Siobhan Wilson at Mugstock

The lovely Siobhan Wilson captivated with her floating engrossing voice at Mugstock festival - when she was joined on stage for Dylan’s 'Spanish Leather' by traditional singer and her good mate Alastair Ogilvie.

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/siobhan-wilson/

PHOTOS Mugstock festival 2016

BMX Bandits

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Mugdock country park was lit in magical green and yellow lights offering festival goers warm friendliness and a wide spectrum with some of the best of Scottish contemporary music – with indie folk rock, funk, hip-hop, DJ sets, more. Headliners this year were Emma Pollock, Stanley Odd, BMX Bandits.

The headliner Friday at the Corrie Stage Emma Pollock delighted festival fans with her sultry tones and quality songs ( and her latest album receiving top reviews). Before her the funky Mickey 9s had everyone up dancing.

Emma Pollock

Siobhan Wilson

BMX Bandits

On the Sunday the fun BMX Bandits brought the tent down with familiar tunes and fun energy. After which the rockin Shiverin Sheiks were well chosen headliners and excellent musicians with their country rock tunes and they had everyone rocking to their groovin beats; the talented local band the Young Aviators impressed; singer songwriter Siobhan Wilson captivated with her floating engrossing voice and she was joined on stage for Dylan’s Spanish Leather by traditional singer and her good mate, Alastair Ogilvie.

Set in amongst the trees was the Chameleon Stage, where I saw the rocker Declan Welsh, the cabaret of Donut and the indie of James Edwyn and the Barrowed Band.

Mikeys 9s

The Glade was the place for the DJ sets and a large bonfire.

The Tchai Ovna was near the camping and the Mugdock castle and offered a calm retreat with selected teas, clarinet music and more chilled out musicians – I met here with the singer songwriter Mayor Stubbs.

The Jolly Garden (walled garden) was the place for family entertainment with - Hoola Hoops, Mr Boom!, Dragon Storytelling, Juggling and more. Also showcasing local talent from Strathblane here and on the main stage.

Plus there was the Mugdock theatre’s Charlie stage for an intimate setting.

BMX Bandits

BMX Bandits

Shiverin Sheiks

Mugstock impressed with quality planning and organisation presenting the small festival friendliness. They were fortunate with the weather and on Friday perfect blue skies overhead. Well done to the team for their hard work and putting on another successful festival!

 http://mugstock.org

MUGSTOCK Festival

A new boutique festival at Mugdock country park

I arrived at Mugstock along with the early buzz of participants, families and music fans. This new festival has been designed to have broad appeal with a mix of music for all tastes and ages. There is a friendly and fun atmosphere -  with live music, theatre, cabaret, arts, real ales and good food. There was also much here to appeal to young families, with many and varied children’s entertainments.

This festival was quirky with shades of hippies and a small scale Glastonbury. The park provided a fitting escapist, historic and green backdrop to both chill in and to dance in. There were flying colours and chimes of hanging umbrellas and flags flying in the breeze among the tall trees.

Dave Arcari

The main stage was decorated with black and white balloons and had a circle of food stalls outside. Here I heard the beautiful voice of singer songwriter Siobhan Wilson, followed by the fun quirkiness of the Barrow band with their fruit and vegetable songs!. After we were treated to the energizing drums and dance rhythms of Samba Ya Bamba, who took up the tempo. I then took a walk round the other events.

Dodgy

The festival stages were spread out over Mugdock park - with the Erne Parkin main stage off to the right, the Yellow Movement stage among the trees near the adventure park and the Jolly Lovely stage in the walled garden – where 50 Shades of Blue were singing the Wagon Wheel song -- 'Hey Hey Mama Rock Me'. Very oddly I heard the bluegrass band Dirty Beggars performing the exact same song for their encore at Stereo the night before! 

I returned at five to the main stage tent to find it packed to see popular 80s band Dodgy where many were reliving old memories and dancing and singing along to the familiar tunes. The Main Stage tent had by now developed a slight mist from the heat of bodies (or the steam machine?) in the enclosed space. The four year old with the ‘born to rock’ T shirt was still running around in front of the stage.

Preston Reed

Most people wore walking shoes and I noticed that one girl beside me was in her bare feet in the muddy grass. As I enjoyed my beer and nuts someone was having a Shiatsu head and neck message. It is strange how the atmosphere changes over the day, as time takes a break at festivals and live music. Festivals enjoy different times – the buzz of the afternoon arrivals, the more relaxed time of the late afternoon when we are ready to relax, grab a drink and something to eat before the drama of the evening time.

What is better than an excellent musician, renowned guitarist Preston Reed, who played powerhouse guitar rhythms,, a time to chill with some more earthly time and those moments from hectic online schedules! 

Mikey 9s

Colonel Custard & The Dijon 5

I returned to the Yellow Movement stage, which was creatively decorated, to find it packed with revellers enjoying the dance rhythms of escapist band Mikey 9s, who describe their sound as funk.

