Review Archives - Page 18 of 24

Fergie Rises: David Innes Reviews

Articles, Featured, Opinion No Responses »

Aug 152014

By David Innes.

I feel sorry for Aberdeen’s intensely loyal and still proud younger generation of fans. In the same way as I would listen in awe to older relatives recount the 1947 Cup triumph and the 1955 title win, these young people can now only gain an insight to the triumphs of 35 years ago through dewy-eyed reminiscences of washed-up, ageing curmudgeons like me.

To them, and to those of us who were there, Fergie Rises may be almost biblical, as it tracks the UK’s most successful-ever manager’s genesis as he turned the Scottish and European game on its head during eight riotously-successful and controversy-packed years.

Wordsworth was probably a Barrow or Workington fan, but he predicted the 1980s for Dons fans, ‘Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive, But to be young was very heaven.’

Michael Grant, Chief Football Writer at The Herald, has, for once, put aside his neutrality and written directly from his red heart about the most exciting time of our fitba lives.

Like his BBC colleague, Richard Gordon, Grant, on air, does not hide his allegiance, and whilst others purport to be fans of Partick Thistle or Dumbarton or St Mirren whilst toeing the media party line, the pair take the jibes in their stride and remain coolly professional, honest and unbiased. Fergie Rises has allowed this Highland loon the opportunity to cast aside neutrality and produce a labour of love.

The outline tale is familiar and bears no re-hashing here, but the author, as much out of interest as research, one imagines, has added significantly to the known narrative by interviewing those involved and several opponents of the era. With the benefit of elapsed time, the insights are fresh and new and the through-gritted-teeth admiration expressed by then bitter adversaries add a new dimension.

We weren’t popular, having shattered the incestuous and expected duopoly of you-know-who, but where there was bitterness, there is now an appreciation of Sir Alex’s single-mindedness in making Aberdeen the force that everyone feared, Scotland’s most successful-ever European representatives.

But above all that, it is Grant’s own passion that permeates and defines Fergie Rises and makes it the book that all of us would have loved to have written. Chapter titles like, ‘Be arrogant, get at their bloody throats’, ‘Ipswich fall to the Jock Bastards’ and ‘This season’s target is two trophies…minimum’ give a flavour of the content and the author’s personal buy-in.

Fergie Rises can rightfully take up position on your shelves next to your Leatherdale, Rickaby, Gordon and Webster tomes as an indispensible chronicle of the defining common sporting cause of NE Scotland.

Michael Grant will be signing copies of Fergie Rises at Waterstones, Union Street, Aberdeen on the evening of 27 August. We’re hoping to arrange an interview with him too

FERGIE RISES
Michael Grant
Aurum Press
ISBN 978 1 78131 093 9
319pp

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[Aberdeen Voice accepts and welcomes contributions from all sides/angles pertaining to any issue. Views and opinions expressed in any article are entirely those of the writer/contributor, and inclusion in our publication does not constitute support or endorsement of these by Aberdeen Voice as an organisation or any of its team members.]

Duthie Park Hosts La Boheme

Aberdeen City, Articles, Featured No Responses »

Jul 182014

Over five thousand Aberdonians packed the city’s Duthie Park for a free screening of The Royal Opera’s production of Puccini’s opera La Bohème last Tuesday evening. By Duncan Harley.

Sponsored via a partnership between The Royal Opera House, BP Big Screen and eighteen other UK councils, Aberdeen was fortunate indeed to have been chosen as the sole Scottish venue for the event, which involved simultaneous screenings of a live performance at the Royal Opera House in Westminster’s Covent Garden.

With ticket prices at the London venue averaging around £140 per head, the ‘bring your own seat’, free outdoor event proved to be a resounding success, both entertainment- and weather-wise.

A timeless, potent and heartbreaking tale, Puccini’s La Bohème was first performed in Turin in 1896, just thirteen years after the 44-acre Duthie Park was laid out.

Based on a collection of vignettes penned by Henri Murger and depicting Bohemian life in the Latin Quarter of mid-19th Century Paris, the storyline describes the love and lives of the main characters, Mimi and Rodolfo.

