these gigs just in...

gig news

Glasgow prog-cabaret funksters The Blimp! have announced their breakup, but will say farewell, at Nice N Sleazy on Saturday 14th of July. blimpsite.blogspot.com/

Edinburgh Rat Race takes place on 14th & 15th July at Edinburgh’s Ross Bandstand. The event is free and runs all day - on Saturday, the Lynsey Dolan Band, Big Hand (acoustic), Underbelly, Das Contras & BombSkare will appear while Sunday has
The Trinidad and Tobago Experience, Big Toes Hi-Fi & Big Hand. www.ratraceadventure.com

Livingston sees a rare music event this coming Saturday evening with the first NSLIVE Summer Music Festival 7th July. It boasts 3 stages with 14 artists including A Little Bitter, MAYA29, Idiot Boys, The Fire and I, 3 Steps Back, Coholic, Badly Dubbed - Sleepy Zephyr, John Irvine, Ross Mitchell, Jay Brown & Kevin Skip. It starts at 2pm @ the Livi Nitespot, at Almondvale Stadium.

PUNKROCKBLUES is a 3-man show taking place on Thu 5th July ay Glasgow's State Bar on Holland Street - with John from The Zips as the punk element, Jonny from Attica Rage= Rock, and Dave Arcari (Radiotones) as (alt.)Blues.
The Zips are set to release an ep, 30 Years Of Punk Rock, in August, which will feature a re-recording of their original EP from 30 years ago as well as rather more recent material.

The Dunstaffenage Festival has announced its lineup for their 2-day event near Oban on 28th/29th June. It includes 1990s, Union of Knives, Dick Gaughan, The Levellers, Foxface, Dumb Instrument, Roddy Hart, Alex Smoke, Galchen, Record Playerz, The Cinematics, Isoceles, Pop up, How to Swim, Found, The Amphetameanies, Pama International, Theatre Fall, The Needles, Nanobots, O B E, Poison Sisters, & Yellow Bentines. Plus, DJs from Kinky Afro, Mark Robb's "Regal Social" soul club, and art installations and 'dressing' by Franz's Glasgow art-scene pals the Chateau and the Warehouse, as well as a spectacular finishing light show staged on a barge at sea. http://www.dunstaffnagemusicfestival.co.uk

Coffee shop chain Beanscene is to go under canvas with a Beanscene Tent at Indian Summer in Glasgow on 14th and 15th July. Playing will be Endrick Brothers; Hazey Janes; Quinn; Yellow Bentines; Sundancer; Subrosa; Grant Campbell; Anna Meldrum and John Hamilton. Plus, warming coffee. www.beanscene.com (also, Indian Summer ticket competition details).

Arika - the promotters behind the Kill Your Timid Notion festival - have announced their Shadowed Spaces tour. This comprises 6 free shows from Sean Meehan, Tamio Shiraishi, Ikuro Takahashi & Denis Wood, in improvised music and in unusual locations whose precise locations will be revealed on the day. The 'shows' take place in Aberdeen, Dundee, Easterhouse, Newcastle, Cumbernauld, & Edinburgh between 6th and 15th July 2006.
Loads more info at www.arika.org.uk

Cross Reference 2007 is a minifestival raising funds for The British Red Cross, which takes place on 5th August at Club Ego, Picardy Place, Edinburgh. Included are 14 artists including headliners Black Affair (Steve Mason) and The Rezillos.
www.myspace.com/crossreference2007

Some last-minute info: The Loft in East Grange, Kinloss has The Thrills and Tiny Dancers on 29th June

is this music?'s regular monthly 13th Note show is this Thursday, 21st June - Popup, Down the Tiny Steps and Sixpeopleaway.

70s legend Vic Godard brings his latest incarnation of the Subway Sect to Scotland:
Fri 22nd June @ the Citrus Club, Edinburgh, with TV21; and Sat 23rd @ Glasgow Accies Sports Hall (with Bricolage)

The Darvel Music Festival returns for its sixth year this autumn (26 September to 7th October) with a local and international lineup which includes Richmond Fontaine, The Redlands Palomino Company, Willy Clay Band, Hunger Mountain Boys join Capercaillie, Hue & Cry, The Bluetones, The Hazey Janes, Phil Cunningham & Aly Bain, The Hamish Stuart Band, The Endrick Brothers, The Hedrons, & Crash My Model Car. More at www.darvelmusicfestival.org.

Biffy Clyro have announced a November tour:
Dundee Fat Sams (6th), Glasgow Barrowlands (7th and 8th), and Edinburgh Corn Exchange (9th). The and also support the Red Hot Chili Peppers on August 23rd as part of T on the Fringe.

White Stripes have announced one Scottish date - Glasgow's SECC, Oct 24

Edinburgh’s Cabaret Voltaire revisits its popular series of summer Duty Free shows which are indeed free entry. The lineup is as follows (all shows early (7pm) doors)
21 June : Strike The Colours album launch, Little Doses (acoustic), Sans Trauma (acoustic)
26 June : Recliner, Associate, The Debuts
2 July : Resonate, This Familiar Smile, Red Snowman
4 July : 10 Easy Wishes, Sonorous, The Parkers
13 July : KFM Records night – The Magnificents album launch, Mammal, David Jack
22 July : Fence Records affiliates - Northern Alliance, The Red Well, Candythief

T on the Fringe has launched for 2007 - among the acts confirmed are Guillemots, Jamie T, Interpol, James, Kanye West and Happy Mondays - more at www.tonthefringe.com

KT Tunstall returns home, or at least to Glasgow Carling Academy on Tuesday 16th October and Edinburgh Corn Exchange on Thursday 18th, coinciding (roughly) with the September 3rd release of album, Drastic Fantastic. As part of KT’s commitment to climate change, £1 from every ticket sale will be donated to Global Cool. 

The legendary Blue Nile will make a rare live performance at Manchester International Festival on July 14th - the festival also features shows by Bert Jansch on the 13th (with Bernard Butler & Beth Orton), as well as other gigs from The Fall, PJ Harvey, Smokey Robinson, and the UK premiere of Lou Reed's Berlin.

Sonic Youth are performing a series of Don't Look Back shows in the UK featuring landmark 1988 album Daydream Nation, and take in the ABC, Glasgow on the 21st and 22nd of August

The lineup for the Slam Tent at T in the Park has been announced- the Saturday tent reads:
Green Velvet, Adam Beyer, Hot Chip (live), DJ Shadow Vs Cut Chemist, Dizzee Rascal (live), Miss Kittin ,Steve Bug, Ame, Soundstream / Soundhack (live) & Alloy Mental (live)
Sunday July 8 has: Wu Tang Clan (live),Hardfloor (live), Dave Clarke, Slam (live), Josh Wink, Felix Da Housecat (live), Tiga, Booka Shade (live), Andrew Weatherall & Digitalism (live)

Indian Summer, which takes place at Victoria Park, Glasgow on July 14th and 15th, has announced how the lineups will look for the 2 days as well as announcing individual day tickets now being on sale.
Saturday has: Wilco, The Rapture, Explosions In The Sky, Midlake, Emma Pollock, Polytechnic, Au Revoir Simone, Alberta Cross, Ruarri Joseph, Optimo (Espacio), Correcto, Prins Thomas, Adult
And Sunday looks like this:
The Flaming Lips, Spiritualized Acoustic Mainlines, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, I'm From Barcelona, Annuals, Wheat, Loney, Dear, Elvis Perkins, 120 Days, Vietnam, Make Model, Optimo (Espacio), The Presets, Rhythm & Sound W Tikiman
and of course croquet, bowling, massage, a fantastic crowd and then there're oh so much more music to be announced for each day too...
The Silly Summer Sports arena will also be in place this year promising Putting, Bowls & Croquet, and for those not from Glasgow and in need a place to stay some reasonably priced options for cosy student halls-style accommodation in the vicinity have been organised - single/twin rooms (from £16 pppn) or five person apartments (from £31pppn) can be found at www.indiansummerglasgow.com/accommodation

In advance of this year's Rock Ness Festival on 9th & 10th June, Mother And The Addicts are embarking on a series of dates with 1990s and Chemikal Underground are gving away tickets for the following May dates:
Fri 18th ABC2 Glasgow
Sat 19th Café Drummond Aberdeen
Sun 20th Westport Dundee
Mon 21st Cabaret Votaire Edinburgh
Wed 23rd The Raigmore Inverness
Simply go to the CU website, fill in the form and then keep your fingers crossed. If you're too lazy to search the site (and who could blame you in this day and age) you can click on this link...
http://www.chemikal.co.uk/mother-and-the-addicts.htm
Trailers for the band’s album - which will carry the milestone number CHEM100 - can also be heard online.

