Edinburgh's newest gig venue The Picture House really shouldn't fail. The city has been crying out for a centrally located 1500-capacity venue to provide a decent alternative to the Corn Exchange for popular touring bands - and now it's got it.
The Lothian Road site began life as the renowned Caley cinema but more recently it hosted dodgy nightclubs Century 2000 and Revolution, before an ill-fated rebranding as Gig.
Appropriately enough, Edinburgh natives Idlewild have the honour of christening it, although oddly that hasn't stopped the new owners advertising Travis as entertainment for the "official" launch night a full two weeks later.
If the recent additions of the Carling Academy and ABC (both former cinemas, of course) to the Glasgow gig circuit are anything to go by, The Picture House should prove a similarly welcome new arrival for bands and fans.
b Idlewild, September 13 (tickets)
b Travis, September 25 (tickets)
b Walter Trout, October 2 (tickets)
b Dirty Pretty Things, October 5 (tickets)
b The Charlatans, October 11 (tickets)
b Martha Wainwright, October 22 (tickets)
b Taste Of Chaos, October 25 (tickets)
b Tangerine Dream, November 2 (tickets)
b Todd Rundgren, November 7 (tickets)
b Ryan Adams & The Cardinals, November 14 (tickets)
b Feeder, November 26 (tickets)
November 27, 2009: 230 artists have been invited to play at next year's South By Southwest music showcase in Texas and seven of them are Scottish (that's 3% for any maths fans out there): The View, Frightened Rabbit, Twin Atlantic, Tommy Reilly, Broken Records, The Law and Trembling Bells.
November 26, 2009: Mumford & Sons have announced a new tour for next spring including two dates in Scotland - Glasgow's ABC on March 3 and Edinburgh's Queens Hall on March 16. A limited amount of pre-sale tickets are available for the Glasgow show now from here. Both shows go on general sale at 9am tomorrow.
November 25, 2009: The Pop Cop would like to wish Barrie O'Neill from Glasgow band Cassidy a speedy recovery after he was seriously injured in an accident in London yesterday. Get well soon, mate.
November 24, 2009: The List are looking for a new Music Editor. Application details can be found in the magazine's current issue.
November 23, 2009: King Creosote will perform his new, never-to-be-studio recorded album, My Nth Bit Of Strange In Umpteen Years, from start to finish at the seventh annual Homegame festival in Fife on March 12-14. There's a twist, though: KC will play the same set seven times over the weekend to groups of 40 and all ticket holders must bring a device with which to record the gig (a mobile phone will do), with online sharing encouraged. Tickets for Homegame go on sale on December 1 via the Fence Records website.
November 20, 2009: Stereophonics will be playing an intimate gig at Glasgow's Classic Grand on December 12 for 400 competition winners picked via 18 radio stations across the UK including Forth One (Edinburgh), MFR (Inverness), Northsound 1 (Aberdeen), Tay FM (Dundee), Clyde 1 (Glasgow), West FM (Ayr) and Radio Borders (Galashiels).
Up-and-coming acts have the chance to get themselves on the bill of Glasgow's Hogmanay celebrations at George Square. Nine shortlisted artists will take part in public showcases on November 26, December 3 and December 10, with each heat followed by a week of online voting. Apply here to get involved.
Big In Falkirk has been scrapped by the local council due to cost-cutting measures. The free outdoor festival ran for 10 years.
November 19, 2009: Pre-sale tickets are available now for Twin Atlantic's gig at Glasgow's ABC on February 6. If that wasn't exciting enough, street dance troupe Diversity are playing Glasgow's Clyde Auditorium on March 30. Yes! Tickets go on sale on Saturday priced £18.50 (not including booking fees).
November 18, 2009: The Tartan Clef Awards at Glasgow's SECC on November 27 will feature live performances from The View, King Creosote, Mott The Hoople and Lloyd Cole & The Commotions. The annual event raises money for Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland.
November 17, 2009: A new Edinburgh-based music event called Charity Baw celebrates its launch night on Saturday at the city's Roxy Art House with three rooms of live bands and DJs. Acts on show include headliners The Real Tuesday Weld, Aberfeldy, Withered Hand, The Parsonage, Come On Gang!, Big Ned, Little Eskimos and Benni Hemm Hemm. Tickets are available from Avalanche and We Got Tickets for £10. The inaugural Baw will be in aid of Oxfam.
November 16, 2009: Frightened Rabbit's crazily-addictive new song Swim Until You Can't See Land is released today - buy it here. With a bit of support it could even be their first top 40 single.
November 13, 2009: The much-maligned Homecoming Live flagship event set to take place on November 28 in Glasgow has been downscaled due to poor ticket sales. Acts who were due to play in the SECC’s Hall 4 (Deacon Blue, The Skids, Hue And Cry, Midge Ure, The Bluebells, etc) have been moved to the Clyde Auditorium. Those who were originally earmarked for the Clyde Auditorium (Mike Scott, Eddi Reader, etc) will now play in the SECC’s Lomond Suite. The indie acts in the SECC’s Hall 3 (The View, Teenage Fanclub, Idlewild, etc) are staying put. Remaining tickets (of which there are many) can be bought here.
November 12, 2009: The Define Pop Festival 2 takes place this weekend at The Flying Duck in Glasgow, with a plethora of unsigned Scottish talent to support and discover. Here are the stage times:
SATURDAY (tickets)
Living Room Stage
22.20 Kid Canaveral
21.30 Vendor Defender
20.40 Kochka
19.50 The Costapeens
19.00 Mickey 9's
18.10 Louise Against The Elements
17.20 Miniature Dinosaurs
Kitchen Stage
22.30 Young Aviators
21.40 Gdansk
20.50 Pacific Theatre
20.00 Other People
19.10 The Morgue Party Candidate
18.20 The Blessed Order Of Fallen Stars
17.30 Make Sparks
16.40 Little Yellow Ukuleles
SUNDAY (tickets)
Living Room Stage
22.20 Yahweh
21.30 The Second Hand Marching Band
20.40 The Lava Experiments
19.50 Diamond Sea
19.00 Julia And The Doogans
18.10 Incrediboy And The Forget Me Nots
17.20 Esperi
16.30 Lovers Turn To Monsters
Kitchen Stage
22.30 Pooch
21.40 Nevada Base
20.50 Stereo Grand
20.00 Dead Boy Robotics
19.10 Little Eskimos
17.30 Lad Lazarus
16.40 Marshall Chipped
November 11, 2009: Edinburgh's Hogmanay line-up has been fleshed out a bit with some new names and now looks like this:
Concert in the Gardens: Madness, Noisettes, Codeine Velvet Club (general admission tickets / enclosure tickets).
The Waverley Stage: The Enemy, Frightened Rabbit, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Stanley Odd (Street Party tickets).
The Mound Party Stage: The Cuban Brothers, Glitterbanditz.
West End DJ Stage: Mylo, Gary & Tom (Snow Patrol), Richard Colburn (Belle & Sebastian).
November 10, 2009: We're back! Did you miss us? After three weeks without internet, the unread tally in The Pop Cop's inbox has spiralled out of control. It could take us another three weeks just to restore normality. OK, the following information might not be hot off the press, but here are some diary-worthy gigs that have been announced recently...
Glasgow: Kevin Devine at Captain's Rest on December 8; Julian Casablancas at ABC on December 12; Adam Green at Stereo on January 29; Hot Chip at Academy on February 13; Vampire Weekend at Barrowlands on February 13; Midlake at ABC on February 15; The Temper Trap at ABC on May 13; and Cara Dillon at Classic Grand on May 27.
An extensive programme for Celtic Connections 2010 has also been released, with the indie highlights of the festival being Stuart Murdoch (Belle & Sebastian), Lisa Hannigan and Co singing the songs of Nick Drake on January 20 at the Royal Concert Hall, Fyfe Dangerfield (Guillemots) and Stornoway (The Pop Cop's first ever Weekend Anthem picks) at ABC on January 20, and Chemikal Undergound's 15th birthday party at ABC on January 31.
Edinburgh: Thomas Western has a residency at The Bowery every Friday in November; In addition, check out Hot Chip at Picture House on February 13; Vampire Weekend at Picture House on February 14; and The Temper Trap at Picture House on May 14.
October 18, 2009: The Pop Cop is taking its own advice and stepping away from the computer. Yes, we're going on holiday! The bad news is that The Goss won't be updated till November 9. But the good news is that we've scheduled a whole load of posts to be published in our absence, with a couple of guest columnists thrown in to boot. So you might not really notice much difference...
October 16, 2009: Half-decent newly-announced gigs on sale today include The Magic Numbers at Glasgow's Oran Mor on December 9 and Edinburgh's Bongo Club on December 10, and The Cinematics at Glasgow's King Tut's on December 23.
Oh, and if you haven't already seen the Under The Radar vs The Pop Cop article, 'How many new bands is too many?' then you might want to take a look. Judging by the comments so far, the good Pop Cop name appears to be getting dragged through the mud! Ho-hum ;o)
October 15, 2009: Top Scottish snooker player Stephen Maguire is playing an exhibition match this weekend against Krystof Michal, who is famous in the Czech Republic for being the frontman of rock group Support Lesbiens. You can't get more random than that!
October 14, 2009: Three out of the 33 bands heading to Manchester next week play at In The City's unsigned showcase are Scottish. They are Unicorn Kid, Copy Haho and Woodenbox With A Fistful Of Fivers. In addition, fellow Scots acts Frightened Rabbit, Twin Atlantic, Fangs, The Ray Summers, Esther O'Connor and the shockingly bad The Law are doing live shows as part of the British music industry's talent-spotting shindig.
October 13, 2009: The xx will play Studio 24 in Edinburgh on March 9 as part of their UK tour. Tickets go on sale on Friday.
October 12, 2009: The full line-up for the Oxjam Glasgow Takeover on October 24/25 is listed below. Tickets cost £8.80 from here - you then exchange that for a wristband which gives you access to all venues on both days.
Saturday, October 24 - 13th Note: Dave Hughes And The Renegade Folk Punk Band, Roscoe Vacant, El Bastardos, Judith Harron, Jimmy Richards, Billy Liar, Roberto Cassani, The Moth And The Mirror, Shambles Miller; Metropolitan: Martin John Henry, Mike Nisbet, Jamie Keenan, Malcolm Ross ABC - Polar Bar: Brother Louis Collective, John B McKenna, Full House, Ben Chaddock, Mike And Solveig; Britannia Panopticon Music Hall: Jonny Jack, Paul McGranaghan, Pure Brass; Blackfriars: The Xcerts, Cuba Cuba, The Lafontaines, Atlas Skye, The Marder, Young States; The V Club: My Cousin I Bid You Farewell, Esperanza, Lions.Chase.Tigers., Glider, Hidden Masters; The Vale: Vendor Defender, Homework, Ben TD, Gong Fei, The Reveres, Endor; Sloan: Strike The Colours, Zoey Van Goey, The Low Miffs, Yahweh, Le Reno Amps, The Seventeenth Century.
Sunday, October 25 - Brunswick Hotel Penthouse Suite: Emma Curran, Andrea Marini, David Bova, Mark McCabe; Pivo Pivo: Tango In The Attic, The Deals, Schnapps, The Dull Fudds, Big Ned, Bwani Juntion, Wilson Tan, Eddy And The T Bolts, The Black Delorian, The 123s, Three Blind Wolves, The Deneros, The Cellophanes; The Admiral: Be A Familiar, Yoshi, The Social Services, Haight Ashbury, The Apologists, Alex Wayt, The French Wives, Castaway; Capitol: Tempercalm, Nacional, Ming Ming And The Ching Chings, Call Me Ishmael, Barn Owl, Maple Leaves, Boycotts, Casino Brag; McChuills: Nine Circles, My Actions Your Exit, Little Eskimos, Reginald, Bad Day?, Albino Monk, Fanzine Hero; Mono: Attic Lights, El Dog, United Fruit, The Mode, Fox Gang, Odeon Beatclub, Dbass Collective, Man At The Window; Basuro Blanco (Brunswick Hotel Basement): Lowreck, Jan Cree, Gareth Whitehead, My Evil Twin, Chris Coulston.
October 9, 2009: Here's today's gig news - Cassidy have added a couple of free in-store gigs to their Scottish tour, namely October 22 in Avalanche, Edinburgh and October 26 in Avalanche, Glasgow... Fionn Regan is playing Glasgow's Captain's Rest on November 9 (tickets) - go along, if only to hear him play his beautiful song Hey Rabbit... Mika is heading to Glasgow's Academy on February 22 (tickets)... and finally, the Borders Music and Comedy Festival sees Idlewild at Victoria Hall, Selkirk on November 1 (tickets), McIntosh Ross (ex-Deacon Blue) at Melrose's Corn Exchange on November 3 (tickets), Broken Records at Tait Hall, Kelso on November 7 (tickets), and Trashcan Sinatras, Brother Louis Collective and The Seventeenth Century at Tait Hall, Kelso on November 13 (tickets).
October 8, 2009: EXCLUSIVE: The full line-up for Oxjam Edinburgh on October 23 looks like this - Cabaret Voltaire: Dead Boy Robotics, Boycotts, Three Blind Wolves, Frightened Rabbit (Scott Hutchison solo set), Song, By Toad DJ set; The Bowery: The Occasional Flickers, Y'All Is Fantasy Island, Jesus H. Foxx, Meursault, Cammy Watts DJ set; Sneaky Pete's: Chutes, The Little Kicks, Woodenbox With A Fistful Of Fivers; City Cafe: Conquering Animal Sound, The Last Battle, Pose Victorious, Paper Beats Rock, Le Reno Amps, Come On Gang!; The Wee Red Bar: Snide Rhythms, The Shellsuit Massacre, My Electric Love Affair. Tickets cost £7.70 from here - you then exchange that for a wristband which gives you access to all venues on the day.
October 7, 2009: If ever there was a story that showed record labels are screwed up beyond belief, this is it. Edwyn Collins has been barred from streaming his song, A Girl Like You, in full through his own MySpace page because the website is under the impression the copyright is held by Warners, when it is in fact owned by the Scot himself. Furthermore, the song is being sold illegally on the internet by "major labels whose license to sell it ran out years ago and who do not account to him", according to his wife and manager, Grace Maxwell. You can read messages of support from various sources including, somewhat randomly, Wheatus of Teenage Dirtbag fame, here.
October 6, 2009: Madness will headline this year's Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh. Try to contain your excitement. Tickets go on sale on Saturday. The rest of the line-up will be announced on November 12.
October 5, 2009: Taio Cruz has given the thumbs-up to Aberdeen-based band Outbox after hearing their cover of his current No.1 single Break Your Heart. You can compare both versions on Cruz's YouTube page.
October 2, 2009: Reloaded Fest takes place at Stirling's Tolbooth venue tomorrow. There are 16 acts over three stages including Twin Atlantic, Tommy Reilly and Jack Butler. Doors open at 4pm and tickets cost £10. You can check availability by calling 01786 274000.
October 1, 2009: Sergeant will be self-releasing their self-titled debut album on October 12 on their own Shy Recordings label. Produced by John Leckie, it includes the singles they brought out on Mercury before they were dropped, Sunshine and K-Ok, as well as recent release Counting Down The Days. Right-click here to download a free mp3 of album closer It All Comes Back To Me, which is a very pleasant taster of what the jangly Glenrothes band do best.
September 30, 2009: Fanfarlo are playing a free "guerilla gig" in The Cloisters area of the main building of Glasgow University at 1pm tomorrow (Thursday). See here for a photo of the exact location.
September 29, 2009: Hearts Football Club have launched an admirable new music initiative for kids who may be involved or at risk of becoming involved in antisocial or criminal behaviour. Tynecastle Stadium in Edinburgh will house guitars, drum kits, keyboards, PA system, SmartBoard and other equipment that will motivate and inspire learning. Music tutors will be on hand to provide lessons, while Mike Daniel aka M.A.D. from Groove Armada is also assisting in the Hearts Music Project's development.
September 25, 2009: It's moving day. General Fiasco's gig in Dundee on Tuesday has been switched from The Doghouse to Dexters; Fanfarlo's show in Glasgow on Wednesday is now at King Tut's instead of ABC2; and the NME Radar Tour featuring Golden Silvers, Marina And The Diamonds, Local Natives and Yes Giantess on Thursday has also been moved to King Tut's from Oran Mor.
September 24, 2009: The two-day Scotcampus Freshers' Festival at George Square in Glasgow will see Exile Parade, Pooch, The Meat Men, Nevada Base, Suspire, Little Eskimos, Annie Stevenson, My Cousin I Bid You Farewell and Sinister Flynn play on October 1, while Lost In Audio, The Black Hang Gang, Tango In The Attic, Nixa, Ardent John, Epic 26, Isa & The Filthy Tongues, Bronto Skylift and Must Be Something play on October 2. Bands are on stage from 10am until 6pm and entry is free.
September 23, 2009: Tommy Reilly's debut album Words On The Floor is out this week. You know what? It's actually a really good listen. He's doing free instore performances this week at HMV stores in Stiring (today, 1pm), Livingston (today, 5pm), Dundee (tomorrow, 5pm) and Glasgow Buchanan Street (Friday, 5pm).
September 22, 2009: EXCLUSIVE: Roddy Hart's Scottish tour with his band The Lonesome Fire in support of his incredible forthcoming album Sign Language looks like this: November 17, Inverness Hootananny; November 18, Perth Red Rooms; November 19, Edinburgh Sneaky Pete's; November 20, Glasgow Oran Mor; November 22, Ayr Libertine.
