Live Archives - Page 19 of 24

Drummonds Coup As Legends Tour UK

Jun 202014

US legends of the Psychedelic 60s and the 1967 Monterey International Pop Festival, with

Sam Andrew (Big Brother and the Holding Company)
David Bennett Cohen (Country Joe and the Fish)
Bruce Barthol (Country Joe and the Fish)
Greg Douglass (The Steve Miller Band, Hot Tuna)
Roy Blumenfeld (The Blues Project, Seatrain)
SPECIAL GUEST: Bex Marshall, as the voice of Janis Joplin

will be appearing at Cafe Drummond, Belmont Street, Aberdeen on Monday 23 June, one of only two Scottish dates for these giants of the California scene. Thanks to Jim Sandison and Bob Spence.

Giants of the California scene, San Fransisco Nights will be appearing at Cafe Drummond.

The San Francisco Nights 2014 UK tour coincides with the 47th anniversary of California’s Monterey International Pop Festival, the first ever widely-promoted and heavily-attended rock festival.

This tour features members of no fewer than four acts who appeared at Monterey, and who will be performing an exciting back catalogue of their classic songs, and more.

Sam Andrew (guitar/vocals) is a founder member of Big Brother and the Holding Company, the band that launched Janis Joplin to fame in the dance halls of San Francisco and on her Monterey performance. Sam is known for his stunning guitar work which helped define the ‘San Francisco sound’.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWqTRU1mA9E
www.bbhc.com

David Bennett Cohen (keyboards/vocals) was an original member of Country Joe and the Fish, legends of Monterey and Woodstock (“gimme an F…”). As well as being a stalwart keyboard player, David is an accomplished guitarist and has worked with, among others, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Miles, John Cipollina, Tim Hardin, Michael Bloomfield, The Blues Project and Mick Taylor.

youtube.com/watch?v=DPaE6MEPwCM

Greg Douglass (guitar/vocals) played with The Steve Miller Band from 1976-81 and is among the most respected of Bay Area pickers, earning kudos for his contributions to the music of Van Morrison, John Cipollina, Hot Tuna, Country Joe McDonald and well-known others.

youtube.com/watch?v=wmEq8oicKuc

Bruce Barthol (bass/vocals) was also an original in Country Joe and the Fish and Formerly Fat Harry. For over three decades he was the resident songwriter for the Tony Award-winning San Francisco Mime Troupe. He has performed or recorded with Pete Seeger, Ralph McTell and The Edgar Broughton Band.

Roy Bluementhal (drums/vocals) was the heartbeat of The Blues Project, from Greenwich Village, whose improvisational classical, blues and jazz output influenced countless others. He later founded Seatrain with Andy Kulberg. Among the soul, funk and blues luminaries Roy has backed are Chuck Berry, John Lee Hooker, Carlos Santana and Paul Butterfield.

David, Greg, Bruce and Roy have been recording and performing as The Former Members since 2011, and 2014 sees them undertaking their third tour.

www.theformermembers.com
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y5_Ylj1EmA
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMCrhj_DIrc

This time around, they are delighted to have Bex Marshall join them.

Bex is a highly-regarded, award-winning blues performer in her own right, and will open the show, before fronting The Former Members as the voice of Janis Joplin, a role to which she is ideally suited, her spectacular voice having been described as ‘a powerful melting point of old black woman’s heartache and rock diva soul’.

bexmarshall.co.uk
www.youtube.com/watch?v=DxZVA4uz-l4

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Thrash Metal At ‘Downstairs’ – A Review

Aberdeen City, Opinion No Responses »

Jun 132014

It was a night, generally, of brutal thrash at Aberdeen’s newest live music venue, Downstairs. Andrew Watson was there.

First up were Perth’s Blackened Ritual. They were a man down, so played as a four piece of drums, bass, guitar and vocals.
They combined thrash with a bit of groove, and if the guitar levels were a bit better the subtlety and technicality of the riffs would’ve been realised and more so appreciated.

The singer was enthusiastic and was able to laugh at himself. It’s nice to see people on the stage genuinely loving what they do.

Local act Drekavac were probably the most pounding and heavy band on the bill. It wasn’t just about loudness wars, either, with clean guitar atmospherics brooding throughout. This black metal four piece (again, drums, bass, guitar and vocals) put tremendous effort into stage props.