Coup of the week must go to the Wickerman Festival (July 20-21) , which has just announced that chart-topping twins The Proclaimers will appear at East Kirkcarswell, near Dundrennan in South West Scotland. Tickets are still available: www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk

Vic Godard & the Subway Sect are set to team up with Bricolage for a Sounds in the Suburbs event at Glasgow Accies club on June 23rd. It's 30 years since Godard and band played their first Scottish date, in Edinburgh as part of the White Riot tour (alongside The Clash / Buzzcocks / Slits).
At this show Vic Godard promises to cover songs originally featured from that period, but never released. Tickets from soundsinthesuburbs@hotmail.co.uk.

And Scottish 80s indie legends The Orchids return - to play a show on Saturday 26th May, downstairs at Maggi Mays in Glasgow.

Os Mutantes are set to make their first-ever Scottish appearance this July, as well as working on a collaboration with Optimo, as part of this year's TrocaBrahma, which takes place, Triptych style (kinda, but UK-wide) from July 26-29and taking in London, Liverpool, Glasgow).
TrocaBrahma 07 also sees Gruff Rhys collaborating on new material with Brasilian legend Tony da Gatorra; King Creosote collaborating with Romulo Froes; Four Tet working with Open Field Church and Radioclit collaborating with Bonde do Role and Diplo. www.trocabrahma.com

Another festival for your diaries: Dunstaffnage Music Festival takes in place in Oban on 28th/29th July. More at www.dunstaffnagemusicfestival.co.ukA, but among the acts playing: Levellers, 1990's, The Cinematics, Union of Knives, Alex Smoke, Errors, The Law, The Rumble Strips, Isoceles, Pop up, How to Swim, Found ,The Amphetameanies , Pama International , Theatre Fall, The Needles, A.K.A the Fox, O B E , Poison Sisters, kid-twist, Record Playerz, Dick Gaughan, Fox Face, Dumb Instrument

Due to phenomenal demand, influential 70’s art-punks The Skids will be playing a one off headline show at the Glen Pavilion in their hometown of Dunfermline on Thursday 5th July 2007.

the Belladrum /Tartan Heart Festival - which takes place on August 10 & 11, at Belladrum Estate, Beauly - has anounced its headliners. James & the Magic Numbers are the big names alongside the likes of Misty In Roots, The Alabama 3, Julian Cope, Jackie Leven, the 1990s, The Dykeenies, Aereogramme, Crash My Model Car, The Earlies, Broken Family Band, Amy MacDonald, String Driven Thing, Duke Special, Wreckless Eric, Piney Gir, Nick Harper & and Ben Taylor.

Indian Summer - which takes place again in Glasgow's Victoria Park, but this time in the mode midsummer slot of 14th/15th July - has its initial lineup in place - alongside the Flaming Lips are Wilco, Midlake, Explosions in the Sky, Polytechnic and 120 Days.

And another city festival - Hey You Get Off My Pavement! - is scheduled to take place outside Glasgow's Mono cafe/bar/record shop, on 5th August, though no lineup or ticket details are available yet.

Beardstock - the inaugral all-day festival celebrating, yes, Beard (Scotand’s premier music magazine, now) will take place in Glasgow’s Regal Social Club on Sat May 19th, with a typical Beardesque lineup including One Ensemble ,Shining, PuMaJaW , Napoleon IIIrd , Wounded Knee Team Brick , Skeleton Bob, Gilded Angels, Snakebelt, Remember, Remember & Guanoman
www.myspace.com/beardstockfest

Outside at the Oval, a one-day festival in Prestwick taking place for the 4th consecutive year on 16th June,is now looking for acts to complete its lineup. Last year featured emerging underground Scottish acts such as Drive by Argument, Sucioperro, This Familiar Smile and Hank Barrick. Bands intersted in playing can email thespaceplace@hotmail.co.uk, myspace us at www.myspace.com/outsideattheoval or send an ep / press pack to: The Space Place, St Ninians Park Place, Prestwick, KA9 1SP.

goNorth - Scotland's leading showcase event - is to feature a dedicated electronica venue at this years festival, which takes place in Inverness on June 7th and 8th. The gigs will be hosted by Pivo, located in the city's Academy Street, and will be a fully-fledged part of the festival's programme.

The Low Miffs have enlisted former Josef K/Orange Juice guitarist Malcolm Ross to filling for them while their regular string-plucker Peter Webster is away in the USA, (“playing folk”). The timely substitution comes as the band support The Horrors - at Glasgows ABC2 (6th April), Kef in Aberdeen (7th) and at the Cabaret voltaire in Edinburgh on the 8th.

DF’s Connect boutique festival has made some more lineup announcements - Mogwai joining Primal Scream on Sat 1st September, and over the weekend the likes of the Go! Team, Idlewild, the Only Ones and Tilly and the Wall are also lined up.

T on the Fringe has made some initial anouncements on shows in Edinburgh in August. The Foo Fighters play at earmarked-for-demolition Meadowbank Stadium on August 21 and the Kaiser Chiefs will play the same venue on the 24th.
and finally ...

Triptych’s full lineup has been announced - among the acts who will appear across Scotland’s 3 biggest cities from 25th - 29th April are Einsturzende Neubauten, CSS, Ute Lemper, Cat Power, Idlewild, Norman Blake, Billy Childish, James Chance & Les Contortions, Bobby Conn, Euros Childs, Les Georges Leningrad, 65daysofstatic & Evan Parker. See www.triptychfestival.com

RockNess will take place on Saturday 9th & Sunday 10th June - just outside the village of Dores, four miles south-west of Inverness, and will feature exclusive Scottish festival performances by The Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk and Groove Armada, plus DribeByArgument, The Cuban Brothers and Rob Da Bank. www.rockness.co.uk/

Following phenomenal public demand for tickets to John Martyn's performances of seminal folk crossover album Solid Air, the Scots-born singer-songwriter has decided to take the show on the road. The tour will open at London's Royal Albert Hall on 16th April and take in a dozen venues around the UK and Ireland, including
Perth on May 17th and the Idle of Skye on the 26th.

Fife (alt.)folkies the Fence collective are taking their rolling musical bandwagon to perform irregular shows in Edinburgh. Situated at The Caves, Fence Club #1 will see the launch of Kid Canaveral's debut single 'Smash Hits', and also see sets from Gummi Bako and Come In Tokyo. Plus, ballboy's Gordon Macintyre will perform a solo set, and there'll be DJ stints from King Creosote and Avalanche Records' Andrew Tully.

The lineups for the Versacoustic tour which sees a variety of bands tour Scotland's further-flung locations, acoustic style, have been announced. My Latest Novel, Duglas T Stewart from BMX Bandits and Saint Judes Infirmary will play The Bongo Club in Edinburgh on Monday 5th March, followed by The Seaforth Inn, Ullapool on Tuesday 6th March and The Tunnels in Aberdeen on Wednesday 7th March.
Then, Emma Pollock, Eugene Kelly and Lucky Luke will play Fat Sams in Dundee on Tuesday 20th March and The Bongo Club on Wednesday 21st March, and the tour will come to a close at The Goat in Glasgow on Thursday 22nd March.

Biffy Clyro are hosting a series of instore performances and signings on the week commencing 5th March nicluding one at HMV on Argyle St,Glasgow, on Monday 5th. Wristbands for the events are available on the day from 9am - more at www.biffyclyro.com

Celtic Connections starts this week and we preview and recommend what's worth seeing over the next three weeks of folk, rock, and everthing in between.

Cansei de ser Sexy - CSS - will play their biggest Scottish headline shows to date at this year’s Triptych Festival - at Edinburgh Liquid Rooms on April 25 and Glasgow Barrowlands on April 26.

