MUSIC NEWS Scotland

BTBW: FUTURE OF THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

Posted on July 12, 2012 by MUSIC NEWS Scotland

BORN TO BE WIDE ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH FESTIVAL OF POLITICS

Scotland’s leading music business event organiser, Born To Be Wide, is pleased to announce a partnership with the Festival Of Politics, which takes place in the Scottish Parliament on August 17, 18, 24 and 25 August.

A diverse panel of guests will discuss the future of the music industry, on the final afternoon of the event.

These include Frightened Rabbit frontman Scott Hutchison, Inger Dirdal [managing director of Music Export Norway] and Scott Cohen, co-founder of the world’s largest independent digital music distribution company, The Orchard. They will be joined by Caroline Gorman [Rage Music], who provides compositions for film, television and advertising, and former chairman of the British Phonographic Industry, John Preston.

Also taking part will be the panel organiser, Born To Be Wide co-founder, Olaf Furniss, a veteran music business journalist who has hosted over 100 seminars in the past three years.

“We are delighted to be working with the Festival Of Politics and to be able to involve such a diverse range of music industry guests,” says Furniss. “This is a fantastic opportunity to explore how the music industry might look in the future.”

The discussion will be followed by a concert organised by Jewel & Esk College featuring emerging Scottish acts Machine Room, The Stagger Rats, Val Verde and The Dandylions.

The Festival of Politics & Born To Be Wide Present:

The Future Of The Music Industry – Saturday 25 August

£4/£2.50 – 1700-1800 – Debating Chamber – Scottish Parliament

Tickets available from www.festivalofpolitics.org.uk

Guests – Scott Cohen [The Orchard], Inger Dirdal [Music Export Norway], Olaf Furniss [Born To Be Wide/Journalist], Caroline Gorman [Rage Music], Scott Hutchison [Frightened Rabbit] and John Preston [former chairman of the BPI]

Born To Be Wide

Born To Be Wide was launched in February 2004 to provide a meeting place for those involved or interested in the Scottish music scene. Since April 2008 the night has hosted a wide range of music industry seminars featuring including speakers from Scandinavia, Germany, the US and the rest of the UK.

In 2010 the organisers launched both the annual Wide Days conference and showcase event, which takes in April, and the Born To Be Wide Edinburgh Night in early August. The latter provides a snapshot of Scottish talent performing during the Fringe, with ten acts playing ten minute taster sets and pillars of the local scene taking turns to spin their favourite four records by Edinburgh bands.

The Festival of Politics

The Festival of Politics began in 2005 and was the first festival of its kind to be hosted by any Parliament. It is now in its eighth year and continues to be a unique combination of politics, media and the arts.

To date nearly 250,000 people have attended the combined Festival of Politics and World Press Photo Exhibition.

The innovative nature of the Festival has been recognized through its nomination for the Hansard Society aaward for Plitcal Innovation at the Channel 4 Politics Awards

www.scottish.parliament.uk

www.festivalofpolitics.org.uk

www.borntobewide.co.uk

Click to visit the Scottish Music Centre's website

We are delighted to have the Scottish Music Centre as a sponsor of the MUSIC NEWS Scotland ‘Latest News’ Blog – please click above to view their website and see what services they can offer Scottish musicians

We are delighted to have the Musicians Union as a sponsor of the MUSIC NEWS Scotland ‘Latest News’ Blog – please click above to view their website and see what services they can offer Scottish musicians

Posted in Latest News | Tagged Born To Be Wide, Frightened Rabbit, Olaf Furniss, Scott Hutchison, scottish parliament, the dandylions, the machine room, the stagger rats, Val Verde | Leave a comment

goNORTH Seedlings Stage at Belladrum

Posted on July 4, 2012 by MUSIC NEWS Scotland

goNORTH Seedlings Stage at Belladrum

Organisers are pleased to announce the acts selected for the goNORTH Seedlings Stage at Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival 2012. Taking place across the 3rd and 4th of August.