Although performed by The Royal Opera Company as far back as 1897, this week’s production dates from 1974 and has John Copley directing, with Cornelius Meister conducting. The role of the poet Rodolfo was performed by Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo with Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu as the doomed seamstress Mimi.

Sadly, Aberdeen will not be hosting the September offering from the BP Big Screen, and so those wishing to enjoy Verdi’s Rigoletto on September 17th will need to nip over the border to the likes of Plymouth or Bristol, before speeding back the next day in good time to cast their vote in the referendum.

As an alternative, Scottish Opera will be touring with Rossini’s comedy La Cenerentola at the end of the year, with live performances in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and at His Majesty’s Theatre in Aberdeen.

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Kerry Hudson’s Thirst Reviewed

Articles, Featured, Opinion No Responses »

Jul 112014

By David Innes.

When Aberdonian Kerry Hudson’s debut novel Tony Hogan Bought Me An Ice Cream Float Before He Stole My Ma was reviewed in Voice about two years ago, I opined that it would be good to get an update on how Janie Ryan, that book’s central character, was getting on.

Resisting that reviewer plea, the author has turned her energies and talents to exploring a relationship born in unconventional circumstances, fulfilling the diverse but increasingly-convergent needs of a trafficked Siberian girl and a London security guard, both of whom have backstories of hurt and confusion.

The structure of Thirst sees the present-time gradual development of the pair’s relationship, a slow-burning one-step-forward-two-steps-back series of small joys and setbacks, juxtaposed with the history of horror, sleaze, cruelty and broken ambition experienced by both en route to personal fulfilment and Hackney.

You’ll care as much about these misfits as readers did about Janie Ryan, celebrating their simple joys and cursing the undeserved blows and external obstacles put in the way of their happiness. And it’s not only the main characters who are well-drawn and credible.

The immoral traffickers, Dave’s ill-starred mother, the party girl Shelley, the cabal of gossiping harpie-lites at the shop where the pair meet in unusual circumstances are all recognisable, if slightly caricatured, and add depth and colour as Dave and Alena circle each other warily and the denouement is played out.

Kerry Hudson has considerable dramatic abilities too, able to imagine the loneliness, terror and confusion of immigrants trafficked to London on false promises, the grime and filth the homeless have to endure, the oozing onion odour of the kebab shop downstairs, the sensory experiences of deliberately-inflicted bodily pain and the secure warmth and comfort of a cuddle with a loved one, no matter how fleeting or temporary.

Leaving the pair in Alena’s run-down Siberian hometown, Thirst ends on a hopeful note, and as with the author’s debut novel, it would be nice to know how they’re faring, if at all. On the other hand, perhaps the skill of the writer is to leave readers with enough information to imagine the outcome and future for themselves, and Kerry Hudson is proving to be a developing master of this art.

http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/editions/thirst/9780701188689
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4444090.Kerry_Hudson

Kerry Hudson – Thirst
Chatto & Windus
328 pp
ISBN 978-0-701-18868-9
£12.99

Shire Council Oppose Community Councils New Powers

Aberdeenshire, News 2 Responses »

Jun 242014

With thanks to Martin Ford.

Aberdeenshire Council has been urged to offer community councils the option of taking over some local decisions and budget from the
local authority as part of a review of Aberdeenshire’s Community Council Scheme of Establishment.

The review process, which the Council has a duty to undertake from time to time, was discussed at the Aberdeenshire full council meeting (Thursday, 19 June).

Proposing the motion to offer community councils the option of additional say over local decisions, Green councillor Martin Ford said:

“Community Councils are very important as the most local level of representation. We should see the review of the Scheme of Establishment as an opportunity for community empowerment, giving community councils the choice of taking over some local decisions from the Council.”

Councillor Ford’s motion was seconded by Democratic Independent councillor Paul Johnston. The recommendation from officers was that the Council approve the timetable and consultation arrangements for reviewing Aberdeenshire’s Community Council Scheme of Establishment.

