Good Stuff Festivals

🎪The line-up for FreshAyr Folk Festival has just been announced for three days of carousing by the sea this coming August. Kinnaris Quintet, Valtos, The Paul McKenna Band and Ryan Young are among those taking part. The full line up and tickets can be found at the official website.

🎉 Friday night headliners for Fyne Fest have been revealed as none other than the Elephant Sessions. They join Karine Polwart, Vic Galloway and others for the beer, food and music event in Glen Fyne between Friday May 31 and Sunday June 2. Details at the official website.

🎶 Stornoway’s An Lanntair unveiled its programme for HebCelt 2024 opening on Wednesday July 17 with Alasdair White’s The Heart of Beyond, a special commissioned concert taking its name from a passage in The Stornoway Way, a novel by Hebridean author Kevin MacNeill. Across the island the same evening, Breasclete Hall will host the Breasclete Community Concert, featuring Canadian traditional fiddle and step dance group The Lumber Jills, and talented Gaelic group Sian, who will both also be performing in the arena during the festival weekend. The following night An Lanntair will host a performance by Edinburgh band Wayward Jane, with Scottish singer-songwriter Dougie MacLean taking top billing on the Friday. The final night sees Gaelic folk group Na h-Òganaich round things off.

Good Stuff Live

🎤 Big news for fans of Biffy Clyro who announced they will play their first three albums live during a series of six shows in Glasgow and London this October. Each night they will play one of Blackened Sky / The Vertigo of Bliss / Infinity Land in full, plus a selection of songs from other albums. A pre sale starts tomorrow with codes being emailed out to their list today, and more details in their Insta bio.

🥁 Tickets go on sale this Wednesday for Parliamo’s live appearance at Dundee’s Beat Generator happening on Friday April 26. They have promised a night of daftness will lie ahead.

Cosmo Sheldrake is bringing his mix of indie folk soundscapes to The Caves in Edinburgh on Wednesday October 2. His April gig at Stereo in Glasgow, like many other venues across the UK, is already a sell out. A new album, Eye to the Ear, will also be out next month, on Friday April 12.

🎵 Cortne has a couple of solo shows happening in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast in the coming days including The Hug and Pint on Thursday and Sneaky Pete’s this Friday. Her debut EP Florescence, slots on BBC Scotland Introducing and Houseguest with Crowded Flat next month should give you a hint about going along while you still can.

✈️ Wallows are Edinburgh bound as part of their forthcoming world tour, taking in the 02 Academy on Wednesday October 16. Pre sale starts tomorrow with the public sale slated for this coming Friday.

Good Stuff Released

⛪️ Grayling launches her ‘Cardinal Fire’ EP at the auditorium in Oran Mor in Glasgow on Thursday May 30, with support from singer/songwriter and violinist Rhona Macfarlane. Tickets are available here.

🌸 Check out Siobhan Wilson’s Instagram page for details of her Flowercore crowdfunder project which at the time of writing had reached 70% towards its target. Flowercore Volume 1 also earned some much deserved airplay on BBC Radio 6 Music with Marc Riley. You can watch Siobhan talk about her inspiration, hear clips of the new music and most importantly back the project here on Kickstarter.

🔥 Beldon Haigh's debut album World Got So Dumb is due out on Friday May 3, 2024, building on the 17 singles they have released so far. Described as delving into themes of protest and societal disillusionment, the band let by Justin Skelton hope it will also offer a glimmer of hope amidst the chaotic nature of today’s complex world. The album will include Dumpster Fire, whichhas already racked up more than a million views on YouTube, as the opening track.

🎻 Bagpiper, fiddler, instrument maker and composer Malin Lewis will release their eagerly anticipated debut piping album Halocline on Friday May 3, 2024 on Hudson Records. Musicians including Luc McNally on bouzouki, guitar and electric guitar, Cammy Maxwell on double bass and synth, Maija Kauhanen on kantele and vocals, Matthew Herd on saxophone, Michael Owers on brass, Stuart Brown on percussion, and Sally Simpson on fiddle, help weave together intricate compositions and spine-tingling melodies inspired by European folk traditions, human nature, queerness and the universe. The second single from the album, The Old Inn, is out Saturday March 30, based on Malin’s fond memories playing in Carbost's cherished pub on the Isle of Skye. The album will be available digitally, on CD, black LP and limited edition blue LP from Friday 3 May 2024 and is available to pre-order now.

EP Now We’re Getting Somewhere by Shears is also getting some richly deserved attention including from SNACK mag. A stripped back set also beckons at The Poetry Club Glasgow this Friday as support for Keir Gibson.

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