The Tenementals, an award-winning academic-artist collective which includes staff members from The Glasgow School of Art, are inviting Glasgow venues to host their groundbreaking interactive installation following its debut at the University of Glasgow.
The initiative launches with a special event at the University’s Advanced Research Centre on 14 March from 7.30 – 9.00pm. The launch will be precede by a panel discussion (approx 6-7pm). The event is free and open to the public but registration is required via Eventbrite here.
The Tenementals Listening Post, a portable installation enabling members of the public to listen to songs, watch videos and engage with the project, will initially be housed at the Advanced Research Centre until 28 March. The band is particularly keen to partner with Glasgow venues who think that their work might align with the stories and themes of the band’s critically acclaimed debut album, Glasgow: A History (Vol. I of VI).
Frontman David Archibald, who is also Professor of Political Cinemas at the University of Glasgow, said hosting the installation throughout the city during 2025 is an ideal way to contribute to the city’s 850th anniversary: “Our debut album reimagined Glasgow’s history through music, but with the Listening Post installation we’re taking this cultural conversation into the heart of the city itself.
“As Glasgow celebrates its 850th anniversary, we would love to partner with venues across the city to create an interactive journey through the city’s past and present using our songs as a musical gateway. This isn’t just about listening to music – it’s about experiencing Glasgow’s histories in the city where they unfolded.
“As a band that bridges academia and Glasgow’s music scene, we’re particularly excited to launch this installation at the University’s Advanced Research Centre, before we hope it will begin its journey across the city. We hope that the Listening Post will transform our songs into portals through which visitors can explore Glasgow’s rich heritage, reimagined for contemporary audiences.”
The launch event for the Listening Post will be preceded by an academic panel discussion, Popular Music as Academic Research: Four Papers on The Tenementals. The panel will feature band members Bob Anderson and David Archibald (University of Glasgow) alongside GSA academics Jessica Argo, Programme Leader, BDes Sound for Moving Image and Ronan Breslin Programme Leader for the Sound Design for the Moving Image Master’s course, exploring the intersection of popular music and academic research. The session will be chaired by Professor Dauvit Broun, College of Arts and Humanities Dean of Research.
“The Tenementals has been a fantastic collaboration between academics at Glasgow School of Arts and the University of Glasgow, and with musicians from the city.” said Ronan Breslin (who co-produced and engineered the debut record while also playing keyboards).
“In my talk at the launch event for the Listening Post l will outline the technical and aesthetic processes that shaped the sonic trajectory of the record, placing this in the context of historic and contemporary music production paradigms.”
The Tenementals have already gained international recognition, with their interpretation of the Nazi concentration camp protest song “Die Moorsoldaten” now housed in Germany’s Documentation and Information Center Emsland Camps archives. Their debut album, launched in November 2024, has received extensive critical acclaim, at home and internationally, and was supported with funds from Glasgow City Heritage Trust.
The Tenementals music video can be viewed here and a recent video that talks to the research and music of The Tenementals can be viewed here. Venues interested in hosting The Tenementals Listening Post should contact David Archibald here.
For further information please contact press@gsa.ac.uk
Notes for Editors
About The Tenementals
The Tenementals are an award-winning collective of academics, artists, and musicians who explore Glasgow’s history through contemporary music. Their debut album Glasgow: A History (Vol. I of VI) was released in November 2024 to critical acclaim. Award-winning academic-artist collective The Tenementals are set to unveil a groundbreaking interactive Listening Post installation that will transform how visitors experience Glasgow’s musical heritage. The Tenementals band images photo credit Holger Mohaupt.
The Glasgow School of Art (GSA)
The Glasgow School of Art (GSA) is internationally recognised as one of Europe’s leading independent university-level institutions for education and research in the visual creative disciplines. Our studio-based, specialist, practice-led teaching, learning and research draw talented individuals with a shared passion for visual culture and creative production from all over the world.
Originally founded in 1845 as one of the first Government Schools of Design, the School’s history can be traced back to 1753 and the establishment of the Foulis Academy delivering a European-style art education. Today, the GSA is an international community of over 3500 students and staff and 22,000 alumni across architecture, design, fine art and innovation and technology in our campuses in Glasgow and Altyre (in the Scottish Highlands).