Goat skulls, face paint and black cloaks were all included onstage.

The main support act were Nolti Nan Gana Nan Nolta or NNGNN for short, of Edinburgh. In the build up to their set their drummer was clearly seen pacing the width of the stage floor, from end to end. He was so psyched it’s a wonder he wasn’t punching holes in the wall. His bandmate said the ritual helped him play drums better.

Anyway, the three piece consisted of said drummer, vocals/bass and guitar. These guys were intense and distorted blackened thrash.

Headlining were Croatia’s Evil Blood, who reside in Fife and are were made up of guitarist, vocalist/guitarist, bass and drums. They seemed to hark back, at least a little sometimes, to the times of classic metal with dungeons, dragons and ice maidens amongst the subject matter. There was no shame in the subject matter, which in itself is a positive.

All round a colourful night of headbanging, windmilling, devil horns held aloft and swilling of beer.

Musings Of A Music Photographer No. 13

Aberdeen City, Featured, Opinion 2 Responses »

Jun 132014

Julie Thompson continues her series on photographing bands in and around Aberdeen and the Shire taking in local and touring bands – far too many to list here – and concludes her chat to local music photographer Dod Morrison.

The Sex Pistols Experience – Credit: Julie Thompson

So, it’s been a while. I’ve been keeping busy and with the festival season on the way, I kicked it off by visiting Inverness for Brew at the Bog.

This was a fun day with many great acts, including local band, The Little Kicks, who played the main stage early in the afternoon before having to dash off on a train southbound. You can see my review of it here.

Another thing I’ve been doing was to join forces with Still Burning, of Flares n Seagulls and to try and get into writing reviews a bit more.

This has been hard work and has not left a lot of time for much else – but I’m hoping that will calm down a bit once we have proper workflows in place.

So, gig-wise, what’s been on my radar since my last musings?

Going back to April there was the much better than I’d expected The Sex Pistols Experience on the newly expanded stage at The Moorings Bar, a very lively Pulled Apart by Horses at The Tunnels, and the fantastic The Temperance Movement at The Lemon Tree – a gig I’d been impatiently waiting for.

A review of The Temperance Movement by Suzanne Kelly is here. My review of that is on Flares n Seagulls.

Kicking off May was the bouncy rapper, Stanley Odd at The Tunnels and the ever-popular UK Subs playing a sold out show The Moorings Bar – a busy 3 days was topped off by The Brew at the Bog festival, where Stanley Odd and Admiral Fallow headlined.

The Media Whores played The Moorings bar the following weekend, and mid-May brought the Mickey 9’s to The Moorings Bar.

A week later the American foursome The Octopus Project played The Tunnels – a tricky low lighting gig with a very colourful backdrop and very catchy music.

Most recently, I had a trip down to Dundee to catch Peace at Fat Sams.

That was a good gig with a very bouncy crowd.

Just around the corner from Fat Sams is Buskers, another music venue. Playing there were Fat Goth, who were launching their new album.

Just in that small area of Dundee I could hear live music coming from multiple buildings – I was really surprised by the amount. Dundee is not so far away for this sort of night out – we drove down leaving Aberdeen around 4pm, went to 2 gigs, had some takeout food then drove home, arriving around 12:30.

Dod Morrison has also been keeping busy, with The Rebellion punk festival and recent trip to America.

I asked him what he is most proud of in his music photography career so far:

“I’m proud of my Scottish music photo of 2013 winning pic http://thepopcop.co.uk/2014/02/the-best-scottish-music-photographs-of-2013/ . But have quite a few that I like but the Rebellion punk Festival mini magazine probably pips all the rest.”

Festivals – yeah or nay? Any favourites?

“Fooking yah, Rebellion festival without a shadow of a doubt the best festival anywhere in the world.. Where I do both sides I take photos and run the photo side of and get all the requests for passes, so I know how some PRs do feel. And Glastonbury too… Great festival.”

Finally, any tips for those just starting out?

“Not to compare to other Photographers , we all have different styles… and that when you apply for photo pass it really is only for the main band and does not include the supports, this has luckily only happened to me a couple of times once at the SECC Glasgow and most recently at the Music Hall Aberdeen. Also if you want to watch the bands you also should purchase a ticket- in some cities you will be asked to leave and not see the show if you don’t have a ticket.”

Thanks Dod!

