02.06.2011
'The sound of young Scotland' will ring out at Holyrood on Friday 1 July as a showcase of young Scottish musical talent put on an afternoon of free performances, for theOpening of the Fourth Session of the Scottish Parliament.
The five bands from across Scotland confirmed today are: Crayons, from Fife; French Wives and The Imagineers, from Glasgow; Maydays, from Caithness; and White Heath, from Edinburgh.
The bands will perform in the Parliament as part of an eclectic roster of youth choirs and orchestras from across Scotland along with pipers, drummers and traditional Scottish musicians.
This will follow the morning’s ceremonial opening by Her Majesty The Queen and the Riding procession down the Royal Mile involving around 1,500 people, including the local heroes chosen by every MSP.
The bands have been selected by the music business departments at Jewel & Esk College, Edinburgh and Stow College, Glasgow. Both colleges operate their own music labels with Electric Honey records at Stow and FEAST records at Jewel & Esk.
Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick MSP said:
“Scotland has a long history of nurturing new musical acts and the Opening of the Fourth Session of the Scottish Parliament is all about recognising Scottish talent and success. It’s wonderful to be welcoming such musically diverse bands from across the country.”
Paul Turnbull from FEAST Records at Jewel and Esk College, Edinburgh said:
“We are delighted to be part of the Parliament’s open afternoon of free entertainment. This is a fantastic opportunity for these highly rated young Scottish bands to make their mark at Holyrood.”
A full programme of the afternoon’s free entertainment at the Parliament will be announced later this month.
The bands
The four Fife teens that make up Crayons have been billed as proponents of ‘awkward pop’. They boast bags of charm and are carving out quite a reputation thanks to their post-punk guitar and synth sounds. Appearances at T in the Park and GoNorth Inverness have honed their frantic live sound.
Glasgow-based quintet French Wives have already attracted comparisons with stadium giants Arcade Fire. Hailed as a band capable of producing “fluttering heart strings and overflowing melodies”, they also made a mighty impression on audiences at T in the Park and Rock Ness with their energetic, graceful and anthemic songs, often laden with harmonica, trombone and violin.
Having just finished touring the UK to promote their debut EP ‘See As I Say’, four-piece Glasgow-based band The Imagineers have attracted lots of positive media attention with their mix of infectious Spanish rhythms, surf guitar riffs and energetic live performances, often augmented by two violinists. Expect catchy choruses and melodic vocals with a Scottish twang, as this self-described “well-mannered band,” gear up for a summer of memorable music festival dates.
Caithness born and bred, the Maydays rolled down to their current Edinburgh base and have evolved into purveyors of what critics hail as very fine “beautiful sunshine pop music.” Said to blend the honeyed tones and sugar-coated melodies of The Beach Boys, Aberfeldy and the pop sensibilities of Belle and Sebastian, this young band come very highly rated as a live act.
A six-piece Edinburgh-based band signed to the Electric Honey label, White Heath combine an anything-goes attitude to music composition with a fusion of contemporary pop, space-rock and turbulent noise. They are variously described as inducing “love struck majesty,” to constructing “beautiful pop melodies that engage the heart as much as the head”.
Background
Electric Honey is a record label run by music business students at Stow College in Glasgow. Every year the students choose an act to sign to the label and release a record as part of their course. Previous signings have included Belle & Sebastian, Snow Patrol and Biffy Clyro. The label is overseen by Douglas MacIntyre (Creeping Bent Organisation) and Ken McCluskey (The Bluebells).
Far East is a student run blog encompassing the FEAST record label at Jewel and Esk College, Edinburgh. Music business and sound production students are currently scouting for the label’s debut signing. The label is overseen by Michael Hall (Lost Soul Band), Paul Turnbull (FOPP) and Richie Harrison.
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Email: ann.donald@scottish.parliament.uk
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