Andy Mulhern

Vocoustics Promotions Presents: FULLSCEILIDH SPELEMANNSLAG (playing 2 sets) Sunday 5th December The Blue Lamp (121 Gallowgate, Aberdeen, AB25 1BU) Phone: 01224 647472 8 from 8pm 'Fresh' from performing at the Scots Traditional Music Awards 2010 in the Perth Concert Hall the night before, one of Shetland top bands will be performing at the Blue Lamp before heading back to Shetland to continue their infactuation with rhubarb and oatcakes. Formed in 2005, Fullsceilidh Spelemannslag are a group of hugely talented Shetland musicians delivering a high octane, fiddle-led maelstrom of feverish melodies and dance-to rhythms drawn from the Shetland, Nordic and Celtic traditions. The bands have performed at the Orkney Folk Festival and the Shetland Folk Festival (supporting Shooglenifty, The Chair and Peatboag Faeries)... the streamlined 'flying squad' have also performed several time in Norway. The full band features Maurice Henderson (fiddle), Ewen Thomson (fiddle), Lois Nicol (fiddle), Helen Whitham (fiddle), Stewart Grains (fiddle), Ross Couper (fiddle), Mark Laurenson (fiddle), Peter Wood (piano), Grant Nicol (guitar), John Clark (bass), Davie Jamieson (drums). Maurice Henderson is a founding member of Fiddlers' Bid who won 'Best Album' at Scots Traditional Music Awards 2010 and have just been nominated as 'Best Live Act' at the Radio 2 Folk Awards 2011. Ross Couper is a member of Bodega who won 'Scottish Folk Band of the Year' at the Scots Traditional Music Awards 2009. The rest of the band are all highly regarded within the Shetland music scene The 'spelemannslag' is an informal gathering of folk musicians, usually dominated by fiddles, who play tunes together. Often these groups play tunes from a specific area with which they are affiliated. Spelemannslag meetings tend to serve social function as much as they do musical ones; and money from paid performances generally goes to the group, rather than its constituent individuals. "Brilliantly articulated fiddles dance over a full rhythm section and varied instrumental colour, and though often up-tempo, the tunes are honed to sit in tasteful grooves. OK, they do slip in some Irish polkas and some Canadian tunes but even more from Scandinavia and, though essentially a young band, the playing is tight and classy... it's a beauty!" Scotsman (album review) Festival highlight... a glorious massed-fiddle rammy that whipped a packed room into a frenzy. Shetland Folk Festival www.myspace.com/spreefix www.spreefix.com

and Scotsman review of recent gig... Review: Catriona McKay & Chris Stout, Queen's Hall - Scotsman.com Living

Scully (to Homer): "This is a lie detector, we will ask you question which will have either a yes or no answer... do you understand?" Homer: "yes" *machine explodes*

for those interested... Both Chris and Catriona play in Sheltand group Fiddlers' Bid... FIDDLERSBID.COM Winners of "Best Album" at Scots Trad Awards 2010 and just been nominated for best live act "Best LIve Act" BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2011... strong pedigree!

the Aberdeen Voice think so... Tnchz With The Jani Lang Band Aberdeen Voice tomorrow

bump this for saturday... a clip of their franticness

Vocoustics Promotions Presents: Tnchz with The Jani Lang Band An extraordinary, evening of music and dances from Hungary, Transylvania and beyond... Satruday 6th November The Blue Lamp (121 Gallowgate, Aberdeen, AB25 1BU) Phone: 01224 647472 10 (8 concessions/students). Doors 8pm Jani Lang is a Hungarian fiddle player who will be joined by some of the finest musicians from Scotland and Hungary to complete the the Jani Lang Band. A tnchz (translation: dancehouse) is a 'Hungarian ceilidh' where people gather to enjoy, drink, dance or to learn traditional dances. Their tnchz will start with a set of their music followed by a ceilidh of Hungarian and Transylvanian dances led by a professional dancer accompanying the band from Hungary. Their traditional and original interpretation of Balkan music have captured audiences all over the UK and they have been invited to some of the biggest festivals in Scotland, such as: Shetland Folk Festival, Orkney Folk Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, Scots Fiddle Festival, North Atlantic Fiddle Convention. The band have also performed for various programmes on the BBC. Their debut album Devil In A Box was well-received and got some great review... Come along to experience a real Hungarian ceilidh and dance the night away with the band! Hair-raising compound-time Eastern European fiddle-led czardas, mahalas and horas, songs from Hungary, Bulgaria and Serbia and it's all made in Aberdeen. The Jani Lang Band deliver seriously well-played music with only the occasional trace of creeping Celtic.... an intoxicating CD, which can only be faulted for one downside that it's all over in 45 minutes. Scotland on Sunday (4 Stars) www.myspace.com/janilangband

