Amy MacBeath

Another year, another Rockness festival overlooking the world famous Loch Ness!  With an eclectic combo of rock, electronica, hip hop and dance it had a bit of something for everyone, with a couple weddings at an inflatable church thrown in for measure.  Lucky for us festival goers the weather held out (apart from one horrendous downpour) although there certainly wasn’t a lack of mud, or those dipped in it.

With so much on offer it was difficult to get round all the acts, especially with the sun shining and Soco bar attracting crowds with plenty giveaways, tunes and, most importantly, Southern Comfort! 

On Friday night in the Go North tent local band Theatre Fall all dressed in yellow drew in a decent crowd, many of whom were also donning yellow outfits.  Petite singer Lauren MacKenzie proved she’s the perfect addition to the band providing not only the vocals but the sparkle to the electronic/indie foursome.  The main stage hosted the theatrical The Flaming Lips who complete with a gang of teletubbies (or is it a gaggle?) and the perfect view up Wayne Coyne’s nose from a microphone cam (after his entrance in a hamster ball) gave the festival a wierd, creative and altogether freaky start.

Saturday I stopped by The Whip in the Clash arena to see what a lot of the hype was about with the Manchurian electonica group I’d heard so much about.  I got the impression if it had been later in the day (or had a few more beverages) it would have been really enjoyable but the sunshine outside was too appealing.  My highlight of the day, if not weekend, was the fantastic Frightened Rabbit in the Fat Sam’s tent and Scott Hutchison (who was spotted enjoying the sunshine by the VIP bar for the majority of the day…which showed) ad libbed some of the set but appeared to be enjoying it as much as us!  Of course Dizzee Rascal was a highlight for many, like the music or not, as it was impossible not to join the possy jumping to number one hit Bonkers.  I was also impressed by the concern they showed for the crowd when they cut the music, favouring some cheesy Rn’B until everyone backed up and behaved.  Headliners Basement Jaxx was an odd one – most of my friends chose not to stick around and to be honest I understand why.  The first few of the set were well known and the diva acts, constant costume changes and dancing was all very impressive but when the rapping began followed by some solo jazz trumpet it seemed to get a bit stale so it was off to the Bollywood tent for a rave.

The day everyone was looking forward to was Sunday.  It started with a stop by the Go North tent once again to check out The Ray Summers a band who are trying to recreate the Stones and Creedance Clearwater but in a modern sense with a bit of indie thrown in..only way I can describe what I saw I think.  Their frontman Andy appeared to be giving it the Mick Jagger-esque chicken dance which was very entertaining to watch.  Later that day it was back to the Go North stage for Jack Butler who just realesed their debut Fit the Paradigm and didn’t fail to impress with their whirl of jaggy riffs and catch hooks from a group of lads looking like they were heading for the beach instead of gig.  The Wombats who played at Rockness two years ago (apparently?) managed to get a main stage slot which I don’t think was really justified.  The set seemed all too similar to that they played last time in Inverness, with one new song, although the crowd were happy enough.  Biffy Clyro were once again the essence of rock professionalism firing through a tight list of songs of old and new with the shirtless trio rocking out a couple new offerings which thankfully appear to be stepping back to their heavier roots.  Placebo were on in Fat Sam’s but sadly due to the overlap it wasn’t possible to see them but I hear good things about their new album.  Headliners The Prodigy were a mixed bag of tense, angry and manic energy and with people as far as I could see raving in the dark field it was a fiery end to the weekend.  However their stopping and starting did mean the set was a little bitty for my liking as just when we were throwing some mega shapes it was slow right down while Keith Flint paced the stage. 

Fireworks finished off the night and it was off back to the campsite for the last night of banter with my tired, muddy and sunburnt friends.

Check out all the latest on music from around Scotland (including some of my own reviews might I add) at isthismusic.com!!!

In my endeavours to become that know-it-all music journalist that I will never even come close to being, I had a wee review of this year’s albums and new bands.  What did I discover?…not a lot.  Turns out that this year hasn’t been all that exciting as music goes, this is only my opinion of course, but as I looked over the many bands which have been raved about endlessly this year….not a lot doing really.

What I have enjoyed this year has been the drift back to that old folk vibe which has seen a lot of decent songwriting and acoustic tracks…fair enough many of which could put me to sleep but the less bands around that make my ears bleed, like the Tings Tings, the better!

