Withered Hand – the pseudonym of talented Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Dan Willson – is encountering problems getting a visa for SXSW in Texas this month. Despite having been one of the first Scottish acts to be invited to play, and having got his funding in place, he is in the improbable situation where US Immigration have deemed that he is “not of extraordinary ability”.
Quite why the US border guards have decided that they are now Simon Cowell is unclear, but what we do know is that not only is Willson one of the top talents Austin-bound – not Scottish or British, but worldwide – but if they start applying similar criteria to all the acts heading for Texas, then there’s going to be a lot of empty stages.

Anyway. You can sign a petition to get Withered Hand there. Can’t do any harm, surely?
Make your own minds up at witheredhand.com