The motion from Cllr Ford was to add to the officers’ recommendation the words:

‘the revised Scheme to offer community councils devolved budget and decision making from the Council subject to appropriate governance safeguards and community councils opting for the additional responsibilities.’

Cllr Ford said:

“The aim here, as set out in the motion, is to give community councils a choice of more say on local matters in their area. Those community councils that wanted to take over some decision making from the Council would then be able to do so.

“The Council has passed budget and decision making to all sorts of partnerships and other bodies. So there is no problem in principle with extending that to community councils.

“Some community councils I am sure would be very interested in thepossibility of gaining more say over local decisions. The prospect of some devolved decision making from the Council might also increase the number of people wanting to become community councillors.”

Councillor Ford’s motion was opposed by the Council’s Conservative/Liberal Democrat/Labour/independent coalition

administration and the SNP. Cllr Paul Johnston said:

“The Council’s administration and the SNP are ignoring the need to follow the conclusions of the Scottish Government’s working group on community councils. The motion was a statement of trust, support and confidence in community councils, indicating the Council’s wish to strengthen its relationship with them and empower local communities. There was no good argument for voting it down.”

Nearly all the administration and SNP councillors voted against Cllr Ford’s motion. The motion was supported by Green and other independent councillors. See record of votes.

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Peterhead Porridge Reviewed

Articles, Opinion 1 Response »

Jun 162014

Described as ‘Ronnie Barker’s Porridge meets Gene Wilder’s Stir Crazy’, former inmate James Crosbie relates a number of tales of what went on behind the walls of that grim granite fortress once the doors had clanged shut. David Innes reviews.

It’s quite apposite that it’s been published now, with, in recent weeks, the replacement prison in the Blue Toon having had its first riot.

Despite the new prison’s much-acclaimed state-of-the-art facilities, beyond the dreams of the old jail’s cons who populate Crosbie’s book, incarceration and loss of freedom must still be the frustrations that fuel the fire of insurrection.

Peterhead Porridge in many ways lifts the lid on the coping strategies developed by prisoners for whom release seems a far-off fantasy and whose biggest enemies are boredom and apathy.

Content to keep his head down and do his time with little fuss and only occasional ducking and diving, Crosbie cannot hide his admiration for those who use humour, very often of the cruellest kind, to relieve the drudgery and make even just a few minutes less mind-numbing.

So, we’re treated to a litany of background anecdotes on nicknames for fellow cons and their enemies the screws, and a succession of accounts of practical jokes, pranks and little victories against the system, all ways of beating the tedium.

In the hyper-macho world behind bars, one-upmanship is all. To lose face is to invite ridicule and among the best parts of Peterhead Porridge are the droll and amusing accounts of circumstances in which the thinkers hold sway over the boastful and aggressive.

There is cruelty too, but Crosbie has left out anything too harrowing as he learns to cope with his loss of freedom, even becoming a regular petitioner for the rights of his peers.

Even if some of the tales fall into the “you had to be there” (er, no thanks) category, there are belly-laugh moments throughout. The key to survival, in the absence of the key to the front door, seems to be to ensure that no weakness is displayed. The lag who let slip his fear of Peterhead’s fearsome seagulls is a hilarious example of the consequences and the recurring theme of a worthwhile series of tales.

Peterhead Porridge by James Crosbie
Black & White Publishing
£7.99

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Vote 1 – Review of Community Councils Scheme

Aberdeenshire No Responses »

Jun 102014

FULL COUNCIL MEETING – 19 JUNE, 2014

Vote 1 – Review of Community Councils Scheme

Councillor Ford, seconded by Councillor Johnston, moved approval of the arrangements for a review of the Scheme for Community Councils, the revised scheme to offer Community Councils devolved budget and decision making from the Council, subject to appropriate governance safeguards and Community Councils opting for the additional responsibilities.

Councillor K L Clark, seconded by Councillor Kitts-Hayes, moved approval of the arrangements for a review of the Scheme for Community Councils as set out in the report.

