EKTA is a local Sikh group, with the main aim of taking care of their elderly community. It was set up in 1996, but didn’t take off immediately. By February 2008 they had managed to put together a working group of committee members and volunteers. It is the first of its kind in Glasgow, bringing families out of their usual environment.

They now have 25 members who meet fortnightly on a Thursday at the church, with many activities for everyone including yoga and dance classes to keep members fit, table tennis and dominoes. Sometimes they get together and have informal dinners, and films are often shown. Chairman Gurdav Singh-Pall told us that they try to provide anything that members have requested, and they could do more with more funding.

The aim is to bring together Sikhs as Mr. Singh-Pall told how many isolate themselves within their families. He says they are happy just to go to work then go home, and this is completely new to them so they are therefore quite hesitant in coming forward.

There are now around 7,000 Sikhs living in Glasgow, worshipping at four Gurudwaras – Mr. Singh-Pall made a point of telling us that they are no longer called “Temples”, this is the old word – across the city. These are located in Nithsdale Road, St. Andrews Drive, Otago Street and Berkely Street.

Although the group is aiming to provide care for the elderly, it is a mix of all ages – which was well reflected on Saturday night’s turnout.

The day was Diwali – the Festival of Light, which is on the same day for both Sikhs and Hindus and began as a celebration of India. The church had a very light Christmas-time feel to it, with lots of candles and fairy lights hung around and lanterns pinned to the pillars.

The evening began with a speech from Mr. Singh-Pall (spoken in Punjabi so Martin and I sat back and enjoyed our juices for a moment or two). Next was dinner, we were invited to join and take as much as we liked! Brilliant. Then came loads of dancing, by which I was most impressed because of the outfits the ladies were wearing. Their saris were so beautiful, such lovely bright colours and sparkles.

A couple of local police officers also popped their heads in after being asked by Mr. Singh-Pall to come along and see the general gist of what they were doing there.

He ended by thanking everybody for coming along, particularly his volunteers of which there are ten. It really was a great evening, I’m glad I headed along – a bit of an alternative to my usual Saturday night!

On Tuesday morning, Emma and I went to the Celtic Connections Press Launch at the Royal Concert  Hall.

First we heard from Ann Loughrey, Head of CSR for ScottishPower – Celtic Connections’ Principal Sponsor. She spoke about how glad ScottishPower are to yet again support the festival. This year, they are also launching the ScottishPower Powerful Performance schools competition, to give one school group the chance to appear as part of the music festival.

We then heard about the extensive Education Programme of the Festival. Finally, Donald Shaw, Artistic Director, announced this year’s line-up, highlighting some of the great things we can look forward to in January.

Emma and I were also able to interview Jade Hewat, the Festival Manager. Below you can listen to some more details of the Festival and our interview with Jade. You can read our artlice on the Local News Glasgow website!

Celtic Connections Press Launch

I just thought I’d add this as it’s a nice little story!

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A COUPLE aged 78 and 79 are to be married this month after meeting three months ago at Cathcart Bowling Club.

 Jean Waugh, 79, told how her fiancé Jack Ingles, 78, proposed three weeks ago while they were on holiday in Turkey.

 Jean, from Mount Florida, is very excited and says “Jack is a wonderful man. I just didn’t believe something like this would happen at my age.”

 “We were having dinner at the hotel and I was wearing my shorts when he asked!”

 She says they have become the talk of the bowling club, and are constantly being questioned and congratulated by other members whilst on the green.

 The couple are both widows; Jack, from Netherlee, has four children and Jean had two boys, one of whom unfortunately passed away 11 years ago.

 She has decided that her son will walk her down the aisle, and the widow of her other son, Alison Waugh, will be her only bridesmaid to represent him at the wedding.

 The couple will tie the knot on October 31 at Mount Florida Church near Hampden, with 60 of their family and friends attending.

 Jean’s family said the news came as a big surprise, her grandson Alan says his Gran was so excited she woke them all up early the next morning when she phoned home to announce the news.

He says “We are all really happy that she is so happy, but I won’t deny it came as quite a shock!”

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 Last minute tickets are just about one of my favourite things, particularly when they’re for something you’ve been really wishing you could go to! So when my big brother Robert phoned this week and asked me to head along to see Billy Connolly with him on Friday night, I happily accepted.

 Connolly is almost 67 now, and he is still one of the best there is. His show was very typical of what you’d expect – lots of laughs relating to his working class background, everyday life, sex and religion. Coming towards the end of a string of 12 Glasgow tour dates, you may have expected him to recycle some jokes but after comparing notes with my boss who was there last weekend there seemed to be no similarities!

 I was laughing before Billy even started – this could be blamed on the bottle of wine we’d had with dinner – but mostly because of the numerous loudspeaker announcements in the Auditorium reminding gig-goers that Cliff Richard was not playing in this venue but over in the SECC. This was followed by three old dears running up to me and Rob looking very panic stricken and crying: “Where’s Cliff!?”

Arriving in his trademark black and white stripy trousers, Billy took the stage and my eyes were streaming within about 10 seconds. He certainly knows how to deal with hecklers, simply shouting at one rowdy drunk “sit the f*** down and shut the f*** up!” 

The Armadillo is a great venue, and Billy commented on how pleased he was to play so close to where he had grown up in Anderston. The crowd were also brilliant, I think just about everyone loves Billy Connolly.

They have been recording since 1997 but this year Idlewild became an unsigned band when their label Sanctuary went into administration. They decided to fund their new album by asking fans to pre-order it, and those who did received their copies back in June.  

Post Electric Blues is a variety of folk, rock and pop, with the band sounding refreshed and their most comfortable since The Remote Part in 2002. It is a mix of Loch side sing-alongs and bigger, louder songs that should go down pretty well when they head out on tour again.

While their obvious influences from bands like REM are still there, the folk-rock cocktail of this album brings a sound that could only belong to them.

The song: (The Night Will) Bring You Back To Life features vocals from both Roddy Woomble and Rod Jones, and is very typical of Woomble’s solo album style, however it seems to be a duet which sees the musicians equally content in their production of happy indie folk.

The tone of the album is very hopeful, particularly on the track Younger Than America, which has melodic keyboard pieces reinforced by the enchanting guest vocals from Irish folk singer Heidi Talbot.

Idlewild have always been a band that has worked hard for their fans, and since their last studio album in 2006 they have had numerous gigs in special venues, such as the album-a-night at King Tuts last Christmas.

This is a Scottish band we can all be proud of, and there is a lot to look forward to as they embark upon their latest tour.

Post Electric Blues went on general release on Monday October 5.

The band

Roddy Woomble: vocals

Rod Jones: guitar, backing vocals and keyboard

Allan Stewart: guitar

Gareth Russell: bass

Colin Newton: drums

Track Listing