Archive for March, 2010
Music Alliance Pact – March 2010
Monday, March 15th, 2010
There are two ways in which you can open your senses to a multitude of music from dozens of countries in just one sitting. One is called the Eurovision Song Contest (39 nations), the other is the Music Alliance Pact (now at 36 nations this month thanks to the addition of Metal Israel).
In the most unlikely turn of events since The Pop Cop founded MAP, these two forces are about to overlap. Our Estonian counterparts Popop selected a singer called Malcolm Lincoln for December’s MAP, and last Friday this same man was chosen by the public to represent Estonia in this year’s Eurovision. Blogger Kaarel, who runs Popop, said the result was a huge surprise in his homeland as “Malcolm Lincoln is totally unknown for the mainstream music listeners”.
Though unlikely to follow in those same footsteps, our Scottish selection for this month are no less likely to find themselves destined for greater exposure.
At first glance ADMIRAL FALLOW appear to have come from nowhere waving a remarkable debut album (out on April 26). In fact, they took the risky but brave decision to change their name only a couple of months ago, having attracted plenty of admirers as Brother Louis Collective. No matter what you call them, the Glasgow band can boast one of the most listenable and rewarding collection of songs we’ve heard in a long time.
SCOTLAND: The Pop Cop
Admiral Fallow – Squealing Pigs
It’s hard to say what Admiral Fallow’s greatest strength is. It could be the luscious melodies which burst out of their songs, or the thick Scottish brogue that defines Louis Abbott’s strikingly unhurried delivery, or perhaps it’s the fact they have the sort of craft and invention their peers could only dream of. MAP exclusive download Squealing Pigs whisks through the speakers with a bundle of verve and is taken from the band’s forthcoming debut album Boots Met My Face, which at times sounds a lot like Elbow.
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April 1, Snafu, Aberdeen
April 2, Old Bridge Inn, Aviemore
April 3, Harley’s, Bathgate
April 4, Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh (tickets)
April 7, Doghouse, Dundee
April 8, Oran Mor, Glasgow (tickets)
April 11, Oddest Bar, Manchester
April 12, Pavillion Tavern, Brighton
April 13, Slaughtered Lamb, London
April 15, Hootananny, Inverness
April 29, Oran Mor, Glasgow (supporting The Futureheads) (tickets)
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Win tickets to see Amy Macdonald at The Classic Grand
Saturday, March 13th, 2010
My, hasn’t she grown. Gone is the geeky, Pete Doherty-loving youngster with dodgy fringes (see right). In comes the sultry photoshoots and come-to-Bishopbriggs eyes.
But AMY MACDONALD could never be accused of abandoning her roots. Not only can she still be spotted traipsing around Scottish First Division stadiums to watch her beau, Steve Lovell, banging them in for the mighty Partick Thistle, she’s also bringing her band to The Classic Grand, Glasgow on Thursday, March 25 to play in front of just 400 fans – which is about 1,500 less than her normal shows.
Amy will be the first guest to headline a new series of exclusive gigs under the banner USC Live. And we’ve teamed up with organisers Bauer Radio Events and fashion retailer USC to offer a lucky reader of The Pop Cop the chance to win a pair of tickets to this one-off concert and catch a sneak preview of the Amy Macdonald live show before she heads out on tour.
The 22-year-old is one of the UK’s most successful female singer-songwriters. Her debut album This Is The Life sold over three million copies worldwide and the Glaswegian’s career is continuing its incredible rise with the release of her new album, A Curious Thing, which is a very fine thing indeed.
For your chance to win a pair of tickets to USC Live with Amy Macdonald, just answer the simple question below:
What is the title of Amy Macdonald’s new album?
Now email thepopcop@gmail.com with the subject “Amy Macdonald competition” and include your answer, name, date of birth and postal address. Closing date for entries is 23:59 on March 21.
One winner, picked at random, will receive a pair of tickets. No under-16s may attend and all 16 and 17-year-olds must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Photo ID may be required. Neither The Pop Cop, Bauer Radio Events nor USC will use your details for anything else except this competition. For more chances to win, tune in to In Demand on your local Bauer Radio station or visit your nearest USC and enter in-store.
Amy Macdonald – Somebody New
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Amy Macdonald – Rock Bottom
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March 25, Classic Grand, Glasgow (competition winners only)
March 28, Ironworks, Inverness (sold out)
March 29, Picture House, Edinburgh (sold out)
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Don’t panic at the disco
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
We’ve all been there. You’re sitting at a wedding reception/birthday party/christening/bar mitzvah and the DJ is subjecting you to a medley of Nine To Five, Dancing Queen and YMCA. At this very moment, as your aural senses take a beasting, something completely unexpected happens – your unwritten list of The Best Songs Ever drastically changes.
With no Okkervil River on the playlist and no Clap Your Hands Say Yeah single being lined up, the hero you’re actually holding out for is the indie-disco anthem. Salvation = Mr Brightside, Sex On Fire, Sit Down or What’s My Age Again? Fuck it, you’ll even take Buck Rogers if it means three minutes without Mustang Sally.
However, here’s the twist – normal dancing rules don’t apply. To better explain, The Pop Cop roped in The Poet*, a popular mobile DJ on the Glasgow circuit: “When I play the indie anthems, people just jump up and down on the spot with their fist in the air. It makes me think they’re reliving the experience of being at a live concert. It’s a much different reaction to when I play a dance record. There aren’t the choreographed moves or daft shapes.”
Strangely, indie-disco is the one area in which examples of Scottish success stories are few and far between, especially when you consider that this country has a truckload of bands peddling aggressive ned-rock, wonky electro, middle-of-the-bill indie, satchel-friendly fey-pop and wanky post-rock.
It’s hard to say what’s more depressing – the fact that The Poet was able to name just four Scottish songs from the past decade that would ever crop up in his sets, or what those four songs actually are:
Franz Ferdinand – Take Me Out
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Snow Patrol – Spitting Games
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The Fratellis – Chelsea Dagger
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Paolo Nutini – Pencil Full Of Lead
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So come on, music-making people of Scotland, put your talents to a more productive use. Think not about the cool kids, but the tortured function suite dwellers overdosing on vol-au-vents and triangular cheese sandwiches. They need you.
And just to prove how easy other nationalities seem to find it, here are some bands heading this way armed with a whole set of songs that drunk students can grope to on the dancefloor:
Two Door Cinema Club – I Can Talk
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March 14, King Tut’s, Glasgow (tickets)
July 11, T in the Park, Balado (sold out)
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March 16, King Tut’s, Glasgow (tickets)
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April 10, Bongo Club, Edinburgh (tickets)
April 11, Warehouse, Aberdeen (tickets)
April 12, Doghouse, Dundee (tickets)
The Futureheads – Heartbeat Song
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April 29, Oran Mor, Glasgow (tickets)
*Email westendpoet@sky.com if you want to hire The Poet to DJ in Glasgow or the surrounding areas
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