The members of the Council voted:-

for the motion (3) Councillors Ford, Johnston and D Stewart.

for the amendment (59) Councillors Agnew, Aitchison, A J Allan, Argyle, Bellarby, Bews, Blackett, A Buchan, C Buchan, Carr, Chapman, Christie, G Clark, K Clark, L Clark, Cowling, Cox, Cullinane, Davidson, Dick, J Duncan, S Duncan, Evison, Farquhar, Findlater, Gardiner, Grant, Gray, Hendry, Hood, Howatson, Ingleby, Ingram, Kitts-Hayes, Latham, Lonchay, McKail, McRae, Merson, Mollison, Nelson, Norrie, Oddie, Owen, Partridge, Pirie, Pratt, Robertson, Ross, Roy, Shand, N Smith, S Smith, Strathdee, B Stuart, Tait, Thomson, Vernal and Webster.

declined to vote (2) Councillors Topping and Walker.

The Temperance Movement Sweeps Through Aberdeen

Aberdeen City, Featured, Opinion 2 Responses »

May 012014

More than half the people in Aberdeen over a certain age seem to claim they were at the Music Hall when Led Zeppelin played. That night went down in local musical history; those who were actually there still enthuse about it. The Temperance Movement’s night at the Lemon Tree on Saturday 26 April will be remembered as likewise legendary in the years to come. Suzanne Kelly reports; photographs by Julie Thomson.

The Temperance Movement. Phil, Damon, Luke – Credit: Julie Thompson.

New bands are (finally) arising from the ashes. Sliding ratings signal the decline of the anodyne TV talent show and prefabricated boy/girl bands whose members don’t have a clue as to how to play, let alone write (but who have great skin and haircuts).

Of the new, great acts coming over the horizon, The Temperance Movement must be the most promising, accessible and talented.

A sold out Lemon Tree witnessed one of the most inspired and inspiring acts that venue is going to see. Ever. Am I overstating the case? Not even slightly.*

TTM at first hearing invites some obvious comparisons with The Black Crowes, but they have learnt lessons from a host of country, rock and punk icons. Vocal inspiration seems to be taken from diverse sources ranging from Soundgarden and Pearl Jam (rough, edgy soulful vocals), through to Pure Prairie League and Little Feat (countryesque harmonies).

There is a point in the show where an instrumental section veers towards The Grateful Dead’s unpredictable, country improvisation. Ballads evoke acts from Lynyrd Skynyrd through to Johnny Cash and back around again to guitar-driven Zeppelin-tinted tracks. Chord structures veer from pure country and western (Chinese Lanterns) to simple old-fashioned rock (Be Lucky).

TTM have built on some solid cherry-picked foundations, adding some powerful lyrics and insights which you’d expect from a band that’d been together for decades. The end result is music that is unique, and more than the sum of its parts.

This is kind of the Shakespearean method approach to southern rock flavoured music. Shakespeare basically worked by taking the best plots, devices, structures and literary tools (alliteration, versification and other highbrow stuff), and turned them into works people will always remember.

In their own fashion, The Temperance Movement has used the same approach to crafting their music.

When you look at a track such as ‘Chinese Lanterns’; musically it is a country track. Guitarists Luke and Paul play this sweetly, gently, but in such a way that you know it’s a brand new song belonging in 2014 more than in 1954 Nashville. As to the lyrics and their delivery; it’s a Shakespearean sonnet – simple, true, honest, and structured in such a way that’s so original and so haunting, you won’t forget it anytime soon. I think everyone on the Lemon Tree floor sang along with it.

“I took one for the team but I never played the same
They wrote my story and they asked for my name
But I knew
And I learned how to lie how to make believe
I tried for hours to pull you out of my sleeve
But I knew

“Love don’t wait around for you to catch on
Try to work it out you won’t before it’s gone
Life don’t always go the way you want it to
And I can’t wait around for you”

– The Temperance Movement
Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/the-temperance-movement/chinese-lanterns-lyrics/#ToXFRy0QIY4u2VdF.99

Or as my companion for the show Alex put it on hearing the song for the first time tonight ‘Oh my god, I’m going to cry, that’s the f*cking saddest thing I’ve ever heard in my life! And it’s so beautiful’. I think she bought two CDs at the end. And so did I. Mine are up for auction on Ebay, signed by the band; all proceeds to be split between Sea Shepherd and Willows Animal Sanctuary.

