The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
MacFarlane on tour to showcase latest album
EThis album is a bit more edgy. It’s unpredictable with some big changes
x-Grim Northern Social frontman Ewan MacFarlane has lined up a brace of Courier Country shows to support his upcoming album.
The Glaswegian songsmith’s new single All Those Years is out this week ahead of his sophomore offering Milk, which is expected to drop later this year.
MacFarlane, 51, first made his name with criminally short-lived indie hopefuls Grim Northern Social, whose 2003 eponymous debut LP included the acclaimed singles Urban Pressure and Honey.
The troubadour also enjoyed a lengthy connection to Scouse electro pioneers Apollo 440 that started in the late ’90s.
He guested on two of the
Lost In Space outfit’s big beat albums before eventually becoming a fulltime member in 2007.
Ewan released his solo debut Always Everlong last year, following it up with a deluxe version of the opus last month.
Now he’s confirmed gigs at PJ Molloys in Dunfermline on October 7 and Perth Theatre’s Joan Knight Studio the following night as the two final shows on a five-date Scottish tour.
He says his new single is a euphoric and heartfelt exaltation of love for his wife Jo.
“All Those Years expresses the euphoria that love still brings after being with someone for a very long time if you refuse to let it go stale,” Ewan declares.
“It’s about letting your partner know that you still feel the same buzz that you felt on the first night you met.”
The driving country rock track’s accompanying video was filmed on the Ayrshire coast in the shadow of historic ruin Greenan Castle.
It features an amorous Mac serenading the object of his affection with his Kelly Jones-style midAtlantic vocals on a windswept beach.
Fireworks quite literally ensue and like the true rocker he is, Ewan keeps his sunglasses on as nightfall descends.
“Always Everlong was an ode to my heroes, like Springsteen, Petty, Fleetwood Mac and Bowie,” he adds.
“This album is a bit more edgy. It’s unpredictable with some big changes in the way that some of the songs go.
“That’s my favourite thing about being a solo artist. I can do exactly what my mind and heart wants to do.”
Separately, Fife-raised KT Tunstall has been looking back at her St Andrews upbringing – and how she used funds from her hit debut album Eye To The Telescope to promote green practices back in the mid-noughties.
“Growing up, we were just on our bikes from 8am until 8pm, and playing down the beach and just enjoying the freedom of nature,” said KT, 46.
“I grew up camping with my folks and we were a very outdoorsy family, so nature has always been a real inspiration for me creatively.
“It’s all over my lyrics all the time in metaphors, and that’s where I’m happiest really, is out in nature.
“Just the thought at that point of kids growing up and not having that free beautiful relationship with the natural world – and all the kind of climate change information was starting to circulate at that point more widely.
“It was just terrifying thinking that a kid could grow up these days and not have access to that basic human right of enjoying the planet in its natural form.
“My (record) label helped me work out how to be useful in that way with the success, and we carbon neutralised our output by planting trees in Scotland as the record sold.
“They’re in Peebles and it’s on my list of pilgrimages to go and see Tunstall Forest – whatever it looks like – and how it’s doing.”
Back in gig news and Beat Generator hosts tribute AC/DC UK tonight.
Dundee troubadour Pete Smith is set to mark his latest single release by playing on home turf at Church next Friday, May 27.
Elsewhere, PJ Molloys has sets from Fife noiseniks Posable Action Figures and Fight Robots Fight tomorrow.
AROUND TOWN Tower Tours
The Signal Tower Museum, Ladyloan, Arbroath, DD11 1PU, 01241 435329.
Fri May 20, noon; Sat May 21, 1pm, free. Climb the dramatic spiral staircase and visit the tower room with guided tours available. angus.gov.uk
My Last Supper: One Meal A Lifetime In The Making With Jay Rayner
Perth Theatre, Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5UW, 01738 621031.
