The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Live music cautiously takes the stage again
It’s a long-awaited return to Courier Country on Wednesday for Manic Street Preachers. The Welsh chart-toppers last played live in Dundee in 1998 to promote their massive-selling fifth album This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours, and it seems including a city venue on their tour list again after all that time has proved lucky — the 50-something outfit registered only their second UK number one LP last week with their latest offering, The Ultra Vivid Lament.
The Caird Hall had been due to host the A Design For Life troubadours as it did in 1998, but due to its use as a Covid vaccination centre, the show’s been switched to Fat Sams.
That’s a venue that MSP might remember.
Their only other Dundee appearance was at Ward Road way back in 1992, although the Blackwood band’s frontman James Dean Bradfield did later pitch up there again, playing a memorable solo gig in 2006.
SUPPORT FROM THE ANCHORESS
The post-punk trio kicked off their tour earlier this week, and have been playing such hits as Motorcycle Emptiness, Ocean Spray, Little Baby Nothing and Tsunami, plus a new cover of Echo and the Bunnymen’s Bring On The Dancing Horses and tracks from their recentlyreleased 14th studio album.
Bradfield, Nicky Wire (bass) and Sean Moore (drums) are being supported by The Anchoress, aka Catherine Anne Davies, 36.
The Glamorgan-born talent was a member of Simple Minds for four years until 2018, and scored a Top 10 Scottish Chart hit
in March with her second album The Art Of Losing.
MOVING PICTURES
Elsewhere, a tribute to rock greats Rush is on the way. Scottish three-piece Moving Pictures will perform work by the renowned Canadian innovators in a two-hour set at Beat Generator Live! on Saturday October 2.
The trio are named after The Spirit of Radio outfit’s most successful album, and use instruments endorsed by legends Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee.
“Rush fans have commented on how they love hearing these songs played live in small venues since, for the past 30-odd years, Rush only played in arenas,” says the band’s guitarist Steve Brown.
“As awesome as these are, they never have the best acoustics. Intimate venues like Beat Generator Live! give us more control over the sound, allowing us to get the best out of our instruments and bring these classic songs a new lease of life.”
Rush toured globally for over 40 years with the same personnel. Their final tour was in 2015, with drummer Neil Peart’s death last year from a brain tumour shocking the band’s fans.
Steve founded annual fan convention RUSHfest Scotland in 2014, and it’s raised more than £57,000 for cancer charities following the tragedy.
As the event couldn’t take place in 2020 and 2021, he instead produced two compilation albums with Rush tribute bands.
Featuring Moving Pictures’ version of Rush anthem Tom Sawyer, The Stars Look Down: Songs For Neil Vol 2 was released earlier this month with all profits from sales going to Cancer Support Scotland and Glioblastoma Foundation Neil Peart Research Award (USA).
Advance tickets for the BGL! show are £12 from Tickets Scotland. It’s £14 on the door.
GUITAR MAESTRO
Big turnouts are expected in Kinross for a three-night Green Hotel visit from veteran guitar maestro Albert Lee, while tribute shows are also imminent.
In a six-decade career, country rock legend Lee, 77, has played with the likes of Chris Farlowe, Emmylou Harris, The Everly Brothers,
The Crickets and Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, and he’s been a regular sellout at the Backstage venue in recent years.
Known for his lightningspeed fingerstyle and hybrid picking technique, Herefordshire-born Lee is bringing his full band to Kinross on three consecutive nights starting on Thursday. Fans can expect a diverse pick of offerings, with the Grammy-winning sixstringer’s tune Country Boy certain to feature.
Before then, Backstage has shows from Rory Gallagher tribute Sinnerboy on Sunday afternoon and John Fogerty homage Creedence Clearwater Review (Monday).
In Fife, Edinburgh noiseniks Posable Action Figures play a free gig at Dunfermline’s PJ Molloys tomorrow, with support from alt rockers Pizza Crunch.
