Sunday 19 June 2016

Oban Times Music Column - June 16 2016

MARKIES Music Festival revived Oban Live’s party atmosphere last weekend, drawing huge crowds. Audiences enjoyed a stacked bill of free music on one of the hottest weekends of the year so far.

Local bands such as Ceol an Aire and Crackin Craic were joined by up-and-coming traditional outfit Hò-rò and popular Irish folk group Crooked Reel. One of the biggest receptions was saved for Oban rock trio Chunks, who headlined the first night of the festival.

Chunks bassist Stevo Finlayson, who helped organise the festival, is a passionate promoter of the Oban scene and believes the response to the weekend is further evidence that it’s growing.

‘Like Oban Live, Markies Music Fest shows how much passion there is for music in and around Oban,’ says Stevo. ‘It would be great to see more events like this in the local area.

‘Our slot went very well, the place was heaving and there was such a buzz. We played in Markies a few weeks ago for the Oban Live fringe and thought it couldn’t get any busier than that, but it was. That’s the kind of gig we like: when everybody is in good spirits and really enjoying our set.’

The festival is the first that Markie Dans have attempted as a three day event. Despite the big numbers the weekend mostly went off without a hitch, the only regrettable consequence being that latecomers in the evening were turned away.

‘Both the beer garden and pub were very busy,’ says organiser Lindsay MacMillan. ‘The staff and stewards coped excellently with the huge volume of customers we had.

‘However, the feedback we have had from customers so far was very positive. It’s really difficult to say what the highlight was. Every band played well – it was a brilliant mix of musical talent from here and away.’


DUNBEG songwriter Mike Nisbet surprised fans on Saturday by releasing a free album. The ten-track LP, entitled ‘Fashion & Trash’, is the multi-instrumentalist’s follow-up to last year’s ‘The Ballad of Body and Soul’.

When speaking to The Oban Times a few months ago, Mike had just finished the unnamed project and was set to re-record in a studio. However, the final result is a completely DIY project, recorded entirely on his iPhone.

‘Something about these first recordings stuck with me,’ says Mike. ‘There was a certain vibe and romance to these versions that I loved. I realised I wanted to share these versions of the songs at their most honest and raw, like a view into the sketch book.’

Mike’s most recent project was with The Artpackt Collective, a group of London-based solo artists. He released compilation albums with the group and performed covers and traditional material with them on recent tours.

However, ‘Fashion & Trash’ sees Mike return to playing entirely original songs. In spite of the lo-fi quality of recordings, the album is a cohesive body of work full of bluesy melodies and fingerpicked guitar. 

First Printed in The Oban Times on June 16 2016

Thursday 2 June 2016

Oban Times Music Column - June 2 2016

LOCALS have never had to look far for quality traditional music. However, Markie Dans played host to a different sort of ceilidh band last Friday. Inspired by ska and funk, Inverness and Speyside trio Tweed brought a whole new level of energy to the Oban venue.

The band impressed the crowd with their unique arrangements of Scottish classics and more outlandish tunes such as Russian folk song ‘Kalinka’.

Accordionist Graeme MacKay and fiddle player Duncan Farquhar began much like many Scottish dance groups: playing regular slots at pubs and hotels.

However, in 2011 they broadened their horizons by recruiting by recruiting Sam McLeod, an accomplished ska drummer for Edinburgh band Bombskare.

‘The way I like to look at is I turned up and spoilt all of the tunes,’ says Sam. ‘We were playing about and the grooves that I went for just seemed to work.

‘There’s so much space in a 4/4 rhythm or a reel. With us, the bassline might stay the same but the drums will completely change. Sometimes we stumble across funk stuff by accident just by playing around with old Scottish stuff.’

Like all the best experiments, the trio agree that their hybrid sound was created ‘by accident’.
Though the band never rehearse, they enjoy a weekly residence in Aviemore, which has become a training ground for the spontaneous medley-based approach that they bring to their sets.

‘When people see us setting up they assume we’re just a ceilidh band,’ says Graeme. ‘Once we get going people either get up and dance immediately or they just sit there with their jaws to the ground, trying to work out who’s doing what.

‘For a three-piece we do create a really big sound, but there’s no point trying to work out what’s going on because often we don’t even know.’

In November the band released their second album, ‘The Dark Side of the Loom’, which features everything from sped up marches to reels played in ‘reggae style’.

Produced by Graeme’s cousin Marcus Mackay, percussionist for SAY Award winner Kathryn Joseph, the album was possible thanks to a crowdfunding project that raised £3,500.

Touring the album took the band everywhere from a Cyprus military base to an empty Tomintoul village hall. However, the band are quick to hail the west coast as one of their favourite place to play.

‘We were last here for the Mull Music Festival so it’s great to be back,’ says Graeme. ‘Oban’s been amazing every single time we’ve visited.

