Good timing is everything as Mesmerene come home for Motherwell music festival

The group — guitarist Scott Jamieson, bassist David Wilkie and drummer Scott Somers from Motherwell and singer Franny McKeown from Shotts — will be performing at the Electric Bar on Saturday, March 18.

Scott says the band were delighted to support Motherwell Makes Music organiser Derek Watson, hoping the three day event will boost the local music scene.

He said: “Derek has the backing and goodwill of lots of bands as we all really want this to succeed.

“There is no shortage of talented musicians from the Motherwell area, but there is definitely a lack of places to allow them to perform.

“At the moment if you really want to get yourself out there you have to go to Glasgow, and we’ve had some great nights at the like of 13th Note and King Tut’s, but it’ll be good to be at home.

“You don’t have to go back too many years to the old Starka when every Saturday, there was four bands downstars and four bands upstairs, the scene was jumping, maybe this can be a catalyst to that happening again.

Mesmerene are busy working with another Motherwell native Bruce Rintoul at 45ASide Studios in Glasgow on their new EP.

Scott said: “Working with Bruce has us very excited as he is a wonderful producer.

“We have lots of influences like Radiohead and Nirvana, but we don’t really want to sound like them, we want to sound like Mesmerene and Bruce helps us do that.

“Motherwell Makes Music comes at a very good time for us as we’ll be able to perform the new tracks live for the first time ahead of a proper launch night for the EP.”

Mesmerene are appearing with Foggy City Orphan, Holy Pistol Club, The Un-Romantics and Painted Waves.

See next week’s Times & Speaker for more build up to Motherwell Makes Music, get your £10 wristbands for all three days here