We didn’t get to hear ‘Serenity’, but we heard virtually everything else, including a new track (future album is eagerly awaited). ‘Be Lucky’ is one of the most upbeat tracks of the last few years; everyone loved it. I will have to find out more about how they write their lyrics.

When it comes to love songs such as ‘Chinese Lanterns’, ‘Smouldering’ and ‘Serenity’ – you’d think they could only have been penned by someone who’s been around the block more than a few times – and had a very, very tough time of it. And yet the other upbeat songs are so simple and cheery that they are equally infectious, just for different reasons.

The upbeat side to TTM had everyone electrified. The opening track ‘Ain’t No Telling’ is an unashamed feel good song; powerful and far from the melancholia of the band’s love ballads.

A few numbers in, and they played a track where Campbell’s voice softened. ‘Smouldering’ is not a musically complex song.

But the seeming lack of complexity of so many of their pieces is what makes them so accessible, memorable and positively haunting. And you can write something that’s both simple and beautiful if you don’t know your craft well. ‘Are you still smouldering for me?’ was being sung by everyone in the place.

The band consists of brilliant guitarists Luke Potashnick and Paul Sayer; Phil Campbell on vocals (and occasional guitar); Nick Fyffe bass and percussionist (‘drummer’ doesn’t quite do it justice) Damon Wilson. Mind you, they are all vocalists as well, as you’ll appreciate when you sensibly go to see them.

The Black Crow’s Chris Robertson is clearly one inspiration and influence on vocalist Phil Campbell, but depending on whether he’s trying to cheer you up or make you think of lost loves, his delivery may invoke Kurt Cobain, Dan Fogerty, or Eddie Veder .

Other songs on the night played by the band, and sung by the entire Lemon Tree audience, included ‘Be Lucky’, ‘Only Friend’, and ‘Lovers and Fighters’. During the first encore, ‘Pride’, I am sure I saw a bunch of guys crying. When the band finally stepped to the front of the stage and took their last applause, no one wanted the night to end.

And the night didn’t end for a while. After a brief break, they came, and talked to virtually every remaining fan in the venue. They run competitions on this tour whereby fans can nominate a local drinking den to hang around in, and the winner meets the band based on the number of votes they get on social media sites.

Tonight the band talked to everyone.

It was incongruous; the same men who’d just floored the Lemon Tree were unassuming, polite, friendly and happily chatting to everyone with complete humility. I’d only like to think they left Aberdeen as happy as they’d made those of us who were there.

The crowd surprised me – not because it was packed like sardines (it had been sold out), but because everywhere I turned there was either a talented local musician, or a really tough looking 6’6” guy and his mates singing love songs to each other. Men who might have looked at home at an Iron Maiden show were arm in arm singing ‘Love don’t wait around for you’ and feeling it. I’ve never seen such an atmosphere in Aberdeen before, and doubt I will again.

The songs of love, loss, redemption and, well serenity are probably the most powerful in terms of gaining audience solidarity; the funky, happy upbeat songs such as make you feel better after a TTM slow ballad has left you close to tears (but you’re never sure if they’re tears of joy or loss).

The most baffling thing about this band is how they can be such affable people off stage (they hung around for ages after the show meeting fans, talking and signing CDs, drum sticks, drum heads and set lists).

The Temperance Movement are without any doubt in my mind the new band of the decade; possibly the century. I’d go see them again in a moment, and will be checking their schedule to do just that.

*Personal note stuff: I used to love nothing more than live music; seeing acts I loved and up upcoming bands. For a number of years I failed to find any young signed acts that caught my imagination, impressed me with their playing or lyrics, or could even perform live to a decent standard. I just stopped going gradually, and lost a lot of my passion for new music.

Then Julie played The Temperance Movement on a trip to Dundee last year.