‘Plenty of tourists come to shows here, especially in the summer, which is great. We’re not really interested in pipes, shortbread and bus parties, but we want to get people dancing, wherever they’re from.


‘We intend to be in Oban on a monthly basis. We’re coming back to Markie Dans on June 10 and July 23, anyway. What can people expect? To jump up and down and dance like hell.’

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First Printed in Oban Times on June 2 2016

Oban Times Music Column - May 19 2016

WHILE much of the town was living it up at Oban Live last Friday, Cuan Mor hosted a more intimate affair.

Local music producers Kevin Burton and Aaron Fortson, known as Disposable Frequencies and Global Beat Initiative respectively, played extended sets at what organisers called ‘the first electronic music showcase in years.’

The event, organised by Alt Option Promotions and Omnibeat Music Group, is intended to be the first of many electronic showcases.

‘In the 90s we had a DJ scene in this town that was bouncing,’ says Kevin, who also co-organised the event. ‘The talent is definitely still out there.

‘There are plenty of people kicking about who have just been sitting in their rooms making music for nobody. We believe it takes a few people to show that it can be done for people to step out and do it themselves.’

Although regular club nights run in Oban, live performances by electronic producers playing their own music are rare. Kevin’s Disposable Frequencies’ set was entirely composed of his own material, drawing from old-school techno and early 90s rave sounds.

 ‘When I start a track I don’t have a destination in mind,’ says Kevin. ‘I just see where the music takes me. My stuff is generally upbeat and messes with the listener – I just try and play the crowd.

‘Another great thing about electronic music is that with all the new technology and kit that’s available, it’s so easy to get into.

‘I use a mix of hardware and software now, but I initially managed to do a lot just on a Korg electric keyboard.’

Like Kevin, Aaron has been producing electronic music in different forms for many years now. Under the Global Beat Initiative moniker he predominantly samples soulful vocals and creates obscure loops, making for a surreal atmospheric sound.

Also a gifted hip hop emcee, Aaron particularly takes inspiration from the different music hubs he’s lived in: Seattle, Chicago and California.

‘I cut up a whole bunch of styles as Global Beat Initiative,’ says Aaron. ‘These styles are really a reflection of the different places and cultures I’ve grown up.

‘I’ve moved around a lot but this is the first time I’ve ever played at, let alone seen, an entire night devoted to electronic music here in Oban.’

As the event clashed with Oban Live, which Kevin admits was a ‘brave move’, the turnout proved disappointing for organisers. However, the organisers are determined to throw more showcases in the near future.

‘We hoped for more spill over at this particular event, but come hell or high water, I intend to play a part in helping an electronic scene develop in this town,’ says Kevin.



Aaron added: ‘I think there’s a huge hole in Oban. Young people often tell me that they’d love to go to raves or electronic nights because it means they wouldn’t have to go down to Glasgow to enjoy it. This was a learning experience and something we’ll definitely do again.’

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First Printed in Oban Times on May 19 2016

Oban Times Music Column - May 5 2016

YOUNG singer-songwriter Iain MacLeod made his first collection of recorded songs available online this week. He believes that ‘The Expired Highland Railcard EP’ shows he’s heading in the right direction.

The EP is released under the name Feral, having been initially intended as a full-band project featuring drums and bass. Instead, we’re treated to six acoustic tracks that tackle themes such as dislocation, growing up and long-distance relationships.

‘The EP is named as such because it represents a certain disconnect you feel with people you know in places like Glasgow,’ says Iain. ‘It was quite cathartic to write songs around the idea that you travel to Glasgow, admiring the scenery on the train, just to party and see friends before having to come back home.

‘Some of the songs were intended as more party-oriented. The plan was to have three electric tracks you could dance to. With my drummer Jamie Livingstone delayed by work, I decided to put this EP out before we look at making a full album.’

Iain first picked up a guitar at fifteen, getting involved in bands at Oban High School before moving to Perth for Music College. Iain, 21, subsequently recorded the EP with John Hausrath, who has worked with the likes of The Signal Fires and Citizen 9, at Dunbeg Studios.

‘Dunbeg Studios was ideal for just recording a few songs,’ says Iain. ‘It’s a great resource for songwriters because you don’t necessarily need to spend loads on mixing and mastering with a full band.

‘I’m really keen to play these songs live with a full band, though. By and large, Oban gig-goers tend to either come to sit and listen or dance. I want people to come and see us play and have a good time.’

Despite describing Oban as a ‘restrictive environment at times’, a sentiment similarly expressed in his music, Iain also describes the town as his ‘main source of inspiration.’

Having last played a show in town several years ago with a previous band, he wants to see more activity on the gig scene. He cites initiatives like the Rockfield Centre’s ‘Let’s Make a Scene’ meetings as positive but wants to see words transformed into action.