Sun May 22, 7.30pm, £21.50. Imagine you are about to die. You have one meal left. What are you going to have? It’s the question award-winning restaurant critic, MasterChef judge and writer Jay Rayner has been asked most often by audiences across the UK. It happened so often that he decided the time had come to investigate the concept of the last supper and why it intrigues us so. horsecross. co.uk
The Japanese Gardens At Cowden & Stirling Day Trip
The Japanese Garden At Cowden, Dollar, FK14 7PJ, 01576 203874.
Wed May 25, 9am-8pm, £35 Includes entry to gardens and lunch. At the turn of the 20th century, Scottish adventurer Ella Christie returned home from a trip to the Orient, inspired to build a Japanese Garden. Enjoy a guided tour of the historic Japanese Garden and newly restored woodland walks, which once connected Ella Christie’s home, Cowden Castle, to Sha Raku En
(the place of pleasure and delight). cowden-garden. myshopify.com
Cultural Connections: Stitching Stories
Alyth Library, 23 Airlie Street, Alyth, Blairgowrie, PH11 8AH, 01828 632731. Thu May 26, 5.30-7.30pm, £5. Come along and learn how to quilt, make new friendships and discover the amazing historical story of local traveller Belle Stewart. culturepk.org.uk
ART Over The Garden Wall: 50 Years Of The Botanic Garden
Tower Building, University of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN, 01382 384310, until Fri June 24, Mon-Wed.
Fri 9.30am-7pm, free. The University Of Dundee’s Botanic Garden marked its 50th birthday on 23 October 2021. This exhibition in the Tower Foyer
Gallery celebrates that achievement, showing how a former potato field in the city’s west end has become a valued community space with an impact well beyond anything its founders could have imagined. dundee. ac.uk/museum
Gableopolis: The James Gray Low Collection Montrose Museum, Panmure Place, Montrose, DD10 8HE, 01674 662660, until Sat June 25, Thu-Sat 10am-3pm, free. Rarely seen views of Montrose in bygone days as seen through the collection of watercolour paintings from James G Low who lived and worked in Montrose more than 100 years ago. angusalive.scot
Landing The Catch
The Signal Tower Museum, Ladyloan, Arbroath, DD11 1PU, 01241 435329, until Sat June 25, ThuSat 10am-3pm, free. An exhibition of black and white photographs taken in the 1980s by the late Jonathan Ogilvie of the Arbroath fishing fleet. Recording the processes, people, boats and fishing in and around Arbroath, the images provide a fascinating view of the town’s fishing heritage. angus.gov.uk
World View: Travelling The Globe Through Art & Design
Lamb Gallery, Tower Building, University Of Dundee, Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN, 01382 384310, until Fri July 22, Mon-Fri 9.30am-7pm, free. Over the past two years the pandemic has prevented most of us from travelling. At the same time we are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental
impact of travel. This exhibition presents an opportunity to see the world remotely through the creative eyes of previous travellers over the past 200 years. dundee.ac.uk/ museum
Douglas Gordon: k.364
Dundee Contemporary Arts, 152 Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4DY, 01382 432444, until Sun August 7.
Tue & Wed, Fri-Sun, 11am6pm (Thu 11am-7pm), free. The Turner Prizewinner returns to film installation for his latest meditative work, as he follows two Israeli musicians of Polish descent as they travel from Germany to Poland by train. dca.org.uk
Angus Guildry Panels
Meffan Museum and Art Gallery, 20 West High Street, Forfar, DD8 1BB, 01307 464123, until Fri August 19.