catches the atmosphere when they played unplugged for encore... great gig

That were a great gig, thoroughly enjoyed it. Good work Tunnels

acoustic opener Barton Carrol - myspace.com/bartoncarroll and Unnatural Helpers

and facebook event Login | Facebook

a wee bump for Saturday... EPK for new album... blurb about the new album.. "'The New Farming Scene' (JOROCK 011) came out on Johnny Rock Records/Forte Distribution on Monday 7th June 2010 to widespread critical acclaim, The Sunday Times described it as More than simple roots-music revivalism and The Independent awarded it 4 stars and praised it as A bold concept piece as well as unofficially nominating the album for the Mercury Music Prize the following month alongside Teenage Fanclub and Laura Marling in an article saying these were the kind of artists that deserved attention. Mojo magazine declared it an Absorbing third album with it's restrained harmonies on a series of rugged songs, whilst Uncut found that it was a Smart conflation of Celtic music and bluegrass played with rare intuition. These plus a dozen other great reviews has shown the band's new location has been instrumental in the band being able to continue to forge it's own identity and make waves in today's UK music scene. A new download-only single, Old Black Crow, is set for release in September 2010 as the band embark on their New Farming Scene UK tour. All of which makes the future bright for this band as they manage to combine artistic success with their ability to deliver captivating and exciting live performance."

Barbar Luck was great last time. Great album too. Ill attend!

Vocoustics Promotions presents SOUTHERN TENANT FOLK UNION + SMOKIN' CATFISH Saturday 9th October The Blue Lamp (121 Gallowgate, Aberdeen, AB25 1BU) Phone: 01224 647472 10 on the door. Doors 8pm www.vocoustics.com www.myspace.com/vocoustics SOUTHERN TENANT FOLK UNION www.southerntenantfolkunion.com STFU are an Edinburgh-based gospel-influenced seven-piece playing a gloriously upbeat and stirringly melancholic mix of bluegrass, gospel, country, folk and pop. Their exciting live show brings the full all-acoustic sound of banjo, guitar, fiddle, mandolin and exultant harmonies. Expect up-tempo shit-kickers, mountain-ballad laments and more from this uplifting band of hugely talented soulful musicians! A bold concept piece (The Independent, 4 stars) Surging vocal harmonies riding a railroad of strings (The Scotsman, 4 stars) More than simple roots-music revivalism (The Sunday Times) They know how to write a song that band (Mark Lamarr, BBC Radio 2) Those harmonies, especially A cappella, are glorious, and the playing is out of the top drawer too (The Sunday Herald) A smart conflation of Celtic tradition and bluegrass played with rare intuition (Uncut) Absorbing third album...restrained harmonies on a series of rugged songs (MOJO) "Roots music that knows few boundaries" (The List) "Bar-hopping ballads stuffed with fiddles and banjo... a delicate, bruised collection of bluegrass, country & gospel" (Uncut) "This is a great album (9/10)" (Americana UK) "A compelling mix of bluegrass, gospel, old time and celtic swing that is memorably embellished with warm and richly woven harmonies," (The Irish Times) SMOKIN' CATFISH www.myspace.com/smokincatfish Kick-ass, dance-to bluegrass from a local 6-piece featuring double bass, guitar, banjo, dobro, mandolin, fiddle and 3 great singers in 3-part harmony bliss. .

great clip from Orkney Folk Festival 08 - tiptop banjo picking! with Corey DiMario (Crooked Still) on bass. There will be songs on Friday also

a wee bump for this in the Blamp tomorrow night.

some Kiosque bloggery.... http://thekiosque.com/ and EvExpress listed as a "Don't miss" and #3 in the "5 things you must do!!"

next weekend... some words said about Mr Baker... a major artist.... 'Pretty World is magnificent - one of the great albums of the year." (Bob Harris, Radio 2) a deceptive simplicity and an insouciance that at times recall John Prine simple on the surface, poetry underneath, hence Townes Van Zandt comparisons... this is understated, affecting music (MOJO) Stark, sad realism... ambling skeletons for the meat and flesh of the living (Malcolm Holcombe) Baker is a hard-hewn grace, transcendentally wrought with grit, brutally shaded by a weary deliverance sought in common lives (Austin Chronicle) Baker demonstrates a true gift for narrative songwriting...telling stories in which the American Dream has gotten a little tarnished. (All Music Guide) you are drawn in to these tightly sketched song-dramas by the imagery, the broken vocal and most importantly for the initial listens the sympathetic musical backing. (AmericanaUK.com)

next weekend... some words said about Mr Baker... a major artist.... 'Pretty World is magnificent - one of the great albums of the year." (Bob Harris, Radio 2) a deceptive simplicity and an insouciance that at times recall John Prine simple on the surface, poetry underneath, hence Townes Van Zandt comparisons... this is understated, affecting music (MOJO) Stark, sad realism... ambling skeletons for the meat and flesh of the living (Malcolm Holcombe) Baker is a hard-hewn grace, transcendentally wrought with grit, brutally shaded by a weary deliverance sought in common lives (Austin Chronicle) Baker demonstrates a true gift for narrative songwriting...telling stories in which the American Dream has gotten a little tarnished. (All Music Guide) you are drawn in to these tightly sketched song-dramas by the imagery, the broken vocal and most importantly for the initial listens the sympathetic musical backing. (AmericanaUK.com)