The Manic Shine played The Moorings Bar on the 6th June. I first came across this band at the Fat Hippy studios last year.

I was suitable impressed – so much so, I went home and bought their first album. They crowd funded their second album, which you can listen to in full on their website here.

Mid June takes me to Northallerton in Yorkshire for 4 days of festival fun at Willowman Festival where I’ll be shooting for Flares n Seagulls. Headliners are The Wailers and Craig Charles.

The Blockheads and Ruts DC are also playing, along with many other tasty treats.

Pretty sure I’ll be knackered after this and tied to my PC for a very long time processing photos – but it will be worth it.

It is inevitable that these musing will come to an end, certainly in their current form – after a very intensive ‘apprenticeship’ and with my experiences levelling off in the main, anything new I have to tell is limited.

Rather than repeating myself, ad nauseum, I am debating either ending the series or changing their nature to a roundup (maybe monthly) of live music in and around Aberdeen and the Shire.

What has been and how it was and what is to come.

Some things I mention may be even further afield, like the festival on my to-do list for June.

For the live music scene to continue and grow it needs people to attend.

Maybe I can help a little by informing people what’s on out there. Anyway, comments are enabled – let me know what you think.

Confessions Of A Scottish Rocker

Articles, Opinion 1 Response »

Jun 102014

Too old to rock and roll – too young to crochet. Alex Pithie shares his experiences as a seasoned, working musician.

All those years ago on the frosty and otherwise barren rock they call the United Kingdom, when I first picked up a guitar and eventually started making vaguely bluesy noises like Peter Green, Keef and Eric and Jimi, I was stoked enough to go out and bankrupt myself buying a ’69 Fender Stratocaster – a white one just like Jimi’s, but right-handed.

Call it naivety but it never occurred to me that I was doing anything that might make me a fortune or a star one day.

I was getting more than enough buzz off the HH amp, my cool Fender axe, fierce pedals and small town adulation to think seriously about actually making a living doing this. I spent most of my time worrying how I was going to pay for all that ‘hip’ gear.

I eventually spent years as a ‘rock star’ on the road in the UK, and after my last original band – ‘RUDE’ – finally broke up, I got a Marshall 4×12 speaker top cabinet, and a Shure 57 microphone in compensation for my troubles as lead guitarist for more than 300 gigs.

The cash from the 300 or so gigs we did had gone to pay for roadies, strings, petrol, replacement Ford Transit vans, Ford transmissions, food, lodgings and bail.

In them days, anyone in Scotland with an inkling to go the whole hog and try the superstar rat race had to go south to London where the showcase gigs, the record labels and the music press lived. But parochial hicks from the sticks like us were way too modest and humble to embarrass ourselves, and only a few ever made it down there, their ambition and talent overtaking their modesty.

And a few even made it. Well Annie Lennox did OK.

But when you’re a gigging musician even though you know there’s a bigger picture, more money, fame and fortune, record deals, the whole nine yards, when you are in love with music and the gig, the lifestyle, it’s really secondary that success may or may not await you.

Realism prevails, and a lifetime just playing well, practicing, surviving and hoping for the big break, any break, are part and parcel of being where you love to be best – on the road playing.

Sure, you write songs. You demo them. You even do the label tour hawking your songs. But if that fails, you know that you’ve got enough gigs ahead to pay for that sexy guitar you’re eyeing up! Or the new baby! (Or new hairstyle if you’re a drummer!)

you leave your nerves behind you the minute you cross that line on to the stage

Good musos do it all day-to-day, day after day and maybe make a living. The better ones plot for the big time minute by minute, and generally go for it, ending up at least on some Caribbean cruise ship ‘reading’ standards night after night for three months at a time. It’s kinda big time.

Or land a gig as a sideman with a star (Aberdeen’s Dave Flett and Manfred Mann’s Earth Band/Thin Lizzy) or write that hit song that puts them on the map, however briefly (Aberdonians, The Shamen).

But if you ever get on stage and the band really nails it and you play that cover or that groove right on the money, there ain’t no better feeling.

Fact is, you leave your nerves behind you the minute you cross that line on to the stage and into the world of show business where nothing is more important than playing to the best of your ability to entertain the crowds.

After a pint or three of course.