He says: ‘It’s great to see people connecting and sharing ideas together but I think we need to get to a stage of setting things up. An open mic night like the old O’Donnells one would be a great first step.
‘Oban has a great traditional scene but we need to do more to promote contemporary music. K9 Kev’s recent charity gig shows there’s a great community spirit and that people will come out for music outside the comfort zone if they think it’s for a good cause.

‘Hopefully we can get to a place where people know they can come and have a good time going to see music that they’re not necessarily familiar with.’

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First Printed in Oban Times on May 5 2016

Oban Times Music Column - April 22 2016

OBAN rockers The Signal Fires have begun work on their new EP at Dunbeg Studios. Having played their last Oban show of the year at Markie Dans on Saturday, the band say that they’re turning their attentions towards recording over the next few months.

Though the four-piece initially formed as a covers band, they started writing and recording their own material last year. Their debut single ‘Ignorance is Bliss’ was released in September, followed by ‘Ignite Our Fears’ in December.

‘We’ve just reached the stage where we just we want to see if we can actually do it,’ says frontman Andy Bruce. ‘We were very proud of our first couple of attempts at songwriting and we just want to build on that.

‘Our own material has a harder edge than the cover stuff most people are used to us playing. We are currently working on a track called ‘Alive’, which looks like it will be our heaviest track to date.’

The band are something of a family concern, with three of the band related, and have built up a reputation as a quality live act over the past few years. However, outside pressures have made it difficult for them to find the time to meet up as a band.

‘Whereas most bands will spend up to weeks in rehearsals, we tend to write and record our own parts separately before bringing it all together in the studio,’ says Andy. ‘It's not the most efficient way of doing things, which is why it takes us long to get things done, but for us it works best to bring each song to completion before moving on to the next one.

‘For example, our track ‘Alive’, is with our drummer Alex at the moment. He’ll record from guide tracks we put in place, then we’ll start building the song from there. I prefer this approach because songs evolve from the initial idea. Instead of rehearsing a song to death, this way keeps everything fresh and exciting.’

The band, who performed tracks by artists as diverse as The Killers and Guns n’ Roses on Saturday, are also developing a reputation as adaptable songwriters. With the help of sound engineer Stuart Mason, they recently completed their first songwriting commission, putting together a track for a private family event.

‘They approached us wanting a song in a specific style for the event,’ says Andy. ‘We went back and forth with ideas for lyrics on social media before we started putting the music together.

‘We were very pleased with the results and, more importantly, the family were delighted. It’s definitely something we are going to do more of in the future if we get the opportunity.’

Despite not playing any Oban shows, the band are set for several gigs and festivals around Argyll and the Highlands over the coming months, including The Crofter in Fort William, The Mull of Kintyre Fringe Festival and The Tarbert Music Festival. Their EP is due out later in the year.

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First printed in The Oban Times on April 22 2016

Oban Times Music Column - February 8 2016

OBAN rapper Kevin ‘K9 Kev’ Irvine brought the house down with a sold- out show at Cuan Mor on Saturday, funding a trip for disabled children in the process, writes Jonathan Rimmer.
The hip hop emcee celebrated the launch of his new EP Dear Diary by reaching the set target needed to take a group of children to France with Hosanna House and Children’s Pilgrimage Trust (HCPT).
Irvine, who works as a youth worker, smashed the £400 target needed to volunteer for the project, and now intends to help take a group of disabled and disadvantaged children on a pilgrimage to Lourdes this Easter.
Selling out the George Street venue before 10pm, Irvine admitted that he was, for once, ‘quite speechless’.
He said: ‘The atmosphere was amazing. In the 10 years that I’ve been putting on shows, this is the first one I’ve ever sold out. The local community has been amazing, especially the businesses who supported our raffle at the end of the show.’
Irvine has been rapping since his mid-teens and revealed that his new EP was written with today’s youth in mind.
‘Growing up in this small West Woast town can be difficult,’ he said. ‘ Working with young people has opened my eyes to the reality of what it’s like to be a teenager in Oban.
‘My new EP reflects back on my own time as a teenager in school, back when I started rapping. Hip hop wasn’t popular here at all then, so it’s amazing to see younger artists trying it.’
Several tracks on the new release feature local solo performers, giving the EP a more folky quality than many hip hop records. Songwriters such as Dave Ayling, Chas McKenzie and Kevin Smith contributed their vocal and instrumental talents.
Saturday’s bill also featured an eclectic mix of local acts, including fellow hip hop performer Rory O’B, DJ/producer KUTBIRD and rock five-piece Citizen9. Irvine praised his fellow performers, as well as the growing Oban scene, saying: ‘In my opinion, O’B is one of the best upcoming rappers in Scotland. I’m incredibly proud to rap alongside him. I loved the diversity of the night in general.

‘ When it came to this project, I always wanted to use resources that were close by. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Now it’s finished, I’m just going to keep on going.’
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First printed in The Oban Times on February 18 2016.