She and other people told me that they were amazing at The Tunnels. At the first few measures, I thought ‘this is probably just another over-produced act that’s trying to be The Black Crowes’. By the time I’d heard ‘Smouldering’ I was seriously impressed, and by the time I’d heard the full album, I was fully hooked. I had to see them live. This is the act that woke me up and got me hungry for live new music again. Cheers.

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Whisky Kisses – A Musical Glenigma Which Has Matured Nicely

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Apr 112014

Whisky Kisses – A musical Glenigma which has matured nicely. Reviewed by Duncan Harley.

When the Scottish musical comedy Whisky Kisses came to Aberdeen’s Lemon Tree in 2010 it shone out as a production full of humour, energy and in the end some romance.
Described as a musical Glenigma and a battle for the bottle it came across to the Aberdonian audiences as a thoroughly enjoyable and truly Scottish musical starring amongst others Masashi Fujimoto of Mr Banzai fame.

The creators – Euan Martin, Dave Smith and Edinburgh based composer James Bryce all have a strong artistic connection with the Granite City and many Aberdonians were hard pressed to find a ticket for the first run.

Now chosen by those who know best in Scottish Arts such as Sir Cameron McIntosh’s Highland Quest, Whisky Kisses has been selected as the flagship show in Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Summer Season for 2014.

Whisky Kisses is a hilarious musical show about a rare and ancient single malt whisky called The Glenigma and only one bottle of the golden nectar remains in the entire world.

The bidding race is on to decide who in the world will own it. A battle for the 100 year old bottle set in a beautiful remote highland distillery is on course. What could possibly go right?

Featuring Ben’s gay secretary Jeff plus Duncan and Lachie the two loyal distillery workers and a Mr Yomo of Japan the production is an absolute hoot from start to finish.

As with all Rightlines Productions however, there is a deeper message which in the case of Whisky Kisses is the question of how to live with heritage, how to share it, and how to enjoy it; while also knowing when to let it go, and to stop living in the past.

With hits such as “The Accidental Death of an Accordionist” and “Watching Bluebottles” the Rightlines team are on a winning ticket with this new production of “Whisky Kisses” and four years on from the original run, Whisky Kisses – like all good malts – has matured nicely.

Tickets are available from the box office at boxoffice@PitlochryFestivalTheatre.com and the 40 night run starts on May 23rd 2014.

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Samantha’s Baby Is A Cinematic Lemon

Articles, Opinion No Responses »

Jan 242014

Horror flick Devil’s Due promised much, given its interesting premise, but simply lurched from one supernatural shock to the other. Aberdeen Voice’s Andrew Watson comments upon a film simply going through the motions.

Vue on Shiprow was lightly sprinkled with cinemagoers on a usually busy Thursday night for the High Street.

I thought the film started well. Lovebirds Samantha (Allison Miller) and Zach McCall (Zach Gilford) are a recently hitched couple spending their honeymoon in South America.

They decide to go for a psychic reading and find themselves pleasantly surprised by the accuracy of the forecast.

However, things take a somewhat sinister turn. Samantha’s told she’s ‘born of death’, and the psychic goes from lightly holding Mrs McCall’s palms to gripping her arms violently.

The whole film is shot with handheld cameras and CCTV footage, and the concluding recordings of their honeymoon show candlelit ceremonies and satanic symbols.

Once back from holiday, Samantha discovers she’s pregnant, and from then on her whole character changes. It’s only much later on that her husband reviews what was caught on camera that fateful night with the psychic and the ceremony.

By this time Zach’s really struggling to keep abreast of his wife’s actions and plumps for the help of his family to get him and his wife through their ominous ordeal. He finds it that there’s some sort of coven in his neighbourhood, and that they’re connected to what happened on their honeymoon.

This film, to its credit, manages to serve up some comical moments despite its mediocrity. Watch out for clip of the supermarket surveillance which features a ravenous Samantha eating for two.

That is her and her baby – eating raw meat! The sharp turn that her fellow shopper takes is a subtle show of not taking oneself too seriously.

All in all, not the best horror film you’ll see. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t have its jumpy minutes. I suppose in that respect the film delivered the goods.

