MUSIC, Ignorance and Faith 2017

Adam Holmes performed at Celtic Connections with Rura

The Arts lift us out of the ordinary, offer us permanence, shift time, give us beauty, hope and dreams..“When the arts are neglected and obscured, people suffer from dullness or ignorance.” Alan Raich

I now have my old record collection on display – and there appears a shift back to the quality of the physical purchase. In our world of fast moving shifting sands people are now searching out some classic permanence. 

Significantly my son said, ‘I want to own my music.’

At Milngavie folk club I enjoyed quality performances from Dougie Maclean, Cara Dillon , Blue Rose Code. Thanks Jason for running such a top folk club!

I enjoyed a great concert with the legend Celtic soul man Van Morrison.

At Celtic 2017 – I exhibited some of my Celtic photos of my ten years covering this major event, at the Old Fruitmarket venue and I thought of the many fun gigs I’ve enjoyed there. This year Rab Noakes played a quality concert with a mostly female band. Also concerts by many top Women musicians. Men continue to dominate music, but there are some highly talented and wonderful women musicians – both young and old – to be discovered. Julie Fowlis, Siobhan Wilson, Eddi Reader, Joni Mitchell, Cara Dillon, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Alice Marra, Laura Marling and many many more... 

The Scottish pipes were altered a while back, so that they can now be played along side an orchestra or band and this has made a big difference to ceilidh music.

Laura Marling backed by the RSNO

Beautiful Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis

the indomitable Eddi Reader

Iona Fyfe

Other artists I rate highly – Lorde, Father John Misty, Christine and the Queens, Radiohead,

Mary Chapin Carpenter and friends

**CUTs to the ARTS – Both Brexit and the deregulations by the UK government of Lottery Funds threaten the future success of the Arts.

The arts are of vital importance for our well being, how we view the world and ourselves and place in the world. The Arts give shape and understanding.

Van Morrison

Preservation

It’s important we preserve our significant heritage and in so doing ensure a flourishing, creative and rich artistic future. I’ve been reading of Burn’s travels over Caledonia – from the highlands to the Borders, when he kept his finely tuned ear alert for some of the world’s most memorable oral ballads, and to preserve them for all time. He added verses and altered tunes. What a legacy!

SCOTTISH WRITERS – Apart from Burns, I have been reading of the many other great Scottish writers – William Dunbar, Edwin Morgan, Iain Crichton Smith, Edwina Muir, James Hogg, Elizabeth Melville, Hugh MacDiarmid, 

As we entered into the Looking glass of Neverland in 2017…

I am sad for the lost forgetting, the hollow dreams, the ignorant minds…

Are we at crossroads, certainly not new beginnings. We are in a downward spiral, without balance and must now hope for options on the next turn. This is not about standing on the shoulders of the greats – its about being lost in some dark tunnels.

Blue Rose Code

For 2018 I hope we may find new balances, real informed debate in physical spaces, free press and build bridges across old, entrenched divides. 

Then I found a piece I’d written on inspiring people.

And I have to wonder - why can’t different cultures co-exits In harmony, side by side – are we not stronger for our very diversities?

There were many terrorist attacks UK – we need to build bridges and reach out. ….and we in Scotia long for self-determination…

‘One World’

All the arts depend on collaborating – the more diverse and broader the better. Bono of U2 wrote his ‘One World’ when the Berlin wall came down. Sadly today walls are going back up…..

 

Rab Noakes and his band

Rura

Scottish Summer music festivals 2017

*East Neuk – East Fife, Pittenweem, 27^th June – 1^st July

The heart of the Festival is classical chamber music, but we also present world, jazz, folk and electronica. In addition to our musical celebrations, we’ve commissioned films, exhibitions, art installations and literature events as well as guided walks.

http://www.eastneukfestival.com

 *Tartan Heart festival, Belladrum – Inverness – 3^rd – 5^th August.