Also confirmed is minimalist maverick Terry Riley who will perform his groundbreaking masterworks 'In C' and 'A Rainbow In Curved Air' plus new material at Edinburgh Usher Hall on April 25, while on April 26 he’ll perform a reworking of electronic landmark 'A Rainbow in Curved Air (Revisited)', plus excerpts from a work-in-progress, 'The Book of Abbeyozzud', at Glasgow
Tramway. Hismini Scottish tour rounds off at Aberdeen Cowdray Hall on April 27.

Triptych runs through Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen from April 25-29.

The Solus Tent at Wickerman 2007 has announced the first 5 bands booked to play -
Popup, The Kazoo Funk Orchestra, The Low Miffs, Miss The Occupier, and Only Joe Kane - more at www.skiddle.com

Tickets for the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival 2007 are also on sale, just in time for Xmas - http://www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk
There's no lineup details yet, but a competition to win an album by the first band to confirm is on now - the band have played there twice already and a further clue is "pixie people from dank environment ... e-mail info@tartanheartfestival.co.uk with your answer.

For anyone who missed the "last" Arab Strap show in Glasgow on Monday night fear not - the band will actually be playing 5 more gigs. Their farewell tour hasn't quite ended yet, as the Japanese leg is next week. Dedicated Strap-watchers can catch the band in various locations including Tokyo's O-Nest on Monday 11th.

Biffy Clyro have announced a February 2007 tour in tandem with The Bronx, The Audition and I Am Ghost . Apart from a Glasgow Barrowlands slot on Feburary 23rd, the dates read: Belfast Mandela Hall February 11, Dublin Ambassador 12, Cardiff University 14, Bristol Academy 15, Nottingham Rock City 16, Southampton Guildhall 18, 26, Norwich UEA 19, Manchester Academy 20, Newcastle Academy 22, Glasgow Barrowlands 23, Liverpool Academy 24, Birmingham Academy 26, &London Astoria 27.

STFU is a free 3 day weekend of electronic music running from 3rd - 5th November in Glasgow, at 3 Glasgow venues and featuring over 30 acts from all over the UK and Europe including Acrnym, Firebrand Boy, Magic Daddy and Unknown Forces of Everyday Life. More at http://www.stfumusic.org

The Oxjam series of charity shows is approaching a frenzied climax - aong the shows this week are:
POPLIFE JAMS, Wednesday 25th at Bloc, with Firebrand Boy & Geoff Martyn plus guest DJ Sanjeev Kohli.
On 27th October 2006 @ The Lot, Grassmarket, Edinburgh: William and The Wheel, Marc Pilley and Ali Petrie (Hobotalk) and Ainslie Henderson.
At Mono in Glasgow on 30th October: Gay Against You, Off White Lies, On This Day We Met Gambas Pil Pil, & Remember Remember.
And ROXJAM takes place at Kilmarnock's Park Hotel on Sunday 5th November (6pm - 12 midnight) with Crash My Model Car,The Tracks, Placer,The Soul Shaker, diAgusto, & Magnus Blaze & middleman

Paul Buchanan, vocalist and songwriter from The Blue Nile, has announced a November tour with his brand new band featuring fellow Blue Nile member Robert Bell. Scottish dates include Friday 24 at Aberdeen, Music Hall, Saturday 25 & Sunday 26 @ Edinburgh, Usher Hall, and Monday 27 at Perth Concert Hall

2 Fence-related artists head out of Anstruther on thee weekend of the 21st October - King Creosote plays a one-off at Glasgow’s ABC on Saturday 21st October (7pm, supported by Jeremy Warmsley), while James Yorkston & The Athletes have a couple of dates - on Sunday 22nd at Edinburgh’s Liquidroom, followed by a Monday show at the ABC2. Support on both these dates is former Delgado Emma Pollock, plus Perthshire-based antifolkers PuMaJaW.

2 more festivals for the winter months - so it'll be little surprise that both are indoors, but there the similarity ends...On Friday 20th & Saturday 21st October, The Castlemilk Music Festival has Fairport Acoustic Convention (4 members sans drummer) supported by Billy Bates on the Friday, and Trashcan Sinatras (plus local support TBC) on the Saturday. More at www.castlemilkmusicfestival.co.uk

And Instal 06, the UK's largest, best-attended underground festival, will make 3 days of experimental music, sound and noise, at Glasgow's Arches from 13th - 15th October. Acts from outwith the UK include Blood Stereo, Ludo Mich, Steve Baczkowski + Ravi Padmanabha, Tetsuya Umeda, Nmperign/Jason Lescalleet, & Oshiri Penpenz. And, there is a platform for UK acts such as local noisemongers Wounded Knee, Usurper and Kylie Minoise. The event has been programmed by Akira - more at www.arika.org

The lineup for the Indian Summer event in Glasgow’s Victoria Park on Saturday 2nd / Sunday 3rd September has been finalised.
Saturday
Yeah Yeah Yeahs / The Fall / Hot Chip /Guillemots / Ben Kweller / Scissors For Lefty / 1990s
and in the Southern Comfort Fat Tuesday tent: Amp Fiddler (live) , Maurice Fulton , Optimo Go Disco, Soul Jazz Soundsystem, Melting Pot & Bill Brewster
Sunday
Antony And The Johnsons /Yo La Tengo / Gang of Four /Broken Social Scene / Tapes ‘n’ Tapes /Camera Obscura / Tilly And The Wall
The Southern Comfort Fat Tuesday tent has: Mr Scruff , Moodymann (DJ set) , Optimo present Return to Sonora, Butch Cassidy Soundsystem & Paul Cawley.

From Tuesday 8th - Friday 11th August, The Fence Collective once again nip down the coast and form the musical element of the Pittenweem Arts Festival. The lineup: Tuesday 8th - Adrian Crowley (With Band!)
Wednesday 9th - James Yorkston & The Athletes
Thursday 10th - Emma Pollock and Viking Moses
Friday 11th - The Skygreen Leopards
The shows run from 8pm until late each night. Tickets are on sale from www.thefenceshop.com, and cost £10 for each night.

Let's Rock! Edinburgh is a one day event to take place at the city's Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston on September 30th. Up to twenty-two thousand people will watch thirty three bands on three stages, including Feeder, Idlewild, Babyshambles, The Futureheads, The Rakes, The Mystery Jets, Ed Harcourt, The Long Blondes, Morning Runner, The Young Knives, The Datsuns, Juliette and The Licks, Rooster & The Crimea, with major Scottish acts still to be announced. See http//www.letsrockedinburgh.co.uk

'Poet laureate of the binge drinkers' Jock Scott is to team up with former Pop Group mainman Gareth Sager for a run at the Edinburgh Festival. The pair are at the Gilded Balloon Teviot from 10-14th & 26-28th August, at 11pm. http://www.www.gildedballoon.co.uk

In cooler climes, Call To Mind are the only Scottish band on the bill for this year's Iceland Airwaves 2006 Festival in Reykjavik - they will play the festival alongside Kaiser Chiefs, Metric, Wolf Parade, Islands and The Cribs. Airwaves runs from October 18th-- 22nd. http://www.icelandairwaves.com / www.calltomind.co.uk

G-plan, brooding instrumental rockers much favoured by is this music?, sadly play their final gig before moving onto other things. They are to release a second and final album, but their last live show will be on Friday 21st July, at the 13th Note.

Kilsyth International Carnival - 13th August 2006, Colzium Estate, Kilsyth - is a free festival of music, street theatre, craft fair and dance. There are 4 music stages with world music at the forefront - Zuba are headlining and around 15 or so other bands - including Sambalistic, as well as The Mode and Kinaeda. More at http://www.kic.me.uk.

