Declan McKenna, Tom Walker and Nathan Evans among others will perform intimate phone-free gigs across Scotland to raise money for suicide prevention charity, Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM).

In the run-up to Mental Health Awareness Week (12–18 May 2025), CALM will host three concerts at the Edinburgh Assembly Rooms, Stirling Albert Halls and Glasgow Old Fruit Market. Nina Nesbitt, Saint PHNX and Caity Baser will deliver support sets.

Each venue will be using Yondr phone pouches for the duration of the shows to ensure mobile phones and any other recording equipment aren’t used during the performances.

Tickets cost £12.20 each – the amount it takes to fund a call to CALM’s free-to-access suicide prevention helpline, which is run by trained professionals – and 30% of ticket sales will be donated to the charity to make their work possible.

“Music, and musicians, truly are a lifeline for so many people going through tough times”

“CALM started its life in music, having been set up by Factory Records’ Tony Wilson,” says Simon Gunning, CEO of Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM). “It’s part of our DNA, and a key tool in our fight against suicide. Music, and musicians, truly are a lifeline for so many people going through tough times, and it’s apt that these three gigs are taking place in the lead up to Mental Health Awareness Week.

“The theme this year is community, and there really is no greater community than music, and the collective experience of live music in particular – especially when we get a chance to switch off from our phones for a few hours. We’re incredibly grateful to all the artists involved, including our Ambassador Tom Walker.”

Phone-free gigs are an increasing trend, with acts including Bob Dylan and Ghost forbidding devices at their recent gigs. Iconic hotel and nightspot Pikes Ibiza, meanwhile, prohibits mobile phones from the dancefloor seven nights a week.

See the full list of CALM’s concerts below.

Edinburgh Assembly Rooms – Friday 2nd May 2025
Tom Walker – Nina Nesbitt

Stirling Albert Halls – Tuesday 6th May 2025
Declan McKenna – Bradley Simpson

Glasgow Old Fruit Market – Saturday 10th May 2025
Nathan Evans & Saint PHNX – Caity Baser

Fans can now sign up for the on-sale at 10 am on Thursday 17 April.

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Ticketmaster UK has named seven emerging artists it’s tipping to make waves in the live world in 2018.

The company’s New for 2018 list is curated by its UK artist services team, which has worked on more 600 tour campaigns in the past 12 months, and features acts from across the musical spectrum.

The class of 2018 are:

• Pale Waves
• Sigrid
• Tom Walker
• Yxng Bane
• Alma
• Li’l Xan
• IAMDDB

“We’ve worked with some huge artists this year, including Liam Gallagher, Sam Smith, Taylor Swift and Harry Styles, who have all been massive tours for us,” says Ticketmaster UK chief Andrew Parsons. “But maybe even more exciting has been the new acts we’ve started working with. To see the fans that artists develop even before they’ve received any substantial media exposure is always incredible. It’s testimony to quality of their music and their ability to put on a show.

“We love being part of an artist’s live career from the very beginning. The acts playing upstairs in pubs today could be those headlining O2 Academy Brixton or even The O2 tomorrow, and it’s vital that Ticketmaster lends support and guidance to these emerging artists.”

More information about the seven acts is available on the New for 2018 website.

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