Franz Ferdinand, Pretenders, Twin Atlantic, more.

http://www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk

*TRNSMT – Glasgow Green,   7^th July. Radiohead, Biffy Clyro, Kaiser Chiefs,  man more! Replacing T in the Park.

http://trnsmtfest.com

*Mugstock – Mugdock country park -  28^th – 30^th

Boutique and family run event

http://mugstock.org

*Doune Rabbit hole –  Cardross estate – 18^th – 20^th August

Peatbog Fairies, Aiden Moffat

http://dounetherabbithole.co.uk

*Merchant city festival, Glasgow – 31^st July – 13^th August

http://www.merchantcityfestival.com/programme/Pages/default.aspx

*Fringe By the Sea – North Berwick. 7^th – 13^th August.

Eric Bibb band, KT Tunstall,

http://www.fringebythesea.com

Edinburgh festivals August!

I am looking forward to another great Edinburgh festival  and Fringe - and all the variety, colour, creativity, fun, (comedy, dance, theatre, music, books, more) and inspiration it brings! The weird and wonderful and the celebration of all the arts and culture.

Main venues – The Pleasance, Traverse, Gilded Balloon, Assembly Rooms, 

Each August I visit Edinburgh festival and I’m always amazed how my hometown is both strange and familiar to me. While most of my time is at the EIBF (edinburgh International book festival), I like to make excursions down the Royal mile and to venture through the packed crowds and savour the vibrant atmosphere of the many players performing the great variety of shows to be found here.

It is weird and wonderful, escapist and real, extreme, frivolous and serene.

I enjoy to venture off the main routes and I eat at least once at Bilbos on the corner of Chambers street.

I try to make a time out to shill, to regroup, recharge and re-collect.  And everything in-between.

I take the walk from the Gilded Balloon near the university, down along Forrest Road past the folk bar Sandy Bells, along the Bridges and the national library and then down the busy Mound, on along George street past the statues of Hanoverian kings – and eventually to the reflective hub for those who enjoy books at EIBF.  I also make time for a couple of ART exhibitions and several shows.

I grew up here and never realised how BIG the festival was worldwide! Some favourite photos from Edinburghfestival 2015! TICKETS available at - https://www.edfringe.com

Folk Music Guides UK

-Froots – magazine – folk, roots and word music guide. http://www.frootsmag.com

-Greentrax  - Scottish folk music label.

Over 370 Scottish, traditional Gaelic, Folk and Celtic Music CD, book and DVD titles available for international delivery.

Folk & Celtic music CD albums, DVDs & books - celebrating over 25 years as Scotland's favourite record company. Eric Bogle, Dick Gaughan, Barbara Dickson

http://www.greentrax.com

  

-Celtic Music Radio – Community radio begun in 2003 by Bob McWilliam.

http://www.celticmusicradio.net

  

-Main UK Folk festivals –

Cambridge – http://www.cambridgefolkfestival.co.uk

Greenman –  http://www.greenman.net

Celtic Connections –  http://www.celticconnections.com/

Orkney –  http://www.orkneyfolkfestival.com

Shetland -  https://www.shetlandfolkfestival.com

Lana Del Rey 'National Anthem' Video

Lana has released artwork for her forthcoming video for her single National Anthem. She has a very unique style and she likes her music to be about the images too. The video is set to see Lana taking on the role of Jackie O with rapper A$AP Rocky playing John F. Kennedy. Del Rey cited the video as "definitely the most beautiful thing" she's ever done. As of June 29, 2012, it has garnered over one and a half million views.

REVIEW What Culture -http://whatculture.com/music/lana-del-rey-national-anthem-music-video-review.php - It’s actually really really sad and a truly stunning video (especially the end monologue) – it is all about nostalgia, memories, life, love and loss. I preferred the more upbeat demo version of National Anthem originally but I think this video makes the most of the new more forlorn version and bolsters it upwards. Will it set the charts alight…if it does provide a breakthrough then it is much deserved. Get ready for the Summertime Sadness video soon but in the meantime, rejoice in a national anthem that everyone can actually remember the words to.  Stars, stripes and serenading the President are all in a day’s work for the 2012′s First Lady of Pop as she delivers another note-worthy all-American visual.

Born to Die has sold more than 1.4 million copies worldwide. It peaked at number one in Greece, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and other European countries.