AROUND TOWN
GWCT Scottish Game Fair Scone Palace, Scone, Perth, PH2 6BD, 0333 242 7912. Fri 24-Sun 26 September, 9am-5pm, £18 (child £4.50); family ticket £38. Three days of country sport, competitions and main ring events at this family-friendly fair. There’s falconry, gun dogs, pipe bands, cookery demonstrations, shooting and a veritable myriad of traders and stalls as the event continues to “celebrate conservation and the countryside”. scottishfair.com
Take The Sloe Train
Caledonian Railway, The Station, Park Road, Brechin, DD9 7AF, 01356 622992. Sat September 25, 3pm, £27.50. Travel in comfort from Brechin to Bridge of Dun and back again for a day of gin tasting on the Caledonian Railway. caledonianrailway.com
Scottish Stained Glass: A Mirror To The World
Dunfermline Abbey, St Margaret Street, Dunfermline, KY12 7PD, 01383 723005, until Sat September 25, Tue-Sat 10am-4pm, free. Explore the drama and beauty of stained glass in Scotland and find out what it can tell us about Scottish history, from religious disputes in the Medieval period to its role in modern and contemporary art. historicenvironment.scot
The Future Of Transport
Dundee Museum of Transport, Units 1-4 Market Mews, Market Street, Dundee, DD1 3LA, 01382 455196, until Thu September 30, Wed-Mon 10am-4.30pm, £7.50 (£6.50; children £4; family £17.50). Exhibition highlighting innovations made in the field of transportation through the ages, as well as suggestions on what radical changes may await in the future. The exhibit will also highlight Scotland’s commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. dmoft.co.uk
Great Perthshire Food & Drink Festival
Various venues: Perthshire, 01738 449227, until Thu September 30, times and prices vary. Food and drink festival celebrating the restaurants, chefs and artisan producers in Perthshire. Taking place at venues across the region, the programme features tastings, distillery tours, dining experiences, kayaking, wildlife-centred excursions, and much more. greatperthshire.com
Labyrinth: Self-Guided Student Welcome
V&A Dundee, 1 Riverside Esplanade, Dundee, DD1 4EZ, 01382 411611, until Sun October 10, daily 10am-5pm, free. Made by students for students, Labyrinth is a self-guided welcome and wellbeing trail to show you what V&A Dundee has to offer. From reflecting on objects in the Scottish Design Galleries to drawing views of the Tay, this is a chance to explore, share ideas, meet and make friends, and find a spot of calm among the educational fervour. vam.ac.uk/dundee
RowAround Scotland
Various venues, Scotland, until Sat October 30. Coastal relay featuring more than 60 community rowing clubs, who will be passing a commemorative baton between Scottish Coastal Rowing Association clubs, as well as a few freshwater lochs. The multi-stage voyage will span six months and be attempted on fiveperson skiffs built by the communities. rowaround. scot
St Andrews Town Walking Tour
Martyrs’ Memorial, The Scores, St Andrews, KY16 9AT, 0141 474 0746, until Sun December 19, daily 11am, £12 per person. A leisurely walking tour through the town featuring golf, cathedrals, a university, and castles. walkingtoursin. com/standrews
ARTS
Time And Tide: The Transformation Of The Tay
The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum, Albert Square, Meadowside, Dundee, DD1 1DA, 01382 307200, until Sun October 3, daily 10am-5pm, free. Exhibition examining the influence that the Tay has had on Dundee and how the growth of the city has affected the river, its wildlife and the people who live there. Last entry to the galleries is 15 minutes before closing time. mcmanus.co.uk
Ruth Ewan: We Could Have Been Anything That We Wanted To Be And It’s Not Too Late To Change
Cooper Gallery, 13 Perth Road, Dundee, DD1 4HT, 01382 385330, until
Sat October 23, Tue-Sat 11am-4pm, free. A new exhibition from Scottish artist Ruth Ewan, which looks at the revolutionary potential of education and the importance of collective action. dundee.ac.uk/ cooper-gallery
Everything Flows: A Coastal Photography Exhibition Trail
Various venues: Scotland, until Sun October 31, times vary, free. Everything Flows is a four-month photography exhibition trail in some of Scotland’s best-loved coastal galleries curated by Street Level Photoworks and supported by EventScotland as part of the Year of Coasts and Waters 20/21. streetlevelphotoworks.org
What If...?/Scotland
V&A Dundee, 1 Riverside Esplanade, Dundee, DD1 4EZ, 01382 411611, until Sun November 21, Thu-Mon 10am-5pm, free. Designed
to be staged as part of the 17th International Architecture Exhibition: La Biennale di Venezia, the exhibition features collaborative works created by 25 people from five different parts of Scotland, who were paired with 25 different designers, architects and artists to explore their wishes for the country’s post-pandemic future. vam.ac.uk/dundee
Mary McIntyre: Places We Think We Know
Dundee Contemporary Arts, 152 Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4DY, 01382 432444, until Sun November 21, Wed, Fri-Sun 11am-6pm. Thu 11am-7pm, free. Solo exhibition of works by Irish artist Mary McIntyre, which explores different types of interior space, both physical and psychological. dca.org.uk
Chikako Yamashiro: Chinbin Western
Dundee Contemporary Arts, 152 Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4DY, 01382 432444, until Sun November 21, Wed, Fri-Sun 11am—6pm. Thu 11am-7pm, free. Exhibition of selected works by Okinawan artist Chikako Yamashiro, which explores the reality of life in the region. The exhibition centres around the European premiere of her film Chinbin Western: Representation Of The Family, an allegorical tale that weaves together comic satire and traditional Japanese theatre. dca.org.uk
Loss + Resilience
The Scottish Fisheries Museum, St Ayles, Harbourhead, Anstruther,
KY10 3AB, 01333 310628, until Tue November 30, Wed-Sun 10am-4pm
(until Sun October 31),
Thu-Sun 10am-3pm (from Mon November 1) ,£9 (£7; children and members free).
