A BAND made up of Dunbar Grammar School pupils is following in the footsteps of Lewis Capaldi with a whistle-stop tour of Scotland.

Room 27 will play in Inverness, Edinburgh and Glasgow as part of touring project Hit The Road.

The initiative, which is in its 10th year, helps musicians aged 14-19 to take their music out on tour and work with music industry professionals.

Singer Lexi Carnegie, drummer Katie Wood, bassist Jess Kilpatrick, lead guitarist Alex Laval and rhythm guitarist Mel Claire will perform at Eden Court in Inverness on Monday before headlining Sneaky Pete’s in the Capital the following day and wrapping up the tour at The Attic in Glasgow on Wednesday.

Lexi said: “We want to use our music to empower women and share our life stories and emotions.

“Our music features electric guitars and heavy drums, while our lyrics explore the common experiences of sexual harassment in young women and jealousy in high school.

“We are thrilled to be a part of the Scotland tour with Hit The Road, and we can’t wait to perform.

“We will be joined by The Demographic, from Inverness, and The Squints, from Glasgow, who are also youth bands eager to grow their audience and make it in the music industry.

“Following Lewis Capaldi’s footsteps, we hope to make it to the top with help from Hit The Road and future gigs.”

'Fantastic to see a full house'

The band members, who are all 15 years old and in S4 at the school, have enjoyed a busy 18 months.

At the end of 2022, they performed at the Dunbar Christmas lights switch-on.

Last year they played at Haddstock, Hops In The Garden, Fringe By The Sea and again at the festive extravaganza in Dunbar.

Named after the room they practice in, the all-female five-piece take inspiration from acts ranging from Metallica and Nirvana to Jimi Hendrix and The Cranberries.

Michael Cassidy, Hit The Road project manager, said: “The standard of talent among everyone who applied this year was exceptionally high so it was a tough choice but we couldn’t be happier with our line-up for the February tour.

“We hope everyone involved has a great experience touring with Hit The Road and that it gives them a real insight into the world of professional music, as well as the chance to perform across Scotland and showcase their music to different audiences.

“It would be fantastic to see a full house at Sneaky Pete’s to support our amazing performers!”

From Capaldi to Bestel

Since its inception in 2013, Hit The Road has been instrumental in aiding the journeys of aspiring young musicians, from chart-topping Lewis Capaldi to Zoë Bestel.

As well as giving young musicians the chance to tour across Scotland and perform headline shows, the initiative, run by the Scottish Music Centre, provides access to a series of workshops led by industry professionals.

Workshops cover a wide spectrum of topics, from live sound engineering to stage production, equipping young artists with essential knowledge and skills to take forward into future careers.

All Hit The Road gigs held throughout the touring season are hosted in safe venues suitable for ages 14-plus.

Go to eventbrite.co.uk/e/room-27-headline-sneaky-petes-edinburgh-tickets-795345629187 for tickets for the Edinburgh gig.