Doune The Rabbit Hole Review Pt. 2

After a night in my own bed (I can promise there's no greater feeling than leaving a muddy campsite knowing there's a hot shower waiting on you twenty minutes away) it was back to the Carron Valley. On arrival, we heard some rather interesting noises emanating from the Baino Stage. It turned out this was the cheery pop of Teen Canteen, who are beyond twee but are also fantastic – of all the bands I've heard who are named after Showaddywaddy songs, they're definitely the best. Sadly we only heard a couple of songs (including one cover of Kylie's All The Lovers) but I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for them.

Teen Canteen  (Photo by Wullie Crainey) 

Onto the main stage now for Dead Temple, who write doomy, stoner rock. Their songs are constructed with little subtlety and guile, preferring to hit you with a wall of noise for most of it, save for the odd quiet part which they've nicked from Radiohead. They're not terrible actually but the fact that the singer rarely strays from singing one note for most of the songs does grate after a while. Its starts to rain like fuck and we get soaked so back into the Baino tent for shelter and for...

...Duncan Drever, who plays fairly uninspiring folk music and really wants to be King Creosote. He has a really good voice, but then he goes and spoils it all by saying something stupid like 'this song is about vaginas' and proceeding to sing a song about vaginas.

Scran time, and it's up to top of the hill  for some pulled pork on a piece (courtesy of SMOAK). It's great stuff, must make a point of dropping into their place in Glasgow one day. Fed, I traipse back down to the main stage for Withered Hand, who is always impressive live. This is the first I've caught him with a full band though, and the expanded lineup brings so much to the occasion, giving each song a sense of weight and power. Ever a live highlight, Religious Songs brings about a rather triumphant climax, provoking a mass sing-along. One of the most enjoyable sets of the weekend.

Sacred Paws  (Photo by Wullie Crainey) 

Next up we have London/Glasgow duo Sacred Paws, who I've never been convinced by from listening to their recorded material. Their live show is something else though. They play ramshackle and disorganised post-punk with some rhythmic African influences chucked in at times. The dual vocal lines may not be in tune, nor are they the tightest band around but the shambolic nature of their show is pretty endearing and they're obviously passionate about what they do. Definitely worth seeing them live if you get the chance.

King Creosote  (Photo by Wullie Crainey) 

Rounding off our day is King Creosote who is, well, okay. He's just too happy these days. He and his band are in full-on summer mode, Hammond organ and all. I just couldn't enjoy it. Stop being so happy, Kenny! I preferred you when you were utterly miserable! Actually, I'm doing the band a real disservice because they're fantastic performers. I think I would have enjoyed it a lot more on any other day but my companions and I had reached that point where we were soaked through and dying to get home. Any other day I'd have loved it but I think by then I just wasn't in the mood. Ach, another time, eh?

Sunday

The Second Hand Marching Band  (Photo by Wullie Crainey) 

We arrive in time to see Olympic Swimmers, although it turns out they're not onstage when the programme says they'll be (it later transpires that they've been moved to a slot later on the bill on another stage). To console ourselves we head up to the Tenement TV stage for Pronto Mama but...well, they've had to pull out unfortunately. So the first band we see are The Second Hand Marching Band, whose heartfelt folksyness are the perfect start to our Sunday. I've caught them live them a few times and they're always good fun and today was no different. “We have a song about a love triangle in a mortuary and one with a mad drum beat: which one do you want to hear?” Mad Drum Beat song it is. Or, to call it by its real name, Don't. It's one of the standout tracks but special mention should also be given to A Dance To Half Death, another highlight.

It's North American War next in the Baino, who sound like XTC crossed with the second coming of Be Your Own Pet. I reviewed their excellent Ivory and Geraniums split 7” a few months back and it took me by surprise because I loved it, even though it's not normally the type of thing I'd listen to.We enjoy listening to them from outside the tent as we get some food. They wrap up some pretty catchy choruses in repetitive rhythms and discordant noise and the result is thoroughly enjoyable.

Kid Canaveral  (Photo by Wullie Crainey)

Up to the Tenement TV stage for Kid Canaveral, who are one of my favourite Scottish bands, and certainly one of the most accomplished live bands I've ever seen. I've seen them loads of times but this is my first opportunity to hear their new stuff. From what I can hear in this set, it's not a massive shift away from the guitar pop of their debut, but it's a touch heavier and bigger. On one song there's even...A GUITAR SOLO! But anyway, the new stuff has got me soaking in anticipation of the new album. There's not a weak song among the new lot, and the best for me was Low Winter Sun. They rounded things off nicely with my favourite from the first album, And Another Thing. Possibly my favourite set of the weekend too.

