Here’s our three things to see in the upcoming days…

Adam Stafford

Interesting Things at Stirling Tolbooth. An all-dayer – well, music running, it says here, from 4 – 11pm. Or get there a bit earlier and check out the Harry Papadopoulos exhibition in the Tolbooth Gallery.
Music-wise there’s more than a dozen acts performing including some very familiar names – Comfort, Adam Stafford, former Phantom Band man Duncan Marquiss, Apostille (Michael Kasparis), Lost Map gun-for-hire Susan Bear, Gerard Black of Babe / Findo Gask fame, and top of the bill, Liverpool ensemble Ex-Easter Island Head.
See stirlingevents.org/interesting-things

While we’re saying “formerly of”, Sunday – September 1st, where did the summer go? – sees Latetia Sadier arrive in Glasgow for a show at Mono. The most recent music from the Stereolab founder was a recording with Thurston Moore, but her album from earlier this year, ‘Rooting for Love’, is exactly what you’d expect – off-the-wall electronic-based strangeness that is shot through with her trademark pop nous. Here’s she’s backed up by the three musicians that form Source Ensemble. monocafebar.com/events/laetitia-sadier-source-ensemble

It’s not immediately obvious, but with Manchester’s Psychfest taking place on Saturday, surely the Edinburgh event on Sunday is in some way related? Well, it’s certainly not Reading vs Leeds – there’s not that much correlation between lineups but there’s an excellent range of acts spread between Summerhall, The Caves, The Mash House and the Queen’s Hall in this all-day event. Gruff Rhys is the headliner – but beware, he’s on not long after lunch – and the other must-see on the 30-odd-strong bill just about follows him – that’s Leeds country teasers Divorce. Also worthy of a look at NewDad (who are playing on the ‘southern’ version), Gurriers, Loose Articles, Pigsx7, The Wife Guys Of Reddit, Cloth, and The Bug Cub. See the Summerhall website for more.

Seminal Scots indie act Cocteau Twins have re-released their collaboration with Harold Budd. (more…)

The Twistettes get geared up for the General Election with a new single (more…)

Paolo Nutini is the big wonner in the run-in to 2023’s Scotish ALbum opf the Year aAward.

The Paisley=born singer-songwriter was the winner of the public vote which helped whittle 20 longlisted albums down to the fial 10 from which the winner will be announced in Stirling on October 26th.

Among the nine other acts on the shortlist are Andrew Wasylyk, Hamish Hawk and Cloth, although Kapil Seshasayee, The Snuts, Comfort, Free Love, Su-a Lee, and Constant Follower’s collaboration with Scott William Urquhart are among the releases deemed surplus to requirements by the mysterious judging panel.

Coincidentally, Paolo Nutini’s 2006 debut album ‘These Streets’ has been announced as the winner of 2023’s Modern Scottish Classic Award (chosen by this year’s other Longlisted artists).

And the five finalists for The Sound of Young Scotland Award have also been revealed; an award which will allow the winner the means to create their debut album. In alphabetical order, these are: Danny Cliff, Pearling, Pippa Blundell, No Windows and Queen of Harps.

The SAY Award Shortlist for 2023 in alphabetical order is:

Andrew Wasylyk – Hearing the Water before Seeing the Falls
Becky Sikasa – Twelve Wooden Boxes
Bemz – Nova’s Dad
Brìghde Chaimbeul – Carry Them With Us
Brooke Combe – Black Is the New Gold
Cloth – Secret Measure
Hamish Hawk – Angel Numbers
Joesef Permanent – Damage
Paolo Nutini – Last Night In The Bittersweet
Young Fathers – Heavy Heavy

Robert Kilpatrick, Interim CEO and Creative Director of the Scottish Music Industry Association (SMIA) said: ,“Congratulations to the 10 incredible albums that have made The SAY Award Shortlist, as well as to our Sound of Young Scotland Award finalists and this year’s Modern Scottish Classic Award winner – Paolo Nutini’s iconic debut ‘These Streets’. This is a fantastic representation of the strength and diversity of Scottish music; past, present and future.”

The SAY Award winer for 2023 will be announced at a ceremony at the Albert Halls, Stirling, on October 26th – tickers are on sale now via www.sayaward.com.

Martin John Henry releases a new track, ‘Northern Strangers’, accompanied by a video by, filmmaker Kris Boyle.

The song is part of a soundtrack curated by Boyle, who has made seven new videos to accompany new musical works by Auld White Label, Babygod, Robert Dallas Gray, Haunted Stars and M. John Henry.

The filmmaker gave each musician a title or phrase as a starting point with no other brief, while making the videos separately, not hearing the music until after most of the films were made – resulting in a collection of paired visual-audio works, each of which is open to “the chance encounters of harmony or contrast”.

The entire project can be viewed here and the tracks, with all proceeds going to SAMH, can be downloaded here.

Buoyed by a recent intimate gig at Glasgow Stereo for 6music (more…)

This week’s radio selection… begins on t’internet (more…)

Take a couple of days off and steel yourselves for a busier mid-late week, gigs-wise… (more…)

A couple of items of interest on the airwaves this week (more…)

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve posted an update to the audio-visual menu available to Scottish indie music fans (more…)