September 21, 2009: Does anyone fancy a night out at the opera? We've got two free tickets for Donizetti's The Elixir of Love at Glasgow's Theatre Royal on Wednesday evening to give away. Just send us a direct message on Twitter with your name and they can be yours.
September 19, 2009: EXCLUSIVE: Frightened Rabbit's full Scottish headlining tour looks like this: November 27, BA Club, Fort William; November 28, Tolbooth, Stirling; November 29, Ironworks, Inverness; December 1, Moshulu, Aberdeen; December 2, Fat Sams, Dundee; and finally for the big Christmas finale... December 22, ABC, Glasgow.
Soulwax/2 Many DJs are playing Braehead Arena on December 18. Pre-sale tickets are available here ahead of general release on Wednesday.
September 18, 2009: Other Glasgow venues have got in on the Homecoming Live shenanigans. On November 28, the Clyde Auditorium will host Eddi Reader, Mike Scott (The Waterboys), Evelyn Glennie & Philip Smith and Dougie MacLean. King Tut's has The Pastels and 1990s on November 27, Sergeant on November 28 and We Were Promised Jetpacks on November 29. And the bill for SECC Hall 3 (i.e. not the over-40s hall - see September 7 bulletin) has been bolstered by the additions of Codeine Velvet Club and The Dykeenies. Tickets on sale now for the lot of them from here.
September 17, 2009: Glasgow superstar-in-waiting Roddy Hart has only just gone and made the best pop single of the year. Here's the video for Send A Message:
September 16, 2009: The beautiful people at One Little Indian Records have given The Pop Cop a pair of tickets to give away for each of Kill It Kid's two gigs in Scotland next month as well as a free copy of the band's soon-to-be-released debut album. To be in with a chance of winning, just email thepopcop@gmail.com with your name, address and which venue you want to see them in - your choices are Edinburgh's Cabaret Voltaire on October 7 or Glasgow's Captain's Rest on October 8. Support on both night comes from the abysmal Sparrow And The Workshop. Closing date for comp is September 24.
September 15, 2009: EXCLUSIVE: The first single from Frightened Rabbit's new album will be Swim Until You Can’t See Land. Its release date is November 16 and it is augmented by a string arrangement from German musician Hauschka. Scott Hutchison describes it thus: "'Swim Until You Can't See Land' was the title I had in my mind before I even started writing the album; I was becoming more and more interested in the idea of a rejection of the habits and behaviour most people see as normal, and in turn embracing a certain madness. It's about losing your mind in order to reset the mind and the body. Forget what's gone before and wash it out. This is not necessarily a geographical journey, as the 'swim' can involve any activity in which you can lose yourself. It's a good introduction to the record as the theme unravels therein." The b-side will be Fun Stuff, which was previously known as Last Tango In Brooklyn. The new album is scheduled for a spring 2010 release.
September 14, 2009: A fair few acts have been announced for the Oxjam Glasgow Takeover Festival which takes place across various venues throughout the city on October 24/25. Confirmed on the bill are Alex Wayt, Andrea Marini, The Black Hand Gang, Call Me Ishmael, Casino Brag, Dave Hughes & The Renegade Folk Punk Band, Emma Curran, Homework, The LaFontaines, The Marder, Martin John Henry (formerly of De Rosa), Mike Nisbet, The Mode, The Moth & The Mirror, Nacional, Out Of Samsara, Reginald, The Reveres, Tempercalm and Trapped In Kansas.
September 11, 2009: The relentless Broken Records have announced a new tour for November which includes six Scottish dates: Nov 7 Tait Hall, Kelso; Nov 8 Oran Mor, Glasgow; Nov 10 Perth Theatre, Perth; Nov 11 Cafe Drummond, Aberdeen; Nov 12 Ironworks, Inverness; Nov 13 Skinandi's, Thurso.
September 10, 2009: Want to hear arguably the best Vic Galloway session ever? Do yourself a favour and download Beerjacket's two-song Radio 1 set via Peenko. Incredible stuff.
September 9, 2009: Teenage Fanclub and Edwyn Collins are teaming up tomorrow night for a free gig at Mono at 10.30pm.
Turin Brakes are heading north for gigs at Stornoway Woodland Centre on October 2, Inverness Ironworks on October 3 and Aberdeen Snafu on October 5. Tickets available here.
And if you want pre-sale tickets for Florence And The Machine at Glasgow's Academy on December 9, click here.
September 8, 2009: Arctic Monkeys are playing Glasgow's SECC on November 24, with support from Eagles of Death Metal. Tickets go on sale on Friday at 9am. Better still, the sublime Tegan And Sara are playing Edinburgh's Picture House on November 15, with tickets available on Thursday. Or there's always Marilyn Manson at the Glasgow Academy on December 15. O2 priority pre-sale tickets are buyable now by slyly clicking here.
September 7, 2009: Details of the showpiece event for the Homecoming Scotland celebrations on November 28 have been announced. Dubbed 'Homecoming Live - The Final Fling', Glasgow's SECC will host Deacon Blue, Lloyd Cole, Hue And Cry, Midge Ure, The Bluebells, James Grant, Kevin McDermott and Tommy Reilly in Hall 4. While in Hall 3, you will find The Vaselines, Idlewild and King Creosote. Hall 3 it is, then. Tickets are available from here on Friday.
September 6, 2009: Tickets are on sale tomorrow for Modest Mouse at Glasgow's ABC on December 10. Them Crooked Vultures - the rock supergroup featuring Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) and Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) - are playing Edinburgh's Corn Exchange on December 15 but that one is already sold out so hard cheese.
September 4, 2009: Local musicians hoping to go to the SXSW festival in Texas next March can get advice at free seminars run by the Scottish Arts Council and Cultural Enterprise Office. The sessions take place on September 17 (Glasgow ABC2, 7pm) and September 18 (Edinburgh Scottish Arts Council office, 2pm) and will cover applications, visas, the Showcase Scotland events and funding. Speakers at the Glasgow event include Sons And Daughters frontman Scott Paterson and Camera Obscura manager Francis Macdonald. The Edinburgh event has members of Found. To attend, email events@culturalenterpriseoffice.co.uk or call 0844 544 9990.
September 3, 2009: Pre-sale tickets are available NOW for Regina Spektor's gig at the Glaagow Academy on December 1 - fill your boots here. Get in. Tickets go on general sale tomorrow.
September 2, 2009: The Freak Music website has just had a major revamp. It's a one-stop shop for booking Scottish bands and DJs for private functions as well as bars and clubs. It offers a 'try before you buy' service so you can see and hear what you might be letting yourself in for - always advisable to weed out any potential covers of Mustang Sally.
September 1, 2009: Idlewild are playing six Scottish dates: November 1, Victoria Hall, Selkirk; November 2, Fat Sams, Dundee; November 4, Picture House, Edinburgh; November 5, Ironworks, Inverness; November 6, Moshulu, Aberdeen; November 7, BA Club, Fort William.
August 28, 2009: The Glasgow Film Theatre will be showing the Noah And The Whale film that accompanies their new album The First Days Of Spring on Tuesday at 8.30pm. Singer Charlie Fink, who wrote and directed the film, will be doing a Q&A afterwards. You can buy tickets for the screening here.
August 27, 2009: Cassidy fans are being offered a two-in-one deal that lets them get the band's debut single Night In The Box and a ticket for the launch gig at Glasgow's King Tut's on October 25 for £8.
Pearl And The Puppets have been added to the bill for the free Irn-Bru Can Clan event at Glasgow Green on September 13.
August 26, 2009: Ash have announced details of a rather unique UK tour that will see them will play towns in alphabetical order, beginning in Aldershot on October 19 and ending in the village of Zennor on November 23. The jaunt includes three Scottish dates: Dundee's Fat Sams on October 23, East Grange's The Loft on October 24 and Falkirk's Behind The Wall on October 25. Clever, huh? Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 9am.
August 25, 2009: You can now hear the first fruits of Jon Fratelli's side-project Codeine Velvet Club - a collaboration with Glaswegian cabaret-jazz singer Lou Hickey. A video of Vanity Kills, the first single from their self-titled album out in November, is online here. The band, who were briefly known as The Codeine Breakfast Club, play their debut gig at Glasgow's Classic Grand on September 15. Tickets available here.
August 24, 2009: Broken Records have covered The Beatles song Oh! Darling to mark the 40th anniversary of the release of Abbey Road. You can find it on the CD given away with this month's Mojo magazine.
August 21, 2009: Chemikal Underground will be re-releasing albums by their two newest signings. Glasgow-based twee-pop trio Zoey Van Goey's debut The Cage Was Unlocked All Along comes out in October, while Dublin singer Adrian Crowley's fifth record Season Of The Sparks is scheduled for November.
August 20, 2009: Couple more newly-announced gig dates for your diary: San Franciscan space-rockers LoveLikeFire will be at Glasgow's Capitol (moved from the now-closed Twisted Wheel venue) on September 22. Popular emo types You Me At Six are playing Dundee's Fat Sam's on September 11, Edinburgh's Bongo Club on September 12 and Aberdeen's Moshulu on September 13. Tickets go on sale tomorrow.
August 19, 2009: Snow Patrol will play Glasgow's Clyde Auditorium on November 30 as part of the most over-priced tour ever. Ticket prices for the all-seated gig range from £35-£55, not including booking fees, and go on general sale tomorrow at 9am. The show will incorporate songs from (and members of) Gary Lightbody's side-project The Reindeer Section.
August 18, 2009: The Cave Singers, who made the 9th best album of 2008, are playing Glasgow's Stereo on November 13 and Edinburgh's Electric Circus on November 14 as part of the Shred Yr Face tour with fellow American bands Espers and Woods.
August 17, 2009: There Will Be Fireworks are offering tickets for their headline show at Glasgow's King Tut's on Thursday for £5 - which is cheaper than you'll pay on the door. Just email the band if you want to reserve any. Support comes from Lions.Chase.Tigers and Baldego.
August 15, 2009: The Streets' gig at the Edinburgh Picture House which was due to take place tonight has been postponed as bassist Wayne Vibes has swine flu. NOTE: The promoters have rescheduled the show to August 31.
August 14, 2009: Tickets on sale today include The Mars Volta at Edinburgh's Picture House on December 9, Gomez at Edinburgh's Queen's Hall on November 27 and - this will bring back memories of a misspent youth - A at Glasgow's King Tut's on December 7.
August 13, 2009: The Skinny are looking for a Listings Editor to work in their Edinburgh office. They'll pay you £300 per month. Closing date is August 18.
August 12, 2009: The Cinematics' PR team have just emailed us the band's new single Love And Terror and told us to "let The Pop Cop's readers in on it too". Does that mean offer it to you as a free download? If so, here it is. If not... oh well.
August 11, 2009: The View will headline the first night of the Loopallu festival in Ullapool which takes place on September 18/19.
August 7, 2009: The Zutons and Cassidy are playing a free gig at Glasgow Green on September 13 as part of an Irn-Bru-organised bid to break the world record for the most amount of people doing a can-can simultaneously, although nobody seems to know what the existing record actually is. If that's doesn't sound like a phenomenally shite day out, you can read more about it here.
Camera Obscura are playing the Glasgow Barrowland on October 29 - just six months after they last played there. Maybe that's a record too.
August 6, 2009: Super Furry Animals are playing Glasgow's ABC 1 on October 15. Tickets go on sale tomorrow.
The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival has sold out its 12,000 tickets in advance for the first time in its history.
August 5, 2009: The singer of Glasgow band Salon Society has been criticised by the Pope. Roxanne Claxton appears in a video at the Made In God's Image exhibition at the city's Gallery of Modern Art. In the clip, she rips pages out of a bible and stuffs them down her knickers and bra, as well as eating them. An adviser to Pope Benedict XVI condemned the exhibition as "disgusting and offensive", adding "they would not think of doing it to the Koran".
August 4, 2009: The world seems to have gone Beerjacket-crazy. Rolling Stone magazine have reviewed (and gushed about) his cover of Dancing In The Dark alongside Jay-Z, Katy Perry and Eminem - see here. There is also a full-page feature on him in today's Daily Record - see here.
August 3, 2009: The wonderful Slow Club have announced two gigs in Scotland - September 26 at Glasgow's Classic Grand and September 27 at Aberdeen's Tunnels. Noah And The Whale are playing Glasgow's Oran Mor on October 15.
July 31, 2009: As well as the Edinburgh date listed in today's post, The Bluetones are playing King Tut's on December 16 & 17 - and those gigs aren't being billed as 'one-album only' performances. Tickets are available to buy now from here
July 30, 2009: Twin Atlantic and The Joy Formidable have been added to the line-up for the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival on August 7/8. Howling Bells have pulled out.
July 29, 2009: Happy days. We Were Promised Jetpacks, Broken Records, Sparrow And The Workshop and Some Young Pedro are playing a free gig at Glasgow's Oran Mor on August 27 to celebrate The Mill's first birthday. To get a pair of tickets just text MILL27N to 82500 (it's the cost of a normal text). Thanks to Peenko for the tip-off.
July 28, 2009: Beerjacket's spellbinding cover of Bruce Springsteen's Dancing In The Dark has been given a brief, but no less impressive seal of approval by Steve Van Zandt, the E Street Band's guitarist, who wrote that he "liked it" on his Facebook page. You can download an mp3 of the Glasgow musician's version by right-clicking here or watch a fan-made YouTube video of it here.
July 27, 2009: James Yorkston, Alasdair Roberts and Adrian Crowley have been added to the Music Like A Vitamin bill in Glasgow. The Edinburgh leg at the Picture House on October 21 features Frightened Rabbit, Attic Lights, Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub), Rod Jones (Idlewild) and Euros Childs (Gorky's Zygotic Mynci). Tickets costing just £5 are available to buy from here for Glasgow and here for Edinburgh.
July 24, 2009: Emma Pollock and Karine Polwart are on the bill for Music Like A Vitamin - the opening concert of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival at Glasgow's Old Fruitmarket on October 1. Tickets cost just £5 + bf. Details can be found here.
Also just noticed that Mew are playing Glasgow's ABC on November 5. Tickets available here.
July 23, 2009: Broken Records are supporting The National on the American band's only UK date of the year at London's Royal Festival Hall on August 10.
July 22, 2009: 2manydjs have announced a gig at Glasgow's Academy on August 29. Tickets on sale now from Ticketweb.
Frightened Rabbit are making an appearance at Glasgow's Concert Hall on October 8 as part of the inaugural Scottish Royal Variety Performance. Tickets start at £65. Ouch.
July 21, 2009: Radio Scotland's Morning Extra team investigated whether Scottish festivals have reached "saturation point". You can listen back to the programme and read a supplementary article from the editor eFestivals.co.uk.
July 20, 2009: You can watch Beerjacket playing songs from his new album Animosity at a free instore gig tomorrow (5pm) in Avalanche, Glasgow. He's also playing the city's King Tut's on August 8 (with support from hotly-tipped The Seventeenth Century) and Edinburgh's Cabaret Voltaire on September 24.
July 17, 2009: The Xcerts will release a live mini-album called Live At King Tut's through iTunes on July 27. The eight-track record includes the previously unreleased song Beige. The concert itself took place on March 8.
A few new acts have been announced for the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival on August 7/8: Howling Bells, Rachel Unthank & The Winterset, Aberfeldy and Jonathan Jeremiah.
July 16, 2009: There are a heap of live videos from T in the Park available to watch on the BBC's TITP website. Several of them (particularly the Scottish acts) can be downloaded in mp3 format from Peenko.
July 15, 2009: Golden Silvers, Marina And The Diamonds, Local Natives and Yes Giantess will play Glasgow's Oran Mor on October 1 as part of the NME Radar Tour. Tickets priced £16.45 are available to buy now from here.
The The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival has announced the up-and-coming acts who will be playing their Seedlings Stage: Friday - The Side, Sergeant, St Deluxe, Flood Of Red, Bronto Skylift, Healthy Minds Collpase, Cast Of The Capital, Washington Irvine and Colour Coded. Saturday - Our Lunar Activities, Punch & The Apostles, Theatre Fall, Party Horse, Sucioperro, Naked Strangers, Cruiser, Cassidy and Three Times Daily.
July 14, 2009: No sooner is one T in the Park over than you can buy tickets for next year's festival. A limited batch are on sale here - rumoured headliners include the likes of Muse, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Green Day, Blink-182 and Biffy Clyro. Our favourite TITP chancer story from the weekend involved a Mancunian who told box office staff that "Danny Radcliffe" was thinking of coming on Saturday and that he was just waiting on word from Harry Potter himself. Needless to say, the actor didn't appear and the shameless blagger nonchalantly told staff that he and other members of 'Radcliffe's entourage' would just go in anyway. They were pointed in the direction of the exit.
July 13, 2009: You can download the Twin Atlantic song Lightspeed here for free. It's a taster for the band's new mini-album Vivarium which comes out in September.
July 10, 2009: Well done to Gong Fei, who have been voted best T Break act by 46% of The Pop Cop readers. You can see the Dundee band at T in the Park tomorrow from 12.00-12.30pm.
July 9, 2009: The List magazine have handily published the full running order and stage times for T in the Park here.
Jack's Mannequin's Glasgow gig on August 31 has been moved up from King Tut's to the QMU.
July 8, 2009: Follow me, follow me, leave your home and family. The Pop Cop is now on Twitter. Join us here.
July 7, 2009: Yeah Yeahs Yeahs are playing Glasgow's O2 Academy on December 4. Tickets go on sale on Friday.
July 6, 2009: Your Sound, the unsigned network run by King Tut's, will fund a five-date Scottish tour for two bands in September. There is a shortlist of six candidates so it's up to you to vote for who you want to see most. Your choice are Barn Owl, Bronto Skylift, Call To Mind, Lions. chase. tigers, My Cousin I Bid You Farewell and RBRBR. We're rooting for MCIBYF.
