Archive for July, 2008

Staying out for the summer: Feugh Fest, Loopallu and Darvel Music Festival

Thursday, July 31st, 2008

There are just a few major events in the music calendar left to tell you about… so we’ve decided to bundle them all together for one, big festival orgy. If that’s not enough to make you agoraphobic, The Pop Cop will be hosting a very exciting competition this Friday which you’ll definitely want to check out.

What’s it called? Feugh Fest.

Where’s it at? King George V Park, Banchory, Aberdeenshire.

When’s it kicking off? August 30.

Who are the headliners? The Brand New Heavies, Sandi Thom.

How do the organisers describe it? “With an extensive line-up of some of Britain’s best bands headlining the main stage, the second stage in the marquee will feature a host of popular local and national cover bands.”

What’s its pedigree? This is the 2nd year.

What’s the damage? £41.50 (tickets), £46.50 including camping (tickets).

Verdict: One the worst line-ups of any festival this summer. We’re surprise they didn’t persuade WAG Amy Macdonald to come along, given her footballing fiancé Steve Lovell’s ties with Aberdeen.

ESSENTIAL FEUGH FEST SOUNDTRACK:
4 Popup – Lucy, What You Trying To Say?
4 Attic Lights – 5 Weeks Behind

What’s it called? Loopallu.

Where’s it at? Broomfield Holiday Park, Ullapool.

When’s it kicking off? September 19-20.

Who are the headliners? Levellers, The Rascals.

How do the organisers describe it? “Loopallu is becoming more like a family reunion that you actually want to go to! Our friendly family festival is a fantabulous weekend for all, with activities for all ages and music for all ears. We all come together with one common idea… to have fun.”

What’s its pedigree? This is the 4th year.

What’s the damage? £56.50 for the weekend, £71.50 including camping (tickets).

Verdict: Franz Ferdinand made Loopallu their only UK festival stop of 2007, which just goes to show the lengths (literally) even the biggest bands will go to for a gig at the most northerly alternative music festival in Scotland. Under-12s go free so that should secure a whole new generation of Frightened Rabbit and Broken Records fans.

ESSENTIAL LOOPALLU SOUNDTRACK:
4 King Creosote – Not One Bit Ashamed
4 Frightened Rabbit – The Greys
4 Broken Records – Out On The Water

What’s it called? Darvel Music Festival.

Where’s it at? Darvel Town Hall, Darvel, East Ayrshire.

When’s it kicking off? September 26-28.

Who are the headliners? Crash My Model Car (Friday), Hamish Stuart Band (Saturday) and Session A9 (Sunday).

How do the organisers describe it? “The best wee festival in Scotland (in our humble opinion!).”

What’s its pedigree? This is the 7th year.

What’s the damage? £14.25 for Friday (tickets), £24.25 for Saturday (tickets), £19.25 for Sunday (tickets).

Verdict: Officially, this year’s event is a mini-version of the real thing in order to raise funds for the full two-week festival in 2009, but the presence of Roddy Hart and Crash My Model Car – two of the four Scottish acts who made The Pop Cop’s ones-to-watch list at the start of the year – make it a veritable treat.

ESSENTIAL DARVEL MUSIC FESTIVAL SOUNDTRACK:
4 Roddy Hart – I Will Not Fear The Dark
4 Crash My Model Car – Maybe
4 Yvonne Lyon – Colours

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Staying out for the summer: Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival

Monday, July 28th, 2008

It seems like forever ago that we first gave you the lowdown on what music festivals to look forward to (or avoid) in Scotland this year. Back then summer seemed so far away – the days were short, drivers scraped frost off their windscreens, children built snowmen. It was nearly May after all. Seeing as the current heatwave – that’s 22 degrees, folks – has turned everyone into a darker shade of pale, it’s time to get back in the festival spirit with this Highland fling…

What’s it called? Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival.

Where’s it at? Belladrum Estate, by Beauly, Inverness-shire.

When’s it kicking off? August 8-9.

Who are the headliners? Scouting For Girls, The Waterboys.

And the flatliners? Scouting For Girls.

How do the organisers describe it? “It’s homegrown heaven in the Highlands. The craic’s amazing, the people are friendly, families love it, the setting is stunning, the music blows you away and it’s all on a relaxing human scale you can enjoy without that Times Square sensation of being over-thronged.”

What’s its pedigree? This is the 5th year.

What’s the damage? £56.50 for Saturday only (tickets), £87.50 for Friday & Saturday (tickets).

Most likely to be attended by: We would assume all the gig-starved people who live in beautiful Inverness. As the fastest growing city in Europe it’s time touring bands started taking it seriously as a concert destination. Music fans do exist north of the Central Belt, you know.

Verdict: Where else could you play football with Biffy Clyro and befriend Polish hitchhikers? That’s what happened in The Pop Cop’s last visit to Belladrum two years ago when we were charmed by the festival’s relaxed atmosphere, the genuine, warm enthusiasm of the punters and the complete absence of neds and posers. It doesn’t cost a penny more to camp or use the car park and kids under 13 get in for free – what a breath of fresh air to find organisers who aren’t desperate to fleece their customers for everything they’ve got. Oh, and the line-up is pretty decent too.

ESSENTIAL BELLADRUM TARTAN HEART SOUNDTRACK:
4 Infadels – Free Things For Poor People
4 The Wallbirds – 8 O’Clock Blues
4 Idlewild – Faster
4 Del Amitri (Justin Currie) – Roll To Me
4 Angus And Julia Stone – Bella
4 Frightened Rabbit – Fast Blood
4 Kathryn Williams – We Dug A Hole
4 Broken Records – Lies
4 The Brute Chorus – The Cuckoo & The Stolen Heart
4 The Lemonheads – Different Drum
4 Cold War Kids – Hospital Beds
4 Sons And Daughters – Broken Bones

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The Outsiders: Craig Michie

Friday, July 25th, 2008

We hope you’ve enjoyed The Pop Cop’s series on The Outsiders – be sure to share your thoughts and feedback. With any luck you’re feeling inspired and have learned something new, even if it’s just that every ex-pat Scot has met Coldplay. Thanks to everyone who gave their time to contribute. Here’s the final instalment.

Name: Craig Michie.
Job title: A&R scout, Chrysalis Music Publishing.
Age: 27.
Hometown: St Andrews.
When did you leave Scotland? 2002.
Is your Scottish identity important to you? Very much so.
How did you get your job and what had you done before? I was bored in the job I was in so I phoned my cousin in the middle of the day. She knew someone at EMI so I called him up and it turned out he had a job going at Virgin Records as an A&R assistant. I got the job because he was from Inverness and supported Dundee United, and I used to play for Dundee United reserves so I had many stories to tell him. I got my job at Chrysalis because the MD of Virgin knew I wanted to move on and his Jewish mate (my current boss) had a job going and gave me it. It’s about who you know, being in the right place and being pushy yet polite. But you also have to know your place and be willing to make mistakes and learn from your bosses. There is a reason why they are still in their jobs.
Who is the most famous person you have met while doing your job? Chris Martin.
What’s the best and worst part of your job? It’s a lifestyle, not a job. Flexi-time. It’s a journey rather than a planned out career. It’s like the thrill of buying a lottery ticket – it just might become massive!
What music are you excited about right now? Glasvegas.
Have any new Scottish acts caught your eye recently? Glasvegas, Frightened Rabbit.
Anything else you’d like to add… It is people like you (The Pop Cop) who are the future of the music industry, not people like me.