Going Underground, which takes place on September 25th - Bank Holiday Monday - plans to take will take 450 Glasgow music fans on a musical journey around Glasgow’s Underground circle. Stopping off regularly, they will see over 14 bands in at least 6 venues. The fun starts at Curlers in the city’s West End and ends at Oran Mor. Confirmed bands include Data Panik, The Hussys, Pop-Up, Pilotcan, Glasvegas, The Low Miffs, The AMs, Bela and the Ten To Five Project, and DJs such as Xfm’s McSleazy and Fraser Thompson, and Kieron Melotte from EVOL, will take part, as will, in underground style, a variety of buskers.
200 tickets for the full day go on sale, priced £20 (including booking fee) from ticketscotland on Saturday 15th July. An additional 250 tickets for Final Destination will go on sale at a later date
More information is available at http://www.myspace.com/scenesterunderground

Jockrock's favourite record-shop-cum-vegan-cafe, Mono, is to hold its first all-day festival, on the forecourt outside its premises in Glasgow's Kings Court. Hey You Get Off My Pavement! is the elaborate name for the all-day event which takes place on Sunday 30th July. The lineup for the show which will run from early afternoon until last train time at night, includes Arab Strap, Herman Dune, Emma Pollock, 1990s, Uncle John & Whitelock, Bricolage,The Royal We, & Park Attack. Tickets will be a bargain £13. More at http://www.myspace.com/heyyougetoffmypavement

Edinburgh's T on the Fringe festival has announced an August lineup which includes Keane, Simple Minds and Belle and Sebastian at Princes Street Gardens against the backdrop of Edinburgh Castle ,and acts such as Kasabian, Sandi Thom, Michael Franti and Nizlopi in venues such as the Corn Exchange and Liquid Room. More at www.tonthefringe.com

Gang of Four, who practically define the rock phrases 'angular', 'seminal' and 'post-punk' , have just been announced as playing the Indian Summer event. They will play on Sunday 3rd September's
main stage, where Antony and the Johnsons are headlining. This is something of a homecoming for the band. whose first EP was released on Scottish (ok, Edinburgh-based) label Fast Product.

Belladrum Festival has confirmed current chart act The Automatic for the two day festival on August 11 and 12th, together with reggae legend Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry in his only festival appearance in the UK this year.
Further new additions to the bill include Camera Obscura, Stephen Fretwell, Breaks Co-op, Unkle Bob & Deaf Mutes.
See http://www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk

MySpace have announced the launch of MyFestival Glasgow, part of a series of concerts that will see 50 bands perform in five cities over five nights across the UK and Ireland. On Saturday June 10, 2006, Glasgow will host 3 gigs that will run concurrently on the same night. Tickets are priced at around €10/£6.
Glasgow School Of Art (167 Renfrew Street, Glasgow)
Polytechnic/ The View / Genaro
Barfly Glasgow
The Cinematics / Pop Up / The Pictish Trail feat The Fence Collective
King Tut’s
Cord / The Hazey Janes / The Invisibles

The 5th "Tarmac" Darvel Music Festival will run from 27 September to 8 October 2006 - all concerts are at Darvel Town and among the acts scheduled to appear are Capercaillie, Bluetones, Endrick Brothers, Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain,Hazey Janes, Lorraine, Adam Beattie, Grant Campbell, Sundowns & Ben Arkle.
Tickets are available now from www.darvelmusicfestival.org

Tigerfest's month-long extragavanza comes to a close this week -
Wednesday 24th has Hobotalk, Super 8 & fourteenhours at Henry's Cellar Bar, while the weekend's closing gigs see Fuck-Off Machete, Paul Research, De Rosa, & Rieser at Swamp Bar@Caledonian Backpackers on friday 26th, and closing the festivities, The Cranebuilders, 96 Tears & Black Spring at the same venue on Saturday. More at http://www.tigerfest.co.uk/

The Skye Festival has anounced its completed lineup for the 2-day extravaganza at Ashaig Airstrip, Broadford on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th June 2006.
Friday's Main Stage reads thus: Erol Alkan, Mylo, Josh Wink, 20:20 Soundsystem,Justin Robertson, Optimo, & Whomadewho
while Stage 2 has Kid Loco, The Idjut Boys, DJ Food, Williams, Bonobo, DJ Mes, Kid Carpet, & Hi Karate
Saturday's Main Stage looks like this:
The Peatbog Faeries, Fun Lovin’ Criminals, KT Tunstall, Sparks, Skye Edwards, The Cuban Brothers, The Upper Room, The Young Knives & Aberfeldy
while Stage 2 has The White Rose Movement, The Storm Petrels, The Long Blondes, Injuns, Foxface , Stereglo, The Low Miffs,& Roys Iron DNA. Plus, there's a Mungo's Hifi Tent all weekend.
Ticket costs are: day: £40, Weekend £75, (including camping/parking), from 08700 600 100. more at More at http://www.skyemusicfestival.co.uk.

Manic Street Preachers frontman James Dean Bradfield is to play a surprise solo gig in Glasgow this week - at King Tut's on Tuesday May 23.

A brand new mini-festival is planned for Glasgow's Victoria Park on September 2 and 3. Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Antony & The Johnsons have been lined up to headline.

The Slam tent lineup for this year's T in the Park has been announced - among the attractions are, on the Saturday: The Orb (Live) Jeff Mills, Cut Copy (Live), Vitalic (Live), Derrick May, Nightmares on Wax, Modeselektor (Live), and of course Slam. Sunday sees sets from 2 Many DJs, Felix Da Housecat, Laurent Garnier (Live), Coldcut (Live), My Robot Friend (Live), Mr Scruff, Optimo and Rob da Bank.

Another show acting as a benefit for the Save NEMIS campaign takes place at Glasgow's The Universal on 19th May, starring Satellite Dub. And appropriately in Tbreak week, Mr Dub's set from *last* year's Tbreak showcase at King Tuts is now available for download, at www.satellitedub.com/satellitedublive.rar

Scottish folk legend Dougie Maclean is to star at an October festival, Perthshire Amber. The weekend has been extended to a 4 day event with concerts ranging from a unplugged show in the Iron Age Crannog on Loch Tay (already sold-out) to a concert in the atmospheric Castle Menzies. The gigs Thurs 26th - Sun 29th Oct also features guests such as upcoming Irish artist Cara Dillon and Scots folkies The Tannahill Weavers. More at http://www.perthshireamber.com

Burnsong, the annual celebration of the life of the bard, has announced a handful of shows in the capital. On June 2nd Dick Gaughan plays at Leith Festival Club. On Sunday 4th the same venue hosts FB Collective, Abdominal Showmen, & Disciples of Planet Earth. Wed 7th sees Michael Marra and Little Pebble at Leith Dockers Club. There are also sets from Tommy Smith and Brian Kellock, and a variety of other acts in various genres - more at www.leithfestival.com

Festival time again... GoNorth kicks off this week, and apart from the is this music? / Jockrock showcase at the Wild Boar on Wednesday, (with Saint Jude's Infirmary,Persil, Zea and Popup) there's a full-lineup of top talent. For the schedule, see our GoNorth guide.

Another far-flung festival - MagFest, in conjunction with Grooves record store, will take place in Kirkwall on June 30 and July 1. Embrace, The Proclaimers and The Saw Doctors will rub shoulders with a host of local acts.

Snow Patrol are set to perform their biggest ever headline show at Meadowbank Stadium on 25th August as part of T on the Fringe. Tickets, at £25, go on sale this Friday (5th May),from Tickets Scotland, Ticketmaster ticket centres, www.gigsinscotland.com and www.tonthefringe.com

T in the Park have announced that the X-Tent will this year be replaced by a Pet Sounds Arena. Already scheduled to play the 8000 capacity arena - which adds 6000 to the capacity - are Eels, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Corinne Bailey-Rae,Jose Gonzalez, Death Cab For Cutie and Regina Spektor.

Big In Falkirk, a free festival which will take place in the town's Callendar Park on 29 and 30 April, has announced that joining Midge Ure on the main stage (ok, perhaps not literally) will be 2 80s ska legends - The Beat, and former Special AKA man Neville Staples.

GoNorth, jockrock's favourite Aberdeen-based music festival, takes place onMay 10th and 11th. The lineup includes Attic Lights, The Hedrons, Isa and the Filthy Tongues, PuMaJaW, Staccato Set & Viva Melodica . Plus, an itm? / Jockrock showcase - in the Wild Boar on Wed 10th - Persil, Zea, Saint Jude's Infirmary and Popup - 8.30 - 12pm.