Musings Of A Newish Music Photographer No.9

Aberdeen City, Featured, Opinion No Responses »

Dec 242013

In her continuing series on the life of a pit photographer, Voice’s Julie Thompson pulls focus on The Bloody Marys Christmas Stocking at The Lemon Tree, Darth Elvis & the Imperials and Juicy Juicy Juice at The Moorings and The Lorelei, Brothers Reid and The Deportees at The Lemon Tree.

As Christmas is heading towards us at great speed, I went looking for seasonal musical offerings this week. Unfortunately, with two of the things on my schedule happening on the same evening, it meant a curtailed evening for both events.
Heading off to the Lemon Tree for The Bloody Marys, I encountered many more women than I am used to these days.

There was also an extreme preponderance of feather boas. Hardly surprising, given the nature of the reason we were all there. We were all there to party.

The Bloody Marys are a trio of guys who, considering what I had heard about them, were pretty sedately dressed in matching Christmas jumpers (a Reindeer pattern with a flashing red nose) for the first half of their set.

I was waiting in the pit – which I had to myself – when they walked on and ripped straight into Fame, which quickly had the place jumping, followed by Disco Inferno & Mama Mia.

The stage was curtained by shimmering material, and a Christmas tree adorned the raised platform normally occupied by a drum kit.

Under the tree were a series of wrapped presents. Snowflakes dangled from the ceiling. All very festive.

My 3 songs were up so I wandered off up to the second tier as they began Pray – which they accompanied with choreographed boy band style dancing. At the end they had the first present giveaway – punters had to vote on who was the best dancer and the winner got to distribute a present to someone in the crowd.

I caught a glimpse of the contents of one of the parcels later on – they were limited edition Bloody Marys t-shirts.

I went down into the dance area to get a bit of atmosphere before I had to leave for The Moorings. A Grease medley, Heart Attack, another Abba number, Hungry like the Wolf and Gloria later, I headed off, as Gimme Gimme Gimme began.

When I had arrived at The Lemon Tree, I bumped into someone I knew from a shop I frequent. I asked her how the second half went – apparently the guitarist & keyboard players reappeared in wee white frocks and the lead singer in an angel outfit. Stockings, wings, full make-up – the whole works.

It was a shame I missed the second half as it would have made for some fun photographs. Maybe I’ll be able to catch them next year.

So, a great gig for a girls night out and even the guys had fun – yes, I saw you there!

So, on to The Moorings and Darth Elvis.
I had timed my arrival to the estimated stage time for the main act, but I was lucky enough to catch the very end of the debut of Juicy Juicy Juice, as things were running a bit late.

I had time to grab a few shots and get my camera adjusted from Lemon Tree to Moorings settings.

Darth Elvis – now there’s a name that plays with the imagination.

From their Facebook page bio:

“Darth Elvis & The Imperials are a Star Wars themed Elvis tribute band from Viva Mos Eisley. In 1977 Elvis didn’t die he turned to the Darkside of the Force and ever since he has been playing music venues around the Outer Rim Territory. The time has come for the Dark King of the Sith & his band of Imperials to return to the Galaxy where he is best known.”

OK, right now I am going to give some major kudos to these guys – especially the drummer, TK4468, who was in full Stormtrooper gear.

They stay in costume the whole show.

Anyone familiar with the Moorings knows how hot it gets in there – sweatbox is the word I hear used most often by bands to describe the place – so how these guys were not puddles of goo at the end, I have no idea.

The band – minus the lead vocalist – mounted the stage (it was actually quite amusing watching the Stormtrooper trying to bend his knees enough to climb up there) and began playing The Imperial March as Darth Elvis advanced through the audience, jingling bells.

Under the dark cloak wasn’t the bejewelled white Vegas suit I was expecting, but a red & white Santa suit.

So, it seems we have a Darth Elvis Santa tonight.