This exhibition is a study in photography and film of the human stories underpinning Hull’s distant water trawling industry, by award-winning independent photographer and filmmaker Simon Sharp. scotfishmuseum.org
Night Fever: Designing Club Culture
V&A Dundee, 1 Riverside Esplanade, Dundee, DD1 4EZ, 01382 411611, until Sun January 9, ThuMon 10am-5pm, £6-£12. Exhibition on the history of nightclub design in New York, Paris, Manchester, London, Berlin and Scotland and its impact on popular culture. vam.ac.uk/dundee
Royal Scottish Academy The Ages Of Wonder: The Art Of Etching On Tour The Meffan Museum and Art Gallery, 20 West High Street, Forfar, DD8 1BB, 01307 491771, until Sat January 15. Tue-Sat 10am3pm, free. An exhibition of 300 years of Scottish etchings, on loan from the Royal Scottish Academy. New works by artists Delia Baillie, Kate Downie, Stuart Duffin, Paul Furneaux, Jessica Harrison, Marion Smith and Frances Walker will be displayed alongside masterpieces by the likes of Rembrandt, David Wilkie, Ian Fleming and Elizabeth Blackadder. angusalive.scot
Royal Scottish Academy The Ages Of Wonder: The Life School On Tour Montrose Museum,
Panmure Place, Montrose, DD10 8HF, 01674 907447, until Sat January 22, Tue-Sat 10am-3pm, free. The Life School includes anatomical firsts and old master copies, amazing early paintings by the likes of SJ Peploe and Robert Brough and contemporary responses from Beth Fisher and George Donald. A major part of this exhibition are the life studies made by emerging artists including new drawings by Paul Brady, Pavel Isupov, Kane McLay, Louiza Nomikou, Gabrielle Seguin, Lana SvirejevaHopkins and Suzanne Taylor which shine a contemporary light on the history of the life school collections. angusalive.scot
A Love Letter To Dundee: Joseph McKenzie Photographs 1964-1987
The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum, Albert Square, Meadowside, Dundee, DD1 1DA, 01382 307200, until Sat March 5, Tue-Sat 10am-5pm, free. Exhibition of black and white photography by Joseph McKenzie, which documents the changing fortunes of Dundee’s waterfront and its people. mcmanus.co.uk
Design Busters
V&A Dundee, 1 Riverside Esplanade, Dundee, DD1 4EZ, 01382 411611, until Thu March 31, daily 10am5pm, free. Watch the latest Design Busters videos, pick up a free pencil and a range of activity sheets to inspire you. Illustrated by Dundeebased designer Laura Darling, you’ll design cities, future fashions, graphic logos, mashed-up products, striking patterns and more. vam.ac.uk/dundee
Street Stories Stirling
Various venues: Stirling, until Wed August 31, times vary, free. Street Stories Stirling is an exciting trail of augmented reality artworks installed in vacant units around the city centre. The artworks can be brought to life with multi-sensory animations triggered by a free smartphone app with each artwork telling a unique tale of rich history and vivid heritage. Learn little-known facts about Stirling and celebrate the innovative achievements of pioneering people from the area, exploring themes including archaeology, aviation, travel and evolution. street-stories. co.uk/stirling
BOOKS
Live In-Person: Ian Rankin On The Dark Remains Hope Park and Martyrs Church, St Andrews, KY16
9UY, 01334 585111.