The End of the Month Club at Glasgow’s 13th Note on Fri March 31st will pay tribute to the late Ivor Cutler. As well as multimedia and sound featuring the great man, there will be tribute sets from members of BOZiLLA, CNUT, Baby God & Space Kitten. Plus, sets from VJ Thriftshop XL and live guests Hors La Loi & Gay Against You. www.eotmc.com

Perth act the Michael Rattray Allstars have landed an unusual UK tour support slot - with Sam Brown (daughter of spiky-haired comedy 60s cockney Joe, and of course preferred chanteuse of Jools Holland ). The odd couple play Glasgow King Tuts on Sunday 28th March - more at http://www.michaelrattrayallstars.co.uk

The Red Cross Society’s live music venture ‘Scottish music at its best’ continues, with Colin MacIntyre, AKA Mull Historical Society committing to play an acoustic set at Edinburgh's Cabaret Voltaire on Thursday 20 April. Macintyre said “I'm delighted to be involved in this British Red Cross series of events and be a part of helping to showcase the issues that they are involved with and the incredible work they do." The 7pm start sees Shrinking Violet support in the first of 3 shows which aim to bring in cash to support the charity. Tickets are £12 and available from Tickets Scotland (0131 220 3234).

Latest additions to T in the Park - Hard-fi, and... The Proclaimers!

Fence Records has announce that Homegame III will be taking place over the weekend of April 22nd / 23rd 2006, featuring a host of bands from the Fence Collective, as well as some special guests.

Tickets for the Homegame will go on sale Monday 13th March £25 each, from (around) 4pm, only from www.thefenceshop.com (under the Live Show Tickets section).
The lineup is unconfirmed, but the weekend's events will be based around a Saturday night 'main event' in Waid High School Hall, and 2 Sunday shows in Cellardyke Town Hall, one afternoon and one evening. The lineup for the Sunday shows will be the same and a weekend ticket entitles you to entry to ONE of these, as well as the Saturday evening show. There will also be a variety of 'fringe' shows around the towns - some free, some with a nominal door charge. Full details at http://www.fencerecords.com

The Isle of Skye Music Festival will take place on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th June 2006, again at Ashaig Airstrip. Headliners include KT Tunstall, Mylo, Aberfeldy & Fun Lovin' Criminals, plus The Peatbog Faeries, Cuban Brothers, Skye Edwards and up-and-coming acts The Upper Room and The Young Knives. Plus, a host of top names from hte dance world including DJ Mes,Ralph Lawson 20:20 Soundsystem, Trash DJ Errol Alkan, WHOMADEWHO & Justin Robertson. More at http://www.skyemusicfestival.co.uk

Easter West Fest takes place in Ullapool from 14-16 April, with gigs, workshops and films at venues around the town. Acts confirmed for the new festival include Hobotalk and The Alarm's Dave Sharp & Culture Clash. More at http://www.the-medicineshow.co.uk/easterwestfest.

Tickets for the third Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, near Beauly in Inverness-shire on 11th and 12th August 2006, go on sale 9.00 AM Friday 3rd March, both on-line and through retail outlets.
The first headliner to be announced is the legendary Arlo Guthrie who will play his first ever Scottish festival, and his only Scottish date on his European tour.
Weekend tickets cost £60 and are available on line via the web site, via Ticketmaster.com and other outlets - see the website for more details. www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk

The Wickerman festival (Fri July 21st and Sat 22nd July) has confirmed a host of bands for the indie tent - Popup, The Hussy's, The Needles, Kid Canaveral, and Terra Diablo, with a main headliner still TBC.
Day 2 is basically a Fence Social/Away Game. Tickets from www.skiddle.com/shop

T in the Park artists are getting added to the festival, which sold out within an hour of tickets going on sale. Franz Ferdinand, The Strokes and Richard Ashcroft are just some of the new additions to the lineup.

Former Blue Nile frontman Paul Buchanan is taking on his first UK tour in 10 years, and this includes nights at Glasgow's Royal Concert Hall: May 26, 27, & 28. It's unclear at present whether other Blue Nile members will also appear...

As part of OneGlasgow (www.glas.ac.uk/oneglasgow), Glasgow Universities Equality and Diversity week, mental health charity One In Four present a FREE afternoon show at the Deep 6 Bar in Glasgow Universities Union (GUU) on Friday 24th Feb,
Playing are Uncle John and Whitelock & 1990s - from 12.30pm - 2pm at 32 University Avenue, Glasgow
www.one-in-four.co.uk

Up-and-coming Scots bands Thee Comrades and Monkeytribe battle it out with 2 bands from Northern Ireland on 9th Feb, at London’s Borderline at the Fopp Award for New Music showcase. The bands have already garnered studio time, artwork and manufacture, and their eventual releases will be sold in Fopp stores.

Dundee's festival of experimental music and film, Kill Your Timid Notion, runs from Friday Feb 17 at the DCA. Dundee Contemporary Arts.More at http://www.killyourtimidnotion.org

My Latest Novel preview their forthcoming debut ‘Wolves’ in March with a tour which includes Glasgow Mono (Sunday 5), Edinburgh The Venue (Tuesday 7), Dundee Reading Rooms (Wednesday 8), & Aberdeen Moshulu (Thursday 9) before winding through England and Wales, as well as shows in Paris and Amsterdam.

Former Slits vocalist Ari Up will play at Blitzkreig Bop, at Glasgow’s Arches, on Tuesday 21st March. Support is from Mother & the Addicts

More from triptych - Coldcut will play Glasgow ABC on Wednesday 26 April

initial lineups for this year's Triptych festival are sneaking out. Mogwai have already confirmed an Edinburgh show at Edinburgh's Queen's Hall on Thursday April 27th. And The Silver Jews are set to play their first-ever Scottish shows at Edinburgh's Bongo Club on ThursdayApril 27 and Glasgow's Tramway on Friday April 28.

Isobel Campbell, fromer Belle and Sebastian singer, takes a career change with a collaboration with Mark Lanegan - the former Queens of the Stone Age and Screaming Ttrees vocalist. An album is due in February, with a single (a cover of Hank Wiliams' 'Ramblin Man') out on Jan 23rd. A UK tour finishes in Glasgow's ABC on February 25th - but Lanegan won't be on the gig. Instead, his vocal parts on the new material will be taken by Eugene Kelly.

This year's Wickerman festival (taking place on 21st/22nd July) is selling advance tickets now - see http://www.skiddle.com/shop/

O S C I L L A T E D festival of electronic music takes place on Saturday 21st January (from 5pm)
at the Cotton Club, Dundee. LIve are SCORN, DETRITUS, MOTHBOY, EYE, AUTOCLAV 1.1, JEYE, LAN FORMATIQUE & BENCH.
Tickets are £7 (plus booking) available from http://www.oscillated.co.uk/

A Joe Strummer tribute night takes place at King Tuts on the 22nd - among those playing are Glasgow act Catcher...

SL Records’ Christmas party takes place on December 15th at Edinburgh’s Bongo Club,
Live are Dawn Of The Replicants, Saint Judes Infirmary, Decoration, The 55’s The Starlets, The Aphrodisiacs & Peanut

In Glasgow on the same night (i.e. Thurs Dec 15th) it’s another Blitzkrieg Bop @ The Arches - Figure 5, 1990s, StopStarts & No Bra, all in aid of Oxfam. See http://www.thebop.tk

is this music?’s year end bash lineup has been announced - Odeon Beat Club, Saint Jude’s Infirmary and Popup will play at Glasgow’s 13th Note on Thurs 22nd.

The East Meets West Battle of the Bands final takes place on the 15th in Edinburgh’s Liquid Room -with The Draymin, O.B.E, Korovas , 5 Park Drive, Castro, Pylot , Kobai & Skinflints (it’s a 6pm start)

A gig with a difference takes place at Glasgow’s Carnival Arts Centre on the 9th December. With the intention of creating a mix of Later With Jools Holland, The Word and TFI Friday, The Sketch will be hosted from the floor with interviews and discussions as well as live music and elements of fashion and art, all filmed by Wolfpack Productions. A Club atmosphere will be created by Kinky Afro, and acts on this first month’s show include Genaro, Irregular Slinky and The KingBees.

Award-winning Glasgow zine Beard hosts 'A Christmas Gift To You' at Mono on December 11th - performing live will be Lucky Luke, Hookers Green No1 and Skeleton Bob, but they will also be running a fanzine workshop with intention of producing a cut n paste zine on the day.
http://beardmag.blogspot.com

Glasgow act Brady Cole have landed a support slot with the Foo Fighters at their SECC show on Monday 12th December. According to the band, “After hearing our music Dave Grohl has asked us to perform ahead of the Futureheads for a 25 minute set...” describing the gig as an “incredible opportunity”. The gig follows the June 2005 release of the group's first ever anthology 'Scotland's Number 1 Beat Group' on Ika Records

Glasgow electro act Hoboken are to support the Human League throughout their December UK tour. The 16 dates include a show at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall on the 13th December. The band have put back release of their forthcoming single ‘Beauty Queen’ until January as a result.