Human Don't Be Angry  (Photo by Wullie Crainey) 

I'd already missed a good chunk of Three Blind Wolves by the time I made my way back to the main stage but they were sounding pretty good from what I heard. I'm not a huge fan of their music (it's just not my kind of thing) but they're always good to see live as they're as tight as a gnat's chuff. Nae different here either, and the addition of a third guitarist means that they're sounding massive. And heavy. Really heavy. Heavier than you could ever really expect a country rock band to sound. But, oddly, it works very well.

We finished our weekend in the Baino tent to see Human Don't Be Angry. I have to admit I was in the minority wasn't taken on self-titled album when it came out earlier this year so I feared I wouldn't enjoy them live. I needn't have feared anything because they sounded far better live than they did on record. It was a strong set but special mention must go to NDBA Theme, a real highlight of the set.

So, my first Doune The Rabbit Hole experience was over. It wasn't a bad experience at all, although there are definitely a number of areas that could be improved upon. First of all, they have to make sure their volunteers are up to scratch on the basics, such as what constitutes a press wristband etc. As I said in the first part of this review, we were sent to a number of different places for our press passes only to discover the wristbands we already had on were the passes themselves. It didn't waste a lot of our time or anything but it was just a wee bit annoying. Basic stuff.

As I also touched on in the first part of the review, the lack of times on the timetable was just sheer laziness. I suppose it was supposed to be part of the carefree 'hippy' ethic but I'm one of these types who like to know what's on and when. I don't think that's an unreasonable request. At least if you have a list of times alongside the bands and things start to run a wee bit late on some stages you can put up a message on the sign next to the stage with updated times or whatever. The problem with that being that there weren't any signs telling you about set times, presumably to encourage people to buy a programme. And the problem with that is that there didn't seem to be anyone selling programmes. I managed to blag one at the gate and seemed to be one of the only people at the whole festival who'd managed to get a one, going by the number of people who came over to get a look at it or take a photo of it when they saw it in my hand. They only decided to put up signs with set times on the Sunday at 3 o'clock. And I imagine this was only because there were some major lineup changes on the various stages that day. Again, it's not really a major thing but it's something to think about getting sorted for next time.

One other thing that isn't all that pertinent to the normal punter but definitely is to the organisers was the number of times my wristband was looked at all weekend. Once. One single time. And that was when the guy actually put it on my wrist at the gate. I know the festival provides itself on being a bit of a 'free-spirit' but it shouldn't get the reputation for being easy to get into for free, particularly when they've had serious problems with paying bands in the past. Just something for the organisers to think about...

All of these things contributed to a general lax and disorganised feeling about the festival. But that doesn't mean I didn't have a good time. There were so many positives. The majority of the music I saw was cracking and, from what I've heard from other sources I missed a lot of excellent stuff too. The only small criticism I'd have here is that maybe there's actually too much of it...there's genuinely no need for so many bands to be on the bill at a festival this small when you could really maximise crowds at three or four stages rather than spread them out over 5.

The general vibe of the festival is lovely, a real friendly atmosphere that I found comparable to the few hours I spent at Wickerman in July this year. It's definitely one to consider for next year if you're looking for a more relaxing festival experience with some big names but without the big crowds. I know I've given it a bit of criticism here but these are just wee things that can be improved on with a bit of attention. Hopefully, if the organisers see this, they'll give it a wee bit of thought. As things stand, I'll probably be going along next year. Provided it's still being held within commutable distance, right enough. I hate camping. I fucking hate it.

Fin.

Hippy in the mud  (Photo by Wullie Crainey)

Doune The Rabbit Hole Review Pt. 1

 

I hate camping. I fucking hate it. You're always surrounded by midges and grass and trees and fresh air and everything else that's wrong with the world. I have twice endured festival camping in my short lifetime. One time was Connect in 2007, where, for some daft reason, we pitched the tent on a hill. When it came time to get some shut-eye (sleeping at a festival, eh? I'm wild, me...), I experienced this recurring, unsettling feeling of slowly sliding downwards headfirst every time I neared sleep. I thought we were going to career head first into the next tent on the hill - a scary prospect: its occupants were an Italian couple who shagged each other relentlessly and without mercy every night and well into the morning. Literally all night, every night. Not a wink of sleep was had between both our tents but they were certainly enjoying themselves so fair play. 

The other time I camped at a festival was the year previous at T In The Park. On the Saturday morning, my pal (and Doune The Rabbit Hole companion) Wullie spewed in the tent and ruined life. I'm not even going to go into details other than to say that we'd both eaten Cornish pasties the day before and, by the look of things that morning, his definitely had more carrot. After those occasions, I vowed to camp never again. Never again unless I absolutely, unquestionably had to. Of course, this would mean no more festivals.