Mon September 27, 8pm, £20. When William McIlvanney died in 2015, he left behind an unfinished handwritten manuscript of his crime-solver Laidlaw’s first case. Who better to add the finishing touches than Ian Rankin? Here the Fife-born scribe discusses the process behind The Dark Remains. toppingbooks. co.uk
Live In-Person: Andrew Greig
Topping & Company Booksellers, 7 Greyfriars Garden, St Andrews, KY16 9HG, 01334 585111.
Tue September 28, 8pm, £18.99. Andrew Greig is in town to celebrate the publication of his latest novel Rose Nicolson, a story which is partly set in St Andrews. It’s the winter of 1574 and young student Will Fowler is trying to make his name with Scotland in turmoil after Mary fled the country, while her son and heir Jamie is held under protection in Stirling Castle. toppingbooks.co.uk
Byre World: Around Distant Suns
Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, St Andrews, KY16 9LA, 01334 475000.
Wed September 29, 5.30pm, free. Join Emily Finer (Department of Russian) in conversation with Emma Puranen, St Leonards interdisciplinary PhD student in Modern Languages, Biology and Astrophysics. Puranen is editor of a new anthology of science fiction stories authored by pairs of creative writers and scientists from the St Andrews Centre for Exoplanet Science. During the event they will consider how science and science fiction can inspire each other. This event has changed from in-person to online-only. byretheatre.com
Live In-Person: James Naughtie
Hope Park and Martyrs Church, St Andrews, KY16 9UY, 01334 585111.
Thu September 30, 8pm, £9.99. James Naughtie, the acclaimed author and BBC broadcaster, joins us live to share his unique insight into the country that has fascinated him and drawn him across the Atlantic for half a century. On The Road is filled with anecdotes, memories, tears and laughter as Naughtie muses on the US of A. toppingbooks.co.uk
COMEDY Gary Meikle: Surreal
Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5HZ, 01738 621031.
Thu September 30, 8pm, £22. The Scottish Comedy Award winner, pithy Glasgow wag and wholly unwitting social media sensation gives his amusing opinion on a variety of topics in his latest touring extravaganza. Probably not for the easily offended, there will be material ranging from single mums to small man syndrome, and the sex lives of bees to, well, the sex lives of octopuses. horsecross.co.uk
FAMILY Apple Family Fun At Teasses
Teasses Estate, Ceres, KY8 5PG, 01334 828048.
Sat September 25, 124pm, free. Sitting atop the highest points in the East Neuk, Teasses is a working estate with a rich history. It’s the ideal setting for an afternoon of apple picking and juice pressing. This is your chance to learn more about apples, get to pick them and use our press to make your own wonderfully fresh apple juice to take home with you. teasses.com
HubFest
Slessor Gardens, Riverside Esplanade, Dundee, DD1 1AR.
Sun September 26, 11am4pm, free. Celebrating the opening of Dundee Cycle Hub and the Launch of COP26 activities, Slessor Gardens and Waterfront Place will play host to stalls and information stands, a mobile bike track, Segway sessions, upcycling, rewilding and many other activities. The waterfront is also set to come alive with a guest appearance by Storm, a 10-metre high goddess created out of recycled materials who has been designed and built by Edinburgh’s Vision Mechanics, the innovative people behind Big Man Walking. Meanwhile, the £1.2m Dundee Cycle Hub will be officially opened by Lord Provost Ian Borthwick and Lee Craigie, Scotland’s Active Nation Commissioner. anguscyclehub.org/hubfest
Scottish Geology Festival Various venues, Scotland, until Sun October 17, times and prices vary. Tons of rock-related events make up this festival aimed at introducing geology to a wider audience. The programme includes mine and quarry visits, geological rambles, gold and silver panning, walks and much more. scottishgeologytrust. org/festival
Selkie TrailV&A Dundee 1 Riverside Esplanade,
Dundee, DD1 4EZ, 01382 411611, until Sun January 2, daily 10am-5pm, free. Join Selkie the Seal on a trail to find out more about the V&A building. Pick up a free, family-friendly printed trail and pencil then explore the museum. Sketch, wander and find out fun facts about the architecture and design. vam.ac.uk/dundee
Seek + peek!
