Career-spanning set comes to Forres and Inverness
Following a sell-out full band tour marking twenty-five years since his debut, Tom McRae heads back out this autumn with a run of solo shows that bring everything back to its core.
Alone on stage with a guitar, these shows draw from a catalogue that now stretches across ten albums. It’s a format that suits the material. The songs sit front and centre, with space for the quieter moments as well as the ones that have stayed with audiences over the years.
McRae first broke through with his self-titled debut in 2000, picking up nominations for the Mercury Prize, a Q Award and a BRIT Award for Best Newcomer. It set the tone early on. Thoughtful, understated writing that didn’t chase trends, but found its audience anyway.
Since then, releases like Just Like Blood, The Alphabet of Hurricanes and Étrange Hiver have added to a body of work that’s remained consistent in tone and intent. There’s never been a sharp pivot or reinvention, more a steady build over time. That approach has earned him a loyal following, both in the UK and across Europe.
The solo setting has always been part of how these songs are presented live. Without a band behind him, the detail in the writing comes through more clearly, and the set can move freely between the well-known tracks and the deeper cuts. It’s less about a fixed setlist and more about the shape of the night.
For Highlands audiences, the Forres and Inverness dates offer a chance to see that up close. Rooms like The Loft and Upstairs suit this kind of show, where the focus stays on the performance rather than anything around it.
Highland Dates
30 October
The Loft, Forres
Tickets available at: https://www.universe.com
31 October
Upstairs, Inverness
Tickets available at: https://www.universe.com