You can impress them too with your skills or chops, but first and foremost – entertain them. You know you are working well when they tap their feet, dance, smile, sing along, cheer and applaud. The applause – what my friend Michael Joseph Kenny calls “spray” – is the most precious commodity in show business after talent (or a drummer who lives in the pocket).

And if the band is not smiling as they play, the spray when they stop will always do the trick – the exceptions being the drummer having a bad hair day or if the singer is pissed that he spilled beer on his new velvet trousers!

Rock on Grandad!

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Tickle All The Senses At Travelling Jazz Supper Club

Articles, Featured, Information No Responses »

Jun 102014

With thanks to Cindy Douglas.

This season people get the opportunity to treat taste buds, ears and eyes at a
unique cultural event organised by one of the UK’s brightest emerging jazz singing talents.

Following its successful launch at the end of 2013, Scottish jazz singer Cindy Douglas’ venture Eat to the Beat has now hit the road, with dates being planned for all around Scotland, kicking off on the 14th of June in the village of Banchory, Aberdeenshire.

Cindy says about the event:

“Jazz is normally an event either performed in a traditional setting like a concert hall or relegated as background music in a bar. I came up with the idea to create ‘pop up jazz supper clubs’ after enjoying the experience of larger city jazz clubs where people can enjoy dinner and jazz at the same time, in intimate surroundings with great atmosphere.”

The first stop on her new Eat to the Beat tour is The Guide Hut in Banchory, on Saturday the 14th of June. Then Birnam Arts Centre in Dunkeld

on the 21st of June. Both of which will be transformed into a sophisticated jazz club and restaurant for that night only. To add to the entertainment mix, both venues also include art exhibitions, which will be open for viewing to supper club attendants on the night; Beatrix Botanist at Birnam Arts Centre and Mel Shand’s ‘A Portrait of the River’ at Banchory.

Cindy took her inspiration for the event from more cosmopolitan venues where similar events take place.

“I think of Ronnie Scott’s in London and The Blue Note and The Village Vanguard in New York. These are places where food is part of the experience that turns going out for dinner into a full night out. The village halls and café’s my event takes place at in Scotland, may be miles away from these venues in every sense but I think we can give people in these communities a great opportunity to socialise and make their night out one to remember for all the right reasons.”

Cindy Douglas, who is based in Aberdeenshire, gigs regularly in Scotland and has developed a broad repertoire that ranges from swing to post-bop and encompasses everything in between. She has studied with some of the world’s leading jazz vocal educators, including Mark Murphy, Sheila Jordan, Jay Clayton, Anita Wardell, and Liane Carroll and her singing style has been described as exuberant, mesmerising and versatile.

In 2012, Cindy released her first album, My New Jive, which was recorded in London with pianist Tim Richard’s trio to critical acclaim.

She will also be playing at this year’s Edinburgh Jazz Festival. Debuting her new show ‘Lady Day and The Prez’, paying tribute to the enduring musical legacy of Billie Holiday and Lester Young.

“Singer led jazz with a smile on it’s face.” – The Musician

“The extremely talented vocalist sings with all her heart and soul and her glamorous voice reflects that.” – Jazz Beat, Voice of America

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City Bookshop To Host Unique Event – Tues 3 June

Aberdeen City, Information No Responses »

Jun 012014

The Bookshop Band were formed in their local bookshop – Mr Bs Emporium of Reading Delights, Bath.

With thanks to Eoin Smith.

An evening of literary entertainment is set to take place in a popular Aberdeen bookshop on June 3, blending writing with world-class music and magic.
Bath musicians The Bookshop Band will headline the event at Waterstones on Union Bridge, which will also feature a reading from acclaimed author Alan Spence and a performance by local magician Eoin Smith.

Playing original songs inspired by the books they have read, The Bookshop Band play their unique brand of acoustic folk in bookshops around the UK and internationally.

Formed in their local bookshop – Mr Bs Emporium of Reading Delights – their repertoire now includes almost 100 songs inspired by an incredibly diverse range of books – from Booker Prize nominee Ruth Ozeki to Ian Rankin’s Rebus.

Alan Spence, whose latest novel Night Boat was published in 2013, has strong ties with Aberdeen as Professor in Creative Writing at the University of Aberdeen. Also a prolific writer of poetry and short stories, he has become one of Scotland’s most respected writers since the publication of his first collection, Its Colours They Are Fine, in 1977.