All the round ups of the year are pretty much exact same – Vampire Weekend, MGMT, Coldplay, Kings of Leon, TV on the Radio, Portishead, Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes, Glasvegas…

So I decided to compile my own wee lists of 2008 music to see what everyone else thinks..the highs, the lows, the never should have made it near a microphone..and my favourites.

Bands/Persons of 2008

Selkirk ‘indie-rockers’ Frightened Rabbit; Former half of Arab Strap Malcolm Middleton and his ever positive songs; Kings of Leon; Drever, MucCusker & Woomble….

Albums of 2008

The Midnight Organ Fight - Frightened Rabbit:  For some reason I just can’t sicken myself of this album after first hearing it back in the summer so I shall continue to try! 

Only by the night – Kings of Leon: Mainstream sellouts?  Never! I think that the fact that the Tennessee boys manage to produce albums each better than the last has shown that they deserve to sell out their 36-date arena tour….saying that this isn’t my favourite album actually but it’s still pretty darn good.

Before the Ruin – Drever, McCusker & Woomble:  Can’t say I like it as much as the previous album under Roddy’s name but the variety of influences and appearances on it add a lot more depth and is well worth listening to!

For Emma, Forever ago – Bon Iver:  Justin Vernon (calling himself after the French non hiver meaning good winter) hid himself away in some Wisconsin woods and created this album in isolation, singing about his loss, guilt etc after band/relationship breakups.

The Sound of Vatersay – The Vatersay Boys:  You can never fail to impress the boy racers round Sneck with their beats pumping with a blast of the good ol Vatersay Boys!  Not as good as An Rathad a Bhatarsaigh but this third album still gets the toes tapping…always good at a festival too!

Friday Night Lights – Attic Lights:  Have to put this album in here as although it was never my taste in music it has grown on me after having seen them play several times this year..and it’s such a happy album!

Best songs of 2008

Sex on Fire, Kings of Leon (for the beautiful video if nothing else); Flux, Bloc Party…still working on this list

My favourite of the year - Head Rolls Off, Frightened Rabbit

Worst of 2008

Ting Tings….everything about them…

Britney Spears’ comeback – sorry but they are not hits, they are awful!

Basshunter….while I’m at it everything on those flipping dance albums being advertised non-stop

Daddy’s Gone, Glasvegas – what’s the fuss about, the song is crap…it’s like he couldn’t think of anything else to say other than he’s gone, he’s gone, he’s gone, he’s gone.. oh oh oh oooh…

Anything remotely High School or musical related…this form of ultra-cheese has no musical credibility and just annoys me.  Only my opinion though!

Lil’ [whatever their names are]..all these generic wannabe gangsters who need to pull up their trousers…it’s partly the bling/teeth ‘grillz’ and a lot the scantily clad stripper ladies in the videos

I could go on…and on but that folks is my basic summary of the year. 

I look forward to what next year brings:  new albums from Idlewild, Brand New, Taking Back Sunday, Frightened Rabbit, possibly The Reindeer Section and hopefully loads more good bands!

Following my delightful meeting with Glasgow band Attic Lights earlier today I thought I would post up their new video for Late Night Sunshine.  Definitely the nicest band I’ve spoken to by a mile!

I had all the best intentions tonight of doing some work, I really did.  Somehow the night has slipped away from me and all I seem to have done is browse youtube and random band websites.  It got me wondering how many hours you can actually waste doing this…people do it for a living somewhere I am sure…anyway it just doesn’t bear thinking about on a Friday night.  It’s sad enough that I am sitting writing a blog!

Although I have discovered others this year I have found myself drifting back to the good old classics I have been brought up with – Dylan, Springsteen, Neil Young, Black Crowes, The Cure, Wilco, Creedance Clearwater, Gram Parsons…It’s really embarrassing when you grow up trying to get out there and find new music and then you end up listening to the same stuff as the folks anyway!

2008 has brought about a wave of pretty decent acoustic and so called indie bands that it seems there are just too many to choose from.  Having been away from Glasgow I was a bit out of the loop so it’s been fun catching up.  Thanks to the recommendation of a friend, lastfm.com has been pretty helpful!  I have never considered myself an indie fan…I feel as though I have cheated myself by admitting it but since it’s the latest label these bands have been slapped with I guess I will have to go with it.

Wonder how long this latest shift with the formerly emo kids listening to bands like the Foals, MGMT, Vampire Weekend…and the Ting Tings (eugh!) will last.