July 3, 2009: More cracking gigs to look forward to in Scotland have just been announced: There Will Be Fireworks are at Edinburgh's Electric Circus on July 14 and Aberdeen's Drummonds on July 15; Beerjacket is at Glasgow's King Tut's on August 8; Metric are at Edinburgh's Picture House on August 25; Jamie T is at Glasgow's Barrowlands on October 9; Bat For Lashes is at Glasgow's Academy on October 19 and Edinburgh's Picture House on October 20.
July 2, 2009: Holy shiz! Jack's Mannequin are playing their first ever gig in Scotland on August 31 to kick-off a four-date UK tour. Tickets for King Tut's, Glasgow go on sale at 9am today from here. We might just burst with excitement.
July 1, 2009: Maximo Park will play Glasgow Barrowlands on October 7. Tickets go on sale on Friday at 9am from the usual outlets.
June 30, 2009: The Gap, a small radio and promotions group based in West Lothian, are putting on a three-day festival called SOSfest at The GRV in Edinburgh from August 21-23, with headliners Tommy Reilly, The Xcerts and Sergeant. All shows are over-14s and there are loads of up-and-coming Scottish artists on each bill. Tickets cost £13.50 per day.
June 29, 2009: The Pixies are playing Glasgow's SECC on October 4. Tickets go on sale on Friday at 9am.
June 26, 2009: So RIP not just Michael Jackson but Steven Wells, a legendary writer at NME in the 80s and 90s. He once described Belle & Sebastian as "self-loving, knock-kneed, passive aggressive, dressed-up-in-kiddy-clothes, mock-pop-creepiness peddling, smug, underachieving, real-pop-hating no-talents celebrating their own inadequacy with music so white it's translucent".
June 25, 2009: The Pop Cop chose Roddy Hart as the first Scottish ambassador of the Music Alliance Pact and next week he'll be representing the nation again. The Glaswegian will be playing at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday to mark its 10th anniversary, just after the Queen addresses the chamber.
June 24, 2009: The Twilight Sad will perform their first Scottish headline gig of the year at Edinburgh's Bongo Club on July 2. Tickets are available here.
June 23, 2009: The Flying Duck venue in Glasgow is hosting a 16-band mini-festival on Sunday called Define Pop vs Club Overdrive. The full line-up is: CLUB OVERDRIVE STAGE: 16.30 Rollor, 17.20 Arca Felix, 18.10 United Fruit, 19.00 Hey Vampires, 19.50 Hey Enemy, 20.40 Das Filth, 21.30 Any Color Black, 22.20 Super Adventure Club; DEFINE POP STAGE: 16.40 My Cousin I Bid You Farewell, 17.30 The Martial Arts, 18.20 Free Korps, 19.10 Dirty Cuts, 20.00 Fridge Magnets, 20.50 Futuristic Reto Champions, 21.40 The Debuts, 22.30 Sugar Crisis. Tickets can be purchased for £8 from here.
June 22, 2009: De Rosa have split up. The gig they had scheduled for tomorrow at Glasgow's Oran Mor is therefore not happening.
June 19, 2009: Some newly-announced concerts to tell you about: Frightened Rabbit are playing a semi-secret free gig at The Goat in Glasgow on June 21, Ian Broudie (The Lightning Seeds) is at Edinburgh's Cabaret Voltaire on August 25, The Rumble Strips play Glasgow's ABC2 on September 28 and Grizzly Bear are at Glasgow's ABC1 on November 2.
June 18, 2009: Stuart Murdoch's God Help The Girl group made their first live outing yesterday afternoon at Lansdowne Parish Church in Glasgow, playing six songs to an invite-only audience. The performance was filmed so it should be up on their website in the near future.
June 17, 2009: Biffy Clyro have announced some Scottish dates: August 21 at Edinburgh's Corn Exchange, November 1 at Dundee's Caird Hall and November 2-3 at Glasgow's Barrowland. Tickets go on sale on Friday... or you could click here to access exclusive pre-sale tickets right now. Don't say we're not good to you.
June 16, 2009: Idlewild have begun mailing out copies of their new album Post Electric Blues to the 3,000 fans who pre-ordered it on their website. It is expected to get a conventional retail release in the next couple of months.
June 15, 2009: EXCLUSIVE: Perez Hilton's scheduled appearance at the Edinburgh International Television Festival at the end of August has been cancelled. No explanation has been given yet.
June 12, 2009: Tickets are on sale today for Editors at the Edinburgh Picture House on October 12 and Glasgow Barrowland on October 13.
June 10, 2009: The line-up for The Edge Festival in Edinburgh has just been announced and there's a disappointing lack of genuinely big names, although plenty of talent. The full rollcall is: David Byrne, The Stranglers, Calvin Harris, The Streets, Amanda Palmer, Enter Shikari, Emiliana Torrini, Broken Records, Frightened Rabbit, The Bluetones, Múm, Andrew Bird, Mumford & Sons, SOMA Night, Young Fathers, Unicorn Kid, Foy Vance, Your Sound Showcase and Malcolm Middleton. Gigs are scheduled from August 8-27 at the Playhouse, Picture House, Queens Hall, Studio 24 and Cabaret Voltaire. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster.
June 9, 2009: Organisers of this year's Scotcampus Freshers' Festival are looking for bands/artists to play at George Square, Glasgow on October 1-2. Anyone interested should email nicole@scotcampus.com with their band name, photo, web link and 50 words on why they should play.
June 8, 2009: Paisley boy Paolo Nutini has scored his first No.1 album with Sunny Side Up, which is a pretty brave departure from his debut pop album so fair play to him.
June 6, 2009: Biffy Clyro are playing at the Alhambra Theatre in Dunfermline on June 13 as a warm-up for Rockness. Tickets are on sale here priced £20.30.
June 5, 2009: We Were Promised Jetpacks and The Twilight Sad will both be performing short sets at HMV Buchanan Street, Glasgow on June 15 at 5pm. They'll also be signing stuff, preferably their CDs.
June 4, 2009: The line-up for The Edge Festival, the music arm of the Edinburgh Fringe which runs throughout August, will be unveiled on June 10.
June 3, 2009: Katy Perry has moved her imminent sell-out date at the Glasgow Barrowlands from June 6 to August 21 because she can make more money by going to a Russian awards show in Moscow instead. Muse are playing Glasgow's SECC on November 9. Tickets are available to buy from 9am on Friday and cost £41.25. Ouch. Also on sale that morning are tickets for the MOBO Awards at the SECC on September 30.
June 2, 2009: Silversun Pickups' Glasgow gig on July 1 has been moved from Stereo to Oran Mor.
June 1, 2009: Youth music project The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle is looking for five Glasgow acts of any genre to arrange, record and perform their own music, accompanied by members of eclectic group Music At The Brewhouse, for a special showcase gig at the Old Fruitmarket on November 25. Applicants must be between 16-25, resident in Glasgow and have been playing their own material for over a year. Interested bands/musicians can apply here before the June 22 deadline.
May 29, 2009: Stirling isn't known as being a hotbed for avant-garde music, but it will become precisely that with Le Weekend Festival which runs from this evening until Sunday and is now in its 12th year. Acts playing include Jazzsteppa & The Moody Boyz and Trembling Bells but not Broadcast, who cancelled their scheduled appearance at the last minute because they are "working on their next album" (i.e. they couldn't be arsed).
May 28, 2009: Calvin Harris is playing a few Scottish dates at the end of the year, namely The Picture House, Edinburgh on November 1; The Ironworks, Inverness on November 2; Fat Sam's, Dundee on November 3; and O2 Academy, Glasgow on November 4. Tickets will be going on sale soon.
May 27, 2009: A new 250-capacity venue is opening on June 2 in Market Street, Edinburgh called The Electric Circus. Even if you're not bothered about live music and club nights, you can't say no to private karaoke rooms.
May 26, 2009: There are a blizzard of album launches in Glasgow to stick in your diary: Malcolm Middleton (Waxing Gibbous) at Mono on May 31 (free); My Latest Novel (Deaths & Entrances) at Stereo on June 6; We Were Promised Jetpacks (These Four Walls) at King Tut's on June 15; Beerjacket (Animosity) at Oran Mor on June 17; There Will Be Fireworks (There Will Be Fireworks) at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy on July 1.
May 25, 2009: Glasgow band Cassidy have signed a £400,000, four-album deal with Mercury Records. Good on 'em.
May 22, 2009: Lock up your sons. Ubiquitous celebrity blogger Perez Hilton will give a talk at the Edinburgh International Television Festival. But even that won't top the appearance of The Wire actor Dominic West (Jimmy McNulty) and show creator David Simon. The festival runs from August 28-30.
May 21, 2009: Kirkintilloch lass Katie Sutherland, who was told to change her name to Pearl And The Puppets because it would improve her chances of getting a record deal (hey, it worked for Florence, Noah and Reverend) has signed to Universal. It's reassuring to know major labels are still run by imbeciles.
May 20, 2009: OK, so you spend more time than is healthy than on Facebook, MySpace, Bebo... now you can get paid for it. The Arches in Glasgow are looking for an Online Officer to generate publicity for their events through social networking sites and blogging. The job is 3 days per week, 10am-6pm, £15-17k pro rata. The application form is available here. If you'd prefer a job that's more likely to change people's lives, Live Music Now Scotland have a vacancy for a Development Officer in Edinburgh. See here for details.
May 19, 2009: Paolo Nutini, who sings like a jakey in his new single Candy, is playing two free in-store gigs on June 1 - HMV Buchanan Street, Glasgow at 1pm and HMV Lothian Road, Edinburgh at 7pm. Wristbands are available from 8am on the day.
May 18, 2009: A petition calling for Scotland to have its own entry in the Eurovision Song Contest has been lodged at Holyrood. Lynn Allan, one of the founders of the group Scotland In Eurovision, summed up the mood of the nation thus: "We have some spectacular talent in Scotland. Susan Boyle is testament to that." Twat.
May 15, 2009: Line-up details for next month's West End Festival in Glasgow are beginning to emerge. Acts playing at Òran Mór include Beerjacket on June 17, De Rosa on June 23, Emiliana Torrini on June 24 (in Auditorium) and the long-awaited live return of MAP favourites There Will Be Fireworks on June 24.
May 14, 2009: The Belladrum Tartan Heart festival in Inverness-shire on August 7/8 has been boosted by the additions of Noah And The Whale and Broken Records.
May 13, 2009: Robert Hubbert, former guitarist of Glasgow band El Hombre Trajeado, has launched a new kind of show, Will Play For Food - which is exactly how it sounds. He will do an acoustic set for you and your friends at your house for free as long as you make him dinner in return. Who knows, maybe you'll get an encore if you bring out the dessert.
May 12, 2009: The Sauchiehall Crawl is going ahead on Saturday, October 24. Last year's inaugural one-street event in Glasgow saw almost a dozen acts play across ABC 2, Nice 'n' Sleazy and The Beat Club. No word yet on which bands and venues will be involved this time.
May 11, 2009: T in the Park has added Camera Obscura (Friday, July 10, Futures Stage), Mumford & Sons (Saturday, July 11, King Tut's Tent) and The Maccabees (Friday, July 10, King Tut's Tent) to its festival line-up.
May 9, 2009: First it was the Homecoming festival on Irvine Beach then Beepfest and now The Outsider Festival has been cancelled. The event near Aviemore was due to be headlined by Teenage Fanclub and Sharleen Spiteri on June 27-28.
May 8, 2009: Dotjr song Where Stars Fall Down is featured in the trailer (fast-forward 35 seconds) for What Goes Up, a summer movie featuring Hilary Duff and Steve Coogan.
May 7, 2009: Beepfest has been cancelled. The all-day event had been due to take place on Saturday at the Glasgow School of Art with over a dozen acts including Aberfeldy and Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub). Manchester-based curators The Beep Seals, who were planning to split up after playing at the festival, blamed "various reasons beyond our control" for scrapping it.
May 6, 2009: The sixth annual Tigerfest gets underway today, with gigs in Edinburgh this week, Dunfermline next week and Aberdeen the week after. Artists on show include King Creosote, James Yorkston, Lord Cut-Glass, Ballboy, Aberfeldy, Meursault and Found. Click here for full line-up details.
May 5, 2009: Scottish post-punk new wave band TV21, who split up in 1982 immediately after supporting The Rolling Stones, will play a launch gig at Edinburgh's Voodoo Rooms on May 24 to celebrate the release of their second album, Forever 22, almost three decades after their debut came out. Frightened Rabbit singer Scott Hutchison and We Were Promised Jetpacks counterpart Adam Thompson will also be playing acoustic sets on the night. TV21 member Ally Palmer happens to be the dad of Jetpacks guitarist Michael. Tickets cost £6 plus postage.
May 4, 2009: EXCLUSIVE(always wanted to write that): Those Dancing Days singer Linnea Jönsson is jetting in from Sweden tomorrow to add vocals to a new God Help The Girl song that won't be on the forthcoming album. Look out for The Pop Cop's interview with Belle & Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch very soon.
May 3, 2009: It's not often that Doves make the front page of a national newspaper but the Sunday Mail and News of the World both reported that the first guy in Scotland to be confirmed with swine flu had been in the crowd at the Edinburgh Picture House for the Manchester band's gig on April 23. Before he was quarantined. It's just a wee cough, you'll get over it.
May 1, 2009: Hockey are playing Edinburgh's Cabaret Voltaire (tickets) on September 19 and Glasgow's King Tut's (tickets) on September 20. It'll set you back £9.52 + postage.
April 30, 2009: Free music time, wooh! To download a 26-song compilation of bands playing at Hinterland just visit here, click the Ticket Holders button, enter the download code 63H9HG77 and your email address. Check your email for a link from 7digital and click the Download Now button. The tracklisting is as follows:
Broken Records - Lies
Little Man Tate - Hey Little Sweetie
The Answering Machine - Another City, Another Sorry
Jesus H. Foxx - I'm Half The Man You Were
Eugene McGuinness - Moscow State Circus
Fangs - S.I.C.K.O. (remix)
Remember Remember - Up In A Blue Light
Three Trapped Tigers - 1
Theophilus London - Cold Pillow
Come On Gang! - Wheels
The Wave Pictures - Puncture My Ride
Edie Sedgwick - Sissy Spacek
Elks - Four Pale Letters
Phantom - We Float
Guanoman - Kaiseki
Geordi La Force - If They Ain't Vertical, They Are Horizontal
Panama Kings - Children
The Ray Summers - Ballad Of The Bitter Man
Soft Toy Emergency - White Lights
The Lines - Tracey
Manda Rin - Do The Static
Burn The Negative - Lights
The Lovely Eggs - Have You Ever Heard A Digital Accordion?
Desalvo - Ripper Situation
Wintermute - Disco Load-Out
These Monsters - Fleets Of Black Hovercraft
April 29, 2009: Far be it from us to suggest that tickets for Hinterland aren't selling very well, but the organisers are literally giving away a "limited number" of two-day passes for free if you email info@hinterlandfestival.com today with your name and how many wristbands you want. You will get email confirmation if your request is successful. Thanks to Peenko for the heads-up.
April 28, 2009: Green Day are playing at Glasgow's SECC on October 19. Tickets go on sale on Friday at 10am. Their new album 21st Century Breakdown is out on May 15.
April 27, 2009: The latest additions to T in the Park are Doves, Idlewild, Iglu & Hartly, Patrick Wolf, Dinosaur Pile-Up and Vagabond.
April 26, 2009: Uber-cool LA band Silversun Pickups, who gave us the six-minute modern classic Lazy Eye, are playing at Glasgow's Stereo on July 1. Tickets are on sale here priced £10.08, not including delivery.
April 25, 2009: Malcolm Middleton has pretty much guaranteed his place in The Pop Cop's best songs of 2009 list with Red Travellin' Socks, the first single from his new album Waxing Gibbous out in June. It's pop heaven.
April 24, 2009: Hot young things Boycotts will be appearing at the Montrose Music Festival, headlined by the mighty Deacon Blue on May 28/29. And they will also be supporting Cage The Elephant at Glasgow's QMU on May 18.
April 23, 2009: Cumbernauld favourites The Dykeenies will mark the release of their new single Sounds Of The City (which incidentally is the best thing they've done) with a secret over-18s fan-only gig in Glasgow on Monday. We could probably procure a couple of guesties if anyone fancies it - just email us at the usual address.
Limbo Live Vol 01 - a compilation featuring Scottish bands Zoey Van Goey, Found, Punch And The Apostles, Meursault, Over The Wall, Come On Gang!, Kid Canaveral, Night Noise Team, Haight Ashbury, Thieves In Suits, Sparrow And The Workshop, Cancel The Astronauts, A-lix and Isosceles - is released today. All 14 tracks were recorded live at The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh and can be bought here for £6.30 - or £4 if you go to the launch party tonight when nine of the bands are playing.
April 22, 2009: Must-see YouTube video time. Check out trial cyclist Danny MacAskill doing insane stunts on the streets of Edinburgh to the stirring strains of The Funeral by Band Of Horses here.
April 21, 2009: Edinburgh heroes Broken Records will kickstart their UK summer tour with three Scottish dates: June 2: Aberdeen Moshulu; June 3: Glasgow King Tut's; June 4: Dundee Doghouse.
April 20, 2009: The full schedule for next week's Hinterland festival is now online here with stage times and venues. Two new additions to the line-up are Beerjacket and Cassidy.
Camera Obscura are not playing at Hinterland, but they are on the telly tonight. You can catch them on Channel 4 at 12.55am (so technically Tuesday morning) for a 15-minute live performance and interview.