V&A Dundee, 1 Riverside Esplanade, Dundee, DD1 4EZ, 01382 411611, until Sun January 9, Thu-Mon 10am-5pm, free. Designed by Dundee-based illustrator Cara Rooney, this colourful trail will take you and your family on a waterfront wander of discovery around the V&A’s plaza, urban beach and gardens. There’s a whole bunch of excitement to discover.
vam.ac.uk/dundee
The Jerseys: Oh What A Nite!
Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, St Andrews, KY16 9LA, 01334 475000.
Fri September 24, 7.30pm, £21 (£19). The timeless tunes of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons are celebrated here with this show from The Jerseys featuring hits such as Sherry, Walk Like A Man, Stay, Big Girls Don’t Cry and, naturally, Oh What A Night! byretheatre.com
Red Note Sessions – EMBLEMATA: Carnival Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5HZ, 01738 621031.
Fri September 24, 7.30pm, £10. Join Red Note in relaxed fashion as they play and discuss their latest new commission together on stage with Scottish composer James Dillon. horsecross.co.uk
Perth Chamber Music
St John’s Kirk, St John’s Place, Perth, PH1 5SZ, 01738 812416.
Mon September 27, 7.30pm, £14 (£3-£9; under 16s free). Perth Chamber Music Society launches the first concert of its new season with a live performance by the Maximilano Martin Trio, in which they play Beethoven’s own trio arrangement of his famous Septet and Faure’s beautiful Clarinet Trio. perthchambermusic.org.uk
Sean Focus
Mucky Mulligan’s, 97 Canal Street, Perth, PH2 8HX. Fri September 24, 7pm, £10. Edinburgh-based artist, sound engineer and producer, Sean Focus connects the dots from
Zimbabwe to the UK and throws his natural talents in the mix for his Destination Vibes Tour. Known for his energetic live shows, you can expect a vibrant blending of AfroPop,
Hip Hop and AfroHouse. facebook.com/imvaize
Langtoun Jazz Presents Rose Room
Kirkcaldy Old Kirk, Kirk Wynd, Kirkcaldy, KY1 1EH. Sat September 25, 8pm, £10. For this first concert in the Langtoun Jazz autumn programme at Kirkcaldy Old Kirk comes Scottish Jazz Award-winners Rose Room. The Glasgow-based quartet have become one of the country’s leading ensembles to be influenced by the Gypsy Jazz genre. Sharing a love of Swing music and the great Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, their vigorous and vivacious performances focus on 1930s Hot Club standards, Gypsy Jazz favourites and self-penned originals. kirkcaldyoldkirktrust.org.uk
Andre Rieu: Together Again
Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, St Andrews, KY16 9LA, 01334 475000.
Sun September 26, 2.30 & 6pm, Pay What You Can £10-£15. In this cinema event, The King Of The Waltz has handpicked his all-time favourite show tunes, operatic arias and dance numbers from stages around the world including São Paulo, Bucharest, Mexico City, Amsterdam and Melbourne. byretheatre.com
Creedence Clearwater Review
Backstage At The Green Hotel, 2 Muirs, Kinross, KY13 8AS, 01577 863467. Mon September 27, 8pm, £22. Creedence Clearwater Review are perhaps now the definitive UK tribute act to the California band who merged country rock with blue-eyed soul between 1959 and 1972 and with great success. This sort of thing doesn’t come about by accident, but through hard graft from four talented musicians who are all dedicated to the music of both Creedence Clearwater Revival as well as lead man John Fogerty’s later solo career. Performing a range of their material consisting of all of their biggest, classic hits (Bad Moon Rising and Proud Mary for two), album tracks and wonderful obscurities. ents24.com/kinross-events
Manic Street Preachers Fat Sam’s, 31 South Ward Road, Dundee, DD1 1PU, 01382 228496.
Wed September 29, 7pm, SOLD OUT. Everyone’s favourite anthemic Welsh rockers hit the road with their Ultra Vivid Lament Tour which marks their first No 1 album in more than 20 years. manicstreetpreachers.com
Albert Lee
Backstage At The Green Hotel, 2 Muirs, Kinross, KY13 8AS, 01577 863467. Thu September 30, 8pm, £32. Albert Lee’s impeccable country music and rock pedigree stretches back more than 40 years having performed with many of the greats in country and rock, including Joe Cocker, Emmylou Harris, Eric Clapton and the Everly Brothers. As well as being a top guitarist, he is also a red-hot piano player and not half a bad singer too. ents24.com/kinross-events