Over the past three years, magician Eoin Smith has become a regular face at variety and comedy nights in and around Aberdeen. Blending humour with jaw-dropping illusions, he is guaranteed to leave the audience spellbound and will also compere the show.

Eoin said:

“I studied English Literature at university, so performing at an event like this is a dream come true. I have a lot of time and respect for The Bookshop Band and Alan Spence, so to be appearing alongside them is sure to be a fantastic experience.

“I hope book lovers around Aberdeen jump on the opportunity to attend such an unusual show, and hope that music and magic fans will also come down to check out what promises to be a really unique evening.”

For more information, please visit www.facebook.com/autorockaberdeen

The Bookshop Band | Alan Spence | Eoin Smith
Waterstones, Union Bridge, Aberdeen
Tues 3 June 2014
Doors open 7pm

Tickets £8 – available in store and at www.wegottickets.com/autorock

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The Phantom Band, Adam Stafford, Interesting Music

Aberdeen City, Gigs and Concerts No Responses »

May 302014

Interesting music promotions present The Phantom Band and Adam Stafford at The Tunnels on Friday 6 June 2014

Even the most adventurous alchemists return to their favoured base elements in the pursuit of maximum potency.

So it was that The Phantom Band – those wilfully mercurial outriders – reached album number three seeking a return to the first principles of performance that brought them together to begin with.

Strange Friend (due for release on 2nd June) was, in vocalist Rick Anthony’s words, borne out of:

“a desire to try and get back to that feeling of it just being a bunch of us in a room playing music together.”

It’s an attempt to capture the six of them live; raw, rugged, perhaps looser, but still fit to burst with earworms and oddities from every nook and cranny.

Strange Friend doesn’t have one firm concept at its root but several, infused with multiple meanings it reflects the constant percolation of voices within the Scottish six-piece, all jostling for their say.

Says Anthony of the album’s title:

“It can indirectly refer to a lot of different things,

“Living in a world that’s increasingly hyper-connected through the internet yet increasingly disconnected in terms of actual real human relationships. It could also refer to the band and our relationships to each other; our individual relationship to the band as a thing; our relationship to this particular album. It’s like a strange friend that we can’t quite shake. Or our relationship to music as a whole.”

Yet musically Strange Friend is perhaps the most straight-up set of recordings the band have put to wax.

Fans of their previous critically-acclaimed albums, fear not; those burbling, fluttering electronics that drag their sound through a wormhole and out into the 70’s alongside the soundtracks of John Carpenter and the kosmische of Kraftwerk and Neu! remain; the elements of folk; the woozy organ sounds.

The difference is now it feels as though an imaginary thread’s been pulled tight through it all; The Phantom Band were always a rock band that enjoyed pushing the pre-conceptions of what that could mean – never the other way round. Strange Friend, take the driving opening track and first single, ‘The Wind That Cried The World’.

Singer, Rick Redbeard commented:

“The verses have a kind of nursery rhyme musical naivety and we wanted the choruses to just sort of blast in. The lyrics were kind of stream of consciousness that alludes somewhat to the inherent meaninglessness and randomness of artistic creation. The whole track acts as a nice opener and first single; a sort of a statement of intent after being away for so long.”

It’s been three and a half years since anyone heard anything from The Phantom Band, something that they disregard as a notable time away.

“We’ve always moved at our own glacial pace,” says guitarist Duncan Marquiss.

Yet, with due respect to the group, their absence has been long enough to have been felt; their time taken in getting the record together was down partly to the inevitabilities of outside lives, partly due to a change of drummer – with Iain Stewart now behind the kit – and partly because of the fiercely democratic ethos the band has maintained since its beginning.

Strange Friend, like their previous outings, is the sound of six clearly distinct personalities attempting to inflict their will on the rest of the group – it’s no surprise the phrase ‘love/hate’ is brought up repeatedly by all its members in an attempt to describe their relationship with the band as an entity – but it’s that fission between each other’s contributions that provides the intangible individuality of their music.

“Like all true utopias it can feel impossible to maintain,” admits Marquiss.

“But we’d have fallen apart long ago if any one band member took the reins, and that friction between people throws up music that no single person in the band would have imagined otherwise. I still hope our utopia will turn into whisky fountains and flying sandwiches.”

It’s something that you can’t help but feel would be fully deserved for these most strange but wonderful returning friends.