“We are excited to be continuing our long standing relationship with Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival in 2012”, said goNORTH Director for Music Shaun Arnold. “Belladrum has developed into one of the key festivals on the Scottish calendar, and has become firmly established as an important platform for connecting new artists with a broad and passionate audience”.

“We’re really delighted with the strength of the unsigned line-up at bella this year”, added Festival Booker Joe Gibbs. “Most of these artists are to be found in the goNORTH Seedlings Stage which has become a mecca for people seeking the next wave of music talent coming from the Highlands and wider Scotland.”

goNORTH Seedlings Stage 2012

Anderson, McGinty, Webster, Ward and Fisher

Brown Bear & The Bandits

Chasing Owls

Chris Devotion & The Expectations

City In Surveillance

Donald Macdonald & The Islands

The Maginot Band

Toby Michaels Rolling Damned

Belladrum 2012 takes place in the beautiful Highland surroundings of Belladrum Estate, near Beauly in Inverness-shire. The independent festival has built a reputation for its eclectic line-ups, its off beat non-musical entertainments and its all-ages approach. The festival won a VisitScotland Thistle Award in 2009 and is a past winner of the Grassroots Festival Award at the UK Festival Awards, the festival industry’s ‘oscars’.

Belladrum has sold out each of the past three years.. Advance adult weekend tickets are £95 and Saturday tickets are £65. They include parking and camping, campervans and caravans tickets are now sold out. As in previous years, tickets for children 12 & under are free.

goNORTH was launched in 2001 to provide a platform for artists from the north of Scotland to showcase for music industry and media representatives on their own patch. Originally hosted in several venues on Aberdeen’s Belmont Street, we briefly relocated to Dundee, before settling in Scotland’s most northerly city, Inverness. The event has since developed into one of the country’s leading Creative Industries Festivals, covering a much wider remit from Screen and Broadcast to Designer Fashion and Publishing. Each year, goNORTH brings a world class programme of panels, workshops, film screenings, training opportunities, Q&A sessions, camera equipment and special effects showcases, and a global marathon of live music showcases to the north of Scotland.

The live showcases feature contemporary and cutting edge music of all genres, highlighting the best emerging talent from Scotland, the rest of the UK, and a selection of international contenders.

Last year saw the introduction of the goNORTH Festival Tour, an exciting development which takes goNORTH back to its roots and supports emerging talent across a range of top independent festivals; our 2012 touring schedule includes Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, The Wickerman Festival, Loopallu, B-Fest and Summer in the City 2012

The introduction of the Festival Tour means a significant volume of artists invited to showcase at goNORTH will also secure additional slots across the touring schedule.

Previous keynote speakers include, Tony Wilson, Alan McGee, Jazz Summers, Mark Jones and former UK Music CEO, Feargal Sharkey.

GoNORTH features acts across all contemporary music genres, with the line-up split equally between artists from the Highlands and Islands, other parts of Scotland, the UK and the rest of the world. In recent years, the event has brought acts from across Mainland Europe, the USA, Russia, Scandinavia, Australia, Japan and Canada to the north of Scotland.

The goNORTH 2012 Compilation featuring a selection of showcasing artists was released direct to industry via Music Week.

Alan Galbraith VP International, Wind Up Records

“Simply put, goNORTH gets it right. They put the music first and it’s just the right size to participate in everything”.

John Robb: “goNORTH is great on many levels, great line up of bands that goes beyond the usual dustbin indie fare, a beautiful city to hang out in and a surprisingly diverse cross section of people attending making it one of the best of the music conference circuit”.

Sat Bisla: Musexpo Founder: “Events such as goNORTH are essential to give buyers and sellers a broader understanding of the opportunities that lie within the market place. There is always a hidden gem at goNORTH, be it a new act or a new business opportunity”.