One of Scotland's most famous groups from the 1960s THE BEATSTALKERS play theirever reunion gig at Glasgow Barrowland on Friday 23rd December. THE band last played Barrowlands in 1969, the same line-up will present their fantastic haul of tunes from their soul-beat-mod-rock-psych back catalogue of the singles they released on Decca and CBS. Support comes from the almost-as-legendary Scottish garage band The Thanes, and Glasgow’s Figure 5. More at www.fieldofone.com

Announced - the AUDIOSCOPE charity event on 29 & 30 October, headlined by Four Tet and Luke Vibert, and featuring Data Panik, Scout Niblett and Explosions in the Sky among many others. The event raises money for national homelessness and housing charity Shelter.
The fifth annual event, and has already raised in excess of £10,000 for Shelter.

Kirkcaldy is to get a new venue - Harlem opens in October, with a show by My Latest Novel on the 16th. (check venue for details if you can find it).

Arab Strap play a couple of Scottish in-stores next week - October
17th at Glasgow Union Street Fopp, and on the 18th, Edinburgh Rose Street Fopp

Nice'n'Sleazys has announced their Octoverdose month-long mini-festival which includes the likes of Hoboken, Lucky Luke and My Latest Novel - details at www.nicensleazy.com

Aberdeen's Tunnels has a couple of big names heading north - Caribou (formerly Manitoba) on the 20th, and Faust (their only scottish date) on the 29th. Protective clothing at the ready!

Just announced: Instal 05 takes place from 14-16 Oct at The Arches, Glasgow

Sun City Girls, Pauline Oliveros + David Dove, Loren Mazzacane Connors + Alan Licht, Hijokaidan, Jandek, Tom Bruno, Chie Mukai, Henri Chopin, Black Boned Angel, UP-TIGHT, Tetuzi Akiyama, Birchville Cat Motel, directing hand, Rauhan Orkesteri, Ingar Zach + Rhodri Davies, & JOJO

The majority of these shows are UK or European premieres, or are the only shows some acts [SCG] will do in Europe this year.

www.instal.org.uk

Giant Tank and Wounded Knee's Lapsed Electronics have been asked to curate two nights of undiscovered free/ out noise/ improv/ whatever from Scotland to precede Instal.

Wed 12th Oct:
KYLIE MINOISE= Glasgow. power electronic klutz behaviour by Kovorox sound head-honcho. bruised bodies and broken microphones. 
NOMA= Glasgow. constantly evolving improvised music using guitar amplified reclaimed consumer electronics. 
SHAREHOLDER= Edinburgh. semi-spontaneously composed guitar wanderings.  
BOX VS. NIMROD 33= Dundee. progressive rhythmical guitar squall vs. post-Highland discorporate dusk-jockey. 
FRU= Edinburgh. beer and smoke befuddled drone/ delay efforts by Pjorn 72 kingpin.
doors= 7:30pm (first act on at 7:45pm.). cost= £4.

Thurs 13th Oct:
OPAQUE= Glasgow. low-end drone guitarage army in praise of the open chord. 
WOUNDED KNEE= Edinburgh. Cask-strength electrohypnol and shroom damaged folk croonings by Lapsed Electronics empire builder. 
USURPER= Edinburgh. nigh-inaudible improv jams with disabled instruments from the makers of Giant Tank and Pizza Boy Delivery. 
CK DEXTER HAVEN VS. DORA DOLL= Edinburgh. sinewave manipulating Giant Tank-ette goes head-to-head with Decaer Pinga's first lady of noise. 
DOWLING, MacGLONE, NICHOLSON, & CAMPBELL= Glasgow. free-playing quartet of sax/ bass/ cello/ voice from The Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra and Age Of Wire & String.
doors= 7:30pm (first act on at 7:45pm.). cost= £4.

Following a Sony-backed trip to the USA, Glasgow act Logan have been confirmed to support Alter Bridge (new band of former Creed man Mark Tremonti) on their European tourdates. They kick off with a hometown show at the Glasgow Academy on November 10th followed by shows aross England and finishing up at Amsterdam's Paradiso on the 21st. More at the Logan website.

Mogwai have announced that their rescheduled show at Glasgow's new ABC complex will take place on August 18th.

And Franz Fedinand's supports for the Princes St Gardens shows at the end of August will be Ladytron (30th) and the Arcade Fire (31st).

Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival is a two day event in the Italian Gardens, Belladrum, near Beauly, Inverness-shire on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th August 2005.  45 acts will play across three stages over the two days.
The Proclaimers, Alabama 3,The Bees, British Seapower, Ricky Ross (Deacon Blue), El Presidente, Editors, Aberfeldy, The Brakes, Jah Wobble, Black Velvets, Bluetones, Trashcan Sinatras and Mohair are on the line-up for event in the Italian Gardens, Belladrum, near Beauly, Inverness-shire on Friday 12th and Saturday 13th August 2005.
Also on a worldwide-starred bill are Peatbog Faeries, Karine Polwart, Exist, Country Joe MacDonald, Emiliana Torrini, Michael Marra,Endrick Brothers, Sundown, Poor Old Ben, the Cinematics, Hazey Janes, Baka d N’Faly, Kouyate & Andy White.
Weekend tickets cost £50 (incl VAT, excl booking fee) and entitle holders to free parking and camping 4.00 PM 11th August – 1.00 PM 14th August. More at the web site: http://www.tartanheartfestival.co.uk

In a flurry of politically or charity-motivated shows, the Edinburgh branch of NO2ID have a show planned on July 2nd, just before the Make Poverty History rally, to raise money and awareness for the pressure group campaigning against the government's plans for compulsory ID cards. The gig at the Bongo Club features Thee Comrades, Staccato Set and xvectors, plus Final Brass Rabbi, Pre, Wounded Knee and Swimmer One DJs. More at www.no2id.net

The Darvel Festival have announced their lineup in good time - the series of shows in the Ayrshire town which will run from 4th - 9th October include The Primary 5, Moishes Bagel, Karine Polwart / Finniston, The Endrick Brothers and the main atrraction The Hamish Stuart Band - fronted , of course by the ex-Average White Band mainman. Full details at http://www.darvelmusicfestival.org

T on the Fringe has announced its lineup for the series of shows to take place in Edinburgh in August. As well as the Franz Ferdinand and Pixies outdoor gigs, big names such as The Prodigy (5th), Alabama 3 (9th) and Basement Jaxx (28th August) all appear at the Corn Exchange. Lined up for Liquid Room shows are Roddy Frame (6th), Yo La Tengo (15th), the Wedding Present (16th) Michael Franti/Spearhead (21st), and Sons and Daughters (23rd), while Regina Spector, on the 23rd, is one of a bunch of acts who will appear at Cabaret Voltaire. Full details at www.tonthefringe.co.uk.

Mogwai have been forced to postpone their appearance at Glasgow's new ABC venue following Martin Bulloch's treatment for tendonitis. The show will go ahead however - label signings Errors will join Trout on the live bill for wednesday 8th June, while the band's tour DJ will be joined by Twitch and Wilkes. Tickets for the show shoudl be retained as the gig proper will be rescheduled for later in the year.

Texas will perform at the opening of the Special Olympics in Glasgow on July 2nd. Also on the bill for the Celtic Park ceremony is Lucie Silvas.

Franz Ferdinand have been announced for 2 shows to close Edinburgh's T on the Fringe. They'll appear in Princes Street Gardens on the 30th and 31st August. Support for the second show is confirmed as The Arcade Fire.

T in the Park will feature an extra stage this year - The Futures Stage has a lineup including Tom Vek, The Cribs, Art Brut and Aberfeldy.

More Scottish live acts have been added to the T in the Park bill with My Latest Novel joining Sons and Daughters, KT Tunstall & El Presidente. Meanwhile, Malcolm Middleton, Multiplies and Dead Fly Buchowski are among the bands who will join the heat-winners on the T-break stage.

