UPDATE: As of Sept 2018, this news page is no longer being updated.
Tsuchigumo Daiko concert in Glasgow
Glasgow-based taiko group, Tsuchigumo Daiko, are doing a full-length concert on the 10th November, at Eastwood Park Theatre, near Giffnock, Glasgow.
“Armed with instruments of mass percussion, this dynamic troupe of musicians will fully immerse you in the drama, power, and excitement unique to Japanese Taiko Drumming.”
Check out the details on their new website here: Kokoro concert
Painted X-Ray (formerly known as Ilk) gigs in August
Painted X-Ray (taiko, guitar, bass, violin) are playing in George Square, in the centre of Glasgow, on Friday 3rd August for Mix the City Live. (‘Mix the City’ is a British Council project where twelve musicians/bands are filmed in each city and short excerpts of their music are put on the Mix the City platform, where they can then be mixed – Glasgow is the first UK city to be ‘mixed’ and maybe the first one to include taiko too…)
Also, at the Pianodrome in the Botanic Gardens in Edinburgh on the 16th August, and at The Glad Cafe in Glasgow on the 18th August.
See Painted X-Ray gigs page for all the details.
Ilk at the CCA, Glasgow, 23rd June CANCELLED (due to temporary CCA closure due to fire at Glasgow School of Art)
Ilk (a band with taiko, guitar, bass and violin) are playing at the CCA, Glasgow, on Saturday 23rd June, with Edinburgh band Dominic Waxing Lyrical.
+ Beginners taiko workshop in the afternoon
Georgie from Ilk (and Taikotronik) is also hosting a beginner’s taiko workshop in the afternoon. If you haven’t played taiko but fancy giving it a bash, come along…
WORKSHOP STILL ON BUT NOW MOVED TO The Space at 257 London Road, Glasgow
Go to Ilk gigs for all the details!
Ilk at The Glad Cafe, Glasgow, 2nd February and Fireside, Edinburgh, 30th March
Ilk are playing at The Glad Cafe, Glasgow, on Friday 2nd February as part of the Celtic Connections festival.
Ilk are then playing at Fireside in Edinburgh on Friday 30th March, with lots of other bands, as part of a fundraiser for a Pianodrome…
Click here for details: Ilk gigs
Oceanallover (theatre with taiko) in Edinburgh, 1st February 2018
Oceanallover are a site specific theatre company based in South West Scotland whose latest work, Sea Hames, features taiko played by Peter and Anna Tagg.
Sea Hames will be at the Manipulate Festival in Edinburgh’s Traverse Theatre on Thursday 1st February.

Ilk at Henry’s Cellar Bar, Edinburgh, 26th November
Ilk (taiko, guitar, bass, violin) are squeezing into Henry’s Cellar Bar late November, with Daniel Padden and Jessica Aslan. Doors 7.30, kick-off at 8 pm. See Ilk gigs or the facebook event for more details.
Velma gig at The Flying Duck, Glasgow, 10th November
Velma are a new flute/s, taiko and electronics project (by Georgie McGeown from Ilk) and are playing at a night hosted by Mhenwar Huws at The Flying Duck on Friday 10th November. (Just one of their songs will feature taiko at this gig, though more taiko instrumentation is in the works.)
Ilk + Velma + drop-in taiko workshop at The Space, Glasgow, 4th November
There’s quite a bit of taiko happening at The Space near the Barras in Glasgow on Saturday 4th November, during an all-day event hosted by On the Corner studio.
Kick off is at 2pm with a drop-in taiko workshop by Taikotronik (Georgie from Ilk). Velma (a flute band with a wee bit of taiko) are playing a short set at 4.25pm, Ilk (taiko, guitar, bass, violin) close the day with a set at 8.20pm, and there are numerous other bands in between.
Doors 1.45pm, £8 / £5 concession. Full schedule on the facebook event.
Wee teaser video from Ilk’s first gig in May 2016:
Shot and edited by Iona Shepherd, mastered by Jer Reid.
Mugenkyo on UK tour with Hiroshi Motofuji in November
Mugenkyo are shortly going on tour for a month with legendary Japanese taiko player Hiroshi Motofuji. As well as being a totally hotshot player, Motofuji is also known for his experimental and innovative collaborations with other instrumentalists, including using taiko in rock music.
They’ll be in Falkirk on the 26th November. Click here for the full list of UK dates: Mugenkyo tour dates
Velma (flute band with a bit of taiko) gig at 13th Note, Glasgow, 5th October
Velma is a new flute project by Georgie McGeown of Ilk, featuring a wee bit of taiko as well. Their first gig is at the 13th Note, supporting Shilpa Ray.
