Saturday 6 August 2016

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!


Thursday 21 July 2016

Mugstock festival 2016

MUSTOCK Festival at Mugdock Country park – 29th – 31st July.
A festival of Music and merriment! -  ‘Scotland’s friendliest wee festival’  
Mugstock returns this year after the debut festival last year was a great success. The Line up ranges from indie, folk, soul, blues, hip hop - to an electronica tent.  Plus there is theatre, art, spoken word and plenty of food and drink.


Headliners this year includes some of the best of Scottish contemporary  music with - Stanley Odd, Emma Pollock, Silicone Soul, BMX Bandits,  Wolves, Siobhan Wilson, Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5,  

I enjoyed my visit last year and got some fun photos as an accredited photographer.

 

10 miles from Glasgow city centre, in one of Scotland's most beautiful locations, with acres of ancient woodlands, a Victorian walled garden and 2 castles. Tickets are cheaper than most similar festivals, there are no booking fees and camping is free with every ticket, even if you're just coming for one night.

There will be real ale and fruit cider cheaper than most pubs. There will be family activities which offer opportunities to get creative and get your hands dirty, and there will be hidden art in the forest and a treasure hunt.  Get your tickets now at


Wednesday 13 July 2016

Celtic Late Sessions 2016

Celtic Connections also runs over its weekends The Festival Club and the Late Sessions at the Drygate. Here photos of the top Scottish band Braebach at the Late Sessions. 



ALSO the excellent Elephant Sessions who supported Blazin Fiddles



Wednesday 6 July 2016

**CHILCOT report TODAY – AFTER 7 YEARS.!!


**CHILCOT report TODAY – AFTER 7 YEARS.!! Resulted in dreadful misery in Iraq and around the world.

“”People who walk past the ‘HOUSES OF POWER’ – have to realise that they do have a VOICE.  Our sons and brothers killed in Iraq are no longer here – but we will be their voice now.”

Teflon Tony - he's a great actor. 

The report claims Blair knew what he was doing and the certainty of WMD threat was ‘not justified’ and you cannot go to war for regime change. Also the soldier's equipment was poor. 

**The CHILCOT report TODAY –
Hidden today and brought out the day Andy Murray plays Wimbledon and 2 semi-finals Euro 2016.  (They also buried Hunt's imposing the Junior doctors contract today! ) Unbelievable. KEEP THE MASSES HAPPY and ignorant.

Tony Bliar says "he had to make decisions" - what he means was - he was able to be a "Dictator" who never even consulted his Cabinet. He LIED in Parliament about the weapons. He was warned repeatedly about the risks of going to war.

And what of Bush are Americans happy with the shambles left in the middle east?
Bliar knew what he was doing.  The thousands of women and men and children who died, died for no reason.

The families hope that lessons will be learnt and that any action to war must be rigorously debated.
One father. said “I can only conclude my son died in vain.’  And we reserve the right to take all parties to court. “
Families asked to meet Tony Bliar face to face – one sister asked for Blair look me in the eye.

The Chilcot Report says that Bliar knew he was misrepresenting the truth.  Bliar says – I took it I good faith and in what I believed was the best interest of the country.
He wrote to Bush in April 2002, “I will be with you whatever.”  

The Labour MP Clare Short  claimed – ‘Everything before the war by Tony Bliar was kept totally secret – unbelievable. London Government needs to change, totally undemocratic. No minutes taken, in informal system..  Need to tighten up conditions taken to go to war. “Bliar would hang onto Bush’s ankles and the government would hang on to Bliar’s. “

Blair defends that he was right to topple Saddam.  The  Chilcot report says that the certainty of WMD threat  was ‘not justified’.  You cannot go to war for regime change.

We pay our LICENCE Fees for a 'State Controlled' Tv channel that tells us LIES!! Blair's actions as a dictator costs the lives of thousands.
 “Blair is the biggest terrorist, “
Blair gave a press conference straight after - he should be given an Oscar as a Great Actor!


 *     *       *       *

Bliar is a LIAR - fool, an amateur and a con man – he is spineless, deluded, stupid, shallow, blind. He did not listen and decided a year before the Iraq war when he told Bush he would support him – and he did not upgrade the army’s equipment. Never mind about the soldiers lives then? Apparently they did not even have mobile phones.

I will never forget marching for Peace up to Hyde Park rally London. Some were dancing for peace. I wondered about this war and what was it really  for?