April 18, 2009: Scotland, a country that has produced no music of black origin that we know of, will host this year's MOBO Awards. The star-studded ceremony (Lemar! JLS!) will take place on September 30 at Glasgow's SECC. Our cyncism might disappear if we get invited.
April 17, 2009: Crikey, it's all happening on the festival front. The Homecoming Festival, due to take place at Irvine Beach on May 2-3 has been cancelled due to "financial" problems. Charging £100 for a weekend ticket to see Reverend And The Makers and Ms Dynamite probably wasn't the most sound business plan.
If you bought tickets (seriously?), we suggest you divert your refund towards Hinterland. Tickets are on sale here for the reduced price of £33.75 (weekend) and £18.75 (one day) until midnight tonight.
The latest acts to sign up for T in the Park are Noisettes, VV Brown, The Horrors, The Twang, Tommy Reilly, The Temper Trap and Will And The People.
April 16, 2009: Edinburgh/Glasgow events magazine The List is advertising for a new editor. Candidates must be "calm and good-humoured". If that's you then apply here before the April 24 deadline.
April 15, 2009: The Pop Cop can exclusively reveal some line-up details for the Hinterland festival in Glasgow. On April 30, The Fall are at The Arches, The Xcerts are at The Art School and Tommy Reilly is at King Tut's. On May 1, Sons & Daughters are at The Arches, Broken Records are at The Classic Grand and We Were Promised Jetpacks are at ABC2.
April 14, 2009: The line-up for annual indie shindig Tigerfest has been announced. Among the highlights sprawled across Dunfermline, Edinburgh and Aberdeen next month are King Creosote, James Yorkston, De Rosa and Aberfeldy. Also on show is the first full band performance from Lord Cut-Glass, ex-Delgados singer Alun Woodward's rather delicious new pop project.
April 13, 2009: The wonderful Okkervil River are stopping off at Glasgow's Oran Mor on September 9 as part of their UK tour. You can buy a ticket now from here for £15.85.
April 12, 2009: Congratulations to freakishly tall Dumfries disco dude Calvin Harris, whose song I'm Not Alone has made him the first Scot to have a No.1 in the UK singles charts since Leon Jackson in 2007.
April 11, 2009: De Rosa are supporting Doves on three dates in England next week (Cambridge's Corn Exchange, April 15; Brighton's Dome, April 16; Birmingham's O2 Academy, April 17). A little-known fact is that De Rosa member Andrew Bush's old band Pariah supported Doves at King Tut's nine years ago.
April 10, 2009: Any unsigned acts wanting to play at this year's T in the Park have until April 15 to submit their demos here in order to be in the running to get on the T Break stage.
April 9, 2009: Beth Ditto and her Gossip chums are playing at The Arches in Glasgow on May 30. Tickets costing £16.80 each are on sale now from here.
April 8, 2009: Isle of Lewis singer-songwriter and former Music Alliance Pact pick Dotjr has put up a cover of Kings of Leon's Use Somebody on his MySpace. It's pretty lush.
April 7, 2009: Glasgow venue The Arches has just extended the run of &tweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_shearches.co.uk/ALIEN-WARS.htm">Alien Wars by another five months due to popular demand. Alien Wars, which is an interactive total reality adventure similar to the Aliens films, now runs until AAugust31.
April 6, 2009: Teenage Fanclub have been announced as Sunday headliners (June 28) for The Outsider Festival near Aviemore. Guitarist Ray McGinley said: "We've just finished out new record and this is us emerging into real life again. We don't know if it will be out in time for the festival but we'll definitely be playing some new songs as well as things you've heard before."
April 3, 2009: The upcoming Friendly Fires/Hockey double bill has proved so popular that both Scottish shows have been moved up to larger venues. The Edinburgh gig on May 6 has been switched from Studio 24 to the Picture House, while the one in Glasgow on May 7 has been switched from the QMU to ABC 1.
April 2, 2009: Kyle Falconer's inability to handle his drink saw The View leave yet more fans disappointed. The Dundee band's singer took ill two songs into their show at Austria's Snowbombing Festival through excessive alcohol consumption. Last October, Kyle was so drunk he was unable to perform at a gig in Nottingham.
April 1, 2009: Singer-songwriter Roddy Hart has been invited to represent our proud nation at Scotland Week in America. The Glaswegian boy wonder is playing at the St Andrews Bar in New York on April 3 and April 10.
March 31, 2009: If you don't want to hedge your bets on winning The Pop Cop competition then you'll be keen to know that today is the last day you can buy a two-day Hinterland early-bird ticket for £38.75. It'll be £7 more expensive from April 1.
March 30, 2009: The ABC will be renamed O2 ABC Glasgow after the Academy Music Group became majority shareholders. AMG, which is owned by Live Nation, already runs the O2 Academy in the city.
March 28, 2009: The first acts have been announced for this year's Outsider Festival near Aviemore. On the bill on June 27-28 are The Futureheads, We Were Promised Jetpacks, King Creosote, Malcolm Middleton, James Yorkston, The Phantom Band, Drever, McCusker & Woomble, Attic Lights and Lau. And Sharleen Spiteri. Early-bird weekend tickets costing £60 (inc bookng fee) are on sale until April 13. Should be a good 'un.
March 27, 2009: Gig sketcher Jenny Soep, who was recently featured on The Pop Cop, will launch her Sketching The Scene solo show at Mono in Glasgow on April 6. She will also be drawing David Byrne on March 31 and at the Hinterland festival.
March 26, 2009: All Of My Days by Scottish singer-songwriter Alexi Murdoch is being used on the trailer for Sam Mendes' new movie Away We Go.
March 25, 2009: Manic Street Preachers will play the Glasgow Barrowlands on May 25. Tickets priced £25 each (not including fees) go on sale from Friday, 9.30am from here.
March 24, 2009: Frightened Rabbit are set for their biggest headlining show yet. They have announced on their MySpace that they are playing Edinburgh's Queens Hall on August 21, which would coincide with The Edge festival, although according to the venue website, the gig has not been confirmed and they would kindly ask fans to stop calling them about it!
March 23, 2009: Mumford & Sons have cancelled their gig at Stereo, Glasgow on April 4. If you want to see them in Scotland you can now catch them at Studio 24, Edinburgh on May 1 supporting The Maccabees and at King Tut's, Glasgow on September 12.
November 26, 2009: Mumford & Sons have announced a new tour for next spring including two dates in Scotland - Glasgow's ABC on March 3 and Edinburgh's Queens Hall on March 16. A limited amount of pre-sale tickets are available for the Glasgow show now from here. Both shows go on general sale at 9am tomorrow.
November 25, 2009: The Pop Cop would like to wish Barrie O'Neill from Glasgow band Cassidy a speedy recovery after he was seriously injured in an accident in London yesterday. Get well soon, mate.
November 24, 2009: The List are looking for a new Music Editor. Application details can be found in the magazine's current issue.
November 23, 2009: King Creosote will perform his new, never-to-be-studio recorded album, My Nth Bit Of Strange In Umpteen Years, from start to finish at the seventh annual Homegame festival in Fife on March 12-14. There's a twist, though: KC will play the same set seven times over the weekend to groups of 40 and all ticket holders must bring a device with which to record the gig (a mobile phone will do), with online sharing encouraged. Tickets for Homegame go on sale on December 1 via the Fence Records website.
November 20, 2009: Stereophonics will be playing an intimate gig at Glasgow's Classic Grand on December 12 for 400 competition winners picked via 18 radio stations across the UK including Forth One (Edinburgh), MFR (Inverness), Northsound 1 (Aberdeen), Tay FM (Dundee), Clyde 1 (Glasgow), West FM (Ayr) and Radio Borders (Galashiels).
Up-and-coming acts have the chance to get themselves on the bill of Glasgow's Hogmanay celebrations at George Square. Nine shortlisted artists will take part in public showcases on November 26, December 3 and December 10, with each heat followed by a week of online voting. Apply here to get involved.
Big In Falkirk has been scrapped by the local council due to cost-cutting measures. The free outdoor festival ran for 10 years.
November 19, 2009: Pre-sale tickets are available now for Twin Atlantic's gig at Glasgow's ABC on February 6. If that wasn't exciting enough, street dance troupe Diversity are playing Glasgow's Clyde Auditorium on March 30. Yes! Tickets go on sale on Saturday priced £18.50 (not including booking fees).
November 18, 2009: The Tartan Clef Awards at Glasgow's SECC on November 27 will feature live performances from The View, King Creosote, Mott The Hoople and Lloyd Cole & The Commotions. The annual event raises money for Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy in Scotland.
November 17, 2009: A new Edinburgh-based music event called Charity Baw celebrates its launch night on Saturday at the city's Roxy Art House with three rooms of live bands and DJs. Acts on show include headliners The Real Tuesday Weld, Aberfeldy, Withered Hand, The Parsonage, Come On Gang!, Big Ned, Little Eskimos and Benni Hemm Hemm. Tickets are available from Avalanche and We Got Tickets for £10. The inaugural Baw will be in aid of Oxfam.
November 16, 2009: Frightened Rabbit's crazily-addictive new song Swim Until You Can't See Land is released today - buy it here. With a bit of support it could even be their first top 40 single.
November 13, 2009: The much-maligned Homecoming Live flagship event set to take place on November 28 in Glasgow has been downscaled due to poor ticket sales. Acts who were due to play in the SECC’s Hall 4 (Deacon Blue, The Skids, Hue And Cry, Midge Ure, The Bluebells, etc) have been moved to the Clyde Auditorium. Those who were originally earmarked for the Clyde Auditorium (Mike Scott, Eddi Reader, etc) will now play in the SECC’s Lomond Suite. The indie acts in the SECC’s Hall 3 (The View, Teenage Fanclub, Idlewild, etc) are staying put. Remaining tickets (of which there are many) can be bought here.
November 12, 2009: The Define Pop Festival 2 takes place this weekend at The Flying Duck in Glasgow, with a plethora of unsigned Scottish talent to support and discover. Here are the stage times:
SATURDAY (tickets)
Living Room Stage
22.20 Kid Canaveral
21.30 Vendor Defender
20.40 Kochka
19.50 The Costapeens
19.00 Mickey 9's
18.10 Louise Against The Elements
17.20 Miniature Dinosaurs
Kitchen Stage
22.30 Young Aviators
21.40 Gdansk
20.50 Pacific Theatre
20.00 Other People
19.10 The Morgue Party Candidate
18.20 The Blessed Order Of Fallen Stars
17.30 Make Sparks
16.40 Little Yellow Ukuleles
SUNDAY (tickets)
Living Room Stage
22.20 Yahweh
21.30 The Second Hand Marching Band
20.40 The Lava Experiments
19.50 Diamond Sea
19.00 Julia And The Doogans
18.10 Incrediboy And The Forget Me Nots
17.20 Esperi
16.30 Lovers Turn To Monsters
Kitchen Stage
22.30 Pooch
21.40 Nevada Base
20.50 Stereo Grand
20.00 Dead Boy Robotics
19.10 Little Eskimos
17.30 Lad Lazarus
16.40 Marshall Chipped
November 11, 2009: Edinburgh's Hogmanay line-up has been fleshed out a bit with some new names and now looks like this:
Concert in the Gardens: Madness, Noisettes, Codeine Velvet Club (general admission tickets / enclosure tickets).
The Waverley Stage: The Enemy, Frightened Rabbit, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Stanley Odd (Street Party tickets).
The Mound Party Stage: The Cuban Brothers, Glitterbanditz.
West End DJ Stage: Mylo, Gary & Tom (Snow Patrol), Richard Colburn (Belle & Sebastian).
November 10, 2009: We're back! Did you miss us? After three weeks without internet, the unread tally in The Pop Cop's inbox has spiralled out of control. It could take us another three weeks just to restore normality. OK, the following information might not be hot off the press, but here are some diary-worthy gigs that have been announced recently...
Glasgow: Kevin Devine at Captain's Rest on December 8; Julian Casablancas at ABC on December 12; Adam Green at Stereo on January 29; Hot Chip at Academy on February 13; Vampire Weekend at Barrowlands on February 13; Midlake at ABC on February 15; The Temper Trap at ABC on May 13; and Cara Dillon at Classic Grand on May 27.
An extensive programme for Celtic Connections 2010 has also been released, with the indie highlights of the festival being Stuart Murdoch (Belle & Sebastian), Lisa Hannigan and Co singing the songs of Nick Drake on January 20 at the Royal Concert Hall, Fyfe Dangerfield (Guillemots) and Stornoway (The Pop Cop's first ever Weekend Anthem picks) at ABC on January 20, and Chemikal Undergound's 15th birthday party at ABC on January 31.
Edinburgh: Thomas Western has a residency at The Bowery every Friday in November; In addition, check out Hot Chip at Picture House on February 13; Vampire Weekend at Picture House on February 14; and The Temper Trap at Picture House on May 14.
October 18, 2009: The Pop Cop is taking its own advice and stepping away from the computer. Yes, we're going on holiday! The bad news is that The Goss won't be updated till November 9. But the good news is that we've scheduled a whole load of posts to be published in our absence, with a couple of guest columnists thrown in to boot. So you might not really notice much difference...
October 16, 2009: Half-decent newly-announced gigs on sale today include The Magic Numbers at Glasgow's Oran Mor on December 9 and Edinburgh's Bongo Club on December 10, and The Cinematics at Glasgow's King Tut's on December 23.
Oh, and if you haven't already seen the Under The Radar vs The Pop Cop article, 'How many new bands is too many?' then you might want to take a look. Judging by the comments so far, the good Pop Cop name appears to be getting dragged through the mud! Ho-hum ;o)
October 15, 2009: Top Scottish snooker player Stephen Maguire is playing an exhibition match this weekend against Krystof Michal, who is famous in the Czech Republic for being the frontman of rock group Support Lesbiens. You can't get more random than that!
October 14, 2009: Three out of the 33 bands heading to Manchester next week play at In The City's unsigned showcase are Scottish. They are Unicorn Kid, Copy Haho and Woodenbox With A Fistful Of Fivers. In addition, fellow Scots acts Frightened Rabbit, Twin Atlantic, Fangs, The Ray Summers, Esther O'Connor and the shockingly bad The Law are doing live shows as part of the British music industry's talent-spotting shindig.
October 13, 2009: The xx will play Studio 24 in Edinburgh on March 9 as part of their UK tour. Tickets go on sale on Friday.
October 12, 2009: The full line-up for the Oxjam Glasgow Takeover on October 24/25 is listed below. Tickets cost £8.80 from here - you then exchange that for a wristband which gives you access to all venues on both days.
Saturday, October 24 - 13th Note: Dave Hughes And The Renegade Folk Punk Band, Roscoe Vacant, El Bastardos, Judith Harron, Jimmy Richards, Billy Liar, Roberto Cassani, The Moth And The Mirror, Shambles Miller; Metropolitan: Martin John Henry, Mike Nisbet, Jamie Keenan, Malcolm Ross ABC - Polar Bar: Brother Louis Collective, John B McKenna, Full House, Ben Chaddock, Mike And Solveig; Britannia Panopticon Music Hall: Jonny Jack, Paul McGranaghan, Pure Brass; Blackfriars: The Xcerts, Cuba Cuba, The Lafontaines, Atlas Skye, The Marder, Young States; The V Club: My Cousin I Bid You Farewell, Esperanza, Lions.Chase.Tigers., Glider, Hidden Masters; The Vale: Vendor Defender, Homework, Ben TD, Gong Fei, The Reveres, Endor; Sloan: Strike The Colours, Zoey Van Goey, The Low Miffs, Yahweh, Le Reno Amps, The Seventeenth Century.
Sunday, October 25 - Brunswick Hotel Penthouse Suite: Emma Curran, Andrea Marini, David Bova, Mark McCabe; Pivo Pivo: Tango In The Attic, The Deals, Schnapps, The Dull Fudds, Big Ned, Bwani Juntion, Wilson Tan, Eddy And The T Bolts, The Black Delorian, The 123s, Three Blind Wolves, The Deneros, The Cellophanes; The Admiral: Be A Familiar, Yoshi, The Social Services, Haight Ashbury, The Apologists, Alex Wayt, The French Wives, Castaway; Capitol: Tempercalm, Nacional, Ming Ming And The Ching Chings, Call Me Ishmael, Barn Owl, Maple Leaves, Boycotts, Casino Brag; McChuills: Nine Circles, My Actions Your Exit, Little Eskimos, Reginald, Bad Day?, Albino Monk, Fanzine Hero; Mono: Attic Lights, El Dog, United Fruit, The Mode, Fox Gang, Odeon Beatclub, Dbass Collective, Man At The Window; Basuro Blanco (Brunswick Hotel Basement): Lowreck, Jan Cree, Gareth Whitehead, My Evil Twin, Chris Coulston.
October 9, 2009: Here's today's gig news - Cassidy have added a couple of free in-store gigs to their Scottish tour, namely October 22 in Avalanche, Edinburgh and October 26 in Avalanche, Glasgow... Fionn Regan is playing Glasgow's Captain's Rest on November 9 (tickets) - go along, if only to hear him play his beautiful song Hey Rabbit... Mika is heading to Glasgow's Academy on February 22 (tickets)... and finally, the Borders Music and Comedy Festival sees Idlewild at Victoria Hall, Selkirk on November 1 (tickets), McIntosh Ross (ex-Deacon Blue) at Melrose's Corn Exchange on November 3 (tickets), Broken Records at Tait Hall, Kelso on November 7 (tickets), and Trashcan Sinatras, Brother Louis Collective and The Seventeenth Century at Tait Hall, Kelso on November 13 (tickets).