Belle and Sebastian who have confirmed that they are definitely involved with a gig for www.g8alternatives.org.uk. At Glasgow's Arches on June 15th, Flying Matchstick Men are slated as special guests.

Idlewild, Teenage Fanclub and My Latest Novel are to be the special guests of The Pixies when they appear at Meadowbank Stadium on the 28th July.

The people behind various festivals such as instal, Subcurrent, Le Weekend, Music Lovers' Field
Companion and Kill Your Timid Notion have set up a one-off gig at Glasgow's CCA on the 23rd May in conjunction with Volcanic Tongue.
Featured are My Cat Is An Alien, Keiji Haino, Taurpis Tula and the legendary Jandek, who opens procedings at 7.30 sharp!

Sons and Daughters will perform a series of free instores in Scotland (and London):
Monday 23/5/05 Fopp, Rose Street, Edinburgh 1pm (acoustic set) and HMV, Argyle Street, Glasgow 5pm (electric set)
Tuesday 24/5/05 One Up, Aberdeen (acoustic set) Wednesday 25/5/05 Rough Trade, Covent Garden, London 1pm (acoustic set)
Wednesday 08/6/05 HMV, Princes Street, Edinburgh 5pm (electric set)

Lou Reed will perform an evening of spoken word at the Reid Hall at Edinburgh University on Monday 16th May, 2005.
Tickets £20 - www.ticketweb.co.uk - 0870 903 3444

More T in the Park announcements: The Bravery and The Ordinary Boys play stage 2 on Saturday, with Suzanne Vega, The Futureheads and Rooster in The King Tut’s Tent. Sunday sees Josh Homme side project the Eagles of Death Metal plus Sons & Daughters, Bright Eyes and The Black Velvets. Plus, Super Furry Animals and The Tears will headline the X-Tent on Saturday and Sunday respectively.

Legendary Aussies - and one-time Postcard recording artistes - The Gobetweens are set to perform in Scotland. Apart from their Renfrew Ferry show on May 12th, they will also play a free in-store at Avalanche Records in Edinburgh's Nicolson Street. They then head to DJ- alongside Glasgow band St Judes Infirmary and former Scotland international Pat Nevin - at the monthly Born To Be Wide club which takes place at The Street (Picardy Place)

The Isle of Skye Music Festival has announced its lineup for the 17th and 18th June.  Mylo and Idlewild headline, plus KT Tunstall, DJs Harri and Dominic from the SubClub, & Soma artists Silicone Soul.

10 Days in May, the Glasgow-based series of gigs that happen in May, for 10 days, will be back from May 20th-30th. Acts already announced include Dogs Die in Hot Cars (The Garage, 21st), Eels (Academy, 22nd), KT Tunstall also at the Academy on the 25th, Teenage Fanclub (same venue the night after) Ambulance Ltd on the 27th at King Tuts, and Beck - also at the Academy on the 29th. Full listings should be at www.gigsinscotland.com

Following the lack of a Cocteau Twins reunion at Coachella, Simon Raymonde will be djing at the Triptych Bella Union nights -- also featuring the Czars, Bikini Atoll and Josh Martinez
the dates are edinburgh venue (april 27th), aberdeen tunnels (april 28th) and glasgow renfrew ferry (april 29th).
And the show featuring Aberfeldy, King Creosote, & My Latest Novel has been forced to move to a bigger venue - The Grand Ole Opry, Glasgow, Thursday 28th April, 8pm. Tickets £8.

More T announcements: Mylo will travel to Balado together with singer songwriters Willie Mason and Josh Rouse. Post punk rockers The Departure will also make the trip, while DJ Sneak and Two Lone Swordsmen are announced for the Slam Tent.

Joining initial announcees LCD Sound System on the bill at the Triptych Festival are a variety of acts ranging from Karl Heinz Stockhausen, Prince Buster, The Fall, Arab Strap, and Uncle John and Whitelock, who performed at the launcgh event at Partick Thistle football ground. It runs in Edinburgh, Aberdeen & Glasgow from 29th April - 1st May. Full lineup details here soon, or view the triptych05 website

Coldplay have anounced an outdoor show to 30,000 people at Glasgow's Bellahouston Park on July 1st.

New Order have been confirmed to play at T in the Park - headlining Stage 2 on Saturday 9th July.

Easter Saturday in Aberdeen (March 26th) sees free live music at Castlegate. SHIFT includes 65daysofstatic (#25 in last year's Festive 50) , Irish lo-fi wonders Drat, plus Salon Boris between 2pm and 9pm. Just added - Sound Development Agency, the Nucleotides, and The Kitchen Cynics.

Glasgow's legendary End of the Month Club has reached its third birthday this month and to celebrate eotmc hosts BOZiLLA shall once again be dishing out special free party bags of treats (including badges, sweets, toys and a special cd)  to the first 50 folk down to the 13th Note Basement. TJ from Bozilla is having a double celebration - 15 years of gigging in Glasgow. Thus, proceedings will start with a special retrospective set of fifteen songs plucked from his various guises and featuring some past collaborators.

The Solway coast's top music festival, The Wickerman, has announced its lineup for the 22nd and 23rd July. Friday 22nd features headliners The Stranglers, plus Dreadzone, AntiProduct and Neville Staple (former Specials singer).
Sunday's lineup - stil to be finalised - includes Arthur Brown, Mercedes and Mr Green Finger. There's also a World Music Tent, new band stage will also be onsite, with Degrassi, Sound Development Agency and Poor Old Ben featured. Tickets are on sale now, with a weekend campimg ticket proced at £40, he;d at 2004 proces. More at the Wickerman website

T in the Park has just sold out, so you can forget about going along if you don't have any tickets!
T in the Park 2005 has its initial lineups announced. Headliners on the Saturday will be the Foo Fighters while Green Day will close the Main Stage on the Sunday. Other bands set to play on the 9th and 10th July include Keane, The Killers, Embrace, Prodigy, The Streets, Razorlight, Kasabian, Biffy Clyro, Ian Brown, The Coral Beautiful South, and making their gig debut, Audioaslave.
And, just added to the bill, James Brown!

Idlewild have announced a 21-date UK tour in AprilMay to coincide with album 'Warnings/Promises', released March 7th. The new album is preceded by a single 'Love Steals Us From Loneliness' on February 21st. The Scottish dates are as follows:
May 1st Aberdeen Music Hall
2nd Glasgow Barrowlands
3rd Edinburgh Usher Hall

Scotland's major promoters have got together with its major bands for a tsunami benefit. At the SECC on Sat 19th February, the bands announced for the show include Teenage Fanclub, Franz Ferdinand, Travis, Belle & Sebastian, Idlewild, Texas, Eddi Reader, Trashcan Sinatras, Mull Historical Society, Ricky Ross, Slam, Optimo, Mogwai & Kevin McDermott. Each band will be playing an approximately 20 minute set.
Tickets should be available now from the SECC Box Office ( 0870 040 4000 ), from SECC Xtra at St. Enoch Centre and www.secctickets.com. Prices are £28.50 for standing & seating, with a limited number of premium seats available at £40.

The Kipper Family are a new promotions collective dedicated to redresing the imbalance between the Dundee area and the central belt, gig-wise. They're starting up regular gigs - monthly, for now - at the the first of these being on the 13th January with Flying Matchstick Men, Q Without U and Findo Gask at the Reading Rooms. In February a couple of bands from Manchester (TBC) will play with local upstarts Uncle Fritz in the Art Bar in the first week of February (details to be confirmed); and in March (probably on the 5th), King Creosote will be playing at the Dundee Rep with Otterley in suppport.

Idlewild have announced a show at Forres The Loft on Friday 21st January. tickets go on sale on the 4th via ticketmaster; more at www.beyondit.net

Following the collapse of Edinburgh's Highland Gathering at Ingliston - which had planned to host Supergrass, The Levellers & Razorlight plus DJs Dave Pearce, Seb Fontaine, Felix Da Housecat and Erick Morillo in a 12-hour extravaganza - Hogmanay music in the capital is rather more limited. Princes Street Gardens is the official place to party with Blondie, Scissor Sssters and Aberfeldy set to appear.