Adam Stafford is a musician and filmmaker from Falkirk, Central Scotland. Now based in Glasgow he is the founder of Wise Blood Industries and was the singer and songwriter in the group Y’all is Fantasy Island (active between 05-11).

In November 2010 he recorded the solo LP Build a Harbour Immediately which was co-produced by Paul Savage (Mogwai/ex-Delgados) in Chem 19 Studios. It was released on Wise Blood in August 2011 to critical acclaim and featured on many End-of-Year lists in the music blogging community (read them HERE).

Recently he has been concentrating on live solo work and films. He has won seven international awards for his short documentary The Shutdown, made in collaboration with novelist Alan Bissett, directed a music video for The Twilight Sad’s single Seven Years of Letters (winner of Best Video at the New Scottish Music Awards 2011).

He recently completed a 2nd short film No Hope For Men Below (2012), a poetic dramatisation of The Redding Pit Disaster in Falkirk 1923.

In July 2013 Stafford issued the follow-up to Harbour, titled Imaginary Walls Collapse via Edinburgh label Song, by Toad and Canadian imprint Kingfisher Bluez to unanimously positive reviews.

In April 2014, Imaginary Walls Collapse was long-listed for The Scottish Album of the Year Award.

The Phantom Band + Adam Stafford

Friday 6 June 2014
The Tunnels (Room 1),
Carnegies Brae,
Aberdeen AB10 1BF.Phone (01224) 211121

Doors 8.00pm
Tickets £9+bf in adv / £11 on door
Available from http://www.wegottickets.com/event/268191

Limited amount will be available (no booking fee for cash sales) from iiMusic, The Academy, Belmont St.

http://www.facebook.com/interestingmusicpromotions
http://www.twitter.com/IMP_aberdeen

John Hinshelwood: Cromar Folk Club – Fri 30th May

Information No Responses »

May 302014

With thanks to Shona Anderson.

Performing at Cromar Folk Club on Friday 30th May is singer/songwriter John Hinshelwood.

Cromar Folk Club, which is held in Tarland Primary School Hall has welcomed many of Scotland’s foremost musicians and singers over the last few years and we are very pleased that John is making the trip from Glasgow to perform for us.

Over the last three decades John’s finely crafted, country tinged songs have firmly established his reputation as a writer and performer of distinction.

He has performed and recorded with, among others, ex Byrds Gene Parsons, and legendary Scottish songwriter Rab Noakes, and shared a stage with many distinguished artistes including Roger McGuinn, Tim O’Brien, Darrell Scott, and Kate Campbell.

His live appearances have included Celtic Connections,The Highland Festival, Wembley Country Festival, Perth’s Southern Fried Festival, and Summertyne Festival in Newcastle, in addition to Arts Centres, Folk Clubs and many other venues across the folk/country/Americana music scene.

His two CDs ‘Holler til Dawn’(2002), and ‘Shattered Pleasures’(2009) , the latter a collaboration with Canadian singer Sandra Gellatly, both received widespread critical acclaim, and a new recording ‘Lowering The Tone’ was released in March 2014.

John also fronts the six piece country/rock band The City Sinners with American singer/songwriter Kathy Stewart, and has organised and curated several Gram Parsons tribute events.

John Hinshelwood appears at Cromar Folk Club on 30th May at 8pm. Cromar Folk Club meets in the school hall at Tarland Primary School. Tickets are £7.00 on the door and all singers, musicians, storytellers and listeners are very welcome. There will be a raffle and any donations will be gratefully received.

Brew At The Bog

Articles, Featured, Opinion No Responses »

May 162014

Three years ago, a new one-day music festival began, managed by Northern Roots Events, up near Inverness and hosted at Bogbain Farm. Sponsored by Brewdog, Brew at the Bog took shape.

Brew at the Bog ( http://www.brewatthebog.com ) is a festival which was created to showcase emerging Scottish music. Local craft beer and gin are also part of the attraction. This year it was a sell-out, and Julie Thompson went up there to see what the fuss was about.

Comprising four stages, the venue was compact and easy to navigate.

The Main Stage was obvious with its large arched frontage.

The other stages were smaller: the Barn stage is inside one of the stone buildings surrounding the Main Stage area.

