Brits 2013

Muse opened the show with a big production behind them of attractive ladies paying violins. Considering Mumford are the big thing, it might have been cooler to have them open and have Muse playing a more real band set later in the show. Mumford's dance vibes mixed with folk offer a real fun energetic set. I saw Mumford in Glasgow in April 2010 and they certainly got the crowd dancing and singing. The sets were spot on though and a lot of thought had gone into Robbie Williams chequered backdrop!

American artists Justin Timberlake and Taylor Swift performed, as did the pop boy band One Direction who have taken the teenage pop market by storm and have had several number ones worldwide – hugely successful and X factor graduates no less.

*The Critics Choice award this year went to Tom Odell – a guy for a change - and another piano playing singer songwriter.  He sounded promising when he sang acoustically at the after program, although perhaps sounding a little bit too much like Mumford or Bright Eyes. I am not sure at all where the great male singers are these days - except in bands...None of them have anything new to say to me, I have heard it all before.  

*Ben Howard won – Best Male and Breakthrough.  

*Lana Del Rey won Best International Female. Frank Ocean (who my son has been raving about) won Best International Male.

*The highlight of the night was Emeli Sande who won Best Female and the MasterCard Award for Best Album.  

Emeli Sande is the genuine article and she commented after winning the album of the year award, that she was 'an unlikely popstar.' I was very happy for her as I have been following her career since I first heard her sing in 2007 at her cd launch gig here at the Oran Mor Glasgow. 

The music business makes little sense though I must admit!?  Look at the guys - Ed Sheeran, the new James Blunt? or Robbie Williams even who has won the most Brits ever!!??  Oh well at least One Direction are out there!  The problem is the mainstream is not really where the best music is.    

The BRIT awards began in 1977 as part of the commemoration of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee and as an annual event in 1982 under the auspices of the British record industry's trade association, the BPI. The 2011 Brit Awards were held at The O2 Arena in London for the first time in its history, moving from the original venue of Earls Court.

Celtic Connections festival Review 2013

It’s always exciting when the Celtic program arrives each year – who are the big names, which big concerts are there, who is at which venue…

The Concert hall was quieter this year with no Open Mic or Late Sessions, due to renovations at the hall.

I missed

The Roaming Roots Revue of new indie artists. It would have been nice to have made more events, if that was only possible. I also missed the Big Burns Night. I never made the Old Fruitmarket venue which I love at Celtic – for some reason I was more excited by those performing at the ABC venue. 

A highlight this year was the concert for Dundee singer songwriter Dundee Michael Marra.

I have seen Marra live several times and he was such an engrossing and interesting artist. We were very saddened by his passing last November. Michael's two children Alice and Mathew Marra were perfoming with their band The Hazey Janes and I got a nice photo with three Scottish legends on stage together at this concert -  Dougie MacLean, Eddi Reader and Rab Noakes.  

Alice Marra

This year I saw English folk band Bellowhead and American singer songwriter Aimee Mann at the ABC O2;  Cara Dillon and The BBC Scottish Symphony orchestra at the City Halls;  and The Transatlantic Sessions at the Concert Hall; and also the Celtic Connections 20^th Celebration concert with some of the cream from the Scottish folk scene - Eddi Reader, Julie Fowlis, Phil Cunningham and Rod Paterson.

In the past few years I have seen several exciting new artists at Celtic – Manran, Rura, Rachel Sermanni, and this year I caught memorable singer Genesee at the Danny Kyle Open Stage. She was one of the winners in 2013.

There are several well known musical partnerhips/couples in the folk world – Donald Shaw and Karen Mathieson, Karine Polwart and Mattie Foulds, John McCusker and Heidi Talbot, Cara Dillon and Sam Lakeman, Rosanne Cash and John Leventhal.,,, and more I am sure!

The festival Celtic Connections 2013 ran from Thursday 17^th January – Sunday 3^rd February and comprised concerts, ceilidhs, talks, workshops, free events and late night sessions taking place over 18 days in various venues across Glasgow -  Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, O₂ ABC, The Tron, Òran Mór, The Arches, The Mitchell Theatre, City Halls, Kelvingrove, The Barrowland Ballroom, St Andrews in the Square and festival fans’ favourite the Old Fruitmarket all played host to Celtic Connections events.  