So when Dear Leader Peenko got in touch to say he'd quite like me to review Doune The Rabbit Hole I jumped up and down and ran around the room screaming with joy (figuratively). And not just because the line-up looked pretty good, but because Doune The Rabbit Hole had this year been moved to a site only a few miles away from my house, well within driving distance. Or, to put it another way, within showering and sleeping-in-a-warm-bed distance. So while you may now feel the first two paragraphs you just read were a largely unnecessary preamble to this one, they were written with the intention of providing enough juxtaposition to allow you to discern just how overjoyed I was to be able to go to a festival and go home at night for a shite in my own house.

Wullie and myself arrived to find the place swarming with hippies. Dreadlocks and tie dye everywhere, children being pushed around in wheelbarrows and wearing dungarees made of felt. It was hell. 

Actually, it really wasn't. It was all very pleasant, but just a bit disorganised. The volunteers were exceptionally friendly but most of the ones we encountered didn't really have much of a clue. For instance, on arrival we were issued with our wristbands and told to go to the production office for press passes. Four hippies later we were directed to the artist check-in caravan as this was where the press passes apparently were, not the production office. Thankfully the very helpful Lucy actually knew what was going on and informed us that the wristbands we had initially received sufficed as press passes too. We were in. Yay! Not that we would have needed a wristband right enough seeing as it wasn't checked once all weekend. 

We managed to get hold of a programme which normally would allow you to plan out the stuff you'd like to see, right? WRONG! The programme didn't actually publish times of bands, only the order they were due on stage. The 'timetable' included the disclaimer, “Time is an illusion, fesitval time doubly so. These listings are provided only as an approximate outline of concurrent stage happenings.” Which to me translates as “we're too lazy to do this properly”. Couple this laziness with the fact that bands were chopping and changing all over the place, things got a bit chaotic, and nobody really seemed to know what was going on or who the bands currently on stage were etc. It probably wouldn't be much of a problem to most people there just to enjoy themselves but to a reviewer who kinda needs to know exactly where and when bands are on, it's a little bothersome. 

But now for the important part. The first band I saw on the main stage were possibly called The Woven Tents though I can't be all that sure because they weren't listed in the programme as playing at that time. Whoever they were, I'd place them in the avant-garde sub-genre of Carnival-Circus-Pop. It was all thoroughly enjoyable and rather eccentric, swinging between utter mentalness and atmospheric soundscapes in an instant. Definitely one for fans of Animal Collective.

Behold, The Old Bear (Photo by Wullie Crainey)

Staying at the main stage, we have Behold, The Old Bear up next. It's the first time I've heard them live and they're fantastic. Much like it is in Mitchell Museum, frontman Raindeer's voice is pushed to breaking point at the top of his register to great effect, giving a really strained but passionate vocal sound. It's more straight up than Mitchell Museum, something like a more outwardly rocky Spinto Band. They're great to watch too, evidently having a lot of fun on stage. 

We decided it might be time for some scran, but on the way we stopped into the Baino Tent to be confronted by Pumajaw. Pinkie Maclure is such a good singer there are few superlatives to describe her. She has this deep, rich voice - not unlike Sarah Vaughan or even some of Grace Jones' work. It's a pity it's wasted here though, because their music is pretentious, self-indulgent and dull. After them it's up the hill for some excellent Doune The Rabbit Stew from Wild Rover Food, followed shortly afterwards by the best (only) churros and chocolate I've ever had.

Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells (Photo by Wullie Crainey)

One thing I notice about Doune The Rabbit Hole is just how family friendly it is. There's loads of children here, enjoying the mud and music, running around like wee dafties and generally having a brilliant time. “I'm meeting him tomorrow, and I plan to suck him dry, and she pulled back up her knickers and she kissed my cock goodbye” drawls Mr Moffat of Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells during Glasgow Jubilee, as children dance atop of daddy's shoulders. They're a class act, and live their award-winning album is really brought to life. The Copper Top is the highlight though. It's one of those strange songs that's a bit haunting and harrowing, yet inviting at the same time. It's like being sat down on a comfy armchair beside a roaring fire one freezing January night only to be told of a loved one's imminent demise. Live, they don't tend to embellish the material from Everything's Getting Older. There's no need, it's beautiful as it is.

The Phantom Band (Photo by Wullie Crainey)

And finally on Friday we have The Phantom Band. I'm a huge fan and have seen them many times but this is by far the best they've ever sounded. There was often a real danger of some songs sounding weedy in the past if the sound wasn't too great but they've beefed up their live sound here to great effect. Folk Song Oblivion was one of those songs but tonight it sounds huge and heavy, like a good boot to the chest. Also sounding excellent was the material from The Wants, in particular A Glamour and Mr Natural. Rounding things off with a triumphant Crocodile was a nice touch. A rather superb way to finish the first day.