Keith Harris: Director for Performer Affairs, PPL: “goNORTH is a much more open seminar. A lot of conferences are expensive, which makes them exclusive. goNORTH makes it easy for the people who really need the information to get it”.

Stewart Cruickshank FRSA: Senior Producer BBC Radio Scotland: “goNORTH continues to be one of the UK’s benchmark A&R event and the many attendees at the well-subscribed panels and evening gigs bear witness to that”.

www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk

www.gonorth.biz

We are delighted to have the Musicians’ Union as a sponsor of the MUSIC NEWS Scotland ‘Latest News’ Blog – please click above to view their website and see what services they can offer Scottish musicians

Posted in Festivals, Latest News | Tagged Anderson McGinty Webster Ward Fisher, belladrum, Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Brown Bear and The Bandits, Finding Albert, go north, gonorth, music news scotland | Leave a comment

LOOPALLU ACTS ANNOUNCED

Posted on July 4, 2012 by MUSIC NEWS Scotland

THE FRATELLIS FOR LOOPALLU 2012

After months of speculation the wraps have finally come off the first acts to be announced for this years eighth Loopallu Festival. Organisers are extremely pleased to have been chosen as the first festival outing for newly reformed greats The Fratellis. With a back catalogue of chart hits that include Chelsea Dagger, Henrietta and Whistle for the Choir they’re a certainty to set the crowd alight.

Radio One favourite and act of the moment, Jake Bugg makes a return to Ullapool after enjoying his Highland acoustic tour at the start of the year. Jake Bugg is set to be one of the big break through acts of 2012 and a highlight of the Loopallu weekend.

Other acts to feature in the first announcement include festival favourites, The Dangleberries bringing their high octane and unique brand of celtic rock; Lilygreen and McGuire fresh from supporting Westlife on their arena tour; and finally for this first batch of acts Shinty legend Gary Innes makes his Loopallu debut with Celtic/Gaelic cross-over act Manran.

Jon Fratelli – photo by Paul Campbell

Festival organiser Robert Hicks said: ‘We’re over the moon The Fratellis have chosen to make their festival comeback at Loopallu since reforming recently. With a back catalogue of hits like theirs, I challenge anyone not to jump around. I can’t wait. We’re also really pleased to have man of the moment Jake Bugg coming north. His little Highland Tour at the start of the year obviously had an effect on him. Catch him before he goes stella. Coupled with a long overdue return of festival favourites The Dangleberries attention has now got to turn to booking some fine weather!’

Loopallu takes place in the west coast village of Ullapool on Friday 21st and Saturday 22nd of September 2012 and doubles the population of the village for the weekend. As well as the usual eclectic line up of acts appearing at the festival big top and the fringe events after hours in the villages pubs, the festival will again provide a selection of fine food and drink from around the Highlands as well as the usual warm Ullapool welcome.

Tickets for this year are priced at £60 for weekend tickets and £75 for weekend and camping. Weekend and Camping ticket holders wishing to bring campervans and caravans will be charged £25 per vehicle. As, since the beginning, tickets for children 12 & under will be free (though need to be accompanied by an adult)

Tickets, available in person from Northwest Outdoors (Ullapool), Mania & Ironworks (Inverness); Online from www.ticketmaster.co.uk www.skiddle.com ; 24 hr Tel 08444 999 990

www.loopallu.co.uk

Click to find out more about the Musicians' Union - (Pic: Isabella Summers)

Posted in Latest News | Leave a comment

goNORTH Festival Tour Tent at Wickerman

Posted on June 29, 2012 by MUSIC NEWS Scotland

goNORTH FESTIVAL TOUR TENT AT THE WICKERMAN FESTIVAL

We are delighted to announce the line up for the goNORTH Festival Tour Tent at The Wickerman Festival 2012. Taking place across the 20th and 21st of July, a broad selection of acts from this year’s live showcase schedule are set to join the party as one of the finest independent festivals in Scotland celebrates its 11th year.