Once I have read a few more of the inevitably endless lists of top tracks/bands/albums of the year you can all look forward to a blog on my personal favourites and new bands of the year!

The Scottish Sun St Andrew’s Day in aid of Versus Cancer…that’s a mouthful!

Moved fairly late in the day to the Carling Academy, a wise choice me thinks, Scottish bands came together last Friday to support the charity which aims to make musical and medical history.  As did the Amys (aka Amy MacFerson).

Set up in 2005 by ex Smiths bassist Andy Rourke and Nova Rehman the gigs are held to promote awareness as well as fundraise for cancer research and support.

The Scottish gig featured..you guessed it…Scottish bands. 

There seem to be a lot of changes to this gig so I am not entirely sure if Sergeant actually did play, but it was printed on my ticket so I am going to say they must have and stick with it.

Unfortunately, due to the unecessary and ridiculous queuing being done outside, we also missed Attic Lights..who I actually did want to see!  I wasn’t the only one as it seemed their guest list were lined up in the cold while they played…and it was very cold!  Travis also walked past at this time (with a Fran Healy cleverly disguised with a tartan scarf round his face and a 6ft odd bassist you could spot a mile off..not literally but he is just pretty recognisable).  Perhaps they wanted a beatles-esque moment of screaming fans, I don’t know, but it didn’t seem to work.

Once into the warmth of the Carling we saw The Fratellis who were good and played some of their newer stuff and then of course Travis came on.  I think for many our age, Travis is a bit of a blast from the past with songs like ‘Why does is always rain on me?‘ – for me it brings back memories of a rainy but glorious day Tynecastle many moons ago!

Safe to say they went down well though with the set being belted back at them being more than enough proof!  The bopping hey jimmy hats and sea of lit mobiles just adding to the atmosphere and it looked like the band were having fun too.

Afterwards it was off to Sloans on Argyle Street to mingle with the stars…that being Greg Hemphill from Still Game and some [insert appropriate comment based on outfit's lack of appropriateness here] girl from River City]….both of whom we actually didn’t talk to.

At least Attic Lights played again at the after party so we had a chance to see them again.

Following ejection from Sloans after it all ran on a bit long, the hunt for the great unknown on a saturday night species…otherwise known as a taxi..began!  Good night though!

So, Friday night at the Edinburgh Corn Exchange - Death Cab for Cutie from Washington with support from Scots band Frightened Rabbit.  At the risk of sounding like a wee indie/emo kid…(ah to hell with it!)…it was awesome!

Despite the fact I had to travel there alone and therefore was extremely sober compared to everyone who didn’t have the delights of a full Friday afternoon of uni holding them back, I managed to find everyone in time to get there for Frightened Rabbit which was pretty impressive as I rarely make it to a gig in time to see support in the same city as me.    Unfortunately they came on before I made it to the bar but I wasn’t missing them!

From memory, most of the tracks were off their latest album The Midnight Organ Fight with only one exception which I believe was from their previous 2007 offering Sings the Greys.  Scott Huchison’s vocals carried surprisingly well in the venue (I normally prefer Carling Academy for his style of vocals as they carry better) and I still managed to look a numpty singing along to ‘Old Old Fashioned’ by myself in a beer queue.  Ah well.  My only negative comment would be (and it’s not their fault) that the set was WAY too short…perhaps it just felt that way but I only remember about half a dozen songs and I know they weren’t the headliners but hey, I wanted to hear more.

Death Cab for me disappointed a little.  Considering when I got this ticket I didn’t know until shortly after that Frightened Rabbit were joining them, I was excited to see them I felt that they were running through the motions a little bit.  Don’t get me wrong I still think they were really good and if I was a huge fan of them then I am sure it would have loved it anyway, it’s just I was expecting a little more from them I guess and after enjoying their support so much it fell a little flat.  I don’t think their sound was as good either. 

Nevertheless enjoyed it a lot as I hadn’t heard a few of their songs in ages like ‘The New Year’ from Transatlanticism, the classic sing along Death Cab track ‘I will follow you into the dark’ and ‘I will possess your heart’ from this year’s album Narrow Stairs.  I also had the pleasure of being drunkenly serenaded.

Despite the fact that a treck to Edinburgh to see a gig is generally a bit of a hassle, although I can promise you the countless trecks from Inverness to see gigs make it seems nothing, the gig was worth it. 

Now all I need to do is figure out how to get a ticket to Frightened Rabbit’s sold out King Tut’s gig this month!

Going to see them on Friday!