Stirling’s venue for music | performance | classes | arts
OCT – DEC 2015
Carol Kidd
Seckou Keita
Rab Noakes Shooglenifty
Box Office 01786 27 4000
tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk Box office 01786 27 4000
Strange Behaviours Festival Breabach p27
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As the nights draw in, why not come and see some of the best music around … We have a packed programme of performances and be sure to look through the range of classes for adults, children and young people. We have some wonderful performances lined up - why not try something new, as well as trusted favourites. Be inspired by artists such as Seckou Keita, the masterful Kora player and griot from Senegal, or be moved by The Last Yankee, one of Arthur Miller’s later plays dealing with the issues of depression, which we are promoting as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival. As ever, we cover all musical genres, with jazz from Scotland’s finest, Carol Kidd with Paul Harrison and later Tommy Smith and Brian Kellock; a goosebump programme is on offer from Mr McFall's Chamber. Some fine songwriters are coming, including Eric Taylor, a fine Texan troubadour who has influenced a few upcoming musicians (!) Steve Earle, Lyle Lovatt and Nancy Griffith.
Strange Behaviours festival returns once again bringing the best of the current indie scene, and amongst the highlights of Think Thoughts songwriting evenings is the winner of the Scottish 2015 Album of the Year Kathryn Joseph. Some of the best trad line-ups are heading our way, and we end our year with the unique ‘dub-diddly’ sound of the peerless Shooglenifty celebrating their 25th anniversary on the road … there will be dancing.
Team Tolbooth
The Tolbooth is owned and operated by Stirling Council. The redevelopment of the Tolbooth was funded by
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INDEX October
Think Thoughts: Michael Cassidy 4 JJ Gilmour 5 Carol Kidd with Paul Harrison 6 Eric Taylor + support 7 Mr McFall’s Chamber 8 Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells 9 Alison McMorland, Geordie McIntyre 10 Rapture Theatre presents – The Last Yankee 11 Seckou Keita + Gwyneth Glyn 12
TICKETS & ACCESS
November
Conditions: tickets cannot be exchanged or refunded unless the event is cancelled. We reserve tickets for a maximum of three days. No reservations will be taken within three days of an event. Concessions apply to some events; check individual event. Online booking fee applies.
December
Tolbooth is fully accessible and can accommodate a number of wheelchair users at each performance. Please mention at the time of booking if you require a wheelchair space. The Tolbooth has an induction loop system, please ask at Box Office for more details. If you need information on tape, large print or Braille, contact 0845 277 7000
Tommy Smith and Brian Kellock 14 Aly Bain, Ale Möller and Bruce Molsky 16 Rab Noakes 17 Strange Behaviours Festival 18 City Music Live 19 Cruinn 20
Shine 21 Think Thoughts: Kathryn Joseph 22 Strange Behaviours: Holy Esque 23 Christmas Ceilidhs 26 James Grant 24 Breabach 27 Shooglenifty: The Untied Knot Tour 28
Courses and Classes 30
Box office 01786 27 4000 Open Tuesday – Saturday 10am – 6pm Closed Sunday and Monday
Tolbooth, Jail Wynd, Stirling FK8 1DB tolbooth. stirling.gov.uk 3
Think Thoughts: Michael Cassidy + support Kieran Fisher + Jason Riddell DATE Friday 2 October TIME Doors 7.30pm AGE 14+ TICKETS £5 in advance / £7 on the door
Box office 01786 27 4000
Our monthly songwriting spotlight event starts back for its second season with celebrated emerging singer-songwriter Michael Cassidy. Establishing a voice for himself through a blend of folk and pop influences spanning the decades, there are clear touches of Richard Thompson, John Martyn, Paul McCartney, Rufus Wainwright and even Jeff Buckley. A festival regular with a stream of residencies to his name, he’s known for his rich and powerful vocal and evocative songwriting. Performing stripped back in the intimate setting of the Tolbooth Attic, prepare for the chills and goosebumps. The gravelly tones of local indie soloist Kieran Fisher lends support, alongside the official winner of the North Star Bar’s Songwriter Showcase competition, Jason Riddell.
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JJ Gilmour + support Paul Henry Smith DATE Saturday 3 October TIME 8pm TICKETS £12
Internationally acclaimed Scottish singersongwriter JJ Gilmour made his recording debut in 1989 with The Silencers, one of Scotland’s top bands who enjoyed huge success. Seven action-packed years of gigging and recording ensued during which The Silencers received gold albums for selling half a million records. Embarking on a solo career after the band split, JJ recorded his critically acclaimed debut solo album ‘sunnyside P.A.L’ in New York. Produced by Dan Wise (Scissor Sisters) and mixed by Michael Brauer (Coldplay, John Meyer) the album gained wide spread acclaim from his peers as an ‘outstanding debut album’. JJ is currently back living in Scotland and has recently released his third album ‘Slocomotion’. Tonight he is joined by Phil Kane on keyboards.
Box tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk office 01786 27 4000
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“Carol Kidd is the best kept secret of British jazz” Frank Sinatra
Carol Kidd with Paul Harrison DATE Friday 9 October TIME 8pm TICKETS £18
Scotland’s First Lady of Jazz, accompanied by top jazz pianist Paul Harrison, returns to the Tolbooth to celebrate the supremely gifted songwriter George Gershwin along with a special selection of some of most popular songs she’s recorded over the years including, of course, When I Dream. Don’t miss this relaxed and intimate evening of great music with songs such as Love Is Here to Stay, I’ve Got a Crush On You, It Ain’t Necessarily So, Come Rain or Come Shine, Stars Fell on Alabama, I Loves You Porgy and Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man. ‘Her control is thrilling … she is worldclass’ Dame Cleo Laine
Box office 01786 27 4000
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“He’s the real deal. Eric Taylor was one of my heroes and teachers when I started playing” Steve Earle
Eric Taylor + support from Stuart Warburton DATE Saturday 10 October TIME 8pm TICKETS £10
Eric Taylor is an American singer-songwriter based in Texas. A mesmerizing performer and master storyteller, indeed one of the finest and most influential southern songwriters for the last four decades. He has influenced many, including Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett (both of whom have covered several of his songs) and Steve Earle, Taylor tours extensively throughout North America and Europe. ‘I’m always the opening act when I’m around Eric. I love his voice … He sort of takes you out of your own reality and into the reality of his songs. It’s good writing no matter how you cut it’ Lyle Lovett
bluerubymusic.com
Box tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk office 01786 27 4000
Support is from Bury-based songwriter Stuart Warburton
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“Beautifully conveyed by six very connected musicians” Bachtrack
Mr McFall’s Chamber DATE Sunday 11 October TIME 8pm TICKETS £14 / £12
Aulis Sallinen: Introduction + Tango Overture Zita Bruzaite: Bangos Olli Mustonen: Toccata Kalevi Aho: Lamento Erkki-Sven Tuur: Dedication Petoris Vasks: A Little Summer Music Unto Monoen: Satumaa Toivo Karki: Taysikuu Jean Sibelius: Einsames Lied (from Belshazzar’s Feast)
Box office 01786 27 4000
To celebrate the release of Solitudes on Delphian Records, Mr McFall's Chamber perform a programme of music from Finland (including two Finnish Tango numbers), Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The music is hauntingly atmospheric and, by turns, passionate and reflective. We welcome the return of Cyril Garac on violin and Maria Martinova on piano as special guests of Mr McFall's Chamber tonight. In a performance which shows how evocative and communicative the piano sextet can be, the beautiful and the characterful are combined with Mr McFall's Chamber trademark intimacy and gentle humour.
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“Emotional, gut wrenching, funny and uplifting all at once” Louder Than War Aidan Moffat and Bill Wells DATE Saturday 17 October TIME 8pm TICKETS £13 / £11
Making their collaborative return with new album ‘The Most Important Place In The World’, Wells and Moffat are back exploring themes of encroaching age, domesticity versus devilry, temperance versus temptation, the metropolis as a siren. As with its predecessor, winner of the 2012 Scottish Album of the Year ‘Everything’s Getting Older’, Moffat speaks, snarls and sings his candid tales along to jazzinflected melodies. While bearing connections to their debut, here they deploy a broader and deeper variety of sounds, touching on electro-pop, lamenting brass, and what they refer to as ‘Caledonian gospel’. ‘The funniest and most imaginative piece of pop culture you are likely to encounter for an age.’ Scotland on Sunday
Box tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk office 01786 27 4000
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“… how peerless traditional singing can hold an audience spellbound” Jim Gilchrist, The Scotsman
Alison McMorland Geordie McIntyre and Friends DATE Friday 23 October TIME 8pm TICKETS £12 / £10
‘A stunning display of how powerful tradition bearers can present the experiences of people and the rich mythology of Scotland with a skill and unadorned passion for their cause.’ FolkBluesBeyond
alisonmcmorland.com Box office 01786 27 4000
Tonight we are so delighted to present Alison and Geordie who will perform a selection of their favourite traditional and Geordie's self-penned songs, with guest appearances from just a few of the many friends and family they have inspired and encouraged, including Alison's daughter Kirsty Potts with Alasdair Roberts and the Sutcliffe/Miller family Although essentially solo performers, Dunblane-based Alison and Geordie have developed a joint repertoire based on a fine sense of personal harmony. Both share an unmatched love and passion for traditional music and song, which in every moment possible, they share in their performances and through teaching. As with their friend Peggy Seeger, they veer towards the songs which reflect the social issues of all walks of life – giving many a voice.
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Rapture Theatre presents
The Last Yankee by Arthur Miller
DATE Saturday 24 October TIME 8pm TICKETS £12 / £10
To celebrate the centenary of Arthur Miller, Rapture Theatre is producing one of the legendary writer’s last great plays. Leroy Hamilton, a descendant of one of America’s founding fathers and ‘The Last Yankee’, lives a modest life as a carpenter and has eschewed the pursuit of the American Dream. This has estranged him from his wife, Patricia, who is in hospital and suffering from depression. Over the course of one day, Leroy and Patricia try to come to terms with Leroy’s choices and Patricia’s ‘illness’, and they take a tentative step towards reconciliation and a brave new future.
The cast is Stewart Porter (Shetland/River City), a rare dramatic role for Jane McCarry (Isa from Still Game), David Tarkenter and Pauline Turner. Humorous and ultimately uplifting, The Last Yankee is classic Miller. Supported by Creative Scotland, produced in association with The Beacon in Greenock and part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival 2015.
The Last Yankee reflects Miller’s themes of the devastating consequences for those who ‘fail’ to achieve the mythical riches of the American Dream.
tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk
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“An absolutely magical sound” Mark Radcliffe, BBC Radio 2
Seckou Keita + support from Gwyneth Glyn DATE TIME TICKETS
Friday 30 October 8pm £13 / £11 /£6 (under 16s')
seckoukeita.com
Box office 01786 27 4000
Following the critical acclaim of his awardwinning collaborative project with Welsh harpist Catrin Finch, we welcome the extraordinary Senegalese kora player Seckou Keita as part of a solo tour performing music from his critically acclaimed solo album ‘22 Strings’. Variously described as a griot (praise singer), composer, djembe master, kora virtuoso and pioneer, Seckou is a rare type of musician, seated in tradition whilst constantly pushing new boundaries. From distinguished roots in Senegal and Mali, Seckou can reel off his griot ancestry on his mother’s side for at least four or five generations. Opening the evening, from North Wales, Gwyneth Glyn is a poet, writer and singer of songs, exploring her own folk heritage in her mother-tongue.
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“Seckou Keita can be classed alongside the great Toumani Diabaté as one of the adventurous masters of the kora” ****
Robin Denselow, The Guardian
photographer Andy Morgan
Box office 01786 27 4000 tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk
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Box office 01786 27 4000
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“the duo played in dazzling and highly inventive fashion … the vivid live recording captures much of the tension, spontaneous energy and exhilarating interplay…” The Scotsman
Tommy Smith and Brian Kellock DATE Friday 6 November TIME 8pm TICKETS £14 / £12
Internationally acclaimed Scottish jazz duo Tommy Smith and Brian Kellock spin jazz classics into creative gold in an intimate, acoustic, and highly personable performance. Saxophonist Smith and pianist Kellock have worked together extensively over a long period, having known each other since the 1980s when they emerged on the Scottish jazz scene. As well as recording three duo albums, the most recent being 'Whispering of the Stars', and touring on both sides of the Atlantic, Smith and Kellock have been central to several of the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra's most successful projects.
Box office 01786 27 4000 tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk
In concert, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of jazz standards to draw on, they can go wherever the mood takes them and their relaxed, natural onstage rapport adds to the entertainment value.
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“Never mind Transatlantic Sessions, Aly Bain and his Swedish-New Yorker accomplices in this venture redraw the map” Rob Adams, The Herald
Aly Bain Ale Möller and Bruce Molsky DATE Saturday 7 November TIME 8pm TICKETS £16.50
This melodically and rhythmically exciting collaboration by three of the world’s leading folk musicians was rapturously received on its previous British tour. Sharing their Celtic, Nordic and Appalachian cultures are Aly Bain, Scotland’s supreme traditional style fiddler, Swedish multi-instrumentalist Ale Möller, and American old time fiddler, singer, guitarist and banjo player Bruce Molsky. All three have for many years explored traditional music from a wide range of cultures. ‘not only masters of their respective Shetland, Swedish and old-time US traditions, they're also long time pals, who have worked together over many years’ and as a result their performance shows ‘in addition to its exhilarating virtuosity, and dynamic yet seamless diversity, the extra warmth and zest of patent mutual ease, enjoyment and admiration’ The Scotsman
Box office 01786 27 4000
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“We get a picture that draws together country twang, New Orleans medicine shows and the roots of Hank Williams, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bob Wills, Merle Haggard, and Bob Dylan as Noakes delivers a raw, emphatic subterranean homage blues to 1920s minstrel Emmett Miller” Review of ‘I’m Walkin’ Here’ Rob Adams, The Herald
Rab Noakes DATE Friday 13 November TIME 8pm TICKETS £14 / £12
Part of the wave of iconic singer-songwriters of the 1970s, Rab has enjoyed a varied and illustrious musical life. After working with lifelong friend Gerry Rafferty in Stealers Wheel he opted to go solo. Superb songs performed with ease by one man and a guitar. Tonight will feature songs from Rab’s new double album ‘I’m Walkin’ Here’, his nineteenth solo release which he describes as ‘21st century skiffle’, featuring both his own recently-written songs along with a wide-ranging selection of songs by some of his favourite artists from the 1920s to the present. ‘This is Noakes, the musician who picked up on skiffle’s immediacy and vibrancy, and also the sophistication that lingered below its home-made façade, singing like he means it (and he always means it)’ The Herald
Box tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk office 01786 27 4000
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FESTIVAL
20 - 21 NOVEMBER
£10 PER DAY / £15 WEEKEND
Box office 01786 27 4000
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City Music Live DATE
Friday 30 October at the Information Station Friday 27 November at the Tolbooth December (tba) at the Information Station
TIME TICKETS
Doors 7pm Tolbooth £5 Information station Free Ages 12 – 19*
*PLEASE NOTE this is a strictly alcohol-free event
Box tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk office 01786 27 4000
City Music Live is a monthly live music event which is booked, promoted, engineered and presented by young people, for young people. With the support of Tolbooth staff and Stirling Youth Services, the events alternate between the Tolbooth and Information Station (Corn Exchange Road, beneath the Library) and are designed to be a platform for young bands and artists from across Stirlingshire to cut their teeth on the live circuit and start to build a following. A relaxed and fun hang out for music enthusiasts, you can socialise whilst catching some of the best new music coming through the ranks in Stirling’s vibrant youth music scene. For more information on the indie songwriting and band workshop which runs in tandem with the City Music Live nights, see our Courses and Classes pages.
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“Strong clear melodies and beautifully full and mellow harmonies characterise Cruinn. They surpass expectations and provide a superb example of Gaelic song in the modern age.” Living Tradition Magazine
Cruinn DATE Saturday 28 November TIME 8pm TICKETS £13 / £11
The Highland based quartet Cruinn brings together four of Scotland’s premier Gaelic singers – James Graham, Fiona Mackenzie, Brian Ó hEadhra and Rachel Walker. As individuals they have earned high distinction for their musicianship and performances. Collectively as Cruinn they have earned a reputation for their presentations of songs in Gaelic, both traditional and contemporary, and are admired for their outstanding use of harmonies and subtle arrangements. A track from their latest release, Stòras was nominated as best song in the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards 2015. The track, led by Fiona, is a haunting and atmospheric prayer.
Box office 01786 27 4000
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Shine DATE Friday 4 December TIME 8pm TICKETS £13 / £11
Shine’s Mary Macmaster, Corrina Hewat and Alyth McCormack are back together. Originally formed in 1998, Shine combines three distinctive voices with two electro-harps, performing hauntingly timeless yet arrestingly modern arrangements of warming classic seasonal songs alongside Gaelic songs, contemporary covers and original material from their Christmas album ‘Fire and Frost’. ‘There was a justly warm welcome back for the newly reunited Shine who rekindled all their former magic – and then some – with their bewitchingly arrayed harmonies, alternating otherworldly spookiness with sparkling lighter interludes’ Sue Wilson, The Scotsman
Box tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk office 01786 27 4000
‘… their gorgeous harmonies and mixture of traditional Gaelic and self-penned songs meant prior plans to check out various other gigs that night were ditched and instead I treated myself to an uninterrupted set of entrancing music’ Jo Frost, Songlines
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“One of my favourites of this year, for sure. Very special indeed” Lauren Laverne Radio 6 Music
Think Thoughts: Kathryn Joseph + support Something Someone DATE Saturday 5 December TIME Doors 7.30pm AGE 14+ TICKETS £8 in advance / £10 on the door
Box office 01786 27 4000
Perhaps down to the distinctive, multi-faceted vocal, or the stark and cinematic arrangements of her songs; something within the make-up of Kathryn’s songwriting gives her music the air of a compelling raconteur. Hanging on every couplet, transported by haunting piano lines and sparse percussive backing, it’s an immersive and deeply affecting experience. A relative outsider and unknown entity, her album ‘Bones You Have Thrown Me and Blood I’veSpilled’ brought her rushing to the fore earlier in the year by swooping the Scottish Album of the Year award. Known as much for the engaging intensity of her live performances, this is a great chance to see her work up close and intimate. Stellar support comes from the harmony-laden lush folk of Something Someone.
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Strange Behaviours: Holy Esque DATE Thursday 10 December TIME Doors 7.30pm AGE 14+ TICKETS £7 in advance / £9 on the door
Box tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk office 01786 27 4000
Art rock with a haunting, noir aesthetic, indie 4-piece Holy Esque have maintained an air of mystery and intrigue since their conception 4 years ago. Their sound marries subversive post-punk and ambient rock stylings with anthemic intentions, as the shot gravelly vocal of frontman Pat Hynes goes all-out for spine-chills. Critical acclaim across the board has seen the band invited to perform at Glastonbury, South by Southwest and Great Escape Festival, as well as supports across the UK and Europe with Haim and Big Deal. July’s EP ‘Submission’, a heady collection of songs with shades of Editors darkness and Gaslight Anthem light, has been championed by Steve Lamacq at BBC 6 Music, featured by influential Seattle radio station KEXP, and received glowing acclaim from NME magazine, solidifying the substance behind the hype.
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“One of Scotland’s most gifted songwriters … spanning darkly burnished baritone depths and searing soulful intensity” The Scotsman
James Grant DATE Friday 18 December TIME 8pm TICKETS £15 / £13
Drawing from a broad palette of pop, folk, soul, country and blues influences, James twins darkly literate, melodically lush songcraft with his richly potent vocals and virtuoso guitar work, leavening his performances with dashes of wickedly acerbic humour. His solo performances have an affinity with the Tolbooth space, sometimes intense, always memorable. He has released 5 solo albums, the most recent being, the eclectic ‘Strange Flowers’. James Grant first came to international attention as the lead vocalist in Love and Money. Signed to Phonogram at just 18 years old, James wrote four classic albums for the band, including the astonishingly mature Strange Kind of Love. The albums produced several hit singles, racked up silver disc sales and created a devoted world-wide fanbase.
Box office 01786 27 4000
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“A ballsier Gram Parsons but with whiskytinged Scottish poetry for lyrics’’ The Word
tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk Box office 01786 27 4000
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Christmas Ceilidhs DATE Saturday 12 December TICKETS Family 3–5pm £9 / £7 Evening 8–11pm £11 / £9
What better way to spend the lead up to Christmas than celebrating the festive season with friends and family in traditional Scottish style? Expect the usual pre-Christmas fun with the ever popular Brian McAlpine and The Scottish Ceilidh allStars – bring a friend(s) or come alone and make some when you get here! And don’t worry if you’ve never been to a Ceilidh before, our ace band will talk you through the dances and ensure a fun time for all. Both ceilidhs are open to all, though the afternoon ceilidh is particularly popular with families of all ages. Be sure to book early if you want to take part in this year’s seasonal knees up.
Box office 01786 27 4000
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“a richly textured, highly crafted and engaging album and Breabach are magnificent live” Froots
Breabach DATE Saturday 19 December TIME 8pm TICKETS £15 / £13
Breabach are: Calum MacCrimmon: pipes/whistles/bouzouki/vocals Ewan Robertson: guitar/ vocals James Mackenzie: pipes/flute/whistles Megan Henderson: fiddle/vocals/stepdance James Lindsay: double bass
Box office 01786 27 4000 tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk
Award winning Scottish five-piece Breabach deliver a thrilling and unique brand of contemporary folk music that has earned them international recognition on the world and roots music scene as one of the UK’s most dynamic and influential bands. Tonight will feature previews from their 5th album ‘Astar’, to be released in February 2016. The last two highly successful years have seen the band traverse the globe with notable performances including the Sydney Opera House, New Zealand’s Womad Festival, Central Park NY and Vancouver Folk Music Festival as well as tours in Canada, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and the UK.
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“This is a class act, truly in line for album of the year” Simon Jones, Froots
Shooglenifty The Untied Knot Tour DATE TIME TICKETS
Tuesday 29 December 8pm Standing £16 / £14 under 16s
2015 has been an epic year for Shooglenifty, a band formed 25 years ago in Edinburgh. With the existing line-up invigorated by fiery young mandolinist Ewan MacPherson and the first Shoogle songs from ‘puirt a beul’ vocalist Kaela Rowan, their new collective CD ‘The Untied Knot’ was released to considerable acclaim. Shooglenifty’s sound springs from traditional Scottish dance music, energised by the beats and bass line of something altogether more contemporary with a get-on-your-feet kind of vibe. Attempts to describe this almost uncatagorisable band include: ‘dub-diddly’, ‘hypno-folkadelic-ambient-trad’ and ‘AcidCroft’. And amidst some epic performances this year they are coming to the Tolbooth … be warned… there will be dancing ‘Remarkably exciting, and fresh’ ***** Bill Rough, Songlines
Box office 01786 27 4000
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“Top to bottom The Untied Knot is a fine piece of work awash with spectacular displays of musicianship and bewildering levels of innovation� Folk Words Box office 01786 27 4000 tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk
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COURSES & CLASSES ADULTS KNITTING & CROCHET BEE
Tue 4 August – Tue 22 December 5:30 – 7:30pm An informal gathering for chatting, swapping patterns, techniques and tips. All levels welcome, no booking required. £1 per session, includes refreshments
BODHRÁN
Tue 20 October – Tue 15 December Beginners 7 – 8pm / Intermediate 8 – 9.30pm Come along and try this most brilliant of instruments and check out your rhythmic flair… please let us know if you need a Bodhrán. Classes will not run on 10 November. Tutor: Martin O’Neil Beginners £42 / £34 for 8 sessions Intermediate £50 / £42 for 8 sessions
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL FIDDLE
Wed 21 October – Wed 9 December 7 – 8.30pm For fiddlers with some repertoire, who can play at a reasonable pace in several keys. As well as looking at popular session tunes, focus will be on developing tone, fluency of notes, along with more intricate bowing techniques and ornamentation. Not for fiddles at the early stage of learning to play. Tutor: Marie Fielding £50 / £42 for 8 sessions
CERAMICS in the cowane centre
Wed 7 October – Wed 25 November 7 – 9pm Demonstration and tuition for mixed levels in a wide range of hand-built ceramic techniques including use of glazes, but not potters’ wheel. Tutor: Lorraine Robson £60/£50 for 8 sessions, includes materials and firings
Box office 01786 27 4000
ART / PAINTING
Wed 23 September – Wed 2 December Fri 25 September – Fri 4 December 10am – 3pm, with 1 hour for lunch A chance for artists with some experience or beginners to challenge their definition of painting in a supportive social environment.Participants to bring their own materials. Classes will not run on 14 or 16 October Tutor: Peter Russell £140 / £120 for 10 sessions
TOLBOOTH SINGERS
Thu 22 October – Thu 10 December 7 – 9pm A fun, friendly, informal singing group. Learn a varied repertoire including world music, chants, spirituals, contemporary material, harmonies and traditional songs. You don’t need to have sung before – everyone welcome. Tutor: Susie Kelly £52 / £42 for 8 sessions
GUITAR
Thu 22 Oct – Thu 10 Dec Beginners 7 – 8pm / Intermediate 8 – 9.15pm Beginners will journey through the basics - easy chords, scale tones and rhythm building blocks. Intermediates will explore the major scale and chord construction along with group playing and popular tunes. Bring your own guitar. Tutor: Lorne Ralston Beginners £42 / £34 Intermediate £48 / £40
STIRLING WRITERS GROUP
Tuesdays from 25 August 7.15 – 9.45 pm Advice, encouragement and constructive criticism for writers of all styles and abilities. Great record of success. Includes sessions with top tutors. It’s not a course – come along any week. £5 / £3.50 per session
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CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE TRADITIONAL MUSIC WORKSHOPS Monday nights from 14 September
Traddies, for complete beginners 5 – 5.30pm Fiddle, guitar, whistle Folkus, min 1 yr experience, 5.30 – 6.15pm A Session for fiddle, guitar, whistle, flute The Session Intermediate level 6.20 – 7.20 pm The Session Extra Intermediate + level, 6.20 – 8pm Tolbooth Trad Band* Advanced level by audition 7 – 8.15pm An opportunity to play traditional music for the first time or to develop and improve playing and performance skills. No music grades or previous experience of trad music needed. *All trad instruments welcome Tutors: Lori Watson, Innes Watson, Claire Mann Age 10 – 18 FREE
PUMP UP THE JAM
Wed 21 October – Wed 9 December 4.45 – 7.15pm Songwriting and band workshop returns for another 8 week block, taking a squad of young musicians and songwriters and transforming them into 4 fullyfledged indie bands with their own set of original music. Songs are recorded in the Tolbooth Studio, and the full live final performance takes place on the 9th December. Led by Davie Scott. Age 11 + FREE
CITY MUSIC PROJECT
Fri 9 October – Fri 4 December 7 – 9pm Our Friday night music club is open to all, designed to improve your instrument skills, get you writing and performing with others, learning cover versions and socialising. Classes will not run on 20 November Age 12 – 19 FREE
FIDDLE, CLARSACH, GUITAR, STIRLING & ACCORDIAN & WHISTLE CLACKMANNANSHIRE| Sat 5 Sep – Sat 12 Dec YOUTH JAZZ ENSEMBLE (not 26 Sep or 17 or 24 Oct)
Monday nights from 14 September Jazz Big Band – beginners to intermediate level 5 –6pm. Youth Jazz Ensemble – Intermediate to advanced level 6 – 7.15 pm All instruments and abilities welcome. No music grades or previous experience of jazz needed. Sessions look at improvisation, various jazz styles and performances in a fun and friendly environment. Tutors: Laura Macdonald and Kevin Mackenzie Age 10 – 18 FREE
Popular trad music classes run by Fèis Fhoirt for all levels, for times and fees, and to book please contact John MacNeil, feisfhoirt@aol.com tel: 07770 930295
Details of Art and Ceramics on next page
The Trad and Jazz Monday workshops are free thanks to funding from the Youth Music Initiative.
tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk
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CHILDREN & YOUNG PEOPLE ART in the Cowane Centre
Sat 3 Oct – Sat 28 Nov (not 17 Oct) Age 6 – 9yrs: 9.45 – 11am Age 10-14yrs: 11.30 – 12.45pm Explore painting, printing and drawing – learn about colour, design and composition and have fun creating your own works of art. Tutor: Lori Anderson £36 for 8 sessions inclusive of materials
A look back at a great summer 2015 in pictures:
CERAMICS in the Cowane Centre
Sat 3 Oct – Sat 28 Nov (not 17 Oct) Age 10 – 14yrs: 9.45 – 11am Age 7 – 9yrs: 11.30 – 12.45pm Learn different hand-building techniques using clay and colour glazes to make your own original objects to be fired in the kiln (not using potters’ wheel). Tutor: Lorraine Robson £38 for 8 sessions inclusive of materials
Children MUST have a signed consent form submitted BEFORE the class starts. Download a form stirling.gov.uk/tolbooth or call 01786 27 4000 Please note: classes may be cancelled if there are insufficient numbers.
Box office 01786 27 4000
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ARTS NEWS Recording Studio
The Tolbooth studio offers a high-spec creative space for recording projects big and small. Whether you’re familiar with the studio setting or ready to embark on your first foray, resident engineer Mark Lough can work with you to record your single / EP / album / voiceover /spoken word piece in your vision, and lend his experience and expertise to get the best out of your time. Current studio rate is £20.90 per hour. Get in touch with Kenny via 01786 274 002 / batesk@stirling.gov.uk to find out more and book your slot. Stirling’s DIY press collective Bringing in a range of local musicians, photographers, students, budding journalists and gig-goers, the Stirling DIY Press Collective have had a great first year. Set up to document and promote arts activity in the city, the Collective’s blog (stirlingdiypress.tumblr.com) features regular interviews, reviews and features on Stirlingshire music and the arts. Look out for the second issue of the printed zine, distributed throughout the city’s venues, coffee shops, music stores and independent bars. Find us on Facebook and Twitter, and to find out more about getting involved, simply email stirlingdiypress@gmail.com Hit the road The Scottish Music Centre’s youth music touring project made its return to the venue in August and September this year, taking local acts Rising Pacific and Aaron Smith on a 3 date tour around Scotland, stopping by the Tolbooth on their way. Congrats to all the acts, really great to see some hardworking musicians being given the experience and opportunity. Hit The Road has given a first touring
tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk
experience to a number of bands who have gone on to achieve big things. Model Aeroplanes, who came through their ranks – an act featured at Strange Behaviours Fest last year –have recently signed a deal with Island Records. Top Day 2015 The family arts festival, celebrating the top of Stirling town returned in August with a packed day of performances and workshops. Bringing together the many great arts organisations and venues in the city – The Smith Art Gallery, The MacRobert, Artlink Central, Creative Stirling, the Tolbooth and Stirling Council – there was everything from circus skills, breakdancing and storytelling to beatboxing, a film screening and a poetry choir; all completely free. Thanks to everyone who came down and made the workshops and activities busy. Stay tuned for the next one – we hope make this an annual event!
Contacts: Carolyn Paterson Senior Programmer and Arts Development Officer 01786 274023 patersonc3@stirling.gov.uk Kenny Bates Music Development Officer 01786 274002 batesk@stirling.gov.uk Clare Hoare Senior Practitioner (Creative Learning) 01786 274014 hoarec@stirling.gov.uk
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The Tolbooth Studio | a high-spec creative space for recording projects big and small
Contact Kenny | 01786 274 002 | batesk@stirling.gov.uk
Box office 01786 473 544 Open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm
www.stirling.gov.uk/alberthalls Coming soon Ben Fogle 1st October National Youth Choir of Scotland 1st December Voulez Vous 4th December Fun Box 28 & 29th December RSNO Viennese Gala concert 14th January
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COMING SOON … IN 2016! 22 January Paul Jones and Dave Kelly
5 February Dogstar Theatre presents The Tailor of Inverness by Matthew Zajac
31 January James Yorkston, The Pictish Trail, Withered Hand
17 February Mr McFall’s Chamber
19 February Fiona Hunter Band & Ewan McLennan
2 March Mark Thomas
Box office 01786 27 4000
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OCT, NOV & DEC AT A GLANCE Fri 2 October Think Thoughts: Michael Cassidy Doors 7:30pm Songwriting
Sat 24 October Rapture Theatre presents – The Last Yankee 8pm / Theatre
Sat 28 November Cruinn 8pm Traditional / Gaelic
Sat 3 October JJ Gilmour 8pm Pop/Rock
Fri 30 October Seckou Keita + support 8pm / World
Fri 4 December Shine 8pm Traditional
Fri 9 October Carol Kidd with Paul Harrison 8pm Jazz
Fri 6 November Tommy Smith + Brian Kellock 8pm Jazz
Sat 5 December Think Thoughts: Kathryn Joseph 8pm Indie
Sat 10 October Eric Taylor + support 8pm Americana
Sat 7 November Aly Bain, Ale Möller & Bruce Molsky 8pm Traditional
Thu 10 December Strange Behaviours: Holy Esque Doors 7.30pm Indie
Sun 11 October Mr McFall’s Chamber 8pm Classical
Fri 13 November Rab Noakes 8pm Folk / Trad / American
Sat 12 December Christmas Ceilidhs 3pm & 8pm
Sat 17 October Aidan Moffat & Bill Wells 8pm Indie
Fri 20 & Sat 21 Nov Strange Behaviours Fest: 2 Day Indie Festival from 6pm Indie
Fri 18 December James Grant 8pm Indie Pop
Fri 23 October Alison McMorland, Geordie McIntyre & Friends 8pm / Traditional
Fri 27 November City Music Live Doors 7pm Songwriter
Sat 19 December Breabach 8pm Traditional
Box office 01786 27 4000
Tue 29 December Shooglenifty The Untied Knot Tour 8pm Traditional / Dance
tolbooth.stirling.gov.uk