Del Rey's music has been noted for its cinematic sound and its references to various aspects of pop culture, particularly that of 1950s and '60s Americana. The singer has been described as a "self-styled gangsta Nancy Sinatra" and cites many contemporary artists such as Elvis Presley,Britney Spears, Nina Simone, Nirvana, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, The Beach Boys, and Antony and the Johnsons amongst her musical influences.

Del Rey possesses a wide contralto vocal range, which has been described as unique, captivating and highly emotive, being able to transcend from sounding high and girlish in her timbre, down to a low and jazzy sound with great ease, although both these areas of the voice can be conflicting in their sound and polarise opinion. 
http://youtu.be/60cvtxwlJr8

Lana Del Rey wows crowd at Hackney Weekend!

It is good to see Lana is now performing with scaled back stings and piano rather than the out-of-step rock band that backed her on her Saturday Night Live performance and which didn't match her range of jazz infused soul sound at all.
Lana performed her next single National Anthem as her encore and shook hands with the enthusiastic crowd. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejg2zFpvTzI 

Interesting. Also I heard this track on the radio today. Lana Del Rey and Bobby Womack 'Dayglo Reflection' - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eJkETkfdSg –
Del Rey is due to play a host of UK festivals, including this weekend's Isle Of Wight Festival as well as Radio 1's Hackney Weekend and Latitude Festival.  Earlier this month she played Los Angeles' El Rey Theatre and debuted a brand new song, 'Body Electric', at the show.

I watched LDR on the YouTube clips when she received poor reviews of her performance on Letterman. I also watched some other clips, where she performed with only piano and I posted on YouTube how much better she sounded with the piano backing rather than the band, where she looked and sounded ill at ease and rather lost.
Del Rey has spoken about how hard she found being judged by music fans and critics at the start of the year. "When you focus on being a writer for ten years and then after that people start listening to the work and they decide that they don't like you and that's kind of off-putting," she told BBC Radio 1. Adding: "Just because when you've put all your work into crafting words and melodies and then people start thinking about you as a person, that's a little off-putting."
As of March 2012, Born to Die has sold more than 3 million copies worldwide. It peaked at number one in Greece, Austria, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and other European countries.

Alternative Music Festivals UK 2012

There are ‘alternative’ festivals to the mainstream festivals - which are aimed at the more 'serious' music lovers rather than those simply seeking a party weekend. 

Green Man, http://www.greenman.net/

Hop Farm, http://hopfarmfestival.com/

Rockness, http://www.rockness.co.uk/

End of the Road, http://www.endoftheroadfestival.com/

Cambridge Folk. http://www.cambridgefolkfestival.co.uk/
Doune the Rabbit Hole. http://dounetherabbithole.co.uk/
Celtic Connections. http://www.celticconnections.com/

Hop Farm with headliners Dylan and Peter Gabrielle is the festival I would head to. but I've not applied to any far away festivals for photo passes this year. I’m not prepared to deal with a tent for two nights, although I know many provide up-market camping with Yurts and more.

In Scotland T In the Park - http://www.tinthepark.com/ is the second biggest UK festival with many well known headliners, offering a wide range of artists but this festival can also be over commercialised. While Rockness http://www.rockness.co.uk/ is a better bet for outstanding scenery and a more alternative, eclectic and indie music line up.

With the recession and debt crisis attendance at festivals was down in 2011. There are also more festivals to choose from as well as there being loads of top festivals abroad with excellent line ups (such as Benicassim http://www.benicassim.org.uk/ ) which offer the hope of better weather and avoiding mud and rain!  New Scottish festival Doune the Rabbit Hole is a good bet for seeing up and coming Scottish bands.  

The biggest and best UK festival continues to be Glastonbury as it pursues its charity approach to avoid being over commercialised. Every fourth year they have to allow the fields to go fallow to recover. There is no Glastonbury 2012 however due to a lack of Portaloos and police officers caused by the London Olympics!. There you go : )  With the Jubilee and Olympics just as well we can think of the debt crisis after? 

Best Alternative festivals - http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2009/may/17/britains-best-alternative-festivals