“We are thrilled to be taking the goNORTH Festival Tour back to the Wickerman Festival this year”, said goNORTH Director for Music, Shaun Arnold. “Wickerman has established itself as one of the most diverse festivals on the calendar and has demonstrated a sustained commitment to supporting new music across genres. Our stage last year proved a huge success and we are really excited to be returning with some of the most exciting new acts in Scotland”.

goNORTH Festival Tour Tent line-up at the Wickerman Festival 2012 – www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk (click on band names to go to their facebook pages)

FRIDAY 20 JULY

The Whisky River Band

SATURDAY 21 JULY

Brown Bear & The Bandits

Alan Galbraith VP International, Wind Up Records: “Simply put, goNORTH gets it right. They put the music first and it’s just the right size to participate in everything”.

John Robb: “goNORTH is great on many levels, great line up of bands that goes beyond the usual dustbin indie fare, a beautiful city to hang out in and a surprisingly diverse cross section of people attending making it one of the best of the music conference circuit”.

Sat Bisla, Musexpo Founder: “Events such as goNORTH are essential to give buyers and sellers a broader understanding of the opportunities that lie within the market place. There is always a hidden gem at goNORTH, be it a new act or a new business opportunity”.

Keith Harris, Director for Performer Affairs, PPL: “goNORTH is a much more open seminar. A lot of conferences are expensive, which makes them exclusive. goNORTH makes it easy for the people who really need the information to get it”.

Stewart Cruickshank FRSA, Senior Producer BBC Radio Scotland: “goNORTH continues to be one of the UK’s benchmark A&R event and the many attendees at the well-subscribed panels and evening gigs bear witness to that”.

About goNORTH ….

The live showcases feature contemporary and cutting edge music of all genres, highlighting the best emerging talent from Scotland, the rest of the UK, and a selection of international contenders.

Last year we introduced the goNORTH Festival Tour, an exciting development which takes goNORTH back to its roots and supports emerging talent across a range of top independent festivals; our 2012 touring schedule includes Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, The Wickerman Festival, Loopallu, B-Festand Summer In The City 2012.

The introduction of the Festival Tour means a significant volume of artist invited to showcase at goNORTH will also secure additional slots across the touring schedule.

Previous keynote speakers include, Tony Wilson, Alan McGee, Jazz Summers, Mark Jones and former UK Music CEO, Feargal Sharkey.

goNORTH features acts across all contemporary music genres, with the line-up split equally between artists from the Highlands and Islands, other parts of Scotland, the UK and the rest of the world. In recent years, the event has brought acts from across Mainland Europe, the USA, Russia, Scandinavia, Australia, Japan and Canada to the north of Scotland.

The goNORTH 2012 Compilation featuring a selection of showcasing artists was released direct to industry via Music Week.

Watch the goNORTH 2012 YouTube channel here: http://www.youtube.com/gonorth2011

www.gonorth.biz

Posted in Festivals, Latest News | Tagged B-Fest, belladrum, gonorth, gonorth festival tour, loopallu, shaun arnold, summer in the city, The Wickerman Festival | Leave a comment

SCOTTISH ALBUM OF YEAR AWARD WINNER ANNOUNCED

Posted on June 20, 2012 by MUSIC NEWS Scotland

Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat’s Everything’s Getting Older was last night crowned winner of the inaugural Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award. Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat were unveiled as the recipients of the prestigious and highly coveted £20,000 prize by The Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) tonight (Tuesday 19th June) at a glittering ceremony in Glasgow’s Film City.

The judging panel of esteemed industry experts was united in its praise for Everything’s Getting Older, impressed by its creativity and innovation. The record emerged as the triumphant winner from an exhilaratingly eclectic shortlist of 10 highly acclaimed Scottish albums, which also featured Conquering Animal Sound’s Kammerspiel, Happy Particles’ Under Sleeping Waves, King Creosote & Jon Hopkins’ Diamond Mine, Mogwai’s Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will, Mungo’s Hi Fi’s Forward Ever, Remember Remember’s The Quickening, Rustie’s Glass Swords, Tommy Smith’s Karma and Twin Atlantic’s Free.