(end of part one...)

Boutique-licious: A Guide To Scotland's Independent Music Festivals

I don't about you guys, but I fell out of love with big festivals a long time ago. Getting drunk in a crowded field, whilst drinking over priced watered down beer, just doesn't have the same appeal as it once did. Having been to a few festivals on the continent, and the short lived Indian Summer Festivals, took the shine off things that little bit for me. I guess I am not alone in feeling this way, as in recent years the number of independent festivals that have sprung up across Scotland is really quite phenomenal. With a focus on quality homegrown products (both in terms of bands and produce), the emergence of so many new independent Scottish music festivals is something that I can't sing highly enough about. So if you're sick of sharing a field with 85,000 other people, then you should get yourself along to one of these...

Brew At The Bog


When?  Saturday the 5th of May

Where? Bogbain Farm just outside of Inverness

Who's Playing?  Highlights include Washington Irving, Endor, Over The Wall, The Seventeenth Century and many many more cracking Scottish bands

How Much?  £10.00 to £45.00

What makes your festival so special?

Yvonne Murray (Brew at the Bog organiser) Brew at the Bog has been described by the Scotsman as one of the top 5 boutique festivals in Scotland...and the festival hasn't even taken place yet! There's 3 things I think that will make Brew at the Bog stand head and shoulders above anything else this year.  The lineup is a knockout, Bogbain Farm is shaping to be one of the brightest new venues in the country and is only 5mins from Inverness, and BrewDog are supplying the tastiest beers you're ever likely to drink.  

Who are you most looking forward to seeing?  

YM - That's not fair! How can I pick anyone over the other - I seriously think our lineup is pretty special and I swear I am so looking forward to hearing everyone. I just need to make sure we are so organised beforehand that we can relax a bit during the festival! However, I have really been enjoying Bensh, who are an Austrian/Welsh band and so I think that'll be pretty cool! Also looking forward to seeing folk having an ace time at Bogbain!

Kilmarnock's Dirty Weekender

When?  Friday 1st - Sunday 3rd of June



Where?  Kilmarnock


Who's Playing?  Highlights include We Were Promised Jetpacks, The Lafontaines and Rod Jones of Idlewild fame, plus many more


How Much?  £12 - 25


What makes your festival so special and who are you most looking forward to seeing?

Ben Grant from The Indiebendent "For me Kilmarnock's Dirty Weekender is special because the Dirty Weekender is an independently organised and funded festival that literally has something for everyone. So many different genres from Ska to heavy rock or maybe some acoustic goodness inbetween. 

Personally I'm looking forward to finally catch The LaFontaines in the flesh aswell as seeing This Silent Forest and Julia And The Doogans for first time in a long while. Another one to watch out for is local acoustic singer songwriter Sean Kennedy he's been away working hard writing some new material so I'm excited to see what comes of his hard work."

Downhill Downtown


When?  Friday 8th - Saturday 9th of June


Where?  The Nevis Centre, Fort William


Who's Playing?  King Creosote, The Phantom Band, Admiral Fallow, Stanley Odd, Bwani Junction and a lot more


How Much?  £6:00 - £17:50 (+booking fee)


What makes your festival so special and who are you most looking forward to seeing? 

Derick Mackinnon (New Found Sound)  "I think it's more to do with the fact we're programming music alongside the Mountain Bike World Cup, rather than being a stand alone, unique music festival. The UCI World Cup is one of the biggest and most established sporting events in the UK, combined with some of Scotland's most exciting and respected artists it all adds up to a real celebration of Scottish culture surrounded by the stunning landscapes that Fort William has to offer I'm looking forward to the whole thing, the mountain biking as well as the artists."

The Insider Festival

When?  Friday 15th - Sunday 17th of June



Where?  Inshriach House, Aviemore


Who's Playing?  Highlights include Meursault, Stanley Odd, Optimo, The Little Kicks and much much more.


How Much?  £25 - £100


What makes your festival so special and who are you most looking forward to seeing?

Walter Micklethwait (Inshriach House)  "I guess what makes is special is the care and attention that go into it, from the food to the theme to the line up to to the way everything is designed and built. Its a complete a labour of love and each year it evolves but at the same time it doesn't shout too much about it, I like the way people respond to that. Three years practise mean its going to be a really polished operation this year and the Olympiad idea offers almost limitless comedic scope.  

Tunes wise it might be time to sneak off into the woods and complete my Glasgow education with Optimo who i have never seen... Kan are always great (Friday) and the despots and dictators ball on Sunday night ought to round things off in dapper style with the Loveboat Big band. We are probably just about to announce the full line up. "

Solas Festival

When?  Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th of June



Where? Wiston by Biggar, South Lanarkshire

Who's Playing?  Highlights include Admiral Fallow, Stanley Odd, Washington Irving, plus loads more


How Much?  £15-85


What makes your festival so special and who are you most looking forward to seeing?