October 8, 2009: EXCLUSIVE: The full line-up for Oxjam Edinburgh on October 23 looks like this - Cabaret Voltaire: Dead Boy Robotics, Boycotts, Three Blind Wolves, Frightened Rabbit (Scott Hutchison solo set), Song, By Toad DJ set; The Bowery: The Occasional Flickers, Y'All Is Fantasy Island, Jesus H. Foxx, Meursault, Cammy Watts DJ set; Sneaky Pete's: Chutes, The Little Kicks, Woodenbox With A Fistful Of Fivers; City Cafe: Conquering Animal Sound, The Last Battle, Pose Victorious, Paper Beats Rock, Le Reno Amps, Come On Gang!; The Wee Red Bar: Snide Rhythms, The Shellsuit Massacre, My Electric Love Affair. Tickets cost £7.70 from here - you then exchange that for a wristband which gives you access to all venues on the day.
October 7, 2009: If ever there was a story that showed record labels are screwed up beyond belief, this is it. Edwyn Collins has been barred from streaming his song, A Girl Like You, in full through his own MySpace page because the website is under the impression the copyright is held by Warners, when it is in fact owned by the Scot himself. Furthermore, the song is being sold illegally on the internet by "major labels whose license to sell it ran out years ago and who do not account to him", according to his wife and manager, Grace Maxwell. You can read messages of support from various sources including, somewhat randomly, Wheatus of Teenage Dirtbag fame, here.
October 6, 2009: Madness will headline this year's Hogmanay celebrations in Edinburgh. Try to contain your excitement. Tickets go on sale on Saturday. The rest of the line-up will be announced on November 12.
October 5, 2009: Taio Cruz has given the thumbs-up to Aberdeen-based band Outbox after hearing their cover of his current No.1 single Break Your Heart. You can compare both versions on Cruz's YouTube page.
October 2, 2009: Reloaded Fest takes place at Stirling's Tolbooth venue tomorrow. There are 16 acts over three stages including Twin Atlantic, Tommy Reilly and Jack Butler. Doors open at 4pm and tickets cost £10. You can check availability by calling 01786 274000.
October 1, 2009: Sergeant will be self-releasing their self-titled debut album on October 12 on their own Shy Recordings label. Produced by John Leckie, it includes the singles they brought out on Mercury before they were dropped, Sunshine and K-Ok, as well as recent release Counting Down The Days. Right-click here to download a free mp3 of album closer It All Comes Back To Me, which is a very pleasant taster of what the jangly Glenrothes band do best.
September 30, 2009: Fanfarlo are playing a free "guerilla gig" in The Cloisters area of the main building of Glasgow University at 1pm tomorrow (Thursday). See here for a photo of the exact location.
September 29, 2009: Hearts Football Club have launched an admirable new music initiative for kids who may be involved or at risk of becoming involved in antisocial or criminal behaviour. Tynecastle Stadium in Edinburgh will house guitars, drum kits, keyboards, PA system, SmartBoard and other equipment that will motivate and inspire learning. Music tutors will be on hand to provide lessons, while Mike Daniel aka M.A.D. from Groove Armada is also assisting in the Hearts Music Project's development.
September 25, 2009: It's moving day. General Fiasco's gig in Dundee on Tuesday has been switched from The Doghouse to Dexters; Fanfarlo's show in Glasgow on Wednesday is now at King Tut's instead of ABC2; and the NME Radar Tour featuring Golden Silvers, Marina And The Diamonds, Local Natives and Yes Giantess on Thursday has also been moved to King Tut's from Oran Mor.
September 24, 2009: The two-day Scotcampus Freshers' Festival at George Square in Glasgow will see Exile Parade, Pooch, The Meat Men, Nevada Base, Suspire, Little Eskimos, Annie Stevenson, My Cousin I Bid You Farewell and Sinister Flynn play on October 1, while Lost In Audio, The Black Hang Gang, Tango In The Attic, Nixa, Ardent John, Epic 26, Isa & The Filthy Tongues, Bronto Skylift and Must Be Something play on October 2. Bands are on stage from 10am until 6pm and entry is free.
September 23, 2009: Tommy Reilly's debut album Words On The Floor is out this week. You know what? It's actually a really good listen. He's doing free instore performances this week at HMV stores in Stiring (today, 1pm), Livingston (today, 5pm), Dundee (tomorrow, 5pm) and Glasgow Buchanan Street (Friday, 5pm).
September 22, 2009: EXCLUSIVE: Roddy Hart's Scottish tour with his band The Lonesome Fire in support of his incredible forthcoming album Sign Language looks like this: November 17, Inverness Hootananny; November 18, Perth Red Rooms; November 19, Edinburgh Sneaky Pete's; November 20, Glasgow Oran Mor; November 22, Ayr Libertine.
September 21, 2009: Does anyone fancy a night out at the opera? We've got two free tickets for Donizetti's The Elixir of Love at Glasgow's Theatre Royal on Wednesday evening to give away. Just send us a direct message on Twitter with your name and they can be yours.
September 19, 2009: EXCLUSIVE: Frightened Rabbit's full Scottish headlining tour looks like this: November 27, BA Club, Fort William; November 28, Tolbooth, Stirling; November 29, Ironworks, Inverness; December 1, Moshulu, Aberdeen; December 2, Fat Sams, Dundee; and finally for the big Christmas finale... December 22, ABC, Glasgow.
Soulwax/2 Many DJs are playing Braehead Arena on December 18. Pre-sale tickets are available here ahead of general release on Wednesday.
September 18, 2009: Other Glasgow venues have got in on the Homecoming Live shenanigans. On November 28, the Clyde Auditorium will host Eddi Reader, Mike Scott (The Waterboys), Evelyn Glennie & Philip Smith and Dougie MacLean. King Tut's has The Pastels and 1990s on November 27, Sergeant on November 28 and We Were Promised Jetpacks on November 29. And the bill for SECC Hall 3 (i.e. not the over-40s hall - see September 7 bulletin) has been bolstered by the additions of Codeine Velvet Club and The Dykeenies. Tickets on sale now for the lot of them from here.
September 17, 2009: Glasgow superstar-in-waiting Roddy Hart has only just gone and made the best pop single of the year. Here's the video for Send A Message:
September 16, 2009: The beautiful people at One Little Indian Records have given The Pop Cop a pair of tickets to give away for each of Kill It Kid's two gigs in Scotland next month as well as a free copy of the band's soon-to-be-released debut album. To be in with a chance of winning, just email thepopcop@gmail.com with your name, address and which venue you want to see them in - your choices are Edinburgh's Cabaret Voltaire on October 7 or Glasgow's Captain's Rest on October 8. Support on both night comes from the abysmal Sparrow And The Workshop. Closing date for comp is September 24.
September 15, 2009: EXCLUSIVE: The first single from Frightened Rabbit's new album will be Swim Until You Can’t See Land. Its release date is November 16 and it is augmented by a string arrangement from German musician Hauschka. Scott Hutchison describes it thus: "'Swim Until You Can't See Land' was the title I had in my mind before I even started writing the album; I was becoming more and more interested in the idea of a rejection of the habits and behaviour most people see as normal, and in turn embracing a certain madness. It's about losing your mind in order to reset the mind and the body. Forget what's gone before and wash it out. This is not necessarily a geographical journey, as the 'swim' can involve any activity in which you can lose yourself. It's a good introduction to the record as the theme unravels therein." The b-side will be Fun Stuff, which was previously known as Last Tango In Brooklyn. The new album is scheduled for a spring 2010 release.
September 14, 2009: A fair few acts have been announced for the Oxjam Glasgow Takeover Festival which takes place across various venues throughout the city on October 24/25. Confirmed on the bill are Alex Wayt, Andrea Marini, The Black Hand Gang, Call Me Ishmael, Casino Brag, Dave Hughes & The Renegade Folk Punk Band, Emma Curran, Homework, The LaFontaines, The Marder, Martin John Henry (formerly of De Rosa), Mike Nisbet, The Mode, The Moth & The Mirror, Nacional, Out Of Samsara, Reginald, The Reveres, Tempercalm and Trapped In Kansas.
September 11, 2009: The relentless Broken Records have announced a new tour for November which includes six Scottish dates: Nov 7 Tait Hall, Kelso; Nov 8 Oran Mor, Glasgow; Nov 10 Perth Theatre, Perth; Nov 11 Cafe Drummond, Aberdeen; Nov 12 Ironworks, Inverness; Nov 13 Skinandi's, Thurso.
September 10, 2009: Want to hear arguably the best Vic Galloway session ever? Do yourself a favour and download Beerjacket's two-song Radio 1 set via Peenko. Incredible stuff.
September 9, 2009: Teenage Fanclub and Edwyn Collins are teaming up tomorrow night for a free gig at Mono at 10.30pm.
Turin Brakes are heading north for gigs at Stornoway Woodland Centre on October 2, Inverness Ironworks on October 3 and Aberdeen Snafu on October 5. Tickets available here.
And if you want pre-sale tickets for Florence And The Machine at Glasgow's Academy on December 9, click here.
September 8, 2009: Arctic Monkeys are playing Glasgow's SECC on November 24, with support from Eagles of Death Metal. Tickets go on sale on Friday at 9am. Better still, the sublime Tegan And Sara are playing Edinburgh's Picture House on November 15, with tickets available on Thursday. Or there's always Marilyn Manson at the Glasgow Academy on December 15. O2 priority pre-sale tickets are buyable now by slyly clicking here.
September 7, 2009: Details of the showpiece event for the Homecoming Scotland celebrations on November 28 have been announced. Dubbed 'Homecoming Live - The Final Fling', Glasgow's SECC will host Deacon Blue, Lloyd Cole, Hue And Cry, Midge Ure, The Bluebells, James Grant, Kevin McDermott and Tommy Reilly in Hall 4. While in Hall 3, you will find The Vaselines, Idlewild and King Creosote. Hall 3 it is, then. Tickets are available from here on Friday.
September 6, 2009: Tickets are on sale tomorrow for Modest Mouse at Glasgow's ABC on December 10. Them Crooked Vultures - the rock supergroup featuring Josh Homme (Queens of the Stone Age), John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) and Dave Grohl (Foo Fighters) - are playing Edinburgh's Corn Exchange on December 15 but that one is already sold out so hard cheese.
September 4, 2009: Local musicians hoping to go to the SXSW festival in Texas next March can get advice at free seminars run by the Scottish Arts Council and Cultural Enterprise Office. The sessions take place on September 17 (Glasgow ABC2, 7pm) and September 18 (Edinburgh Scottish Arts Council office, 2pm) and will cover applications, visas, the Showcase Scotland events and funding. Speakers at the Glasgow event include Sons And Daughters frontman Scott Paterson and Camera Obscura manager Francis Macdonald. The Edinburgh event has members of Found. To attend, email events@culturalenterpriseoffice.co.uk or call 0844 544 9990.
September 3, 2009: Pre-sale tickets are available NOW for Regina Spektor's gig at the Glaagow Academy on December 1 - fill your boots here. Get in. Tickets go on general sale tomorrow.
September 2, 2009: The Freak Music website has just had a major revamp. It's a one-stop shop for booking Scottish bands and DJs for private functions as well as bars and clubs. It offers a 'try before you buy' service so you can see and hear what you might be letting yourself in for - always advisable to weed out any potential covers of Mustang Sally.
September 1, 2009: Idlewild are playing six Scottish dates: November 1, Victoria Hall, Selkirk; November 2, Fat Sams, Dundee; November 4, Picture House, Edinburgh; November 5, Ironworks, Inverness; November 6, Moshulu, Aberdeen; November 7, BA Club, Fort William.
August 28, 2009: The Glasgow Film Theatre will be showing the Noah And The Whale film that accompanies their new album The First Days Of Spring on Tuesday at 8.30pm. Singer Charlie Fink, who wrote and directed the film, will be doing a Q&A afterwards. You can buy tickets for the screening here.
August 27, 2009: Cassidy fans are being offered a two-in-one deal that lets them get the band's debut single Night In The Box and a ticket for the launch gig at Glasgow's King Tut's on October 25 for £8.
Pearl And The Puppets have been added to the bill for the free Irn-Bru Can Clan event at Glasgow Green on September 13.
August 26, 2009: Ash have announced details of a rather unique UK tour that will see them will play towns in alphabetical order, beginning in Aldershot on October 19 and ending in the village of Zennor on November 23. The jaunt includes three Scottish dates: Dundee's Fat Sams on October 23, East Grange's The Loft on October 24 and Falkirk's Behind The Wall on October 25. Clever, huh? Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 9am.
August 25, 2009: You can now hear the first fruits of Jon Fratelli's side-project Codeine Velvet Club - a collaboration with Glaswegian cabaret-jazz singer Lou Hickey. A video of Vanity Kills, the first single from their self-titled album out in November, is online here. The band, who were briefly known as The Codeine Breakfast Club, play their debut gig at Glasgow's Classic Grand on September 15. Tickets available here.
August 24, 2009: Broken Records have covered The Beatles song Oh! Darling to mark the 40th anniversary of the release of Abbey Road. You can find it on the CD given away with this month's Mojo magazine.
August 21, 2009: Chemikal Underground will be re-releasing albums by their two newest signings. Glasgow-based twee-pop trio Zoey Van Goey's debut The Cage Was Unlocked All Along comes out in October, while Dublin singer Adrian Crowley's fifth record Season Of The Sparks is scheduled for November.
August 20, 2009: Couple more newly-announced gig dates for your diary: San Franciscan space-rockers LoveLikeFire will be at Glasgow's Capitol (moved from the now-closed Twisted Wheel venue) on September 22. Popular emo types You Me At Six are playing Dundee's Fat Sam's on September 11, Edinburgh's Bongo Club on September 12 and Aberdeen's Moshulu on September 13. Tickets go on sale tomorrow.
August 19, 2009: Snow Patrol will play Glasgow's Clyde Auditorium on November 30 as part of the most over-priced tour ever. Ticket prices for the all-seated gig range from £35-£55, not including booking fees, and go on general sale tomorrow at 9am. The show will incorporate songs from (and members of) Gary Lightbody's side-project The Reindeer Section.
August 18, 2009: The Cave Singers, who made the 9th best album of 2008, are playing Glasgow's Stereo on November 13 and Edinburgh's Electric Circus on November 14 as part of the Shred Yr Face tour with fellow American bands Espers and Woods.
August 17, 2009: There Will Be Fireworks are offering tickets for their headline show at Glasgow's King Tut's on Thursday for £5 - which is cheaper than you'll pay on the door. Just email the band if you want to reserve any. Support comes from Lions.Chase.Tigers and Baldego.
August 15, 2009: The Streets' gig at the Edinburgh Picture House which was due to take place tonight has been postponed as bassist Wayne Vibes has swine flu. NOTE: The promoters have rescheduled the show to August 31.
August 14, 2009: Tickets on sale today include The Mars Volta at Edinburgh's Picture House on December 9, Gomez at Edinburgh's Queen's Hall on November 27 and - this will bring back memories of a misspent youth - A at Glasgow's King Tut's on December 7.
August 13, 2009: The Skinny are looking for a Listings Editor to work in their Edinburgh office. They'll pay you £300 per month. Closing date is August 18.
August 12, 2009: The Cinematics' PR team have just emailed us the band's new single Love And Terror and told us to "let The Pop Cop's readers in on it too". Does that mean offer it to you as a free download? If so, here it is. If not... oh well.
August 11, 2009: The View will headline the first night of the Loopallu festival in Ullapool which takes place on September 18/19.
August 7, 2009: The Zutons and Cassidy are playing a free gig at Glasgow Green on September 13 as part of an Irn-Bru-organised bid to break the world record for the most amount of people doing a can-can simultaneously, although nobody seems to know what the existing record actually is. If that's doesn't sound like a phenomenally shite day out, you can read more about it here.
Camera Obscura are playing the Glasgow Barrowland on October 29 - just six months after they last played there. Maybe that's a record too.
August 6, 2009: Super Furry Animals are playing Glasgow's ABC 1 on October 15. Tickets go on sale tomorrow.
The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival has sold out its 12,000 tickets in advance for the first time in its history.
August 5, 2009: The singer of Glasgow band Salon Society has been criticised by the Pope. Roxanne Claxton appears in a video at the Made In God's Image exhibition at the city's Gallery of Modern Art. In the clip, she rips pages out of a bible and stuffs them down her knickers and bra, as well as eating them. An adviser to Pope Benedict XVI condemned the exhibition as "disgusting and offensive", adding "they would not think of doing it to the Koran".
August 4, 2009: The world seems to have gone Beerjacket-crazy. Rolling Stone magazine have reviewed (and gushed about) his cover of Dancing In The Dark alongside Jay-Z, Katy Perry and Eminem - see here. There is also a full-page feature on him in today's Daily Record - see here.
August 3, 2009: The wonderful Slow Club have announced two gigs in Scotland - September 26 at Glasgow's Classic Grand and September 27 at Aberdeen's Tunnels. Noah And The Whale are playing Glasgow's Oran Mor on October 15.
July 31, 2009: As well as the Edinburgh date listed in today's post, The Bluetones are playing King Tut's on December 16 & 17 - and those gigs aren't being billed as 'one-album only' performances. Tickets are available to buy now from here
July 30, 2009: Twin Atlantic and The Joy Formidable have been added to the line-up for the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival on August 7/8. Howling Bells have pulled out.
July 29, 2009: Happy days. We Were Promised Jetpacks, Broken Records, Sparrow And The Workshop and Some Young Pedro are playing a free gig at Glasgow's Oran Mor on August 27 to celebrate The Mill's first birthday. To get a pair of tickets just text MILL27N to 82500 (it's the cost of a normal text). Thanks to Peenko for the tip-off.
July 28, 2009: Beerjacket's spellbinding cover of Bruce Springsteen's Dancing In The Dark has been given a brief, but no less impressive seal of approval by Steve Van Zandt, the E Street Band's guitarist, who wrote that he "liked it" on his Facebook page. You can download an mp3 of the Glasgow musician's version by right-clicking here or watch a fan-made YouTube video of it here.
July 27, 2009: James Yorkston, Alasdair Roberts and Adrian Crowley have been added to the Music Like A Vitamin bill in Glasgow. The Edinburgh leg at the Picture House on October 21 features Frightened Rabbit, Attic Lights, Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub), Rod Jones (Idlewild) and Euros Childs (Gorky's Zygotic Mynci). Tickets costing just £5 are available to buy from here for Glasgow and here for Edinburgh.
July 24, 2009: Emma Pollock and Karine Polwart are on the bill for Music Like A Vitamin - the opening concert of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival at Glasgow's Old Fruitmarket on October 1. Tickets cost just £5 + bf. Details can be found here.
Also just noticed that Mew are playing Glasgow's ABC on November 5. Tickets available here.
July 23, 2009: Broken Records are supporting The National on the American band's only UK date of the year at London's Royal Festival Hall on August 10.
July 22, 2009: 2manydjs have announced a gig at Glasgow's Academy on August 29. Tickets on sale now from Ticketweb.
Frightened Rabbit are making an appearance at Glasgow's Concert Hall on October 8 as part of the inaugural Scottish Royal Variety Performance. Tickets start at £65. Ouch.
July 21, 2009: Radio Scotland's Morning Extra team investigated whether Scottish festivals have reached "saturation point". You can listen back to the programme and read a supplementary article from the editor eFestivals.co.uk.
July 20, 2009: You can watch Beerjacket playing songs from his new album Animosity at a free instore gig tomorrow (5pm) in Avalanche, Glasgow. He's also playing the city's King Tut's on August 8 (with support from hotly-tipped The Seventeenth Century) and Edinburgh's Cabaret Voltaire on September 24.
July 17, 2009: The Xcerts will release a live mini-album called Live At King Tut's through iTunes on July 27. The eight-track record includes the previously unreleased song Beige. The concert itself took place on March 8.
A few new acts have been announced for the Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival on August 7/8: Howling Bells, Rachel Unthank & The Winterset, Aberfeldy and Jonathan Jeremiah.
July 16, 2009: There are a heap of live videos from T in the Park available to watch on the BBC's TITP website. Several of them (particularly the Scottish acts) can be downloaded in mp3 format from Peenko.
July 15, 2009: Golden Silvers, Marina And The Diamonds, Local Natives and Yes Giantess will play Glasgow's Oran Mor on October 1 as part of the NME Radar Tour. Tickets priced £16.45 are available to buy now from here.
The The Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival has announced the up-and-coming acts who will be playing their Seedlings Stage: Friday - The Side, Sergeant, St Deluxe, Flood Of Red, Bronto Skylift, Healthy Minds Collpase, Cast Of The Capital, Washington Irvine and Colour Coded. Saturday - Our Lunar Activities, Punch & The Apostles, Theatre Fall, Party Horse, Sucioperro, Naked Strangers, Cruiser, Cassidy and Three Times Daily.
July 14, 2009: No sooner is one T in the Park over than you can buy tickets for next year's festival. A limited batch are on sale here - rumoured headliners include the likes of Muse, Arctic Monkeys, Kasabian, Green Day, Blink-182 and Biffy Clyro. Our favourite TITP chancer story from the weekend involved a Mancunian who told box office staff that "Danny Radcliffe" was thinking of coming on Saturday and that he was just waiting on word from Harry Potter himself. Needless to say, the actor didn't appear and the shameless blagger nonchalantly told staff that he and other members of 'Radcliffe's entourage' would just go in anyway. They were pointed in the direction of the exit.
July 13, 2009: You can download the Twin Atlantic song Lightspeed here for free. It's a taster for the band's new mini-album Vivarium which comes out in September.
July 10, 2009: Well done to Gong Fei, who have been voted best T Break act by 46% of The Pop Cop readers. You can see the Dundee band at T in the Park tomorrow from 12.00-12.30pm.
July 9, 2009: The List magazine have handily published the full running order and stage times for T in the Park here.
Jack's Mannequin's Glasgow gig on August 31 has been moved up from King Tut's to the QMU.
July 8, 2009: Follow me, follow me, leave your home and family. The Pop Cop is now on Twitter. Join us here.
July 7, 2009: Yeah Yeahs Yeahs are playing Glasgow's O2 Academy on December 4. Tickets go on sale on Friday.
July 6, 2009: Your Sound, the unsigned network run by King Tut's, will fund a five-date Scottish tour for two bands in September. There is a shortlist of six candidates so it's up to you to vote for who you want to see most. Your choice are Barn Owl, Bronto Skylift, Call To Mind, Lions. chase. tigers, My Cousin I Bid You Farewell and RBRBR. We're rooting for MCIBYF.
July 3, 2009: More cracking gigs to look forward to in Scotland have just been announced: There Will Be Fireworks are at Edinburgh's Electric Circus on July 14 and Aberdeen's Drummonds on July 15; Beerjacket is at Glasgow's King Tut's on August 8; Metric are at Edinburgh's Picture House on August 25; Jamie T is at Glasgow's Barrowlands on October 9; Bat For Lashes is at Glasgow's Academy on October 19 and Edinburgh's Picture House on October 20.
July 2, 2009: Holy shiz! Jack's Mannequin are playing their first ever gig in Scotland on August 31 to kick-off a four-date UK tour. Tickets for King Tut's, Glasgow go on sale at 9am today from here. We might just burst with excitement.
July 1, 2009: Maximo Park will play Glasgow Barrowlands on October 7. Tickets go on sale on Friday at 9am from the usual outlets.
June 30, 2009: The Gap, a small radio and promotions group based in West Lothian, are putting on a three-day festival called SOSfest at The GRV in Edinburgh from August 21-23, with headliners Tommy Reilly, The Xcerts and Sergeant. All shows are over-14s and there are loads of up-and-coming Scottish artists on each bill. Tickets cost £13.50 per day.
June 29, 2009: The Pixies are playing Glasgow's SECC on October 4. Tickets go on sale on Friday at 9am.
June 26, 2009: So RIP not just Michael Jackson but Steven Wells, a legendary writer at NME in the 80s and 90s. He once described Belle & Sebastian as "self-loving, knock-kneed, passive aggressive, dressed-up-in-kiddy-clothes, mock-pop-creepiness peddling, smug, underachieving, real-pop-hating no-talents celebrating their own inadequacy with music so white it's translucent".
June 25, 2009: The Pop Cop chose Roddy Hart as the first Scottish ambassador of the Music Alliance Pact and next week he'll be representing the nation again. The Glaswegian will be playing at the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday to mark its 10th anniversary, just after the Queen addresses the chamber.
June 24, 2009: The Twilight Sad will perform their first Scottish headline gig of the year at Edinburgh's Bongo Club on July 2. Tickets are available here.
June 23, 2009: The Flying Duck venue in Glasgow is hosting a 16-band mini-festival on Sunday called Define Pop vs Club Overdrive. The full line-up is: CLUB OVERDRIVE STAGE: 16.30 Rollor, 17.20 Arca Felix, 18.10 United Fruit, 19.00 Hey Vampires, 19.50 Hey Enemy, 20.40 Das Filth, 21.30 Any Color Black, 22.20 Super Adventure Club; DEFINE POP STAGE: 16.40 My Cousin I Bid You Farewell, 17.30 The Martial Arts, 18.20 Free Korps, 19.10 Dirty Cuts, 20.00 Fridge Magnets, 20.50 Futuristic Reto Champions, 21.40 The Debuts, 22.30 Sugar Crisis. Tickets can be purchased for £8 from here.
June 22, 2009: De Rosa have split up. The gig they had scheduled for tomorrow at Glasgow's Oran Mor is therefore not happening.
June 19, 2009: Some newly-announced concerts to tell you about: Frightened Rabbit are playing a semi-secret free gig at The Goat in Glasgow on June 21, Ian Broudie (The Lightning Seeds) is at Edinburgh's Cabaret Voltaire on August 25, The Rumble Strips play Glasgow's ABC2 on September 28 and Grizzly Bear are at Glasgow's ABC1 on November 2.
June 18, 2009: Stuart Murdoch's God Help The Girl group made their first live outing yesterday afternoon at Lansdowne Parish Church in Glasgow, playing six songs to an invite-only audience. The performance was filmed so it should be up on their website in the near future.
June 17, 2009: Biffy Clyro have announced some Scottish dates: August 21 at Edinburgh's Corn Exchange, November 1 at Dundee's Caird Hall and November 2-3 at Glasgow's Barrowland. Tickets go on sale on Friday... or you could click here to access exclusive pre-sale tickets right now. Don't say we're not good to you.
June 16, 2009: Idlewild have begun mailing out copies of their new album Post Electric Blues to the 3,000 fans who pre-ordered it on their website. It is expected to get a conventional retail release in the next couple of months.
June 15, 2009: EXCLUSIVE: Perez Hilton's scheduled appearance at the Edinburgh International Television Festival at the end of August has been cancelled. No explanation has been given yet.
June 12, 2009: Tickets are on sale today for Editors at the Edinburgh Picture House on October 12 and Glasgow Barrowland on October 13.
June 10, 2009: The line-up for The Edge Festival in Edinburgh has just been announced and there's a disappointing lack of genuinely big names, although plenty of talent. The full rollcall is: David Byrne, The Stranglers, Calvin Harris, The Streets, Amanda Palmer, Enter Shikari, Emiliana Torrini, Broken Records, Frightened Rabbit, The Bluetones, Múm, Andrew Bird, Mumford & Sons, SOMA Night, Young Fathers, Unicorn Kid, Foy Vance, Your Sound Showcase and Malcolm Middleton. Gigs are scheduled from August 8-27 at the Playhouse, Picture House, Queens Hall, Studio 24 and Cabaret Voltaire. Tickets are available from Ticketmaster.
June 9, 2009: Organisers of this year's Scotcampus Freshers' Festival are looking for bands/artists to play at George Square, Glasgow on October 1-2. Anyone interested should email nicole@scotcampus.com with their band name, photo, web link and 50 words on why they should play.
June 8, 2009: Paisley boy Paolo Nutini has scored his first No.1 album with Sunny Side Up, which is a pretty brave departure from his debut pop album so fair play to him.
June 6, 2009: Biffy Clyro are playing at the Alhambra Theatre in Dunfermline on June 13 as a warm-up for Rockness. Tickets are on sale here priced £20.30.
June 5, 2009: We Were Promised Jetpacks and The Twilight Sad will both be performing short sets at HMV Buchanan Street, Glasgow on June 15 at 5pm. They'll also be signing stuff, preferably their CDs.
June 4, 2009: The line-up for The Edge Festival, the music arm of the Edinburgh Fringe which runs throughout August, will be unveiled on June 10.
June 3, 2009: Katy Perry has moved her imminent sell-out date at the Glasgow Barrowlands from June 6 to August 21 because she can make more money by going to a Russian awards show in Moscow instead. Muse are playing Glasgow's SECC on November 9. Tickets are available to buy from 9am on Friday and cost £41.25. Ouch. Also on sale that morning are tickets for the MOBO Awards at the SECC on September 30.
June 2, 2009: Silversun Pickups' Glasgow gig on July 1 has been moved from Stereo to Oran Mor.
June 1, 2009: Youth music project The Great Rock ‘n’ Roll Swindle is looking for five Glasgow acts of any genre to arrange, record and perform their own music, accompanied by members of eclectic group Music At The Brewhouse, for a special showcase gig at the Old Fruitmarket on November 25. Applicants must be between 16-25, resident in Glasgow and have been playing their own material for over a year. Interested bands/musicians can apply here before the June 22 deadline.
May 29, 2009: Stirling isn't known as being a hotbed for avant-garde music, but it will become precisely that with Le Weekend Festival which runs from this evening until Sunday and is now in its 12th year. Acts playing include Jazzsteppa & The Moody Boyz and Trembling Bells but not Broadcast, who cancelled their scheduled appearance at the last minute because they are "working on their next album" (i.e. they couldn't be arsed).
May 28, 2009: Calvin Harris is playing a few Scottish dates at the end of the year, namely The Picture House, Edinburgh on November 1; The Ironworks, Inverness on November 2; Fat Sam's, Dundee on November 3; and O2 Academy, Glasgow on November 4. Tickets will be going on sale soon.
May 27, 2009: A new 250-capacity venue is opening on June 2 in Market Street, Edinburgh called The Electric Circus. Even if you're not bothered about live music and club nights, you can't say no to private karaoke rooms.
May 26, 2009: There are a blizzard of album launches in Glasgow to stick in your diary: Malcolm Middleton (Waxing Gibbous) at Mono on May 31 (free); My Latest Novel (Deaths & Entrances) at Stereo on June 6; We Were Promised Jetpacks (These Four Walls) at King Tut's on June 15; Beerjacket (Animosity) at Oran Mor on June 17; There Will Be Fireworks (There Will Be Fireworks) at Nice ‘n’ Sleazy on July 1.
May 25, 2009: Glasgow band Cassidy have signed a £400,000, four-album deal with Mercury Records. Good on 'em.
May 22, 2009: Lock up your sons. Ubiquitous celebrity blogger Perez Hilton will give a talk at the Edinburgh International Television Festival. But even that won't top the appearance of The Wire actor Dominic West (Jimmy McNulty) and show creator David Simon. The festival runs from August 28-30.
May 21, 2009: Kirkintilloch lass Katie Sutherland, who was told to change her name to Pearl And The Puppets because it would improve her chances of getting a record deal (hey, it worked for Florence, Noah and Reverend) has signed to Universal. It's reassuring to know major labels are still run by imbeciles.
May 20, 2009: OK, so you spend more time than is healthy than on Facebook, MySpace, Bebo... now you can get paid for it. The Arches in Glasgow are looking for an Online Officer to generate publicity for their events through social networking sites and blogging. The job is 3 days per week, 10am-6pm, £15-17k pro rata. The application form is available here. If you'd prefer a job that's more likely to change people's lives, Live Music Now Scotland have a vacancy for a Development Officer in Edinburgh. See here for details.
May 19, 2009: Paolo Nutini, who sings like a jakey in his new single Candy, is playing two free in-store gigs on June 1 - HMV Buchanan Street, Glasgow at 1pm and HMV Lothian Road, Edinburgh at 7pm. Wristbands are available from 8am on the day.
May 18, 2009: A petition calling for Scotland to have its own entry in the Eurovision Song Contest has been lodged at Holyrood. Lynn Allan, one of the founders of the group Scotland In Eurovision, summed up the mood of the nation thus: "We have some spectacular talent in Scotland. Susan Boyle is testament to that." Twat.
May 15, 2009: Line-up details for next month's West End Festival in Glasgow are beginning to emerge. Acts playing at Òran Mór include Beerjacket on June 17, De Rosa on June 23, Emiliana Torrini on June 24 (in Auditorium) and the long-awaited live return of MAP favourites There Will Be Fireworks on June 24.
May 14, 2009: The Belladrum Tartan Heart festival in Inverness-shire on August 7/8 has been boosted by the additions of Noah And The Whale and Broken Records.
May 13, 2009: Robert Hubbert, former guitarist of Glasgow band El Hombre Trajeado, has launched a new kind of show, Will Play For Food - which is exactly how it sounds. He will do an acoustic set for you and your friends at your house for free as long as you make him dinner in return. Who knows, maybe you'll get an encore if you bring out the dessert.
May 12, 2009: The Sauchiehall Crawl is going ahead on Saturday, October 24. Last year's inaugural one-street event in Glasgow saw almost a dozen acts play across ABC 2, Nice 'n' Sleazy and The Beat Club. No word yet on which bands and venues will be involved this time.
May 11, 2009: T in the Park has added Camera Obscura (Friday, July 10, Futures Stage), Mumford & Sons (Saturday, July 11, King Tut's Tent) and The Maccabees (Friday, July 10, King Tut's Tent) to its festival line-up.
May 9, 2009: First it was the Homecoming festival on Irvine Beach then Beepfest and now The Outsider Festival has been cancelled. The event near Aviemore was due to be headlined by Teenage Fanclub and Sharleen Spiteri on June 27-28.
May 8, 2009: Dotjr song Where Stars Fall Down is featured in the trailer (fast-forward 35 seconds) for What Goes Up, a summer movie featuring Hilary Duff and Steve Coogan.
May 7, 2009: Beepfest has been cancelled. The all-day event had been due to take place on Saturday at the Glasgow School of Art with over a dozen acts including Aberfeldy and Norman Blake (Teenage Fanclub). Manchester-based curators The Beep Seals, who were planning to split up after playing at the festival, blamed "various reasons beyond our control" for scrapping it.
May 6, 2009: The sixth annual Tigerfest gets underway today, with gigs in Edinburgh this week, Dunfermline next week and Aberdeen the week after. Artists on show include King Creosote, James Yorkston, Lord Cut-Glass, Ballboy, Aberfeldy, Meursault and Found. Click here for full line-up details.
May 5, 2009: Scottish post-punk new wave band TV21, who split up in 1982 immediately after supporting The Rolling Stones, will play a launch gig at Edinburgh's Voodoo Rooms on May 24 to celebrate the release of their second album, Forever 22, almost three decades after their debut came out. Frightened Rabbit singer Scott Hutchison and We Were Promised Jetpacks counterpart Adam Thompson will also be playing acoustic sets on the night. TV21 member Ally Palmer happens to be the dad of Jetpacks guitarist Michael. Tickets cost £6 plus postage.
May 4, 2009: EXCLUSIVE(always wanted to write that): Those Dancing Days singer Linnea Jönsson is jetting in from Sweden tomorrow to add vocals to a new God Help The Girl song that won't be on the forthcoming album. Look out for The Pop Cop's interview with Belle & Sebastian frontman Stuart Murdoch very soon.
May 3, 2009: It's not often that Doves make the front page of a national newspaper but the Sunday Mail and News of the World both reported that the first guy in Scotland to be confirmed with swine flu had been in the crowd at the Edinburgh Picture House for the Manchester band's gig on April 23. Before he was quarantined. It's just a wee cough, you'll get over it.
May 1, 2009: Hockey are playing Edinburgh's Cabaret Voltaire (tickets) on September 19 and Glasgow's King Tut's (tickets) on September 20. It'll set you back £9.52 + postage.
April 30, 2009: Free music time, wooh! To download a 26-song compilation of bands playing at Hinterland just visit here, click the Ticket Holders button, enter the download code 63H9HG77 and your email address. Check your email for a link from 7digital and click the Download Now button. The tracklisting is as follows:
Broken Records - Lies
Little Man Tate - Hey Little Sweetie
The Answering Machine - Another City, Another Sorry
Jesus H. Foxx - I'm Half The Man You Were
Eugene McGuinness - Moscow State Circus
Fangs - S.I.C.K.O. (remix)
Remember Remember - Up In A Blue Light
Three Trapped Tigers - 1
Theophilus London - Cold Pillow
Come On Gang! - Wheels
The Wave Pictures - Puncture My Ride
Edie Sedgwick - Sissy Spacek
Elks - Four Pale Letters
Phantom - We Float
Guanoman - Kaiseki
Geordi La Force - If They Ain't Vertical, They Are Horizontal
Panama Kings - Children
The Ray Summers - Ballad Of The Bitter Man
Soft Toy Emergency - White Lights
The Lines - Tracey
Manda Rin - Do The Static
Burn The Negative - Lights
The Lovely Eggs - Have You Ever Heard A Digital Accordion?
Desalvo - Ripper Situation
Wintermute - Disco Load-Out
These Monsters - Fleets Of Black Hovercraft
April 29, 2009: Far be it from us to suggest that tickets for Hinterland aren't selling very well, but the organisers are literally giving away a "limited number" of two-day passes for free if you email info@hinterlandfestival.com today with your name and how many wristbands you want. You will get email confirmation if your request is successful. Thanks to Peenko for the heads-up.
April 28, 2009: Green Day are playing at Glasgow's SECC on October 19. Tickets go on sale on Friday at 10am. Their new album 21st Century Breakdown is out on May 15.
April 27, 2009: The latest additions to T in the Park are Doves, Idlewild, Iglu & Hartly, Patrick Wolf, Dinosaur Pile-Up and Vagabond.
April 26, 2009: Uber-cool LA band Silversun Pickups, who gave us the six-minute modern classic Lazy Eye, are playing at Glasgow's Stereo on July 1. Tickets are on sale here priced £10.08, not including delivery.
April 25, 2009: Malcolm Middleton has pretty much guaranteed his place in The Pop Cop's best songs of 2009 list with Red Travellin' Socks, the first single from his new album Waxing Gibbous out in June. It's pop heaven.
April 24, 2009: Hot young things Boycotts will be appearing at the Montrose Music Festival, headlined by the mighty Deacon Blue on May 28/29. And they will also be supporting Cage The Elephant at Glasgow's QMU on May 18.
April 23, 2009: Cumbernauld favourites The Dykeenies will mark the release of their new single Sounds Of The City (which incidentally is the best thing they've done) with a secret over-18s fan-only gig in Glasgow on Monday. We could probably procure a couple of guesties if anyone fancies it - just email us at the usual address.
Limbo Live Vol 01 - a compilation featuring Scottish bands Zoey Van Goey, Found, Punch And The Apostles, Meursault, Over The Wall, Come On Gang!, Kid Canaveral, Night Noise Team, Haight Ashbury, Thieves In Suits, Sparrow And The Workshop, Cancel The Astronauts, A-lix and Isosceles - is released today. All 14 tracks were recorded live at The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh and can be bought here for £6.30 - or £4 if you go to the launch party tonight when nine of the bands are playing.
April 22, 2009: Must-see YouTube video time. Check out trial cyclist Danny MacAskill doing insane stunts on the streets of Edinburgh to the stirring strains of The Funeral by Band Of Horses here.
April 21, 2009: Edinburgh heroes Broken Records will kickstart their UK summer tour with three Scottish dates: June 2: Aberdeen Moshulu; June 3: Glasgow King Tut's; June 4: Dundee Doghouse.
April 20, 2009: The full schedule for next week's Hinterland festival is now online here with stage times and venues. Two new additions to the line-up are Beerjacket and Cassidy.
Camera Obscura are not playing at Hinterland, but they are on the telly tonight. You can catch them on Channel 4 at 12.55am (so technically Tuesday morning) for a 15-minute live performance and interview.
April 18, 2009: Scotland, a country that has produced no music of black origin that we know of, will host this year's MOBO Awards. The star-studded ceremony (Lemar! JLS!) will take place on September 30 at Glasgow's SECC. Our cyncism might disappear if we get invited.
April 17, 2009: Crikey, it's all happening on the festival front. The Homecoming Festival, due to take place at Irvine Beach on May 2-3 has been cancelled due to "financial" problems. Charging £100 for a weekend ticket to see Reverend And The Makers and Ms Dynamite probably wasn't the most sound business plan.
If you bought tickets (seriously?), we suggest you divert your refund towards Hinterland. Tickets are on sale here for the reduced price of £33.75 (weekend) and £18.75 (one day) until midnight tonight.
The latest acts to sign up for T in the Park are Noisettes, VV Brown, The Horrors, The Twang, Tommy Reilly, The Temper Trap and Will And The People.
April 16, 2009: Edinburgh/Glasgow events magazine The List is advertising for a new editor. Candidates must be "calm and good-humoured". If that's you then apply here before the April 24 deadline.
April 15, 2009: The Pop Cop can exclusively reveal some line-up details for the Hinterland festival in Glasgow. On April 30, The Fall are at The Arches, The Xcerts are at The Art School and Tommy Reilly is at King Tut's. On May 1, Sons & Daughters are at The Arches, Broken Records are at The Classic Grand and We Were Promised Jetpacks are at ABC2.
April 14, 2009: The line-up for annual indie shindig Tigerfest has been announced. Among the highlights sprawled across Dunfermline, Edinburgh and Aberdeen next month are King Creosote, James Yorkston, De Rosa and Aberfeldy. Also on show is the first full band performance from Lord Cut-Glass, ex-Delgados singer Alun Woodward's rather delicious new pop project.
April 13, 2009: The wonderful Okkervil River are stopping off at Glasgow's Oran Mor on September 9 as part of their UK tour. You can buy a ticket now from here for £15.85.
April 12, 2009: Congratulations to freakishly tall Dumfries disco dude Calvin Harris, whose song I'm Not Alone has made him the first Scot to have a No.1 in the UK singles charts since Leon Jackson in 2007.
April 11, 2009: De Rosa are supporting Doves on three dates in England next week (Cambridge's Corn Exchange, April 15; Brighton's Dome, April 16; Birmingham's O2 Academy, April 17). A little-known fact is that De Rosa member Andrew Bush's old band Pariah supported Doves at King Tut's nine years ago.
April 10, 2009: Any unsigned acts wanting to play at this year's T in the Park have until April 15 to submit their demos here in order to be in the running to get on the T Break stage.
April 9, 2009: Beth Ditto and her Gossip chums are playing at The Arches in Glasgow on May 30. Tickets costing £16.80 each are on sale now from here.
April 8, 2009: Isle of Lewis singer-songwriter and former Music Alliance Pact pick Dotjr has put up a cover of Kings of Leon's Use Somebody on his MySpace. It's pretty lush.
April 7, 2009: Glasgow venue The Arches has just extended the run of &tweb.co.uk/user/?region=gb_shearches.co.uk/ALIEN-WARS.htm">Alien Wars by another five months due to popular demand. Alien Wars, which is an interactive total reality adventure similar to the Aliens films, now runs until AAugust31.
April 6, 2009: Teenage Fanclub have been announced as Sunday headliners (June 28) for The Outsider Festival near Aviemore. Guitarist Ray McGinley said: "We've just finished out new record and this is us emerging into real life again. We don't know if it will be out in time for the festival but we'll definitely be playing some new songs as well as things you've heard before."
April 3, 2009: The upcoming Friendly Fires/Hockey double bill has proved so popular that both Scottish shows have been moved up to larger venues. The Edinburgh gig on May 6 has been switched from Studio 24 to the Picture House, while the one in Glasgow on May 7 has been switched from the QMU to ABC 1.
April 2, 2009: Kyle Falconer's inability to handle his drink saw The View leave yet more fans disappointed. The Dundee band's singer took ill two songs into their show at Austria's Snowbombing Festival through excessive alcohol consumption. Last October, Kyle was so drunk he was unable to perform at a gig in Nottingham.
April 1, 2009: Singer-songwriter Roddy Hart has been invited to represent our proud nation at Scotland Week in America. The Glaswegian boy wonder is playing at the St Andrews Bar in New York on April 3 and April 10.
March 31, 2009: If you don't want to hedge your bets on winning The Pop Cop competition then you'll be keen to know that today is the last day you can buy a two-day Hinterland early-bird ticket for £38.75. It'll be £7 more expensive from April 1.
March 30, 2009: The ABC will be renamed O2 ABC Glasgow after the Academy Music Group became majority shareholders. AMG, which is owned by Live Nation, already runs the O2 Academy in the city.
March 28, 2009: The first acts have been announced for this year's Outsider Festival near Aviemore. On the bill on June 27-28 are The Futureheads, We Were Promised Jetpacks, King Creosote, Malcolm Middleton, James Yorkston, The Phantom Band, Drever, McCusker & Woomble, Attic Lights and Lau. And Sharleen Spiteri. Early-bird weekend tickets costing £60 (inc bookng fee) are on sale until April 13. Should be a good 'un.
March 27, 2009: Gig sketcher Jenny Soep, who was recently featured on The Pop Cop, will launch her Sketching The Scene solo show at Mono in Glasgow on April 6. She will also be drawing David Byrne on March 31 and at the Hinterland festival.
March 26, 2009: All Of My Days by Scottish singer-songwriter Alexi Murdoch is being used on the trailer for Sam Mendes' new movie Away We Go.
March 25, 2009: Manic Street Preachers will play the Glasgow Barrowlands on May 25. Tickets priced £25 each (not including fees) go on sale from Friday, 9.30am from here.
March 24, 2009: Frightened Rabbit are set for their biggest headlining show yet. They have announced on their MySpace that they are playing Edinburgh's Queens Hall on August 21, which would coincide with The Edge festival, although according to the venue website, the gig has not been confirmed and they would kindly ask fans to stop calling them about it!
March 23, 2009: Mumford & Sons have cancelled their gig at Stereo, Glasgow on April 4. If you want to see them in Scotland you can now catch them at Studio 24, Edinburgh on May 1 supporting The Maccabees and at King Tut's, Glasgow on September 12.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Location, location, location
Monday, August 25, 2008
Party piece
Does anyone else think that BLOC PARTY are becoming the band you wished Radiohead had evolved into post-OK Computer?
Normally cut 'n' paste electronica, crunk and jazz would have us running to the nearest mute button, yet Bloc Party can somehow mash these elements into irresistible mainstream hits. And every time they push themselves, they push their audience along with them.
Given that they've managed to develop so satisfyingly in the space of three albums in just four years, it does make you wonder why they haven't followed Muse into the pantheons of stadium-rock legend. Bloc Party certainly have the songs. The answer can probably be found in their live performances. On stage, Kele Okereke's vocals tend to get shouty and even musicians as talented as this lot can't replicate the full repertoire of studio wizardry employed by super-producers Paul Epworth and Jacknife Lee.
But the ambition alone of Kele and Co puts 99% of indie rock music to shame. Bloc Party have found a winning formula yet they aren't content to stick to it, instead choosing to relentlessly drive the genre in new directions. Now that's heroic.
4 Bloc Party - Ion Square
4 Bloc Party - Two More Years
b August 30, Hydro Connect, Inverary (tickets)
Friday, August 22, 2008
Turn on the BBC
When did school bands start getting good all of a sudden? We thought they were supposed to be training grounds for fizzy juice-fuelled teenagers playing Stereophonics covers or getting that thrash metal phase out of their system.
Clearly not so at the University College School (which, despite its name, is neither a university nor a college in the traditional sense) in London. At the tender age of 18, the four musicians who make up BOMBAY BICYCLE CLUB have just left secondary education to embark in the full-time pursuit of rock stardom.
Remarkably, BBC were classmates of Cajun Dance Party, who are following an identical post-school path with some success. But while CDP have opted for a more unoriginal Kooks sound, Bombay Bicycle Club have finely honed (they've been going since 15 we'll have you know) a hip, New York-influenced guitar sound, with Jack Steadman's vocals pitched somewhere between Conor Oberst and Brian Molko.
We wonder what their career guidance teacher makes of it all.
4 Bombay Bicycle Club - Evening / Morning
4 Bombay Bicycle Club - How Are You
b August 25, King Tut's, Glasgow (tickets)
b August 26, Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh (tickets)
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tribute
How can anyone not succumb to the majesty that is the Olympics? Watching superhuman athletes like Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps perform is nothing less than a privilege and, better still, we have our very own triple gold legend in Edinburgh's Chris Hoy.
All this talk of gold brought fond memories flooding back of a car I used to drive - and the prose she inspired. I don't think I had ever poured my heart into a piece of writing as much before or since. It was only ever meant for my close friends to read so apologies in advance for any in-jokes, but this seems like an appropriate time to give "Tribute" its first public airing...
November 20, 2001.
That might just look like a random, meaningless date but it's far from it. That was the day M657 DGB became my own. Yes, the Fiat Punto that you all know and love which has been my trusty sidekick for the past 40 (yes, FORTY) months.
I remember that winter evening well (okay, so I had to look up the exact date). There was a chill in the night air but the sky was clear with the moonlight shimmering between the trees, and the Evening Times ad was my Star of Bethlehem that guided Dad and I to the sleepy town of Pensionville, aka Knightswood.
There she was, leaning off the kerb like a hooker when I first set eyes upon the dazzling, glow-in-the-dark mass of Italian metal that would soon be my first ever automobile. A middle-aged couple were selling her, the husband making up some story that the wife wanted a smaller car, but that mattered little to me - what mattered was that they wanted £3500.
But a shake on £3200, a rattle of my shiny new car keys and a roll off on to the tarmac and this epic chapter of my life on the road had begun...
Any soccer manager will tell you that the key to developing a young player into an all-conquering world class superhero is to nurture their talent without stifling their natural ability. Getting to grips with a new second hand car is similar. You have to know where, when and how far you can push it before the dash flashes more lights at you than a Vegas casino and the suspension starts shaking like a washing machine in an earthquake.
Much like its new owner, I soon discovered that the Punto wasn't one for the mornings, reluctantly showing signs of life on the first spin of the wheels, whilst moving up through the gears at speed was about as safe as a day-trip with Jack Bauer.
But, like a child with learning difficulties, you got used to living with these "characteristics". Sure, sometimes you wanted nothing more than to give the thing a right good slap, but you also knew that patience and understanding yielded enormous rewards.
To each of you the Punto will spark your own personal memories.. be it comical over-capacity journeys with folk in the boot or across laps; seeing her transformed into the coolest looking all-in-one DJmobile; sitting with the engine off duetting to indie anthems at dawn; handbrake turns in the ice for laughs in the West End; the three-week holiday loan; roving from one end of the city to the other to deliver the Glasgow Uni Guardian; the post-pub taxi; the occasional romantic moment (you know who you are!); electric window races; the outings to the Burn and back; being the perfect location for an emotional goodbye; the legendary T in the Park road trips...
The Punto's colour was always was a matter of some debate. Official MOT certificates listed her in different occasions as yellow, green and yellow/green. Some passengers swore it was mustard, some bronze, others urine-coloured. My personal preference was gold, also backed up by the fact that the Spandau Ballet song of the same name was dubbed the car's official theme tune by a certain lady. With everything the Punto had overcome, the lyrics felt quite apt.
For all the car endured at my own hands - the bumper bumping parking manoeuvres, the constant lane-swapping, the tuneless singing, the daily motorway dash, the "biatch" namecalling - when I needed her most she didn't let me down. One such time sticks in the memory when I was running late (shock horror!) for a wedding. Despite getting alarmingly lost, slamming the front tyres against a pavement and neglecting conventional roundabout protocol, she still managed to defy all the odds - and every speed limit in North Lanarkshire - to get me there on time.
More recently, the Punto enjoyed a remarkable new lease of life. Having become part of the family, it was not unusual for her to get presents from time to time, from de-icers to scrapers to alloys. But the coup de grace undoubtedly came in Xmas 2004, when she received no less than a compact disc player. Having chewed mix tapes throughout her entire existence, to the Punto this was the equivalent of acquiring a new superpower. Not only that, with the car now more than 10 years old, this one gift from my generous sister had the effect of instantaneously trebling her market value and making her a high theft risk.
Seeing her "souped up" and resonating proudly in stereo sound brought a tear to the eye. It was like sending an old dog out into the wide-open spaces of the countryside to roam free in the last days of its life (RIP Lucky).
The historic event also coincided with what would prove to be the Punto's last major adventure, when the newly-christened "Party Car" took some city kids to the Highlands and islands for the New Year. It was an unforgettable trip. Driving back home on the wrong side of the road at 75mph in a rainstorm with the right-hand wiperblade not working pretty much made sure of that.
Above all, the good times far outnumbered the bad.
So for every engine that dropped out in the middle of Finnieston, there was the glamorous chauffeuring of drum kits and guitars and rock stars.
For every piece of junk and litter she habitually accrued, there was always a McDonald's drive-thru within a five-mile radius.
For every parking ticket slapped on her windscreen, there were countless days of crafty rule-bending and double-yellow evasion.
For every £800 bill for petulantly reversing into a Post Office bollard, there were fantastic memories of trips to castles and cottages.
For every vehicle safety recall notice from Fiat headquarters, there was the incentive of a free service check and a rare clean.
For every time she was overtaken by a faster car, there was a kick-ass soundtrack to make the slower journey all the more satisfying.
And for every orange & lemonade, there was always a car-full of the best drunken banter.
These are the experiences which truly provided us with the spirito di Punto.
Alas, this chapter has come to an end. Our ever-present travelling companion has given us all so much that she can physically give no more. I hope you will join me in paying tribute to her as she sets off for the great scrapyard in the sky. I leave you with the lyrics to her signature tune:
Gold (gold)
Always believe in your soul
You've got the power to know
You're indestructible
Always believe in
Because you are
Gold (gold)
Glad that you're bound to return
There's something I could have learned
You're indestructible
Always believe in.
4 Spandau Ballet - Gold
Monday, August 18, 2008
Live music, dying morals
My name is Scotland and I'm an alcoholic.
If you care about the biggest social problem that blights this country you should be troubled by the changing face of our live music industry.
This weeks sees the launch of THE MILL - described by Miller Genuine Draft as "an exciting new platform for emerging music talent in Glasgow and Edinburgh". It should sound familiar. It's the same business model that has already been adopted by Jack Daniel's under their JD Set banner, not to mention the likes of Beck's Fusions, Tuborg Music, Smirnoff Electric Cabaret and the Red Stripe Music Awards.
It doesn't end there. Carling's brand name is permanently glued to the Academy venue in Glasgow; Tennent's, of course, have long sponsored music events in Scotland with the likes of T in the Park, T-Break and now Tennent's Mutual, the self-proclaimed gigging revolution that allows fans to vote on artists, locations, venues and ticket prices... though unfortunately not on how much punters should be paid to drink their foul cooking lager.
Let's get this straight. Alcohol companies aren't stumbling over themselves to sponsor live music because they care about breaking new acts or supporting creative talent. Guitar bands are cool as fuck and the people who watch them are the choicest cuts for the drinks industry, i.e. young adults spending the night in a licensed premises with money to burn. If a similar demographic turned up in similar numbers to play chess you can guarantee Guinness would be trying to endorse the pieces.
So what's the big deal? Why is The Pop Cop complaining about wads of cash getting pumped into the music scene in return for a bit of product placement. It seems like a no-lose situation but here are a few facts about Scotland:
If you care about the biggest social problem that blights this country you should be troubled by the changing face of our live music industry.
This weeks sees the launch of THE MILL - described by Miller Genuine Draft as "an exciting new platform for emerging music talent in Glasgow and Edinburgh". It should sound familiar. It's the same business model that has already been adopted by Jack Daniel's under their JD Set banner, not to mention the likes of Beck's Fusions, Tuborg Music, Smirnoff Electric Cabaret and the Red Stripe Music Awards.
It doesn't end there. Carling's brand name is permanently glued to the Academy venue in Glasgow; Tennent's, of course, have long sponsored music events in Scotland with the likes of T in the Park, T-Break and now Tennent's Mutual, the self-proclaimed gigging revolution that allows fans to vote on artists, locations, venues and ticket prices... though unfortunately not on how much punters should be paid to drink their foul cooking lager.
Let's get this straight. Alcohol companies aren't stumbling over themselves to sponsor live music because they care about breaking new acts or supporting creative talent. Guitar bands are cool as fuck and the people who watch them are the choicest cuts for the drinks industry, i.e. young adults spending the night in a licensed premises with money to burn. If a similar demographic turned up in similar numbers to play chess you can guarantee Guinness would be trying to endorse the pieces.
So what's the big deal? Why is The Pop Cop complaining about wads of cash getting pumped into the music scene in return for a bit of product placement. It seems like a no-lose situation but here are a few facts about Scotland:
- 30 deaths a year on our roads are as a result of accidents involving drivers who are over the limit
- 62% of domestic abuse cases involve alcohol
- 50% of people who commit suicide have a history of alcohol abuse
- 45% of prisoners admit they were drunk at the time of their offence
- Alcohol-related deaths have more than doubled in the past decade
- 70% of assault victims who end up in A&E do so as a result of an alcohol-related incident
- When someone gets murdered, not only will two-thirds of the suspected killers be drunk but so will half of their victims
- 40% of 15-year-olds drink alcohol at least once a week
Scotland has a problem. Perhaps not me, or you, or even anyone you know personally, but alcohol abuse stains this nation and, as far as we can see, nobody is taking it seriously enough.
Two years ago NME reported on a study that called for a total ban on alcohol advertising at music events as part of a major crackdown on binge drinking among young people. The response from InBev, who own Tennent's, was telling. They warned that many cultural events in the UK would not happen if drinks companies didn't provide funding. A similar message was delivered by the Department of Media, Culture and Sport. A spokeswoman said: "Many music events rely on sponsorship from these companies for events like T in the Park. Where would they be without it?"
In other words, the Government doesn't care about the long-term effects the promotion of alcohol through music is having on our population - just so long as 80,000 people can be shoehorned into an abandoned airfield in Balado for one weekend every summer. Cheers.
The Mill @ Oran Mor, Glasgow*
August 27: How To Swim, The Moth & The Mirror
September 3: Tokyoblu, Kazoo Funk Orchestra
September 10: Twin Atlantic, Kobai
September 17: Injuns, Punch & The Apostles
September 24: Be A Familiar, Endor
October 1: We See Lights, Pearl And The Puppets
October 8: Dbass, Underling
The Mill @ The Caves, Edinburgh*
September 18: Punch & The Apostles, Injuns
September 25: Frightened Rabbit, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Pearl And The Puppets
October 2: The Ads, Found
October 9: Dbass, Underling
*All events free but ticketed
4 Pearl And The Puppets - Mango Tree
4 We See Lights - Landmine Hearts
Two years ago NME reported on a study that called for a total ban on alcohol advertising at music events as part of a major crackdown on binge drinking among young people. The response from InBev, who own Tennent's, was telling. They warned that many cultural events in the UK would not happen if drinks companies didn't provide funding. A similar message was delivered by the Department of Media, Culture and Sport. A spokeswoman said: "Many music events rely on sponsorship from these companies for events like T in the Park. Where would they be without it?"
In other words, the Government doesn't care about the long-term effects the promotion of alcohol through music is having on our population - just so long as 80,000 people can be shoehorned into an abandoned airfield in Balado for one weekend every summer. Cheers.
The Mill @ Oran Mor, Glasgow*
August 27: How To Swim, The Moth & The Mirror
September 3: Tokyoblu, Kazoo Funk Orchestra
September 10: Twin Atlantic, Kobai
September 17: Injuns, Punch & The Apostles
September 24: Be A Familiar, Endor
October 1: We See Lights, Pearl And The Puppets
October 8: Dbass, Underling
The Mill @ The Caves, Edinburgh*
September 18: Punch & The Apostles, Injuns
September 25: Frightened Rabbit, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Pearl And The Puppets
October 2: The Ads, Found
October 9: Dbass, Underling
*All events free but ticketed
4 Pearl And The Puppets - Mango Tree
4 We See Lights - Landmine Hearts
Friday, August 15, 2008
Past perfect
Noel Gallagher on Heathen Chemistry: "It's far and away the best record since Definitely Maybe"
"Noel Gallagher on Don't Believe The Truth: "This is our best album since Definitely Maybe"
"Noel Gallagher on Dig Out Your Soul: "A huge step forward from Don't Believe The Truth"
It's hard to admit defeat, that your glory days are an increasingly distant memory, but the sooner OASIS accept that they peaked more than a dozen years ago, the better it will be for all of us.
As the promotional campaign snowballs ahead of the release of their seventh record Dig Out Your Soul, so the hyperbole begins.
The Shock Of The Lightning has been described by Noel Gallagher as "a driving, pumping, pop, rock 'n' roll masterpiece". In truth, it's just typical Oasis lead single fare: plenty of bluster but little class.
Some fans have been raving about leaked album song Falling Down - and with good reason. The Noel-sung track sounds like a cracking Doves tune and is probably better than anything Oasis have come up with in... let's see... a decade. These days that's as good as they can ever hope to achieve.
4 Oasis - Falling Down
4 Oasis - The Shock Of The Lightning
b November 1/2, AECC, Aberdeen (tickets on sale August 20)
b November 4/5, SECC, Glasgow (tickets on sale August 20)
Monday, August 11, 2008
Love at first site
We discover new music via all manner of sources but perhaps the most unlikely came a few weeks ago when a post on this very site led to us hearing something pretty wonderful for this first time.
In our special feature on The Outsiders, a Q&A with A&R manager Paul Barton threw up a mention of Glasgow band JOCASTA SLEEPS. A visit to their Myspace page later and we were converted. They've adopted the polished rock stylings of Jimmy Eat World and Taking Back Sunday and added a transatlantic twist with hooks aplenty and a driving intensity that's hard to resist.
But Jocasta Sleeps aren't the only group we've discovered thanks to a post on The Pop Cop. We recently got this email:
"I was hoping that you could do a stranger a favor. I discovered Broken Records through your blog, and being from the States I have had a hard time getting my hands on their songs. I listened to Slow Parade about 10 times at work today. I would love to get as much as you have if you wouldn't mind. I can pay you back with some music you might not have heard that I think is great. Thanks, Ken."
After helping Ken with his Broken Records fix, he gladly obliged with a tip-off about FANFARLO from London. If you own any Arcade Fire or Clap Your Hands Say Yeah records you should be getting rather excited right about now.
4 Jocasta Sleeps - Baggy Needles
4 Jocasta Sleeps - I Am A Fin
b October 10, Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh (tickets)
4 Fanfarlo - Fire Escape
4 Fanfarlo - Sand And Ice
Friday, August 08, 2008
The prince of Whales
Everyone seems to be frothing over NOAH AND THE WHALE's summer hit 5 Years Time but that's nothing compared to the elation we're feeling at the wonder that is the London band's forthcoming debut album.
Peaceful, The World Lays Me Down is such a perfect triumph in how to execute modern, feelgood folk it already seems a safe bet for The Pop Cop's end-of-year top 10 albums list.
Lead singer Charlie Fink has a peculiar American drawl that suggests he has been listening to a lot of Adam Green but it's the heart-tugging choruses and dazzling harmonies that will win you over.
If that's not enough, Noah And The Whale have also recorded another album of songs in a punk style under the name of THE A SIDES. Just when we thought we had them sussed.
4 Noah And The Whale - Jocasta
4 Noah And The Whale - Rocks And Daggers
4 The A Sides - Don't Look Back
b August 15, Cabaret Voltaire, Edinburgh (tickets)
b October 24, Fat Sams, Dundee (tickets)
b October 25, Stereo, Glasgow (tickets)
b October 26, Liquid Room, Edinburgh
P.S. thanks to everyone who entered our competition to win Hydro Connect tickets - the lucky winners were Becky C from Edinburgh, Mark F from Edinburgh and Martin G from Glasgow.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Ten rapid: A decade of Diskant
It may seem like a distant memory now, but before blogs existed there was another way for people to get a regular fix of music online. Webzines were the original heirs to the fanzine throne and one of the greatest, Diskant, happens to be on our doorstep.
Based in Glasgow, it was once best known for hosting the mighty Mogwai fansite Brightlight!, which still provides a biblical source of topical knowledge on Scotland's long-lived post-rock pioneers. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that I probably visited that website more than any other back in the group's heyday in the late 90s (which conveniently coincided with my Mogwai obsessive student phase).
While Mogwai marked the ten-year anniversary of their debut album Young Team by releasing a special remastered version a few months ago, the equally resilient Diskant have decided to celebrate their own decade of existence in the only way that Scots know how... with a party.
Diskant founder Marceline Smith has hired out Glasgow's CCA this Friday and all-comers are invited to toast the landmark while savouring live sets from Findo Gask and Sunnyvale Noise Sub-Element. If that's not enough, there's also the promise of an indie tombola which includes a heap of prizes donated by record labels far too subversive for our pop tastes.
4 Findo Gask - Go Aquatic
4 Sunnyvale Noise Sub-element - Call This Number If You Hear Noises
b August 8, CCA, Glasgow (£5 on door)
Monday, August 04, 2008
Saint Andrew
Where's Jimmy Savile when you need him? If we could make any wish come true it would be for JACK'S MANNEQUIN to play in Scotland.
Yet even though the number of people who have listened to their Myspace songs is counted in the tens of millions it wouldn't be a surprise if you weren't even aware of their existence. The Californian band fronted by Andrew McMahon have never played in Europe and, as far as we're aware, they've had no promotion whatsoever in the UK from Warner Bros.
The story of Andrew Ross McMahon (a fine Celtic name there) is a fascinating one. He conceived Jack's Mannequin as an outlet for the piano-based songs he was writing that didn't fit the mould of Something Corporate, the punk-pop group that took him to Glasgow three times between 2002-2003.
The first fruits of his "solo" venture was the quite astonishing 2005 album Everything In Transit, a masterpiece of honest melody and poignant lyricism. Trust us, you owe it to yourself to get ahold of a copy. What's even more incredible is that the record was released just 11 weeks after McMahon, then aged 22, was diagnosed with a serious form of leukemia - an illness he successfully fought thanks to a stem cell transplant from his sister.
Next month brings the release of Jack's Mannequin's much-anticipated second album The Glass Passenger and the early signs are that another modern classic is about to land on these shores - unfortunately we can't yet say the same for the musicians responsible for it.
4 Jack's Mannequin - Rescued (Everything In Transit)
4 Jack's Mannequin - The Lights And Buzz (Everything In Transit bonus track)
4 Jack's Mannequin - The Resolution (The Glass Passenger)
4 Jack's Mannequin - Miss California (The Glass Passenger bonus track)
Friday, August 01, 2008
We're giving away tickets for the Hydro Connect festival!
The peculiar thing about competitions is that almost everyone thinks they have little chance of winning. This, in turn, makes people reluctant to enter (no matter how wonderful the prize), even if doing so would only take up a few minutes of their time.
I know this to be a fact because I used to run the competitions in a national newspaper which had a daily readership of 100,000. We regularly had DVD giveaways, free merchandise, VIP Champions League tickets - and more often than not the winners ended up being the only ones who had bothered to enter.
Now that you only how much luck is actually involved, you might want to take a shot at this...
We have THREE pairs of weekend and camping tickets to give away to the Hydro Connect music festival which takes place in the fairytale grounds of Inveraray Castle in Argyll from Friday, August 29 to Sunday, August 31.This being only its second year in existence, Connect is a baby on the circuit but it's very much a festival for the 21st century - the food is locally produced, there are plenty of recycling points and emissions are offset. And having teamed up with Scottish Hydro Electric (who call themselves the UK’s leading producer of cleaner, greener renewable energy) the carbon neutral festival has found its perfect partner.
The magical rolling hills, glistening Loch Fyne and the haunting Castle make the perfect setting to experience the homegrown sounds of Franz Ferdinand, Paolo Nutini, Amy Macdonald, Camera Obscura, Glasvegas, Broken Records and We Were Promised Jetpacks, as well as the more travelled acts such as Sigur Ros, Bloc Party, Kasabian, Manic Street Preachers, Gossip, Goldfrapp, Grinderman, Santogold, Elbow, Conor Oberst, Mercury Rev and Spiritualized.
It's not just about the bands. Hydro Connect offers a range of alternative entertainment in the form of burlesque night Club Noir and swing club Vegas! as well as a bit of luxury at The Rest And Be Thankful Spa and The Speakeasy Cafe, a space where coffee and conversation, acoustic performances, storytelling and a bit of comedy will be the order of the day. In the Circuses and Bread Field you can enjoy delicious local food including world famous Loch Fyne Oysters and venison burgers, Fyne Ales and sample an array of drams from the Whisky Bar or relax in the Champagne Bar.
To be in with a chance of winning tickets for you and a mate, all you have to do is answer this question: Up to and including this one, how many posts have there been in The Pop Cop since it launched on June 13, 2007?
Now just email your answer with the subject "Hydro Connect comp" to thepopcop@gmail.com and include your name, address and date of birth before midnight on Thursday, August 7.
If you are not lucky enough to win, tickets to Hydro Connect are available by visiting http://www.connectmusicfestival.com/ or calling Ticketmaster on 08444 999 990. Bus tickets are on sale and must be booked in advance from http://www.citylink.co.uk/ or by calling 08705 501 501. Ticket and travel packages can also be purchased together from Ticketmaster at point of ticket purchase. For more information on Scottish Hydro Electric and to discover how to make your home or business greener by using cleaner renewable energy visit http://www.hydro.co.uk/.
THE SMALL PRINT
Competition is open to over 18s only.
Prize is non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash.
Promoter reserves the right to refuse entry.
Competition closes on August 7.
4 Bloc Party - Mercury
4 Sigur Ros - Vid Spilum Endalaust
4 Santogold, Julian Casablancas and Pharrell Williams - My Drive Thru
4 Gossip - Listen Up! (radio mix)