Taiko classes by Taikotronik
A fresh block of taiko classes begins on Monday 14th August in Glasgow, hosted by TAIKOTRONIK (Georgie McGeown from Ilk). All levels welcome. Click here for more details: Taikotronik taiko classes
Ilk summer gigs
Ilk are playing at the Mugstock festival, in Mugdock country park just north of Glasgow, on Friday 28th July, at Nice’N’Sleazy, Glasgow on Tuesday 1st August, and at The Clamjamfry festival, near Irvine in North Ayrshire, on Saturday 12th August. Click here for more details: Ilk gigs
Learn to play taiko with TAIKOTRONIK
TAIKOTRONIK (a.k.a. Georgie McGeown from Ilk) is running some summer taiko workshops – click on the pic for more info:
Issho Taiko Drummers at The Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh, 1st May
From Taiko to Txalaparta: “The beautiful wooden tones of the Basque Country’s txalaparta and the low rumbling bass of Japanese Taiko drums are explored in this special performance exploring traditional folk instruments and their respective musical cultures.”
7.30pm at the Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43-45 High Street, Edinburgh
More details on the facebook event.
Ilk gigs in Edinburgh and Glasgow 29th, 30th March
29th March at Henry’s Cellar Bar, Edinburgh
with Bell Lungs and Casey Miller (facebook event)
30th March at Nice’n’Sleazy’s, Glasgow
with FK Alexander and Cucina Povera (facebook event)
All the details here: ilk gigs
Ilk gig at McChuills in Glasgow 5th Feb
Ilk (taiko, guitar, bass, violin) are playing at McChuills, 40 High St, Glasgow, along with loads of other bands on Sunday 5th February.
Doors 7pm, free entry, in aid of Refuweegee.
Click on the pic for the Facebook event:
Issho Drummers at Celtic Connections 4th Feb
Issho Drummers – Taiko to Txalaparta will be at The Glad Cafe as part of the Celtic Connections festival on the 4th February, 7.30pm.
“Issho combine intricate patterns, voice, gongs, bag-pipes and found sounds to create an evening ranging from subtle meditative moments through to eye watering intensity, utilising the beautiful wooden tones of the Basque countries txalaparta and the low rumbling bass of Japanese taiko drums.”
Click here for the facebook event.
Taiko classes starting in February
TaikoTronik will be running an eight-week course of beginners taiko classes, starting on the 6th February 2017. Click here for details: TaikoTronik classes
TaikoTronik students playing at Glad Café 17th Nov
TaikoTronik are playing at The Glad Cafe, 1006a Pollokshaws Road, Glasgow on Thursday 17th November around 7pm.
There’ll be a couple of pieces from TaikoTronik students, most of whom only started playing taiko 8 weeks ago (!), with a wee piece from Georgie McGeown (TaikoTronik, Ilk) and Alison Roe (Ilk) as well.
Ilk gigs in Glasgow and Edinburgh 25th & 26th Oct
Ilk – “a band with taiko at its heart” – has a couple of gigs coming up:
Tues 25th October @ The Old Hairdresser’s, Renfield Lane, Glasgow
Wed 26th October @ Henry’s Cellar Bar, 16A Morrison St, Edinburgh
All the details for both gigs are here: ilk gigs and on facebook
Ilk also have new video and audio clips on their website: ilkband.com
Taiko with dance at Dundee Community Harvest
Alison Roe will be playing taiko with dancers Joan Cleville and Solène Weinachter at the celebration of Dundee Urban Orchard’s first community harvest on Saturday 22nd October.
It’s taking place at Dundee University Botanic Gardens from 11am – 3pm with a variety of activities, including apple pressing, storytelling, art-making, talks, community stalls…
The taiko and dance will be kicking off around 2pm – around a tall yew tree if the weather’s fine.
Click on the pic for more information or click here for the facebook event.
TaikoTronik: taiko workshops on the Southside
A series of taiko workshops kicks off on Monday 16th September in Shawlands. Workshops are every Monday evening and you don’t need any previous experience of taiko playing. Sessions are run by TaikoTronik (Georgie McGeown).
Taiko’s incredibly exhilarating and Georgie’s a great teacher. Give it a bash!
More info here: taiko.scot/taikotronik
gig: IKKI taiko from Japan with iSSHO from Glasgow
Samurai Drum IKKI from Japan are playing at The Glad Cafe in Glasgow on Sunday 28th August with support from iSSHO & Friends, an experimental taiko group based in Glasgow. A whole range of taiko styles on offer here.
All the details here: IKKI and iSSHO at The Glad Cafe
ilk: new band with taiko
New Glasgow band ilk – with taiko, guitar, bass and violin – are doing their first gig at the Flying Duck, Glasgow, on Tuesday 17th May.
More info here: ilk
taiko and flute performance
Flutes Unlimited, a flute choir based in the Southside of Glasgow, have their annual concert in Shawlands Kirk, 5 Moss-side Road, on Sunday 15th May.
In addition to the flute ensemble pieces, Georgie McGeown (flute) and Alison Roe (taiko) will perform a piece, “TRKs”, by contemporary flute composer Ian Clarke. The original version is solo flute with a backing track. However, we’ve replaced the backing track with a live taiko base line. Concert starts at 7.30pm.
(Update: Georgie McGeown has since started a flute project, which will occasionally feature taiko, called Velma.)