasgow DJ and party starter Junglehussi and the Listen Babes podcast will be on the decks throughout the day and the line up is completed by Berlin angular post-punk trio Liiek and Dublin’s feminist indie band Extravision.
Although the main festival launches 14th October, Pop Mutations will be holding a pre-festival warm up in Finnieston’s The 78 on Thursday 13th October alongside some of Glasgow’s best DJs – line-up TBC.
Pop Mutations promoter Chris Amos said: “The idea of putting this festival on was born in 2019, so it’s so monumentally exciting to finally be able to host a real-life Pop Mutations Festival. We’re ecstatic about the artists we have planned over the weekend. It’s a diverse line-up with heaps of local talent, a really refreshing push towards performer diversity and a real genre-bending handful of days.”
Flying Duck venue programmer Sof Staune said: “From the rawness of 2020 The SAY Award nominees Comfort; to rap and post-punk influenced Houseplants; to Manchester’s Iceboy Violet, whose live performances appropriate the energy, emotionality and resistance of Grime music to challenge heteronormativity and toxic masculinity, The Flying Duck’s curation highlights the importance of a political message and open-mindedness in music.”
Stereo venue programmer Ross Keppie said: “We’re so excited to bring Pop Mutations away from your computer screens and into the venues! The lineup is a real mix of some of the best stuff happening in Glasgow and beyond.”
Mono venue programmer Andrew Milk said: “Mono’s day at Pop Mutations showcases incredible local and international talent with a day full of arresting, joyful and beguiling music for all to revel in.”
Radio Buena Vida co-Founder David Fleming said: “A big part of what we try to do at Radio Buena Vida is create opportunities for our community. We’re constantly blown away by the variety and diversity of talent in Glasgow and throughout Scotland, so we’re delighted to be part of the Pop Mutations festival programme as we feel they share our ethos of shining a light on local talent.”
The Old Hairdressers venue programmer Rob Churm said: “The Old Hairdresser’s has organised a dynamic programme of events to celebrate the wide variety of artists and musicians that have helped to make the space a vibrant contribution to the cultural landscape of Glasgow and beyond.”
Tickets, including early bird weekend passes are available now here. Artwork created by Sasha Staicu.
Full line-up confirmed below:14/10 – The Flying Duck: 15/10 – Stereo [GIGS]: 16/10 – Mono:Comfort Ransom FA (Headliner) Current AffairsContainer AiiTee ExtravisionDIJA (DJ) Clarissa Woods JunglehussiGuttersnipe GABO LiiekGynoid 74 Grave Goods Listen BabesHesska Kaputt NightshiftHouseplants Town Centre Sacred PawsK.yaloIceboy Violet 15/10 – Stereo [CLUBS]Mina & Bryte (Headliner)BakeMaveenMojxmmaHUSSRoo Honeychild15/10 – Old HairdressersHandleNape NeckSemay WuSloth RacketSound of YellThe Ephemeron LoopTony Bevan + guests15/10 – Stereo Upstairs Radio Buena Vida takeoverAnna PlutoArtex ScarDJ AmtrakDoricaKushtNat HairsineTen Years LostConnect with Pop Mutations: