Hidden Door Festival – The Old Paper Factory

This year I make two visits to Hidden Door’s remarkable takeover of the former Paper Factory in Edinburgh, attending both the opening Wednesday night and returning again on the Saturday. As ever, Hidden Door proves that some of the most memorable artistic experiences happen when creativity is allowed to spill into spaces never originally designed for it.

The vast industrial sheds, exposed steelwork and seemingly endless corridors create an environment where exploration becomes part of the evening. Every turn reveals another installation, another performance space or another unexpected discovery. The building itself is as much a performer as any artist appearing within it.

What distinguishes Hidden Door from a conventional music festival is that the experience extends far beyond the main stages. During both visits, audiences drift between visual art installations, interactive exhibits and performance spaces scattered throughout the vast industrial complex. One particularly popular attraction allows visitors to create their own clay sculptures, transforming spectators into participants and reinforcing the festival’s long-standing commitment to creativity rather than passive consumption.

The visual art programme rewards exploration. Hidden away in former industrial rooms and corridors are installations that range from playful and interactive to thoughtful and reflective. The pleasure comes as much from discovering the work as from viewing it. The former factory’s rough surfaces, peeling paintwork and cavernous spaces provide a backdrop that no purpose-built gallery could ever replicate.

Dance also plays an important role throughout the site. Performances emerge unexpectedly in spaces that might once have housed machinery or storage areas. From contemporary choreography to more experimental movement pieces, the dancers make effective use of the building’s scale and geometry, often turning overlooked corners of the venue into temporary theatres. Rather than being confined to a single auditorium, performance spills throughout the complex, creating the sense that art can happen almost anywhere.

The act that stands out most from my Wednesday night visit is undoubtedly Big Wett, the diminutive antipodean pop performer whose arrival immediately changes the atmosphere. If her lyrics occasionally lack subtlety or sophistication, they more than compensate with sheer force of personality and a relentless tribal beat that quickly has the crowd moving.

At one point I genuinely wonder whether she is simply going to dispense with what little clothing she is wearing altogether and complete the performance entirely naked. Thankfully, or perhaps disappointingly depending on your viewpoint, she stops short of that particular artistic statement. It is certainly unlike anything I have previously encountered at Hidden Door, or indeed anywhere else, and the audience responds enthusiastically to the raw energy and complete commitment of the performance.

Returning on Saturday, the focus shifts more firmly towards the music programme.

HANSKLAMMER proudly remind everyone several times that they hail from Broughty Ferry. While they perhaps commit the unforgivable sin of taking a swipe at Portobello Beach, their musicianship is difficult to fault.

Their sound brings together echoes of Simple Minds, U2 and even a touch of Bryan Ferry. The playing is polished and confident throughout, yet there is one significant challenge. The soaring industrial roof of the warehouse swallows much of the vocal detail, making it difficult to understand many of the lyrics and fully appreciate the lyricism and stories behind the songs.

It feels like a missed opportunity. With a large video screen already positioned behind the band, projecting lyrics could have been a simple and highly effective solution, helping the audience engage more fully with material that is otherwise partially lost in the acoustics of the space. Nevertheless, the quality of the musicianship shines through and leaves a strong impression.

Bad Gravy bring a completely different and youthful energy. The Glasgow outfit arrive with all the swagger and confidence of a band determined to make their mark. Their strutting lead singer, like a mash up of Ed Sheeran and the Gallagher brothers, complete with a mop of thick red hair and the attitude of a classic angry young man is charisma on legs.

The lyrical themes revolve heavily around frustration, difficult jobs, difficult bosses and the general struggle of navigating modern life. There are moments when these concerns begin to feel somewhat repetitive, but musically the band are considerably more adventurous. Their guitar work is particularly inventive, full of chopping rhythms wah-wah screams and a range of unexpected textures. Love it!

There are occasional flashes of Franz Ferdinand in their sound, especially during one memorable introduction, but the influence never overwhelms their own identity.

Most importantly, the material feels fresh. The songs cut through the noise and establish a distinct character of their own. Combined with a large and enthusiastic support, Bad Gravy prove themselves to be the evening’s most promising discovery. The warehouse setting suits them perfectly and they rise confidently to the occasion.

The night concludes with VALTOS, the acclaimed electro-trad duo from the Isle of Skye. Although perhaps not quite in the form many expected. Rather than a full-band performance, the duo present what is essentially a DJ-led set built around pre-recorded tracks, accompanied live by the exceptional fiddle playing of Euan McLaughlin.

McLaughlin’s contribution is significant. One of Scotland’s finest contemporary folk musicians, his playing provides much of the live energy that elevates the performance beyond a straightforward DJ set. The soaring fiddle lines weave effortlessly through the electronic textures, creating precisely the fusion of traditional and modern sounds that has helped make VALTOS one of Scotland’s most talked-about acts.

It is an arrangement that initially feels slightly disappointing. Part of VALTOS’s appeal lies in the interaction between traditional instrumentation and live performance, and inevitably some of that is lost in a stripped-back format. Yet the audience clearly has other priorities. The warehouse rapidly transforms into something approaching a rave, with dancers filling the floor and embracing the blend of electronic beats and Scottish folk influences.

To their credit, VALTOS appear fully aware that they are experimenting. They mention that this is their first warehouse show, and the format has the feel of something designed specifically for the venue. While it may not represent the definitive VALTOS experience, it proves an energetic and crowd-pleasing conclusion to the evening.

What Hidden Door continues to do better than almost any other festival is create an environment where discovery feels genuine. Some performances work better than others, some experiments are more successful than others, but that is entirely the point. Between the music stages, the installation art, the participatory workshops, the dance performances and the opportunity simply to explore an extraordinary industrial building, visitors are constantly encouraged to follow their curiosity rather than a timetable.

Whether it is Big Wett’s startling theatricality on Wednesday night, HANSKLAMMER’s polished musicianship, Bad Gravy’s youthful intensity, the dance performances unfolding throughout the site, the hands-on clay workshop or VALTOS’s warehouse rave finale on Saturday, Hidden Door once again demonstrates that the most memorable artistic experiences are often found in the most unlikely spaces

Reviewer: Greg Holstead

Reviewed: 3^rd and 6^th of June 2026

North West End UK Rating: