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Mugdock Music Festival 2013

2nd November – 9th November, 2013

Mugdock Country Park

Allander Record Fairs

Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 November, 10am – 5pm
Come and browse, buy, sell or exchange. There is a wide range of records, tapes, cd’s and dvd’s from every musical genre on offer at the Visitor Centre. Free.

Mugdock Music Fest – Film Night: Moulin Rouge

Monday 4 November 7.45pm
Our six-day Music Festival gets underway by firstly celebrating film musicals.   
Moulin Rouge is a 2001 romantic jukebox musical.  Music, dance and drama rolled into one! Booking Essential 0141 956 6100

Junior’s Open Mic Contest (S1 – S3)

Tuesday 5th November
6.30 to 9.30pm
A chance for up and coming musical talent to compete the festival’s first Junior contest with free studio time at the Audio Lounge in Glasgow the prize. The junior contest allows entries from secondary school only with students being  in years S1 to S3 at the time of the contest. Our judges from the music industry invite soloists and bands to take part by performing either a cover or original composition this evening.  All music genres considered. Applicants must have parental consent and complete the entry form that is available on our website www.mugdock-country-park.org.uk

Applications must be completed by 30th September along with supporting audio links/files which form part of any application submission. Those who are selected as finalists will perform live this evening in front of guests, friends and family.

Senior’s Open Mic Contest (S4 – S6)

Wednesday 6th November
6.30 to 9.30pm
A chance for up and coming musical talent to compete the festival’s first School Senior’s contest with free studio time at the Audio Lounge in Glasgow the prize. The senior contest allows entries from secondary school students only and must be in years S4 to S6 at the time of the contest. Our judges from the music industry invite soloists and bands to take part by performing either a cover or original composition this evening. All music genres considered.  Applicants must have parental consent and complete the entry form that is available on our website www.mugdock-country-park.org.uk.

Applications must be completed by 30th September along with supporting audio links/files which should form part of any application. Those who are selected  as finalists will perform live this evening in front of guests, friends and family.

Concert Night Thursday

7th November

Kat Healy 7.45 – 8.30pm

Kat Healy “A combination of well-crafted songs, beautiful voice, and delightful stage presence” (Iain Bruce, session musician and former member of The Proclaimers)

This year 2013 marks the independent release of UK artist Kat Healy’s new full length album, “Be Still Gentle Kind”. For the recording of this album Kat has joined forces with her outstanding live band; resulting in a piece of work that is brimming with tales full of lively characters set amidst flourishing settings. Together they have created beautifully detailed songs that reflect personal experiences and stories.

Be Still Gentle Kind is equal parts soulful, sweet and soothing, and rewards repeat listening. Fans of Joni Mitchell and Cat Power really ought to be picking this up and running with it” (Stu Lewis, The Tidal Wave of Indifference, 2012)

Since her first performances in 2005, Kat’s reputation as a notable singer/songwriter in the music scene has proven she is a long-lasting international music figure, and a musical talent to treasure. Kat’s presence abroad has been well established with performances on prestigious stages such as the Berlin Pop Komm Festival and the Sydney Songwriters Live concert.
“Kat has a stage presence which mixes vulnerability with good humor and a voice and songs which drip with fragile emotion” (Edinburgh Spotlight, review 2011).

In 2010/11 Kat’s musicianship, creativity and dynamic voice caught the attentions of well known Scottish producer Graeme Steel who invited Kat and her band to begin recording with him at The Depot Studios in Edinburgh. The debut single ‘Broken Bones’ (April 2011) garnered strong local support from the press, including radio personality Jim Gellaty, who featured the single on the Amazing Radio Show “chatty, enthusiastic and (a) very talented lady…” (2011)
With the new album already gaining momentum the future looks bright for Kat, and her profile is set to blossom.

‘Be Still Gentle Kind’ will touch even the hardest of hearts, establishing Kat Healy as a distinctive song writer, with style, and a unique vocal ability that is as striking as any of her female contemporaries.

“Her presence on stage emphasises her ability to take an audience on a heartfelt journey through her music”

Interval

JJ Gilmour 9.10 – 10.10pm

Internationally acclaimed Scottish singer-songwriter JJ Gilmour made his recording debut in 1989 with The Silencers, one of Scotland’s top bands who enjoyed huge success throughout Europe. A naturally gifted musician, (in his youth, JJ came very close to a career in classical music as a tenor) he first joined the band as a backing vocalist though later in the bands career JJ progressed seamlessly to lead vocalist.

Seven action-packed years of gigging and recording ensued during which The Silencers had gold albums, sold over half a million records for BMG/RCA, headlined major rock festivals and were regulars on hit TV shows across Europe. However, all good things must come to an end and after this successful period with the band, JJ decided he needed to take on new challenges and embarked upon a solo career.

After an initial period of prolific song-writing in 2001 at his home in Jersey (Channel Islands), JJ left for New York to record his critically acclaimed debut solo album ‘Sunnyside P.A.L’ Produced by Dan Wise (Scissor sisters) and mixed by Michael Brauer (Coldplay) the album was inspired by the memory of a childhood friend Paul Anthony Lennon and was released in February 2002. The album became the catalyst for establishing his now fiercely loyal fan base and gained wide spread acclaim from his peers as an ‘outstanding debut album’.

In between the release of his first solo album and the long awaited equally successful second album ‘The Boy Who Didn’t Fall’ (released in 2009), JJ’s desire to write a musical began to take shape in 2006 this was where he began to sow the early creative musical seeds and formulate ideas for the show ‘Dancing Shoes’, based upon the life of footballer George Best a remarkable show which has been well received by audiences of more than 50,000 and critics alike.

JJ is currently living in Ireland where he has recorded his third album ‘Slocomotion’, which is out now, alongside compiling a songbook of his works as a solo artist. He has also written the songs for a musical play entitled ‘The Titanic Boys’ which had its debut in August 2012 at Belfast’s Grand Opera House.
Tickets £10

Concert Night Friday

8th November

Al Fleming 7.45 – 8.30pm       

Al Fleming has been playing, writing and recording for over four decades. During this time he has played Folk, Pop, Rock, Punk, Blues and Jazz. He began song-writing in the ’70’s – when he saw that by writing his own material, it would save him learning the chords for other people’s songs!

Al writes eclectic songs that reflect emotive events and experiences and, although the subjects may change, they all express strong personal observations. Al was a winner of the very first Scottish “Burnsong” contest in 2005 with his song about Auschwitz – “Maria’s Clean”.

For the past 20 odd years, Al has been best known as a Scottish Blues singer, but this year he releases his first solo album which will show a very different and more melodic side to his musical personna.

Interval

Dave Arcari 9.10 – 10.10pm

SLIDE guitarist & songwriter Dave Arcari’s alternative blues sounds owe as much to trash country, punk and rockabilly as they do pre-war Delta blues and have been showcased via eight internationally-acclaimed solo CD releases. “Dave plays like he got his skin turned inside out and pretty soon my skin was inside out too listening and it was all good. That boy bleeds for you – he a real down deep player and a soul man…” SEASICK STEVE       

SLIDE guitarist & songwriter Dave Arcari’s alt.blues sounds owe as much to trash country, punk and rockabilly as they do pre-war Delta blues and have been showcased via eight internationally-acclaimed solo CD releases.

His latest album – Whisky in my Blood – was released on Finnish record label Blue North in March 2013 and sees Dave backed by Finnish musicians Juuso Haapasalo (bass) and Honey Aaltonen (snare drum) collectively known as the Hellsinki Hellraisers.
As well as showcasing Arcari’s trademark National steel guitars, the new album features performances on banjo, regular guitar and and cigar box which capture the full breadth of Arcari’s song-writing and performance.

Shows with folks including Steve Earle, Alabama 3, Seasick Steve, Toby Keith and Jon Spencer along with his relentless UK and European tour schedule have established Arcari as a formidable international solo performer who is fast building a media reputation as a ‘hell-raising National guitar madman’.  Tickets £10
Bookings Essential.  Telephone 0141 956 6100 or visit

Ticket reservations 

Saturday Matinee Concert

9th November

Mr Boom  2pm

Back by popular demand, Mr Boom invites families to embark in a Space Adventure to his fantasy lunar world of dance, story and fun. Children, Parents and Grandparents – you are never too old to share this enjoyable journey.
Tickets £6 (Ad) / £4(Ch).  Bookings Essential.  

Ticket reservations

Concert Saturday

9th November

Craig Jeffrey 7.45 – 8.30pm

Scottish singer/songwriter Craig Jeffrey started his recording career in 2007 with EP Hard To Say and album Don’t Blow Away on Borders label Big Sky. Both releases received high prays gaining it local and national radio play with Craig making several live TV appearances. The young Borders crooner travelled the country playing live on radio and appearing at some of the countries best venues and festivals.

One of his first big festival experiences was to play on the Danny Kyle stage at Celtic Connections where he won a coveted Danny Award. This also brought him to the attention of the festivals artistic director and seen him returning to play three years in a row.

Craig has recently started to record at Vertical Records with one of Scotland’s most respected musicians and producers Donald Shaw. He launched his new Connected EP in March this year in his home town of Galashiels in front of a sell out crowd in the Volunteer Hall. The four track CD has been gathering momentum, fantastic reviews and radio play on stations such as BBC Radio Scotland and commercial radio show In Demand Uncut.

Craig has been busy writing and is currently working at Vertical Records on a full length CD, with hopes of it being released before the end of the year.
       
Interval

Graeme Clark  9.10 – 10.10pm

With 2 successful UK tours under his belt along with a critically acclaimed debut album (Mr Understanding), Graeme Clark has made it clear that his solo career is a permanent fixture. As Bass Player and songwriter for the highly successful Wet Wet Wet, Graeme enjoyed levels of success and fame that most artists only dream of. The band enjoyed 30 chart hits and you can’t do that without learning an awful lot about song-writing, performing and record producing along the way. Although The Wets continue to perform together, Graeme felt he needed another outlet for his music. And what better way than to perform your own music?

“Fame and success were always enjoyable side-effects” says the man who lives for his music. “These days, I’m in greater control of my own destiny.” It’s hardly unusual to hear the story of bands not working together either because they can’t find the time or have different individuals with different motivations.

“My motivation has always been the music. To make that work takes more than just a few days together every now and again”.  In 2012 Graeme released his first solo Album – Mr Understanding.  Its release has proved popular with his loyal and growing fanbase around the UK and, perhaps more importantly, it certified that GC’s creativity was still there and waiting to find another opening.

March 2013 saw the release of new material from Graeme – the Catching Fire EP.  “Musically I feel like I’m still growing. As a solo artist I may have a bigger say but, if it’s not good then there’s no one else to blame. That drives me to try harder”.

But being in front of audiences and performing is the world that Graeme most likes to inhabit. “The days of record companies bank-rolling big tours are gone. Audiences don’t have money for expensive tickets and artists have to understand that”.

Over the past year Graeme has played sell-out shows in Glasgow, Birmingham, London and Brighton. In July 2012, a hip club was the venue, just round the corner from Glasgow Green, where The Wets played to 10,000 people the next day. “You might not believe this but it’s more nerve-racking in those intimate environments. You can see the whites of the audience’s eyes”.

Those stripped back environments have become his trademark. Supported by Graeme Duffin, the man whose guitar has been a big part of Wet Wet Wet throughout their career, and Iain Duff on piano and accordion, the “Clark sound” have much more diversity that you might expect. There will always be a reference to the soul music that he has been steeped in. But there are many other influences. This is what sets GC aside from being just another former member of a band.

Consequently audiences have been loving the accoustic set in a venue where they can see everything at close hand. “There’s nowhere to hide. Every mistake and every flaw is obvious. That’s what makes it exciting and beautiful. I love it”.  

Tickets £10.  Bookings Essential.  

Ticket reservations

Telephone 0141 956 6100 or visit Mugdock Country Park

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