Poetic Justice

 Aberdeen City, Articles, Community, Creative Writing, Featured, Information  No Responses »
Nov 042011
 

John and Daphna Williams
With thanks to Aberdeen Amnesty International chair Gail Riekie.

The Aberdeen Amnesty International Group will launch ‘Poetic Justice’, their newly published collection of poems on the theme of human rights, at the John Skinner Centre on Thursday 10th November 7:30 – 9:30 pm.

The evening will feature readings of the poems by their authors, live music and a bar. The collection ‘Poetic Justice’ will be available for sale for £5.
Entry is free – donations to Amnesty welcome.

The idea for a collection of poetry sprang from the Aberdeen Group’s desire to do something special this year to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the founding of Amnesty International.

They also wanted to honour two local activists, John and Daphna Williams, who both died in the last two years. ‘Poetic Justice’ is dedicated to the memory of this remarkable couple.

The poems in the collection were written, mostly by NE Scotland poets, in response to a competition that the Aberdeen Amnesty group held earlier in the year. Olivia Farrington, the group’s Burma co-ordinator, organised the competition. The poems cover a broad range of topics and themes, from the Highland Clearances to modern day Baghdad, and from meditations on liberty to experiences of manning an Amnesty stall in the Bon Accord shopping centre.

Aberdeen Amnesty Chair Gail Riekie said:

“I am absolutely delighted with the way this project has turned out. Aberdeen’s poets have done us proud. The collection would make a beautiful and though provoking seasonal gift!”

Contact Aberdeen Amnesty International via our email aberdeengroup@amnesty.org.uk to order a copy of ‘Poetic Justice’.

See also the group’s website: www.aberdeen.amnesty.org.uk

Free Aberdeen Music Sampler Launched

 Aberdeen City, Articles, Community, Events, Featured, Gigs and Concerts, Information, News  No Responses »
Oct 112011
 

Hercules Moments launch a second free Aberdeen music sampler; Eoin Smith and Russell Thom tell Aberdeen Voice all about it.

herculescover

Two students from the North East of Scotland are set to release their second compilation of top Aberdeen music, free of charge.

Following the release of a similar compilation in 2010, Eoin Smith and Russell Thom, both 20, founders of music site Hercules Moments, are set to build upon their previous success with 12 brand new tracks from some of Aberdeen’s finest bands.

‘Hercules Moments: Vol. 2’, the ingeniously titled sampler, will be released as a free download on www.herculesmoments.co.uk  on the 28th of October, in a variety of formats.

To celebrate the release, Hercules Moments will be holding a launch party in Café Drummond, situated on Aberdeen’s Belmont Street,  on the 28th, which will feature three of the fantastic acts that  appear on the sampler: Katerwaul, Carson Wells and Mark Riley, frontman of Glassman, who will be performing a very special acoustic solo set.

Boasting a wealth of talent, the sampler includes established acts The Xcerts and The Little Kicks, alongside newer acts like Min Diesel, Foxhunting and Seas, Starry. The line-up is completed by local favourites The Deportees, The Shakedown Project, Turning 13 and Outbox.

“We were overwhelmed by the positive reaction we received  after last year’s sampler,”

 began Eoin, an English student at the University of Aberdeen,

 “so there was really no question as to whether we would release  a  second one. We have an even more diverse range of talent this year, and everyone involved is really very excited to get it out there for people to hear.”

Russell, an Engineering student at the University of Aberdeen, added:

 “It all sounds really fantastic this year. We were lucky to get award-winning local producer Iain Macpherson to look over the tracks, which has made the whole thing fit together really well. I am a big fan of a lot of his work – most recently Steven Milne’s solo album and The Deportees’ new  single – and I know he has loads of other exciting stuff coming up too.”

It was in March 2009 that then-school pupils Eoin and Russell launched Hercules Moments: a blog dedicated to writing about the music they loved to listen to. After two years of hard work, they have accomplished more than they ever dreamed of.  As Eoin elaborates:

“Since founding Hercules Moments, we have been able to work with some of the most exciting recording artists from across the globe, including Rufus Wainwright, Supertramp and Weezer, as well as a whole host of new and rising talent,”

  Russell concludes:

“In the past year we have been nominated for a variety of awards – both locally and nationally – and the website has grown to incorporate submissions from a variety of talented contributors. It’s nice to be recognised for the work we have put into the website and we are very proud of what we have achieved so far.”

“The sampler really is an awesome mix of tracks and best of all it’s free! If you ever wanted an introduction to a selection of the best music in Aberdeen, then this is your chance to hear it,”

Aberdeen Voice are grateful to Eoin and Russell for their story, and wish them all the very best of luck with all future projects.