Leanne Clelland (Solas Festival organiser) "Solas Festival does seem to engender that feeling of being special - and each year we are surprised and delighted by that. 

Perhaps it's because it's a space for people at all stages of life. You'll not find anything that you're too young or too old to get involved in. And, the artists, festival-goers and volunteers all seem to revel in the unique, welcoming, relaxing space that comes together against the back-drop of the Summer Solstice.

We work really hard to make sure that people feel that they are doing more than just paying out their money to consume the arts. Solas Festival is a space were they can uncover the artist within themselves - be that in our open mic venues, unsigned stage or in the creative arts sessions. The festival is also more than just an arts festival but much more of a holistic event which has something for mind, body and soul.

I have a long, and growing, list of must-sees. I'm very excited about seeing Admiral Fallow in one of our intimate venues. 

But I'm also really curious about the unsigned stages. Last year, we had Rory Butler play at the festival and this last year has been a roller-coaster of success for him, including wining a Danny Kyle award at Celtic Connections.  So, I'm really looking forward to seeing who might be the next star in the making from this year's as-yet unsigned talent.

And then there's a fantastically eclectic line-up from the traditional and folk music scene. Nic Gareiss is the world's pre-eminent trad dancer and will be joined by poets Padraig O'Tuama and Aonghas MacNeacail. Raghu Dixit - a name which might not mean a whole lot to you now - is about to take Scotland by storm with his incredible Indian folk sound. I've been listening to him on repeat while I'm working and his work is really bewitching.

I have a couple of young sons and they just can't wait for the freedom to ramble in the magical forest, catch tadpoles and listen to storytellers like Mrs Mash and Waste of Paint. And while they're off roaming, I might grab a nice cuppa and listen in to a talk by Andy Wightman or Sonya Sharma. Only a few weeks to go and we can't wait!"

Kelburn Garden Party

When?  Staurday 30th June - Sunday 1st July



Where? Kelburn Castle & Country Park near Largs

Who's Playing?  Highlights include The Phantom Band, Panda Su and Behold The Old Bear


How Much?  £68 (Includes camping and Under 13s Go Free)

What makes Kelburn so special?

David Boyle (Kelburn organiser)  "The quick answer is the sheer mind blowing beauty of the site and the creativity that it inspires, but really I think it's a combination of ingredients that come together to form an utterly unique event. Set in a lush country park by the sea, Kelburn is a wonderland like no other festival site and is the inspiration for The Garden Party. With a Graffiti Castle and the islands of the west coast as the backdrop and a dramatic wooded glen through the middle, with waterfalls to swim in and hidden gigs, workshops and outdoor theatre tucked away to discover, there is no festival experience that can match it.  The programming is inclusive, open minded and always exceptional but after 3 years we, like our festival fans, take that for granted. With a focus on supporting the best in Scottish talent, there’s everything from swing jazz and rock and roll to cutting edge dubstep and underground DJs, acoustic sessions and ceilidhs to indie and hip hop. This sensory overload is enriched through details in magical lighting installations, floating lanterns, barrel fires and painstaking décor and underpinning it all there is an intangible yet unmissable vibe of creativity and collaboration, energy and love, and unadulterated fun.  Kelburn is only great, can only be great, because of the team of artists, contributors and volunteers who insist on creating the best festival in Scotland. That care and hard work is easy to sense but difficult to describe. You'll have to come and find out for yourself.  

What am I most looking forward to see?  

There is so much I can’t wait to see this year but the most magical moments for me, and what makes Kelburn Garden Party so special are the secret hidden gigs: The orchestra in the walled gardens, the ska band in the glen, or the drum circle high on the hill looking out over the islands. The intimate atmosphere at these one off sumptuous locations is overwhelming and not to be missed - if you can find them!  In truth though, when people manage to transcend the mundanities and weariness of life and become truly alive, you can see it in there eyes and feel it lifting the mood around them. I don't know any event that is as friendly or as fun as Kelburn and that's entirely thanks to our festival fans, so really, it's them whom we are most look forward to seeing.

The Big Tent Festival


When?  Saturday 21st - Sunday 22nd of July



Where? Falkland in Fife (just north of Glenrothes)

Who's Playing?  Highlights include The Proclaimers, Karine Polwart, Woodenbox, plus a lot more.