Thu & Fri 10am-4pm, free. A chance to view the collection of historic early 19th-century painted wood panels showing the Heraldic Arms of the various trading Guilds of the royal burghs of Angus. angusalive.scot
The British Museum Spotlight Loan: Troy: Beauty And Heroism
The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum, Albert Square, Meadowside, Dundee, DD1 1DA, 01382 307200, until Sun August 14, Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Sun 12.30-4.30pm, free. This touring exhibition features an Etruscan urn, never been on loan before, portraying Helen’s abduction by the Trojan prince Paris, while an Athenian amphora shows the brutal side of Achilles. Supplementing these ancient objects are
artworks by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882) and Pietro Testa (1612-1650). mcmanus.co.uk
A Love Letter To Dundee: Photographs By Joseph McKenzie 1964-1987
The McManus: Dundee’s Art Gallery and Museum, Albert Square, Meadowside, Dundee, DD1 1DA, 01382 307200, until Sun September 4, 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
The 1953 Coronation Medal: Soldier Stories
The Black Watch Castle And Museum, Balhousie Castle, Hay Street, Perth, PH1 5HR, 01738 638152, until Fri September 30, 9.30am4.30pm, £10 (£4.25-£7.50; under-fives free); family ticket £23.50. As part of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations, this exhibition highlights the 1953 Coronation medals in The Black Watch’s collection and explores the stories behind the soldiers to whom they were awarded. theblackwatch.co.uk
Migrations: A Field Study Of Adversity
Meffan Museum and Art Gallery, 20 West High Street, Forfar, DD8 1BB, 01307 491771, until Sat October 29, Thu-Sat 10am4pm, free. Artist Derek Robertson is a renowned wildlife artist and a wellknown contributor to bird research in Scotland. While studying and sketching the migration of birds, he realised how some aspects related to the desperate journeys of refugees. His paintings bring together the issues of climate change and refugee crises using birds as a metaphor for people. angusalive.scot
BOOKS Birnam Book Festival
Birnam Arts and Conference Centre, Station Road, Birnam, PH8 0DS, 01350 727674.
Fri 20 & Sat 21 May, times and prices vary. Among the authors and storytellers appearing at this year’s Birnam Book Festival are James Robertson, Molly Arbuthnott, Mara Menzies and Chitra Ramaswamy. birnambookfestival.co.uk
Scotland’s Stories: Community Campfires
Lochgelly Centre, Bank Street, Lochgelly, KY5 9RD, 01592 583303.
Mon May 23-Fri May 27, 10am-5pm, free. The Community Campfires project is designed to celebrate the power of storytelling in all forms. There will be opportunities for participants to capture their stories in a variety of ways including the written word, through digital stories, in collaboration with a professional filmmaker and through a recorded conversation. scottishbooktrust.com
The Work Of Perth & Kinross Heritage Trust And The Lower City Mills, Perth
AK Bell Library, 2-4 York Place, Perth, PH2 8EP, 01738 444949.
Thu May 26, 6.30-7.30pm, £5. For more than 250 years, the Lower City Mills played an important role in feeding the people of Perth. Harnessing the power of the city lade, they processed wheat, oats, barley and peas and incorporated the production of beer and bread made from some of these milled cereals. In this talk, David Strachan will discuss the varied work of the Perth & Kinross Heritage Trust and the exciting new project plans to repair and develop this sadly neglected A-listed heritage asset. culturepk.org.uk
Open Book: Highland Perthshire Creative Writing Group With Linda Cracknell
Breadalbane Community Library, Crieff Road, Aberfeldy, PH15 2DU, 01887 822405.
Thu May 26, 5.30-7.30pm, free. Join author Linda Cracknell at the Highland Perthshire Creative Writing Group as she uses existing poems and stories to spark your own writing skills in a relaxed and informal setting. culturepk.org.uk
In Their Own Words
Angus Archives, Restenneth Priory, Forfar, DD8 2SZ, 01307 468644, until Sat July 30, Tue-Sat 10am-4pm, free. Celebrating Scotland’s Year Of Stories, this archive display documents some of Angus’s literary figures, with letters, photographs, and the works of Violet Jacob, JM Barrie, and others. angus.gov.uk/history/ archives
COMEDY Auntie Effie & Friends: Let’s Go To The Movies
Mucky Mulligan’s, 97 Canal Street, Perth, PH2 8HX Fri May 20, 8pm-12am, £5. Auntie Effie and Friends present a live theatrical cabaret inspired by the movies, so pop that corn and settle in for a blockbuster of entertainment at Perth’s only monthly drag show. facebook.com/muckysperth
Count Arthur Strong: And This Is Me!