I met Preston outside the Yellow Stage. He is very tall!  He is originally from New York and he now lives in Scotland.  He said he too enjoyed photography. I also met the singer from the Barrow band and he said they were also doing an adult event in the Mugdock theatre at ten. That is one advantage of festivals – the musicians enjoy to hear the other artists performing and mingle during the day.

My personal highlights were the chilled moments with Preston Reeds dynamic guitar playing, the effervescence of Mikey 9s dancing sound, the energy of Dodgy’s classic rock and the dancing fun of Colonel Custard &The Dijon 5

Overall a highly professional and well organised new festival. Many congratulations to the festival team's hard work for pulling it all together! http://www.mugstock.org

Beats Antique

Broken Records

NEW MugStock music festival 2015

Mugdock Park, just north of Glasgow will host a new music fstival in August 2015. The project has brought together an eclectic and quality line up of local and international talent. It will also include family and fun entertainment for all ages.

I have seen some of these artists live and can vouch for their being of the highest standard – there is a quality indie element here.

Back in 2007, I took photos at the first Mugdock music festival - http://pkimage.co.uk/mustockfestival

Broken Records

Line-up

Preston Reed, Orkestra del Sol, Siobhan Wilson, Dave Arcari, The Amorettes, Colonel Mustard & the Dijon 5, Theremin Hero, Mickey 9s, The Girobabies, Broken Records, Jamie & Shoonie, Scunner, Mammal Hands, Scunner, and Mr Boom!.

MugStock Festival of Music and Merriment takes place at Mugdock Country Park, Milngavie, Mugdock, in Glasgow from Friday 7th to Sunday 9th August 2015.

MugStock Is a new boutique festival and run by a non profit organisation of an epxerienced team.

Sourcing performers and musicans of the highest calibre, offering sustenance from the finest breweries and gastronomic mestros the UK has to offer.  Mugostock festivals pledge is to offer young and old revelers alike the opportunity to enjoy an interactive experience set amidst the stuning surroundings of Mugdock Country park.

An eclectic selection of international legends, home-grown favourites, musical virtuosos, emerging artists and people who dance around with glitter balls on their heads

http://www.mugstock.org/

Mugdock Music Festival 2009

This year the festival was held in a marquee in the walled garden, which seemed much simpler while missing the activities in the courtyard. The Mugdock festival brought together a broad range and depth of artists and had a strong international flavour. The Shawlands, Chinese and belly dancer dance groups brought colour. The flamenco dancers and musicians brought energy and colourful African drums with Arawarra. Seylan Baxter and Cheyanne Brown played their warm flowing harp and cello tunes. The Sighthill Project was a fresh, well taught group of talented youngsters from different countries, who sing and play violin together.

Headlining this year were John McCusker, Michel Marra, and the Battlefield band. The Battlefield band played a fun energy-filled set of Scottish tunes. McCusker. Woomble and Drever, three talented artists plus Heidi Talbot, have joined forces to produce a class album of contemporary tunes with folk influences. To our delight Scottish singing royalty Eddi Reader turned up and sang on a couple of songs with the group! 

Some artists are both unassuming and also brimming with talent and they play intelligent, insightful and instinctive music. Michael Marra and John McCusker both fall into the category in different ways. McCusker has that ability to sink into the emotion and grip you with his music through his expressive dynamic fiddle playing.

 

Michael Marra at Mugdock theatre

When he arrived at Mugdock he discovered the perfect small theatre. The theatre is fairly new and seats about 50 in a tiered semi circle and with a shiny grand piano to the left of the small stage. There is one side entrance and the door to the back stage room. It has been built with music lovers in mind. 

I managed a chat with Marra and he appeared to recognise me from last year. I sense he doesn’t miss a beat. He had his green shirt laid out on the side table and he said how much he loved the Mugdock theatre and the beautiful piano. You could feel his excitement. Last year in 2008 he said he had travelled through the rain and the winding country roads wondering where he was coming to. 

Marra's is unforgettable playing the small Murdock theatre. His songs are both very humorous (as is his chat) and insightful and his clever use of words and images in his songs, he takes himself into the others heads. There are echoes of his poet and musical hero, Bob Dylan. He cleverly uses humour and irony to describe the truths of the diversity of human nature. He draws on Dundee his home town often and of the football team Dundee United FC. All eyes are fixed on Marra throughout. 

Marra finished with the Robert Burn's song Green Grow the Rashes O and his smile said it all. For his encore he sang a beautiful, moving song, He talked about an uncle he never knew who died and about family being in the huff with each other 

He sang the words, ‘Did you forget the world and did the world forget you?’ 

You could feel Marra’s joy of it after his encore song. A perfect ending to the Saturday.

Whenever I think of the special audience connection this has to be the perfect small venue where that magic can happen. Buckley calls it the 'romance of the small venue'.