Beats and Freaks on Toast: Exploring Dundee’s local music scene
Words by Alex Murray
Dundee is an artistic city- Anyone who’s been within a ten-mile radius of the place can attest to the fact. From poets whose work resides on the Canongate Wall, to video game designers whose work was banned altogether, to cartoon lads who sit squarely on top of their buckets, it’s no surprise that Dundee became the UK’s first UNESCO city of design back in 2014. But a facet of Dundee’s glimmering artistic qualities has been, and always will be, it’s affinity for music. With more live music venues than you can count, and an abundance of record stores on top of that, Dundee’s passion for sound has grown greater and greater over time.
It's easy to get swept up by choice, here; there are so many great musical hubs throughout the city. But it doesn’t have to be so difficult. For music lovers, Perth Road is a great place to start your musical excavation of Dundee.
Le Freak is, and always has been, anything but inconspicuous- A little blue and yellow gem embedded along Perth Road, its bright colours and dolphin-monster mascot beckoning in regulars and curious onlookers alike to peruse the store. A few will also remember the old crocodile head that used to peek out the front door, too! With its stuffed shelves, wacky walls, and live records being spun from the shop floor, it’s easy to see why this place has become a staple of the Dundee music scene.
Opened in 2017, brothers Jack and Tom set out to provide Dundee with what they thought it was sorely lacking- A music hub offering a selection of weird and wonderful records, where people can browse, listen, and buy at their leisure. With their primary ethos of not taking themselves too seriously, Le Freak curates a comfortable, casual environment that welcomes people from all walks of life to explore and have fun; from schoolkids buying their first records, to pensioners looking for new favourites.
Though Le Freak has established itself as a key Dundee record store, their array of new and second-hand vinyl is far from all they provide- Le Freak is also a live-music space! Every day records are played in store from a little elevated platform, a live showcase of what customers can (And often do!) buy, or even just favourites from Tom’s collection. And it’s not just the owners who play! Le Freak has invited bands and DJs from all over the musical spectrum to appear, acts encompassing genres such as house, techno, disco, garage, and drum'n'bass, as well as live hip-hop, rock and folk performances. From long-established labels such as Perth-based label Cragie Knowes, to burgeoning local talent such as Jerry Fabin and Portable Heads, Jack and Tom have curated an even playing field for musicians at every stage in their career to show off their talents- And with many artist’s first gigs being hosted by Le Freak, it’s clear that the store stands as a launching pad for emerging musicians to dive into the world of live performances.
With such energy, it’s not surprise that Le Freak has surpassed the boundaries of their store- From Aberdeen, to Edinburgh, even all the way to Budapest, Le Freak and Friends have brought the joy of dance music to every corner they’ve been able to. And as the years pass, their ability to do so has kept growing- Their events have gotten bigger, the experiences better, and the beats hotter! And as the evenings grow a little longer with each day crossed off the calendar, 'The Le Freak And Friends Pier Party' instantly springs to mind. Held on Newport Pier since 2019, the party is a chance for people from all over Angus and Fife to enjoy some good music in the sun- And raise money for a good cause too! Every year, Le Freak donate as much as possible to a local charity, with over £5,000 raised for Art Angel Dundee in 2024.
With so much under their belt, it seems incredible that Le Freak have just celebrated their seventh birthday last November- We hope they celebrate many, many more, and keep being that fun, freaky beacon of music that lights up Perth Road, even on the most miserable of Scottish days.
Waving the store goodbye, umbrella open and freshly bought record under your arm, there is even more of Dundee’s music scene to uncover as you make your way back to the centre of town. And you don’t even have to go far! You can even pull up the Mixcloud of our next location on your phone, if you just can’t wait.
Tucked into a little side street by the University of Dundee Main Library, there's an unobtrusive building that looks every part and parcel like… Well, a building. As polar opposite to Le Freak as you can get, in fact. But for as ordinary as these walls look, they contain a radio that’s anything but plain- In fact, they house some of the best standalone sound to be found!
Up a few flights of stairs, and with a few remembered lockbox codes, is JAM Radio- An Independent University Radio station, connected to Dundee through DUSA Media. From humble beginnings, the last few years have seen the radio expand from a few dedicated team members, into a thriving musical community that shows no signs of stopping its spread.
With shows covering every possible genre and format, JAM Radio has something for everyone- From 20th century jazz, to sketch shows, to live konghou jamming sessions, you’d be hard pushed to find something that you don’t connect to. And this underlines one of the primary JAM tenets: No specific sound, but rather people playing music that they enjoy. And with the eclectic, electric mix you can find being broadcasted from their website, it’s clear that this is an ethos they stick to- No barriers are put up suppressing people’s interests or holding back their ideas!
And for a lot of people, this is the first time they’ve been given the opportunity to broadcast these same interests and ideas, quite literally! Hosts have the opportunity to experiment and make mistakes, knowing they have that wiggle room, and knowing that the JAM Production Team will be there to support them to make the next show ever better. It’s an incredibly supportive atmosphere within the studio, and when talking to various showrunners it’s clear that JAM has been instrumental in them developing their passions; Shannon from ‘Synaesthesia’ explained how JAM Radio feels like a total sandbox for her, being given the chance to try out new ideas and concepts, or even just talk about music she’s interested in for an hour.
And even though the radio is connected to DUSA, it’s not just students who host shows- ‘Funky Gunners’, for example, is a group of DJs who heard about JAM Radio by total chance. They filled out a form asking for a slot in early 2024, and now they host a weekly show- Forty-five minutes of themed sets, followed by two to three hours of open decks, where they invite people to bring their own records, and try their hand at using the equipment themselves! JAM Radio helped them get the word out about what they were doing, and really helped spark people’s imaginations, too. They’ve gone from curious stragglers popping their heads into the bar to see what’s happening, to over thirty people showing up, many with their own records, to try their hand at spinning some tunes.
Going forward, it’s these live events that JAM Radio are really putting a focus on- They’ve had many in the past, with JAM JAR parties, Pharmacy raves, and Brush and Booze events, but JAM is still looking to expand. Talking with Reid, host of ‘Half Gunter’ and soon-to-be JAM Radio Manager, they said it in the best way possible- Music is for everyone, but not every event has enough music for everyone! And JAM is trying to change that going forward; moving on from the usual one-DJ-after-the-next format, making space for the people who normally wouldn’t attend these events, they want to cultivate a wider audience, and truly capture the creativity of all the DJs, hosts, and musicians who work with them.
There’s something incredibly novel about live radio, in a world where we are already so connected. It’s amateur, always live, and often imperfect… Which makes it very, very fun, and earnest to its core. That’s why people keep tuning in, every week, to hear their favourite shows, Sunday through Wednesday.
Whether it’s record stores, live venues, or radio stations, music will always have a place in Dundee. Even exploring a tiny bit of this city uncovers more sound than you can possibly imagine. We can only hope that everyone gets to experience a bit of audio excellence while they’re here- They won’t have to look very far at all.