The Gin Stage was accessed through the Barn Stage and became almost impassable when an act was performing in the Barn. Luckily there were only a few acts on in the Gin Stage, mostly in the afternoon. The Pond Stage was around the back of the buildings.

Food was varied; there was the inevitable burger van, with pretty good burgers in fact, but there were also tents providing more varied street food.

There was an ice-cream seller too, who proved popular as the day was quite warm and sunny until late afternoon.

Headliners on the Main Stage were Admiral Fallow and Stanley Odd, but to be honest, the whole day on the Main Stage was pretty strong, from the very entertaining Shiverin’ Sheiks, perfect for a lazy afternoon sitting drinking beer, through to Kid Canaveral, who had the place singing along and dancing.

I came across a few new (to me) acts that I will make a point of catching again in the future.

King Creosote kicked off the day on the Barn Stage, which was crammed. Along with their set, they showcased a new archive footage film which was shown on a large screen behind them.

Later on in the afternoon, Fatherson turned out to be the secret act that had been widely discussed.

Roddy Woomble, originally planned for the Main Stage, but swapped with Friends in America, played on the Pond Stage. Jo Mango stoically played though dripping water as the stage was leaking badly by this point, and Miaoux Miaoux closed the day.

Sadly, with events on the Main Stage and the Pond Stage clashing, and the Barn Stage being impossible to get into if you were not there as soon as the last act ended, I was a bit limited in what I could catch. I did manage to see all the Main Stage acts, as well as King Creosote and some of the Pond Stage acts; and I had an excellent, if very long and tiring day.

It’s very easy to get to Brewbog and it can be managed as a day trip, although some people did camp on the small camping area adjacent to the car park.

Both these areas are, at most, a five minute walk from the entrance to the venue, which is wheelchair-friendly.

The portable toilets were restocked through the day and were remarkably clean, for a festival, from what I saw.

There was also a portable loo with wheelchair access.

I chose to start early and drove up from Aberdeen. Gates opened at 11:45 a.m. and the last Main Stage act was playing when I reluctantly left at around 11:30 p.m.

I left, well-fed and very happy, and looking forward to seeing what they have to show me next year.

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Christine Tobin To Play Blue Lamp, May 22

Aberdeen City, Featured, Gigs and Concerts No Responses »

May 012014

Singer Christine Tobin, who appears at The Blue Lamp on May 22, might be crowned Vocalist of the Year by order of Parliament by the time she arrives in Gallowgate, says promoter Rob Adams.

Christine Tobin appears at The Blue Lamp on May 22

Dublin-born Tobin, who studied at the Guildhall School of Music, has just been shortlisted for the title, along with recent Aberdeen Jazz Festival star Zara MacFarlane and two other singers, in the Parliamentary Jazz Awards, the UK’s most prestigious recognition for jazz musicians, educators, media workers and organisations.

Nomination is open to the public but the final decisions are made by the All Party Parliamentary Jazz Appreciation Group, whose members represent both Commons and Lords and work to raise the profile of UK jazz.

The results will be announced on May 13 in a ceremony on the Commons’ Terrace Pavilion and having come close to awards for Best Musician and Best Album in previous years, Tobin, 51, is hoping that this will be third time lucky.

“It’s always nice to get recognition for your work,”

says Tobin, who won Best Vocalist at the 2008 BBC Jazz Awards and a British Composer Award for her 2012 album Sailing to Byzantium. She also won a Herald Angel at the Edinburgh Fringe last August for the show that she’s bringing to Aberdeen, A Thousand Kisses Deep, her salute to singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen.

She will be accompanied by guitarist Phil Robson, who has worked with Barbra Streisand, and double bassist Dave Whitford

A Thousand Kisses Deep is also the title of Tobin’s latest Proper Note album, launched at a sold-out concert at Ronnie Scott’s in March. It comes just in time to mark Leonard Cohen’s 80th birthday year.

“I’ve been a fan of his since I was ten,” says Tobin.

“My sister had the Fill Your Head with Rock album, a diverse compilation of early 1970s music. Leonard Cohen’s ‘You Know Who I Am’ was on it and I loved it. Forty years later I still love it and I’m really looking forward to singing it at The Blue Lamp because it’s such a great, warmly-intimate venue.”

Thu May 22: Blue Lamp, 121 Gallowgate, Aberdeen 8pm 01224 641122 www.jazzatthebluelamp.com

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