From Punk To Piano
Your music expert Lisa-marie Ferla spans the full spectrum of sparky musical events and offerings
DUNDEE may be celebrating its resurgence as our cultural capital this year, but it’s been the unsung hero of Scottish punk for a lot longer than that – thanks, in large part, to the stellar work of record label/collective Make That A Take Records.
It might fall a month early for the calendar’s liking, but for the perfect party to end the year, their annual Book Yer Ane Fest (Nov 30-Dec 2) will almost certainly blow the roof off any official celebrations to the south.
Celebrating a decade of DIY punk solidarity, Book Yer Ane Fest celebrates punk culture and community while raising money and awareness for local and national charities including Young Minds UK, Food Not Bombs Dundee and The Samaritans.
Popping up on the festival’s three stages across the weekend will be the likes of Dundee’s own Kaddish, marking their 100% festival attendance with a special third album release show; the last ever Scottish show from Manchester hardcore punks Revenge Of The Psychotronic Man; and Girls Rock School Edinburgh graduates Fistymuffs.
Never let it be said that Sound Of Scotland doesn’t cater to the full musical spectrum, though, for that same weekend (Dec 1-2), fans of classical music can enjoy a two-day Debussy festival at St Cecilia’s in Edinburgh. British pianist James Willshire, who has spent much of 2018 marking the 100th anniversary of the composer’s death with solo shows across the UK, has curated a programme of eight recitals and two pre-performance talks, with a very rare condensed performance of Debussy’s complete piano solo works at its heart.
One of my favourite musical discoveries this year has been Edinburgh-born classical guitarist and composer Simon Thacker, who has spent the past decade turning reinterpretation of popular song from around the world into critically-acclaimed magic.
Trikala is the latest project from his Indo-western Svara-kanti ensemble, and was recorded across three years in three different locations, East Lothian in Scotland and Chennai and Kolkata in India. The album draws on folk and classical influences from the four corners of the Indian subcontinent, and incorporates a reinterpretation of India’s “national song”, Vande Mataram.
For Scottish traditional music, this month is also a big one, with the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards 2018 taking place at Perth Concert Hall (Dec 1) with live
“Book Yer Ane Fest will almost certainly off” blow the roof