Dunkeld Birnham Arts Club
June 13th 2026
TV face, music head and raconteur Phill Jupitus witnessed something so special in Scotland that we had to run his review… ‘The real strength and unity of the Scottish originates not in the blind adherence to a cliched national identity (hey England!) but a long suffering and pragmatic understanding of their frailties as a nation. Nowhere is that made more apparent than in the art that they make. Doss are the latest shinIng example of this. Last night wasn’t just a gig, it was a privilege to witness. (Photo by Phill Jupitus)
We need to talk about Doss…
My old model for seeing a band for the first time used to involve pints. That warm two plus pint buzz which smoothed any edges and made the heart receptive. These days to use a local phrase, I’m aff it. So last night’s show was seen straight.
Firstly support Isa Gordon was beautifully chosen. Dreamy ethereal electronica with darker moments of bass driven dance was a perfect place setter for what was to come.
A mate tipped me off to Doss. Specifically the song ‘Dirty Fuckers’, a hilarious vitriolic swing taken at the Scottish live music establishment. How could you not go see a band with the lyric
“A PITTENCE FOR A GIG THATS A KICK
IN THE JAW
NOT WORTH THE SWEAT
ON MA LEFT BAW”
They amble onstage and start playing with zero preamble. Before the show at the lovely Birnam Arts in Perth & Kinross they were sat in the foyer flogging merch. They don’t have guitar stands.
There’s a pleasingly ramshackle feel to this gig which is helped no end by the frisson of anticipation at Scotland’s imminent world cup opener against Haiti later that night.
There is fuck all ramshackle about the performance. Doss are tight and powerful. King of The Castle is a stomping singalong classic. I’m not sure how they managed to play Dirty Fuckers faster, but they found a way.
It has to be said that this was the most mixed audience I’ve seen at a gig in quite a while. Indie mums, punks, casuals, 6 Music Dads, metallers, curious slam dancing civilians, art school nerds, and what looked to me like a hen night were all completely spellbound by the Doss sound. Particularly when they unleashed the classic ‘The Mullets Are Moving In’.
The penultimate number is an almost LCD Soundsystem-esque groove ‘It’s Shite Being Scottish’, at the end of which frontman Sorley MacKay says “It’s no all shite… there’s some fucking great stuff… It’s just… We are a bunch of self defeating cunts…” How can you not fucking love this band.
Leith tonight, Glasgow Wednesday (sold out I believe) and Skye and Harris at the end of the month… If you can, see them NOW!
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