MUSIC MONDAY: Aug 5 - The Orb, Fresh Ayr, Kim Carnie, Party at the Palace & LUSA
Also Bella Bites short podcasts, free tickets for the St James Quarter Sessions, a new release by Harpist Scotland and dates for Sara Rae, Xan Tyler plus others
After about a month on the road I’m back and hopefully something akin to normal (normal?) service will resume. Lots of things also going on in real life, a bunch of new ideas for the podcast and newsletter, plus more on the Norwegian and Nordic edition. But in the meantime here’s this week’s updates.
🎪 Wishing all the very best to the first ever Fresh Ayr Folk Festival taking place by the seaside over three days this coming weekend, with a whole host of acts performing folk, roots and world music. The line up in my old town includes the fabulous Kinnaris Quintet, Michael McGovern, Ryan Young and Valtos to name a few. Details here.
🎤 Also, Party at the Palace is happening. Here’s a video with Ronan Keating to ‘help’ you with directions. The Skids are playing, and Bananarama. Plus a whole bunch of others. Stage times are here.
🎸 Just a few tickets left to see the brilliant Sara Rae perform at King Tuts in Glasgow on August 18. Absolutely our recommendation that you should must go. Also, this video should give you added incentive to go support.
🎦 Donkeys ago I joined in a crowdfunder for a film project called Since Yesterday which set out to tell the untold story behind Scotland’s girl bands. It’s happened and Snack Mag have interviewed the team behind it here.
⭐️ Kim Carnie is playing in Edinburgh this week and then goes on tour to a bunch of cool places including Tiree, Appin and Lochinver. All the dates are here.
🎵 Xan Tyler is also hitting the road this autumn with a bunch of gig dates just released here. 🎧 Ep 11.
🎼 Friday is release day for Pippa Reid-Foster as her new single Turning Tides is set free into the wild taken from her contemporary new album Undercurrents which due for release on September 6. Pre-save here.
🆓 St James Quarter in Edinburgh are still putting on their free concerts including the likes of Zoe Graham. The full-line up is here. Best of all, session tickets are free.
❤️ I’ve also just about managed to catch-up on all things Belladrum Festival including a raft of short podcasts just published. You can watch videos of me chatting with singer songwriter Roseanne Reid, The Sun Day and Torridon, listen to pods with Wind-Up Crows and Highland Folk Hero, and also learn which music influences inspire best-selling author Christopher Brookmyre who also talks about his new book. Just for good measure, you can see live clips from the likes of Bottle Rockets and Niteworks performing here and catch up on a whole load of photos here.
RECORD OF THE WEEK
🎩 Only four more sleeps until LUSA release their next single Play Hats. It’s beautiful, emotive, mesmerising and signals how this new outfit are ready to take the music scene by storm, as this teaser clip demonstrates. Go pre-save here. 🎧 Ep 9.
☁️ And finally, The Orb have just announced a show in Edinburgh on Friday, March 14, which is all the excuse I need to break out this …..