M USIC---
ROCK
T in the Park (time and location to be confirmed) Five years on and T in the Park has established itself tnore solidly than even its organisers could have imagined. At the time of going to press. nothing has been confirmed other than that it will take place. probably again in Perthshire. around the same time as last year. The rumour machine has started already and the line-up is supposed to be full ofgroovy. exciting stuff. Naturally. you‘ll hear about it here first.
Rolling Stones (Edinburgh:
Murrayfield. Io Jun)le time-served old lags of rock 'n' roll touch down in Scotland as part of their epic Bridges To Babylon world totrr. l,ips. hits and trouser splits galore.
Spice Girls (Glasgow: SFCC. 4 & 5 Apr) Scream. shriek and go weak at the knees as Britain‘s most loved and reviled practitioners of girl power do their first live British totrr. Assuming they‘re still together. of course.
Pulp King Jarvis returns to reclaim his pop crown with a new album which should brighten up our days in the late spring/early summer. Mind you. we predicted the album would be out in late 97 when we did this exercise last New Year . . .
Primal Scream (Glasgow: Barrowland. 8 Feb) Sources at Creation report that the Scream team have been getting out of their beds in the morning and doing some work. with the startling result that there may be new material released at the end of the year. We'll believe it when we see it. More definite is their Barrowland gig. Beastie Boys Running a record label. a clothes design company. a magazine and saving Tibet is just not enough for the hyperactive threesome. so they‘ve recorded a new album which should see the light around May/June.
David Byrne (Glasgow: Fruitrnarket. 27 Jan; Edinburgh: Queen‘s Hall. 28 Jan) The frighteningly talented former Dumbarton boy does his spasmodic jerk dance to any number of hits from his extensive back catalogue.
Massive Attack (Glasgow: Barrowland. 9 Mar) About September last year. rumours were flying around that the Massive posse had split. It was all bollocks of course and here they are with a new album and tour to prove it.
Elton John and Billy Joel (Glasgow: lbrox. 2 Jun) Many could imagine nothing more horrifying than this pair having a knees-up around the old joanna. Others could imagine nothing better.
Lighthouse Family (Glasgow: SECC. 23 May) Unfeasibly popular soul-light duo croon their hearts out.
Meredith Brooks (Glasgow: Fruitmarket. l9 Feb) Latest in the current crop ofAmerican female singer to be tarred with the Alanis Morrisette brush.
JAZZ
Scottish National Jazz Orchestra (Various venues. Jan—May) The SNJO and the potentially even more crucial Scottish Composers Jazz Ensemble continue their winter touring plans with The Solar Suite (23—30 Jan). Funding permitting. subsequent tours will feature Tommy Smith‘s epic Planer Wave (6—l 1 Mar) and the specially commissioned 'I‘lre Wheeler Suite (22 May-6 June). with the great Kenny Wheeler.
Jazz touring Collective (Various venues. Jan—Mar) A welcome recent addition to Scotland‘s jazz resources. the Collective will open the year with three excellent tours. featuring the Simon Purcell Octet (27—30 Jan). Nikki Yeoh‘s lnfinitum (l7-22 Feb). and the Mike Walker Sextet (14—22 Mar).
Massive Attack: on target for 98
Jazz Directions (Various venues. Feb-Apr) Assembly l)irect's season of international jazz concerts is set to resume in February. btrt there is no detailed programme yet. Look for Courtney Pine and ()tis Grand among the confirmed names. and hope for a few exciting surprises. February and March will also bring more cutting edge music in their .S’omu/e/reck series.
Glasgow International Jazz Festival (Various venues. Jul) With no full-time director and a serious cash deficit. things look alarming for this key event. The festival has always stretched itself. and is now paying the price. but the word is ll will run as a long weekend event in the
PREVIEW OF 1998
early July slot which ll has always occupied.
Edinburgh International Jazz Festival (Various venues. .il Jul 0 Aug) The Jazz Festival \\ ill once again launch the lidinburgh beanfeast. and arms to
.-.modernisation which began last year.
CLASSICAL
Beethoven The Revolutionary ((ilasgow: (‘rty Hall. .larr .-\pr). llavrng shown its Sibelius II] a fresh new light last year. ( )srrro \'anska and the BBC SS() turn their attentions to Beethoven. where preconceptions are even more ingrained. Prepare to be blown away. Paragon Ensemble ((ilasgmsi Fruitmarkct. .‘sl Jan) The world pr‘errrrer'e of rill 'lirrus. a (iaelic opera by composer William Sweeney and prize-winning poet .»\onghas .\lac.\'eacail. is the highlight of l’aragon's w inter season. which also features a collaboration \\ rtlr the Dunedin ('onsort in James MacMillan's powerful Seven/41.x! ll'unls Ill March.
Quator Mosaiques (Fdrnbtrrglr: Queen's Hall. 9 Feb) This brilliant string quartet playing on origrrral instruments was the toast of the lidrnbur'gh l‘esti\al's huge survey of llaydn's quarters in l‘)‘)(i.
Evgeny Kissin ((ilasgow: Concert Hall. 4 Mar) The (ilasgow debut of this sensational Rirssian pianist is a major classical event within the (‘oncert's Hall own International series. which also features the Kirov ()rchestra (30 Jan). Jean Yves-'l'hibaudet (3 l'eb). and Alfred Brendal (20 Feb).
Graham Fitkin Group (lidirrburgh: 'l‘r'averse Theatre. lo Mar) .»\ (‘errtral Belt debut for this young linglislr pianist- composer. who leads his own high energy ensemble. Part of the F(‘:\T season. which also includes the premiere of James MacMillan's new string quartet
w rth the Maggini Quartet (Fdinbur‘h: Queen's Hall. 25 Apr).
Ariadne Auf Naxos ((ilasgow: Theatre Royal. lb 2S Mar: lidinburgh: Festival 'l‘heatr'e. Isl lb’ Apr) lts lidinburgh Festival success confirmed that this production of Strauss's rrrasterly opera is likely to be the jewel in Scottish ()pera's winter season. which also includes ('mr' lit/i little and Summit (Mar). and [1! 'Ii'rri'r'rrrtr and Queen 0/ Spur/er (May-Jun). (Kenny Mathieson and Jonathan 'l‘r‘cw)
Primal Scream: rumors of new material
9—22 Jan 1998 THE LIST 21