Whitehall Theatre, 12 Bellfield Street, Dundee, DD1 5JA, 01642 815181. Sat May 21, 8pm, £20. After many years of giving his wonderful lectures, Count Arthur Strong has at last bowed to substantial public demand and allowed himself to be talked into making the show about himself for once. Should be a blast. whitehalltheatre. com
Tom Stade: Work In Progress
Mucky Mulligan’s, 97 Canal Street, Perth, PH2 8HX. Thu May 26, 7-10pm, £12.50-£14. Canadian comedy colossus Tom Stade arrives for Comedy Perth’s biggest show yet. During these turbulent times, Tom has been flying by the seat of his pants and trying to remember what was important before responsibility and fear got in the way. This show tells how he dealt with it all. facebook.com/muckysperth
DANCE Lord Of The Dance: 25 Years Of Standing Ovations
Alhambra Theatre, 35 Canmore Street, Dunfermline, KY12 7NX, 01383 740384.
Fri 20 May, 8pm.
Sat 21 May, 2.30pm & 8pm, £30-£55. The Irish dance phenomenon created by Michael Flatley returns to celebrate a quarter century. alhambradunfermline.com
Heal And Hope With Dance
Botanical Gardens, 22 Canongate, St Andrews, KY16 8RT, 01334 461200. Thu May 26, 11am-1pm, £10 for 1 class; £80 for all 8 classes. A new wellbeing class which includes both Indian classical and contemporary dance, as well as wellness through movement and body poetry. standrewsbotanic.org
FAMILY
Big Kid Circus
Montrose Links, Traill Drive, Montrose, DD10 8SW, 07766 552211.
Fri 20-Sun 22 May, 10am8pm, £8.99. Big Kid Circus brings us MAYHEM, a new show full of excitement for the whole family and loads of surprises to keep everyone on the edge of their seats. bigkidcircus. co.uk
Django’s Journey: Children’s Classic Concert
St John’s Kirk, St John’s Place, Perth, PH1 5SZ, 01738 633192.
Sat May 21, 2.30pm, £13 (children £6.50). From the vibrant colours of India to the pyramids of Egypt, through the countryside of Eastern Europe and the cobbled streets of France and Spain, join our intrepid band of travelling musicians and their jazz-loving pet, Django, as they explore gypsy jazz and all of its influences with a jampacked hour of toe-tapping tunes and family fun. stjohns-kirk.co.uk
Kids’ Dens: Lego Club At Cupar Library
Cupar Library, Duncan Institute, 35-35 Crossgate, Cupar, KY15 5AS, 01334 412285.
Tue May 24, 3.30pm, £2. Learn new skills, meet new people and most importantly have fun as you construct, create and chill out. onfife.com
Blast Off!
Perth Museum And Art Gallery, 78 George Street, Perth, PH1 5LB, 01738 632488, until Sun May 29, Mon, Thu-Sat 10am5pm, free. Step out of the museum and into space as a cosmic playscape will leave you floating above the Earth, walking on the Moon and playing in the stars. Created by Perthshire design studio Fun Makes Good, Blast Off! is an intergalactic interactive zone that will surround you with giant murals of planets, where both children and adults can build, dress up, read, and spacewalk together through the galaxy. culturepk.org.uk
Space: Fact And Fiction Perth Museum And Art Gallery, 78 George Street, Perth, PH1 5LB, 01738 632488, until Sun May 29, Mon, Thu-Sat 10am-5pm, free. When it comes to outer space, what is fact and what is fiction? This exhibition features replica props from some of our favourite television shows and movies, inviting visitors to ponder the question of alien life and what they really know. culturepk.org.uk
MUSIC
Jools Holland And
His Rhythm & Blues Orchestra
Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5HZ, 01738 621031.
Fri May 20, 7.30-10.30pm, £40. King of boogie-woogie, Jools Holland delivers an energy-fuelled show featuring Gilson Lavis, Eddi Reader, Ruby Turner and Louise Marshall. horsecross. co.uk
March Into Pitlochry Pitlochry Town Hall, West Moulin Road, Pitlochry, PH16 5DR.