In Glasgow, an 'eclectic' lineup in George Square includes Snow Patrol, The Bootleg Beatles, The Midden & Sound Development Agency, with the Strathclyde Police Pipe Band keeping order. Thgough i that doesn\t appeal, macrocosmica will appear at Stereo.

Aberdeen's offering is Deacon Blue, Hue and Cry and The Sham featuring Fame Academy graduate (3rd class) David Sneddon

Meanwhile, Stirling's celebrations will be hosted by Cameron Stout, who will apparently also introduce Deacon Blue. Hmm.

Kill Your Timid Notion runs from the 10th-12th December at Dunde's DCA. Programmed by Barry Esson who also put on the recent Instal at Glasgow's Arches, the festival features experimental music including Sonic Youth's Lee Ranaldo, film, and art exhibition elements.

Performances:
AMM+ Malcolm Le Grice
Text of Light [lee ranaldo, alan licht, uli krieger, tim barnes]
Mirror w/ a film by Bill Morrison
Thuja + Keith Evans
Perlonex + Ulrike Flaig
Tower Recordings
La Cellule d'Intervention Metamkine
Tabula Smaragdina: Jürgen Reble + Thomas Köner
Sachiko M + Anthony McCall

Film Programme:
An incredible and rare programme of films from experimental
pioneers past and present, including:
Charlemagne Palestine, Takahiko Iimura, Jurgen Reble, Kurt Kren, Bruce Baillie, Kenneth Anger, Jud Yalkut, Beverly + Tony Conrad, Peter Kubelka, Steina + Woody Vasulka, Pat O'Neil and many more

Exhibition by Finnish Artists Gronlund\Nisunen
Sculpture, architecture, sound and physics come together in the work of renowned Finnish collaborative duo Tommi Gronlund and Petteri Nisunen.

www.killyourtimidnotion.org

Franz Ferdinand and the Fire Engines - 18th December atthe SECC.
REM, Loch Lomond, 18th June.

Aereogramme - 20th November, Glasgow Cottier Theatre.
Mark Lanegan Band, Glasgow Garage, 26th November.
Trashcan Sinatras - Edinburgh St. Brides, 4th November, & Glasgow Cottier, 5th Nov.

The Ullapool Guitar Festival takes place this week (3rd - 9th Octber with a range of stars from all over, including Martin Stephenson and Scott Macdonald.

Legendary Special AKA forontman Terry Hall teams up with the Dub Pistols in a couple of shows at Glasgow's Barfly, on the 30th September & 1st October

Highland Gathering is the brand name for Edinburgh's New Year rock celebrations. Taking place at the Royal Highland Centre from 8pm on Hogmanay and lasting 12 hours (!), among the acts already announced are Supergrass, Razorlight, Armand Van Helden, The Levellers, Erick Morillo, Jah Shaka, Miss Behavin', Seb Fontaine, Sister Bliss, Faithless, Future Shock, Lee Scratch Perry and Dave Pearce.

Former Cocteau Twins mainman Robin Guthrie returns home for his first gig in... ages - with a show at Glasgow's Arches on the 24th October - support from Christ, Reverbaphon and Prhizzm.

Idlewild will play their only Scottish date of the year as part of Falkirk's Way To Blue festival which runs from 6th - 10th October, with acts ranging from Stirlngshire to around the world. Other acts will feature such as Hugh Cornwell (The Stranglers), Kain, The Fence Collective and Mr David Viner and Viva Stereo. The Idlewild gig - support from Terra Diablo - is at the Town Hall on Friday 8th October, the band returning from LA where they're working on their new album to be released next February.

The Darvel Music festival enters its third year and from 30th September to 8th October a mix of local (i.e. Scottish ) and international (Canadian, American and Irish) acts will appear in the Ayrshire town. Among the Scots playing are Kain, Poor Old Ben, Odeon Beat Club, Raar, Viva Stereo, Babygod & My Latest Novel while from abroad . Richmond Fontaine, Garrett Wall, Hayden & Koshka are confirmed for th eevent. Full details at www.darvelmusicfestival.org

New promoter Synergy (affiliated with Foundation/All Tomorrows Parties) have announced a couple of Scottish gigs of interest - Deerhoof will play Glasgow's Stereo on the 16th August, and Sonic Youth will be at the Barrowlands on september 1st. Tix from Stereo, Monorail and on-line at Simbiotic.

And Franz Ferdinand have announced Matinee (!) gig for younger fans - at the Barrowland on 16th October Over 18s will be admitted if accompanying a child, but teenagers sporting dubious facial hair may be asked to show ID otherwise. Tickets from Ticketweb on 08700 600 100 or www.ticketweb.co.uk or Ticketscotland (Glasgow and Edinburgh) or Ripping Records from Monday 9th August @ 9.30 am.

Another date for festival-goers: Glassel Gig 2004 takes place on August 28th (this year) near Banchory. It's an all-day (12pm-1am) charity show with 2 stages and is fuly licensed. There are around 30 bands playing including:
Tom Hingley, The Needles, Union Avenue, Le Reno Amps, Lee Paterson, Dave Arcari + many more. Full details at the website: www.glasselgig.co.uk

Tigerfest, Edinburgh's alternative music festival, has announced its lineup for August.

5th August
Thomas Truax, Calvin, Andrew Montgomery, Mr Zimbabwe
7th August
Alistair Roberts, Lucky Luke, Scatter
9th August
Sluts of Trust, The Last Great Wilderness, Uncle John & Whitelock
11th August
Half Man Half Biscuit, The Hector Collectors
12th August
Ballboy, Nero, Odeon Beat Club
14th August
Monica Queen, KT Tunstall, Quinn, Eleanor Chalkley, Herjulv Arnkvaern
18th August, 10pm
X-Vectors, Alleschwindel
21st August
Bearsuit, St Jude's Infirmary, Trademark, Severin, Mr Zimbabwe
23rd August
Desc, The Starlets, The Aphrodisiacs, Nice Man
27th August
King Creosote, Pictish Trail, Northern Alliance
28th August
Diwan, Disciples of Panic Earth, The Hustlers, Das Contras, Mr Zimbabwe

More details at http://tigerfest.baby-tiger.net/

T on the Fringe has announced its line-up for 2004 and among the attractions in August are Dido (supported by Aqualung, to be fair) at the Usher Hall on August 13th, while a variety of acts are scattered across the city throughout the month. Pride of place goes to an appearance from Morrissey (on the 31st) and before then, the likes of Laura Viers on the 16th, The Charlatans (23rd), Sons and Daughters (24th), dEUS (28th) and TV on the Radio on the 30th. More at www.tonthefringe.com, I'd have thought.

New confirmations for T - the Wu Tang Clan (Saturday), as well as Pink, Faithless, and Basement Jaxx (also all Saturday). Oh, and The Thrills on Sunday.

James Brown will celebrate his 7th decade (!) in the music business by playing Glasgow's Carling Academy - Wednesday 30 June (tickets @ £28.50 )

Triptych has added one of its biggest names to the bill for this year - Super Furry Animals will play Glasgow's Tramway on April 29th ­ with support from Mountaineers and Adem

The names keep on coming for T - Starsailor and Goldfrapp confirmed. Bad news now - the sets have been broken down into the 2 days, and with David Bowie on Saturday and The Pixies on the Sunday that's the chances of a duet out the window. Other Saturday acts are The Darkness, Muse, and Snow Patrol, while on Sunday it's The Strokes, NERD, PJ Harvey and Franz Ferdinand.
The Slam Tent big names are also out of the dark - Felix da House Cat, Carl Craig, Funk D Void and Jeff Mills all joining the Chemical Brothers and of course, Slam. More at the T website

Further additions to T in the Park - Massive Attack, Keane and PJ Harvey. Still no official confirmation of a certain Irish powerpunk quartet, though (no, not the Undertones).

Coming to the Barras: Scissor Sisters on 8th April, Funeral For a a Friend on May 2, The Rapture on the 5th and Gomez on the 24th.

Franz Ferdinand are a main atraction at this year's Triptych festival, with a show at Ediburgh's Liquid Room on the 29th April.

The Download festival comes to Glasgow - on Wednesday 2nd June, Metallica play the open-air gig, while on Thursday 3rd June., Linkin Park close the festival. More details at the Download website

For regular email updates of recently-announced gigs, I'd subscribe to the Beatscene gig mailing list