How Much?  £30 - 155


What makes your festival so special and who are you most looking forward to seeing?
Angela Michael (The Big Tent Festival organiser)  "...well lots of things but probably the beautiful historic setting of Falkland Estate teamed with all the extra activities and debates on the environment as well as a diverse music line up and the great food.  Big Tent is also very affordable, probably the best value boutique festival anywhere in the UK for families and groups….two stages, 30 music acts and lots of debate, speaker slots, poetry, songwriter sessions and lots of locally sourced organic food.  I am personally looking forward to the Federation of the Disco Pimps just because of the great name and the fact that they play funk infused big band music!...oh…and I am looking forward to the food…I go to lots of festivals and Big Tent has the best selection of food at any festival I have visited in a very long time."

Doune The Rabbit Hole


When?  Friday 22th- Sunday 26th of  August



Where? Duncarron Fort, Carron Valley (near Croy)

Who's Playing?  Highlights include The Phantom Band, Withered Hand, John Knox Sex Club and a shed load more


How Much?  £30 -78 (Under 12s go free)


What makes your festival so special and who are you most looking forward to seeing?
Jamie Murray (Doune The Rabbit Hole organiser)  "This year's Dtrh is going to be an ecstatic celebration of music and art. Despite all the great acts that are on board like Aidan Moffat & Bill Wells and the Phantom Band (look out for more headliners announced on May 7th!) I still think that the setting is the most remarkable thing about this year. We're in the Duncarron medieval fort which really is a site to behold, alongside a giant loch and river, within a forest and only 40 minutes from Glasgow and Edinburgh. On top of all that we've got a raft of caterers on board to tantalize your tastebuds as well as a cinema (featuring movies curated by the acts) and a devoted spoken-word stage within a giant medieval longhouse. It's going to be a pretty amazing weekend!"

Massive News Thread (warning contains lots of rambling)

It's been a wee while since I did a news round up, so I guess just now is as good a time as any to give you a heads up on a few wee bits and bobs in the Scottish music scene...

To kick this all off we have some good news, Mitchell Museum have ended their hiatus and have now been busy working away on new tunes.There's also been a wee bit of a line up change, with Dougie leaving the band, being replace Gavin Thomson, he of Findo Gask, grnr, Zoey Van Goey fame. The band have already started to recording demos for their 2nd album, as a wee teaser you can stream a new song called ‘Glasshouse’ over on their SoundCloud page. Nice to have you back boys, the world feels like a better place now that Mitchell Museum exist once more.

Secondly we have a wee bit more news regarding the Brew at the Bog Festival which takes place for the first time on Saturday 5 May 2012 at Bogbain Farm on the outskirts of Inverness.  The big announcement is that goNORTH are going to be host the second stage at the the event which sees some of the most exciting emerging talent in Scotland relocating to the Highland capital for the weekend.

The second stage which is going to be compered by our friends at Net Sounds Unsigned, will feature an array of talent from the Highlands and Islands including KOBI, Megan Blyth, He Slept on 57, Mike Nisbet and Open Day Rotation. This is of course on top of the line up which had previously been announced which includes Three Blind Wolves, Washington Irving, Endor, The Seventeenth Century, Stanley Odd, Over The Wall, Beerjacket, Kitty The Lion and Fatherson among others.

Tickets for the day long extravaganza of new music and new beer are priced at just £45 and are available here. Limited camping is also available.

Scotland’s annual music conference and showcase event, Wide Days have just announced that the first seminars for this year’s daytime programme. Taking place on Wednesday the 11th and Thursday the12th of April, the seminars will once again be held in Edinburgh’s Teviot House, with the showcase gigs being held in various venues across the city (provided that there's any venues left by April). Having attended this last year, I only have good things to say about it, much like goNorth it's a great way for you to learn and more importantly to give you the opportunity to go and speak to people within the industry that you might not normally have the chance to speak to. That and in the evenings they put on some pretty amazing bands, last year they had Rachel Sermanni, Withered Hand and PAWS to name just a few. If you're quick off the mark then you can pick up tickets at the special early bird rate of £29 until March 12, after which they'll go up to the full price of £45. If you want further information on the event or you fancy picking up some tickets then just head here.

Talking of festivals, Doune The Rabbit Hole have announced the line up for this years event, which will take place at Duncarron Fort, near Kilsyth, on the weekend of August 24-26th. So far they've announced a whole host of local talent including The Phantom Band and Withered Hand. Weekend camping tickets are available now priced £78 if purchased before April 1st, £88 there after, day tickets are also available. For further information on the event check out their website.

I guess that most of you are already fully aware that submissions for this years T Break opened on Monday there. If you fancy applying to be one of 16 bands that are hand-picked from over a thousand entries by a panel made up of industry experts to play T in the Park, then you can do so here.