The extensive search for the winner of the SAY Award has seen 100 music and arts industry figures from across Scotland nominate their choice for the Scottish album of 2011, before a longlist of the 20 highest-scoring records was then whittled down to 10 by the judging panel. The general public were also able to have their say by voting for their favourite album online and via a specially designed SAY Award app. Organisers were overwhelmed by the response, with more than 9,000 votes cast by music fans over the 24-hour public voting period, guaranteeing Twin Atlantic’s Free a place on the shortlist.

Everything’s Getting Older was eight years in the making. Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat’s debut album is a bruised and beautiful wonder: full of gorgeous, jazz-inflected love songs fleshed out with a mixture of spoken word pieces and vocals delivered in Aidan’s distinctive rhotic singing voice. Bill Wells is a Scottish multi-instrumentalist, composer, leader of the Bill Wells Trio and collaborator with The Pastels, Isobel Campbell, Future Pilot AKA and many more. Aidan Moffat is a modern-day Makar of many guises; Aidan John Moffat & the Best-Ofs; his experimental work as L Pierre (aka Lucky Pierre) and, of course, his esteemed calling as one half of the iconic Scots duo Arab Strap.

The SAY Award has been hailed as one of the UK’s most exciting and progressive arts prizes. From jazz to reggae soundsystems via folk, electronica, house, rock, dub, modern classical (and everything in between), the SAY Award celebrates the incredible stylistic diversity and richness of talent in Scotland’s musical landscape.

Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat will also receive an artwork from the winner of a unique SAY Award art commission. The commission, valued at £20,000, was offered to graduates from Scotland’s four principal art schools with the winning graduate producing ten artworks to be donated as prizes for the shortlisted finalists. In this pilot year, Glasgow School of Art Digital Culture graduate Fraser Clark has been awarded this significant art commission, which celebrates the vital, enduring links that exist between music and art, and further establishes the SAY Award as an ambitious new prize for the arts in Scotland.

One half of the Scottish Album of the Year Award winning duo, Aidan Moffat, said:

“It’s fantastic. I still can’t quite believe it. Obviously we’re very, very happy. It was a great shortlist. The Scottish Album of the Year Award is all about is introducing people to a wide variety of different types music – the award is very, very important from an industry point of view too and we hope there are many more of them.”

Bill Wells added: “We’re extremely chuffed, it’s been a fantastic night and it’s a tremendous honour.”

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs, presented Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat with the prestigious award at this evening’s ceremony. She said: “Congratulations to Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat, winners of the first ever Scottish Album of the Year.

“In our Year of Creative Scotland, this new award is a fantastic celebration of Scottish contemporary music talent which enhances our international reputation as a hugely talented and creative nation.”

Caroline Parkinson, Director of Creative Development, Creative Scotland, said:

“Congratulations to Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat, to be awarded this accolade in the company of such talented artists is a significant achievement. The awards have been a brilliant way to connect music lovers with our many talented artists, in this the Year of Creative Scotland 2012. We look forward to seeing the results of the art commission by Glasgow School of Art Digital Culture graduate Fraser Clark.”

Stewart Henderson, Chair, Scottish Music Industry Association, said:

“It’s wonderful after over a year of the planning and development of this award to finally have a winner, and a winner deserving of all of the hard work that’s gone into this award. I’m thrilled for Bill Wells and Aidan Moffat, Everything’s Getting Older is a fantastic album. It’s a worthy winner and has set an incredibly high standard for future winners to follow.”

For the latest Scottish Album of the Year Awards news, check out www.sayaward.com,

www.facebook.com/SAYaward and follow on Twitter @SAYaward