Fri 20-Sun 22 May, 6pm, £27-£64.80. Music festival returns with more than 20 performances across two venues. marchintopitlochry. co.uk
Rêverie: The Life And Loves Of Claude Debussy Perth Theatre, Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5UW, 01738 621031.
Fri May 20, 7.30pm, £21.50 (children £11.50). Created in 2012 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Claude Debussy, Rêverie is the fourth biographical programme of composers’ words and music to be compiled and scripted by pianist Lucy Parham with this one featuring Tim McInnerney as narrator. horsecross.co.uk
Perthshire Brass
St John’s Kirk, St John’s Place, Perth, PH1 5SZ, 01738 633192.
Sat May 21, 11am, free. An upbeat hour-long concert with Perthshire Brass in the outdoor plaza. Enjoy popular and traditional brass band music, favourites from movies and musicals and music you wouldn’t normally expect to hear from a brass band. st-johnskirk.co.uk
Showaddywaddy
The Webster Memorial Theatre, 64 High Street, Arbroath, DD11 1AW, 01241 435800.
Sat May 21, 7.30pm, £25. The Greatest Rock & Roll Band In The World is a bold statement but
Showaddywaddy has lived up to that title for the last four decades. Formed during the 1970s in Leicester, they’ve sold more than 20 million records and toured the globe. angusalive.scot
Met Opera: Lucia Di Lammermoor
Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, St Andrews, KY16 9LA, 01334 475000.
Sun May 22, 2-5.30pm, £10-£20. Soprano Nadine Sierra takes on one of the repertory’s most formidable and storied roles, the haunted heroine of Donizetti’s Lucia Di Lammermoor, in an electrifying new staging by Australian theatre and film director Simon Stone, conducted by Riccardo Frizza. byretheatre.com
Roddy Woomble
Beat Generator Live, 70 North Lindsay Street, Dundee, DD1 1PS, 01382 229226.
Sun May 22, 7pm, £19. Ayrshire-born singer who came to prominence as the frontman in indie rock band Idlewild does his solo thing. beatgenerator.co.uk
Siobhan Miller And Rura Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5HZ, 01738 621031.
Sun May 22, 7pm, £23.50. A double-bill concert featuring award-winning singer-songwriter Siobhan Miller with her six-piece band, followed by one of Scotland’s most popular folk-based bands RURA. horsecross.co.uk
Tenebrae: Queen Of Heaven
St John’s Kirk, St John’s Place, Perth, PH1 5SZ, 01738 633192.
Mon May 23, 7.30pm, £21.50-£35. Award-winning choir Tenebrae return with a performance featuring the richness of Verdi and Grieg juxtaposed with the serenity of Gregorian chant, and a 16th-century setting of Ave Maria. st-johns-kirk.co.uk
Tommy Smith Solo Saxophone
St Ninian’s Cathedral, North Methven Street, Perth, PH1 5PP, 01738 621031.
Tue May 24, 8pm, £16.50 (children £11.50). A presence on the international jazz scene since his teenage years, when he toured internationally with vibes virtuoso Gary Burton’ Whiz Kids Quintet, Tommy Smith has gone on to record with the definitive jazz label, Blue Note and work with myriad jazz greats including Chick Corea, Jaco Pastorius, John Scofield, Randy Brecker and Jack DeJohnette. horsecross.co.uk
Horse
Dundee Rep Theatre, Tay Square, Dundee, DD1 1PB, 01382 223530.
Wed May 25, 7.30pm, £20 (£9-£17). A glorious celebration of the 30-year anniversary of classic album The Same Sky. dundeerep. co.uk
BBC Big Band: The Music Of James Bond...And Beyond
Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5HZ, 01738 621031.
Wed May 25, 7.30pm, £27.50 (children £11.50). The internationally acclaimed BBC Big Band are joined by special guest vocalists Emer McParland and Iain Mackenzie in a unique concert celebrating the music of perhaps the world’s most iconic movie franchise:horsecross.co.uk
Opera Bohemia: Madama Butterfly
Perth Theatre, Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5UW, 01738 621031.