Local promoters, Pelmet Nites have just announced that they plan to thrown Glasgow's Biggest St Paddy's Day Party. On Saturday the 17th March they'll be taking over the QMU for a night of debauchery featuring am array of Scottish talent, including live performances from Aerials Up, Discopolis, Kobi Onyame, PartWindPartWolf and A Plastic Rose, plus DJ sets from Detour and MILK. Early tickets are on sale now for only £5 for non students via TicketScotland. Check out their Facebook for further details.

Wur pals, Kid Canaveral have just announced a series of dates, which includes a couple of Scottish shows. on Sunday the 15th of April they'll be playing Fence's Eye O' The Dug of the festival in St Andrews. Then on the 3rd of May they'll be through in sunny Glasgow at the CCA supporting the Pictish Trail, after which they'll be heading down south for a series of dates. I've heard a couple of new tunes which see the band retaining that distinctive Kid C vibe, whilst sounding that bit more mature. Excited?! You should be!




If  you don't follow Aidan Moffat on twitter, then you're really missing a trick. If you don't believe me then check out this compilation of some of his most amusing tweets that the Pop Cop turned into a whole post. His tweets are now the thing of legend, I often find myself trawling through a whole host of his semi-inebriated reviews of what he's been watching on MTV in the middle of the night. Funny as fuck they are too. After a few too many shandies one night, Aidan mentioned how much he loved all three 80’s megahits entitled 'The Power of Love'. Upon hearing this confession, none other than the deputy editor of MOJO, a Mr Andrew Male, then posed the following innocuous question: "Has anyone ever managed a medley of all three?" Not being one to turn down a challenge, Aidan roped in his current co-hort, Bill Wells to take this challenge on. Not only did they manage to craft all three songs into one, but they were also able to squeeze in Peter Cetera's 'Glory of Love' for the sheer thrill of it, soliciting some backing vocals from, amongst others, Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake. You can have a listen to the results below, which will also be available on limited 7" vinyl just in time for Bill and Aidan's UK tour which kicks off at the end of this month.

  The Powers And The Glory Of Love by Bill Wells & Aidan Moffat by Aidan John Moffat

 Mini music festival promoters, A Quiet Night In have announced a couple of shows in Stereo this March. On the 20th they have Finding Albert appearing alongside It Girl, Kill The Waves, One Last Secret and Colour-Coded. Then on the 28th they're putting on the recent winners of  the Best Acoustic act at this years Scottish Alternative Music Awards, Brown Bear & The Bandits, which is also their debut headline show. Alongside them there will be our very own Randolph's Leap, one of my favourite singer songwriters, Michael Cassidy, plus Fole Music and Every Genius Delivers. Tickets for both nights are only £5, you can find out more information here.  


Mind I mentioned that I saw Fatherson a few weeks back  supporting Frightened Rabbit, if I didn't say it on here then I must have said on Twitter. My shitty memory fails me once again, anyway, they've just released a new video featuring a boy and his adventures with a goldfish. It's pretty fucking ace and well worthy of three and a bit minutes of your time...

Last but not least, our friends over at Audio Antihero have just released a new charity compilation which features a whopping 36 tracks. The album which is entitled “Some.Alternate.Universe” is being released in order to raise money for The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths and it features exclusive tracks from the entire Audio Antihero roster, plus appearances from rather special guests including the likes of Jeffrey Lewis, and Johnny Foreigner. Plus most excitingly for me it includes a wealth of Scottish talent, including      Jesus H. Foxx, PAWS, The Scottish Enlightenment and Debutant. You can buy it now from the Audio Antihero Bandcamp. Like their previous compilation, it only costs a tiny £3.99 with the option and encouragement to dig deeper if you can afford to. 36 tracks for less than 4 quid and you get to do your bit for charity, it's a no brainer really...

Greetings from up north

I would just like to apologise to anyone who has emailed me over the past few days and hasn't heard back from me yet, I have been up north visiting my parents and have avoided turning on my laptop for a good few days. Now that I have logged in, I have a shed load of emails to work through. So to make my job that bit easier I thought I'd bring you all of the worthy news to you in one big handy post. So without further ado here we go...

First off we have the launch of Communion in Glasgow on Thursday the 28th of April. Originally founded by Ben Lovett of Mumford & Sons fame, former Cherbourg bassist Kevin Jones and acclaimed producer Ian Grimble, Communion originally started way back in 2006 in London. The original premise of the evening was to provide a new platform for those within the London-scene, which unearthed both Laura Marling and Example.

In the years that have followed, Communion has expanded, with nights being put on across the UK and internationally as far and wide as New York and Sydney. Taking the blueprint of what has made Communion work so well Communion Records was founded in September 2009 priding themselves with working and cultivating a family of artists featuring Rachel Sermanni, Mumford and Son’s to Johnny Flynn.

