From headline gigs to festival stages, The Marches bring fierce riffs, bold pride, and fresh energy to Belladrum Festival 2025
Since forming in July 2024, The Marches have quickly become one of Scotland’s most exciting new rock acts. With sold-out headline shows at SWG3 and King Tut’s, BBC airplay, and a growing presence on the festival circuit, their rise has felt nothing short of surreal. Now preparing for a standout appearance at Belladrum 2025, the all-female group are ready to showcase their infectious sound and powerful message. In this candid interview, The Marches reflect on their journey, their musical influences, and what fans can expect from their Belladrum debut.
From forming in July 2024 to sold-out shows at SWG3 and headlining King Tut’s – what’s been the most surreal moment so far?
I think performing at our first few festivals this year has definitely been a highlight. It was a goal for us when we were coming into 2025, and the atmosphere has absolutely lived up to all hopes we had coming into festival season. Airplay on BBC was incredible too, and I’d say our headline gig selling out was a proud moment too. I think all of us definitely feel the festival slots have felt surreal, though, performing on a lineup alongside acts like James, Texas, etc.
Jane, ‘Come Back Around’ was written years ago when you desperately wanted to be in a band. Does performing it now feel different?
It feels different now that everyone has put their spin on the individual parts. The song has really come to life!
Your sound has been described as “Avril Lavigne fronting a math-rock band” – how do you balance creating catchy, commercial melodies with complex musicality and intricate guitar work?
A lot of songs start with a riff that we work around. Some songs start with a vocal melody that the guitar parts complement. Each song is different but we really focus on the song having a distinct riff to make it catchy
You draw inspiration from Fleetwood Mac and The Bangles – how do you make that sound fresh for 2025?
Although we are inspired by these artists, we feel that we also have our own fresh and individual sound. We are inspired by the harmonies and togetherness of these acts; and try our best to implement elements of this into our own songwriting. Experimenting is important to us and we like to try new and unexpected things in our music too, which you’ll probably see a lot of in our future releases.
As Scottish all-female rockers, what does it mean to represent that tradition?
We absolutely love being an all-female band and it’s something we are really proud of. We still feel that being an all-female band has its restrictions, and we feel our abilities as musicians have sometimes been doubted. We really hope to, alongside other female fronted acts, prove everyone wrong!
After conquering SWG3 and Pavilion Festival, how are you preparing for Belladrum?
We rehearse a couple of times a week if we can; and we are really excited to be playing a more intimate acoustic session on Friday night, as well as our main set on the Seedlings stage. We are building on our existing set, and fine tuning to make sure that we maximise such a great opportunity for exposure at the Festival.
You’ve been converting fans across Scotland – what moment in your set will win over Belladrum first-timers?
Our next release is a really special one we feel. It’s something new and fresh from us, and something that we feel people won’t expect when comparing it to the rest of our set. You’ll need to come see us to witness it!
With 2025 being your “breakout year,” what are your biggest hopes coming out of Belladrum?
We would love to play more festivals, and secure gigs across the country. It’s the furthest we’ve travelled yet, and would love more of this to reach a bigger audience. We can’t wait!
For The Marches, 2025 has already delivered major milestones — but Belladrum Festival represents something more: the chance to expand their reach, showcase their individuality, and break new ground for all-female rock in Scotland. With a bold new track and a powerful live set in store, their Seedlings stage performance is one not to miss.
Explore more Belladrum 2025 features, interviews, and artist previews on our Belladrum Festival hub