This is my sixth year covering Celtic Connections festival and now I am showing others where things are! I enjoy the buzz. It is also wonderful to have such excellent concerts at this cold time of year. It’s the ideal setting for musicians to get together to collaborate and I look forward to next years festival!

Emeli Sande WINS Mastercard Album of the Year at The Brits Tonight!

Emeli Sande King Tuts 2010

Emeli Sande is nominated for several Brit Awards tonight- Best Female, Best Album, Best Single,  Break through Act - http://www.brits.co.uk/  Good Luck Emeli!

Her debut album ‘Our Version Of Events’  became the UK’s biggest selling debut album of 2012 and she sang at the Olympic Opening ceremonies in London July 2012. She also found the time to get married in 2012, its been quite a year for her! 

** Emeli won Best British Female 2013.

Emeli Sande says after winning Mastercard Album of the Year Award 2013 ' I'm an unlikely Popstar'  - she is such a genuine person : )

I have been following Emeli since her Oran Mor gig here in Glasgow December 2007.  I got come nice shots there that were used for her promotions in the following years. I first took shots of Emeli at the Oran Mor 2007 and she was attracting attention then for her big soul voice. Since then she has had several chart hit singles. 

Emeli Sande Oran Mor 2012

I met her at her sound check King Tuts back in 2010, and was pleased she gave me time to discuss her music. She said then she hoped to do edgy or rockier soul pop and was influenced by American soul artists such as Nina Simone. Emeli described her sound as 'soul with a rockier edge.' She told me her musical influences came from a diverse range of artists such as rock bands Massive Attack and Portishead, as well as from folk singer songwriters such as Joni Mitchell.  I thought then that Emeli had substance and heart and a big future ahead of her. I enjoyed the positive messages of her songs which compare well to some of the rather raunchy or even questionable lyrics of many pop songs out there. Sande sings of Wonder, Next to Me and My Kind of Love.  

Sande plays piano and clarinet, and sang in the school choir (where her Zambian father was a music teacher). She was born in Sunderland and moved to Alford Aberdeenshire when she was four. She was previously a student at Glasgow Medical school. After attaining her inter-collated degree, she decided to pursue her dream in music and signed a publishing deal in 2009.

Since then she has written with artists in London and America over the past few years, and has co-written songs with well known American soul singer Alicia Keys.  

Emeli Sande Oran Mor 2007

I first saw Emeli perform at her CD launch Oran Mor in 2007 and back then her influences were mainly soul, and singer songwriters such a singer Nina Simone. Her new songs for her debut album our Version of Events had more character and rhythm, structure and vibe around them and a broader range of influences.

In many ways it seems unbelievable to me her successes this past year and her singing Abide With Me at the Olympic ceremonies in London July 2012.

Royal Albert Hall

The highlight was my trip to see her live at the Royal Albert Hall in November 2012 – one of the most incredible experiences for me and a day I will never forget.  I will always remember ascending the narrow steps right into the venue where the lights shimmered above us and the anticipation of the concert was palpable…

Emeli said she missed the intense studying in the university library then at King Tuts, but I expect now that she is glad and proud of her decision to move to London in 2009 and pursue her music career!  Thank you Emeli for signing some of my prints. 

When I got the email to say I would have a pass for the Albert hall concert it is hard to describe the feelings. I put myself out there and it can be scary – sometimes I hear nothing… I guess it is best to try then not try at all!  And thank you Emeli for all the exciting concerts, for hearing your voice and wonderful songs live at the intimacy of the Oran Mor in 2011, and for the overwhelming Albert hall stage concert. Memories to treasure.  I can only imagine what 2012 has meant for you  : ).  http://www.emelisande.com/

Olympic Torch Relay Glasgow July 2012

 Emeli Sande Albert Hall November 2012
Emeli Sande says – we don’t express ourselves in music but rather that the music expresses us. 

NME Awards tour Glasgow O2

 

The tour was headlined by Mercury nominated Django Django, who met at Edinburgh Art college and whose debut album has received good reviews. The band had an energetic electronic keyboard player who played creatively and the band offer a new sound. 

Palma Violets had charisma and are being hyped extensively in NME. Miles Kane proved a stage veteran and clad in buttoned up leather he had good banter with the crowd were well up for his set! Kanes songs have catchy bass rhythms.