On the 28th of April the night makes it first appearance in Glasgow with a headline show from Communion artist Ben Howard, plus support from Washington Irving and Kitty The Lion. Tickets for the gig are on sale now for the very reasonable sum of £7, you can pick one up here.

Further details on Communion can be found here.

I am no sure if I have any readers who come from Fort William, but it would be rude of me not to mention an festival that's taking place up there. It's called Rock The Fort and it takes place from 30 April – 6 May, featuring The Mystic Shoes, Kitty The Lion and Homework. Further details on what's going on can be found here.




A lovely lady called Heather recently got in touch with me as she is putting together a Glasgow music compilation for her third year University project. The album features an array of local talent including Crayons, Tempercalm, Weather Barn, The Hardy Boys, Dilectrics, Sing-Kill-Worth, The Imagineers, Skies Fell, Carnivores, Pacific Theare and more. The official launch night for the album takes place tonight at Stereo in Glasgow, featuring Crayons, Tempecalm, Weather Barn, Sonic Hearts Foundation and Dilectrics. More information on the night can be found here.

Admiral Fallow have announced an array of shows across the UK, kicking off with a show at the Euphonios stage at this years Great Escape Festival in Brighton, alongside Peenko favourite Dems. The tour also sees them making appearances at this Stag & Dagger Festival in Glasgow, Glastonbury, Green Man Festival, before returning to Scotland in August for a show at the Liquid Rooms in Edinburgh as part of the Edge Festival. All of the dates can be found on their Myspace, plus there recently re-released album 'Boots Met My Face' is available to buy here.

The Doune The Rabbit Hole organisers continue to add an array of local talent for this years festival. Joining the likes of Mungos Hifi, The Vaselines, Mike Heron and Trembling Bells are the fantastic BMX Bandits, Randolph's Leap, RM Hubbert and loads of other great acts. You can find out more on their website.

Bits and bobs

Ever since I scrapped my Weekly Roundup posts I've ended up with loads of bits of news that I should share with you all, but my rigid structure has stifled things a wee bit. Hence every once in a while when I get some free time I'm going to post up one of these random news posts.

First up we have a wee reminder that you only have until midnight tomorrow (Thursday 10th) to get yourself discounted Early Bird tickets for this years Wide Days event in Edinburgh. For those of you who don't know, Wide Days is an industry event aimed at up and coming musicians which gives them the opportunity to come along and attend seminars on things like touring, SXSW and many others. It's also a great opportunity for you to get to have access to speak to industry folk in person that you wouldn't normally be able to get anywhere near. If you're serious about pursuing a career in music then this is something that you really need to get yourself down to. Plus mind and be quick and get your tickets nice and early at the cheaper price.


He's been off the scene for a while, but thankfully Ally from the Glasgow Podcart has returned to fold (nice to have you back sir), and his come back heralds the return of Mix_Up_Mayhem.

The concept behind Mix_Up_Mayhem they have three acts, of which each band will play there own tunes, plus they have to play a cover of each of the other two bands' songs and as if that was enough they also have to play at least one well known cover too. Now that's a challenge and a half if ever I heard one, the next acts with the balls to step up to the plate are none other than Other People, You Already Know and Carnivores. Now there's an evening of carnage if ever I heard one. The night takes place on Friday 25th March at Mix_Up_Mayhem's new spiritual home of Bar Bloc in Glasgow, you can find further details here.

Lastly, new Scottish festival, Doune the Rabbit Hole have announced that they're returning for a second outing. Last years festival had a cracking wee line up, but it didn't appear to be promoted all that well, thankfully though the organisers seem to have recognised this and have addressed this accordingly. The festival takes place on the 10th, 11th and 12th of June, in the beautiful countryside surrounding Doune Castle, Stirlingshire.
Blending the finest psychedelic music complimented with a dash of folk brewed to perfection in a
big pot of sunshine. Plus there is the added bonus of freshly baked cakes, yum!
Alongside this there will be poetry, dancing, philosophy, forests, stories, lights, trees, cows, theatre, comedy, dressing up boxes, whisky, games, face-painting, giant mushrooms, rainbows, local ale and cider and lovely organic food. Oh and there will also be some bands too, headlining the festival they have Glasgow dance lords, Mungos Hifi, lo-fi legends The Vaselines, electric folk band Trembling Bells and finallyThe Incredible String Band member Mike Heron.
Other acts announced so far are Alasdair Roberts, Rise Kagona, Quack Quack, Dam Mantle, Conquering Animal Sound, Colorama, Nick Garrie, Remember Remember, The Hidden Masters, Blurt (Ted Milton), Ben Butler and Mousepad, Frank Farfield, James Yorkston, Broadcast 2000,
RM Hubbert and The Real Tuesday Weld. If that sounds like it's your cup of tea then you can find out more and even buy tickets on their homepage.