Between such numbers as Gungan in Disguise ((You’re the) Devil in Disguise), Viva Mos Eisley (Viva Las Vegas), Burning Sith (Burning Love), You ain’t nothing but a Nerf Herder (containing the memorable line “You ain’t never caught a womp rat and you ain’t no friend of mine.”) Darth distributed presents from a snowman stocking.

I’m pretty sure he said one of the objects he tossed into the crowd was a tin of lube, but maybe my ears were playing up.

Of course there was the obligatory Christmas song – Merry Sithmas Everyone – and lots of laughs and singalongs.

It was an easy shoot, apart from the hood obscuring the face of Darth a lot of the time. All in all, a fun, totally non-serious but exhausting night.

My last festive gig was at The Lemon Tree with the ever popular The Lorelei – possibly my favourite local band – which I first encountered at Belladrum this year. Always a fun bunch, I’d been looking forward to this one. Sadly, Diane (who is currently cooking a new mini-Lorelei, due next year) was unable to join the boys on her viola.

The Lorelei – ‘Imagine a rock band and a folk band having a fight and the rock band just coming out best.

That’s The Lorelei!’

The stage area was decorated with tinsel and fairy lights and there were a few balloons scattered about the place.

There were two support acts before the main – The Deportees and Brothers Reid – both providing pleasant folk/rocky music to get us in the mood.

Before The Lorelei came on, I went to check with Captain Tom if it was ok to shoot from the floor after my time in the pit was up.

He was happy to let me do that and also said I could go behind the magic curtain (well, the side curtain that the band use) so I could photograph the shy and elusive Keith the drummer.

John came on stage and began to sing Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. There was a murmur from the crowd and I turned to see a white bearded Flossie (Mandolin/Fiddle) leading a dancing Rudolph through the crowd.

Beefy (Lead Guitar) & Jonny (Bass) hurriedly disrobed brown fur and the band joined John onstage. Keith the elf took the drum stool and away they went, 100 miles an hour as usual.

Something soft bounced off my head at one point and I looked around to see what was it was. Oddly, there was to be a lot more balloons about than there were between me walking down to the pit and now.
I had no idea where they came from, but better a balloon to the head than any of the other things it could have been.

My 3 songs were up as the pit started filling up with balloons, so I waded through them to the exit and took up position at the pit wall for the rest of the gig.

I’ll tell you this, it is really hard to keep a steady camera hand when you’re bopping to the music. I’ve been in The Lemon Tree quite a few times now – on some very busy nights – but this was the first time I had actually felt the floor bounce.

There were bets taken as to how long Keith would wear the elf suit before evaporating and we were treated to a striptease – with appropriate music – when he finally gave in.

The elf suit made its way across the stage and was thrown into the audience with a call of ‘Who wants to smell the drummer?’ This brought a reply of ‘We already can!’ The last time I saw the costume, it was being worn by a brave chap who may have been lacking a sense of smell.

There were explosions from confetti cannons but sadly the snow machine was not co-operating – which I’m sure pleased The Lemon Tree staff.

The crowd was fantastic, there simply to have fun, exchange some banter, sing along and dance.

The inevitable Christmas song was the Bob Dylan song It Must Be Santa (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8qE6WQmNus). A nice change from the typical songs you hear and oddly in keeping with The Lorelei style.

A great gig that really helped kindle some of my festive spirit, greatly lacking until now.

As the evening came to a stomping close, I wandered over for a chat with Beefys wife, Captain Tom and one or two other folk before being politely asked to vacate the premises.

As I left, the brushes were out as staff cleared up the scattered remains of burst balloon skins and confetti.

Candy canes from the tree were being eaten by the bar staff, as this was the last event before Christmas.

I have some gigs lined up in the weekend between Christmas and New Year but George Mackie is proving rather elusive to pin down long enough for a chat.

Maybe I need a tranquiliser gun to slow him down a bit.

Have a very Merry Christmas, Festivus, Midwinter, Yule, Dies Natalis Solis Invicti – or whatever you may celebrate at this time of year – and I hope your New Year is a better one.

More Photos:

The Bloody Marys
Darth Elvis
Juicy Juicy Juice
The Lorelei
Brothers Reid
The Deportees

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