Lee Bains is heading to Edinburgh all the way from Birmingham, Alabama on his first ever solo tour of the UK and Europe.

Lee Bains is a songwriter and poet from Birmingham, Alabama, who, since 2012, has released four studio albums of what Rolling Stone once called “Southern gospel punk." His music has received acclaim from the likes of The New York Times, NPR, Mojo, Uncut, and the Guardian. His most recent studio album, Old-Time Folks, was released by Don Giovanni Records in 2022, and explored stories of People’s movements in the Deep South.

He will release a live solo album, Free South 2025, on Don Giovanni in August 2026. He has collaborated in live performance and on recordings with artists including Lonnie Holley, Moor Mother, and Algiers. After first having his poems published by The New Yorker in 2021, Lee will see his debut poetry collection, WORK LUNCH, published by Hub City Press in October 2026.

In addition to touring around the U.S. and Europe, Lee has lent his music to support striking coal miners, immigrants’ rights groups, abortion funds, and anti-racism organizations.

Support comes from stebee., Life Coach and the wonderful David LInklater.

// stebee //

An introvert trapped inside the body of an extrovert. stebee (stylised lowercase) is the solo project of Steven Bardgett (they/he), singer, guitarist and songwriter in the band Mouses.

Bringing the same energy, passion and brutal honesty that has come to be expected from anything Mouses, stebee takes an eclectic mix of noise rock, garage punk, alt hip hop, jazz, folk and baroque pop to create a chaotic, erratic performance like no other. What started in 2020 as a way to experiment outside of the Mouses scope, as well as a way to look deeper within and create art that was purely cathartic and therapeutic, stebee has expanded exponentially into something much more.

After a sold out scrappy folk-punk 7” release on North East label, Butterfly Effect, stebee has blossomed into a genre-less orb of unnerving self-reflection. Like an intense punk therapy session or the soundtrack to a nervous breakdown, stebee is flying the flag for self-acceptance, confronting your demons and shouting about all the things that are difficult to shout about.

It’s noisy. It’s beautiful. It’s vulnerable.

// Life Coach //

Following the success of debut album Scottish Cringe, Life Coach followed up with their second record A Love Letter to Your Yearning Heart. Formerly a solo project of Glasgow based poet Jamie Cameron, Life Coach are a five-piece who take influence from a diverse blend of sources ranging from bubble-grunge and post-punk to lo-fi bands like Swearin', Ratboys, Free Cake For Every Creature and All Dogs. Since their inception in 2023 Life Coach have received airplay from the likes of Radio 6 DJ's Steve Lamacq and Tom Robinson as well as a live performance on BBC Radio Scotland. Life Coach is an ironic title that takes aim at a modern society that gleans its values from economics, vanity and an obsession with self improvement.

// David Linklater //

David Ross Linklater is a poet from Balintore, Easter Ross. He is the author of five pamphlets, most recently Affection is the Broadcast (Pinhole Poetry Press, 2025). He received a New Writers Award for Poetry in 2026, and has been shortlisted for the Edwin Morgan Award. His poem 'Spark' was included in the Scottish Book Trust's Best Scottish Poems of 2023. His work has appeared in Poetry Ireland Review, The Dark Horse, Butcher’s Dog, New Writing Scotland and bath magg.

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