Thu May 26, 7.30-9.30pm, £22.50-£27.50 (£20.50£25.50). Opera Bohemia, Scotland’s professional touring company, brings us an intimate chamber version of Puccini’s masterpiece. horsecross.co.uk
Rock’n’Roll Jam Night Twa Tams, 79-81 Scott Street, Perth, PH2 8JR, 01738 580948.
Thu May 26, 7.45-11.45pm, free. Join The Kingfishers for a night of classic rock’n’roll with guest performers encouraged. thetwatamsperth.com
THEATRE
Rapture Bites: A Number By Caryl Churchill
Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, St Andrews, KY16 9LA, 01334 475000.
Fri May 20, 1-2.30pm, Pay What You Can £12/£10/£8You’ve made a really bad mistake in life. Is it possible to start over? Caryl Churchill’s powerful drama considers the damage parents can do to children, explores the question of nature versus nurture, and asks whether any of us can truly escape our past. byretheatre.com
Sunshine On Leith
Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Port Na Craig, Pitlochry, PH16 5DR, 01796 484626. Fri & Sat May 20 & 21, 8pm, £16-£39. Originally staged at Dundee Rep in 2007, the heart-warming Sunshine On Leith sees the return of service members Davy and Ally from war overseas, only to be confronted with civilian life filled with relationships, blind dates and new responsibilities. And tunes from The Proclaimers. pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com
Friends! The Musical Parody
Perth Theatre, Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5UW, 01738 621031.
Sat May 21, 4.30pm, £31.50. This takes a hilarious look at the TV phenomenon that ruled the 90s and became a cultural institution. Friends! The Musical Parody follows the lives of six wacky twentysomethings and goes back in time to celebrate and poke fun at some of their most iconic moments as they navigate the pitfalls of work, life, and love in 1990s Manhattan. horsecross.co.uk
Thunderstruck
Perth Concert Hall, Mill Street, Perth, PH1 5HZ, 01738 621031.
Mon & Tue May 23 & 24, Mon-Fri 7.30pm, £21.50 (children £11.50). This is an international award-winning production concerning the legacy and mythology of a Pitlochry bin man, who flew beyond the summit of his art and changed Scottish music forever by defying established tradition and pushing to the absolute edge of what was possible. horsecross.co.uk
Wedding Singer The Musical
Whitehall Theatre, 12
Bellfield Street, Dundee, DD1 5JA, 01382 434940. Wed & Thu May 25 & 26, 7.30pm, £10-£30. It’s 1985, and rock star wannabe Robbie Hart is New Jersey’s favourite wedding singer. He’s the life of the party until his own fiancée leaves him at the altar. Shot through the heart, Robbie makes every wedding as disastrous as his own. Enter Julia, a winsome waitress who wins his affection. whitehalltheatre.com
Jack Dean & Company Presents Jeremiah
Byre Theatre, Abbey Street, St Andrews, KY16 9LA, 01334 475000.
Wed May 25, 6-8pm, Pay What You Can £12/£10/£8. A raucous, rebellious gig theatre show which tells the incredible true story of the much-misunderstood Luddite rebellion through rap, song, and live music. byretheatre.com
The Bookies
Dundee Rep Theatre, Tay Square, Dundee, DD1 1PB, 01382 223530, until Sat May 21.
Fri 7.30pm; Sat 2.30pm & 7.30pm, £11-£24 (£11-£22). Michelle, Pat, John (staff) and Harry (punter) spend their days in a rundown Edinburgh bookies. One day things take an unexpected turn and Pat wonders if it’s odds-on he’ll lose his job. Bad things happen to bad people, they say; and as the tensions rise and accusations fly, the mystery deepens. dundeerep.co.uk
An Evening With Muriel, Doris And Friends
Dibble Tree Theatre, 99a High Street, Carnoustie, DD7 7EA, until Sat May 28, TueFri 7.30pm, £9-£10. Two of Alan Bennett’s dramatic monologues, Soldiering On and Cream Cracker Under The Settee’, plus some light entertainment, fills an evening at Dibble Tree Theatre. dibbletree.com