I thought it was more .. "FUCK JESUS?" as the song was about "washing yourself in the sins of the lord" - he must have taken exception to that idea... i found it very amusing... excelllent gig. I cant decide if I liked the louder songs or the quieter songs best...

interesting music promotions and Vocoustics Promotions presents SAM BAKER (playing 2 sets) Friday 10th September The Blue Lamp (121 Gallowgate, Aberdeen, AB25 1BU, 01224 647 472) Doors 8pm Tickets 10 in advance from One-Up (01224 642 662) or from ticketweb.co.uk or 12 on door Sam Baker www.sambakermusic.com www.myspace.com/sambakermusic Sam Baker is fast becoming one of the biggest underground Americana success stories of recent years with songs and stories of splendor, struggle, wounded beauty and aching spirit. The defining moment in Baker's life came in 1986 when he was traveling on a train to visit Machu Picchu in Peru. A terrorist bomb exploded on the train, killing his 3 seatmates, and Baker was gravely injured, losing most of his hearing and suffering serious injuries to his left arm. He had 18 corrective surgeries performed on him over the next decade and the consequent physical, emotional, and spiritual journey Baker experienced helped him form his quiet and passionate view of the world. Baker had to completely relearn how to play the guitar with his mangled left hand, and singing was extremely difficult for him because of his severe hearing loss, but he overcame these obstacles to develop his uniquely hushed and quietly powerful performance style. Sam Baker's vocal style is unique, and the delicate phrasing of his intelligent lyrics is supported by a sparse and beautiful backdrop of music. At times Baker almost talks through the songs, with his gravel tones inflecting deep humanity into the stories he tells. With this raspy spoken vocal style and his literate, poignant, and carefully observed songs which grapple with the beauties, complexities, and little tragedies of this (pretty) world. Sam Baker has much in common with other Texan songwriters like Robert Earl Keen, James McMurtry, Townes Van Zandt, and Guy Clark, although his approach to narrative probably comes closest to an artist like John Prine. Baker has self-released three critically acclaimed albums, Mercy, Cotton and Pretty World which move quietly through terror, love, and beauty; invoking gratitude, obligation, forgiveness and absence.

interesting music promotions and Vocoustics Promotions presents SAM BAKER (playing 2 sets) Friday 10th September The Blue Lamp (121 Gallowgate, Aberdeen, AB25 1BU, 01224 647 472 Doors 8pm Tickets 10 in advance from One-Up (01224 642 662) or from ticketweb.co.uk or 12 on door Sam Baker www.sambakermusic.com www.myspace.com/sambakermusic Sam Baker is fast becoming one of the biggest underground Americana success stories of recent years with songs and stories of splendor, struggle, wounded beauty and aching spirit. The defining moment in Baker's life came in 1986 when he was traveling on a train to visit Machu Picchu in Peru. A terrorist bomb exploded on the train, killing his 3 seatmates, and Baker was gravely injured, losing most of his hearing and suffering serious injuries to his left arm. He had 18 corrective surgeries performed on him over the next decade and the consequent physical, emotional, and spiritual journey Baker experienced helped him form his quiet and passionate view of the world. Baker had to completely relearn how to play the guitar with his mangled left hand, and singing was extremely difficult for him because of his severe hearing loss, but he overcame these obstacles to develop his uniquely hushed and quietly powerful performance style. Sam Baker's vocal style is unique, and the delicate phrasing of his intelligent lyrics is supported by a sparse and beautiful backdrop of music. At times Baker almost talks through the songs, with his gravel tones inflecting deep humanity into the stories he tells. With this raspy spoken vocal style and his literate, poignant, and carefully observed songs which grapple with the beauties, complexities, and little tragedies of this (pretty) world. Sam Baker has much in common with other Texan songwriters like Robert Earl Keen, James McMurtry, Townes Van Zandt, and Guy Clark, although his approach to narrative probably comes closest to an artist like John Prine. Baker has self-released three critically acclaimed albums, Mercy, Cotton and Pretty World which move quietly through terror, love, and beauty; invoking gratitude, obligation, forgiveness and absence. www.myspace.com/interestingmusic www.vocoustics.com www.myspace.com/vocoustics

Euan and myself will also be supporting in our current get-up "Tommy Tungsten" indie/folky acoustic nonsense with guitars, mandolin and accordion...

pleased with this

Low Anthem