lorrrorrows rriirsrc today. This Issue: T he DVKBBNIBS
If the Arctic Monkeys weren't enough to convince you that having an iffy moniker needn't hold a talented bunch back, this catchy Cumbernauld quintet have been sending shockwaves through the Glasgow gig scene with a whole host of hysteria-fuelled shows, but it‘s their infectious and synth-tinged scratchy guitar pop that looks set to make them household names around the country before the year is out.
So where on earth did The Dykeenies spring from?
\‘J. it like "it'll fellow stranger. harried brethren, the band muscled in on the MySpace plierrorrrenr in. ltlllllllt) their tiarks onlint: and building up a devoted fanbase which ensured their first air; at (Tiltistyr.'.5s ABC? sold out completely.
That‘s fast work for any up and coming mob . . .
lrylei-rl, Hlt‘ rather dapper locking fello‘.'.s; only formed in June of last year and have alria lr.‘ aitlrrewd the murn coveted (‘()llltilll£ill()li of live notoriety. press attention and a rerterd deal vain lx’rnr; lut's Recordings whose first release was their ‘New Ideas Will It Happen Tonight in Jul,.
But might this be just another case of media darlings who are hyped today and gone tomorrow?
CJllt‘lSlll is riexer an attrarttiye trait these three brothers and two childhood friends shov. no signs of cracking under pressure. are gearing up fer a UK-wrde tOur as part of the Ni‘. 15‘s Rock 8. Roll Riot lineup in October and boast a plethora of snappy tunes t‘ttllllilt‘It‘ ‘.'.‘|Ill soaring choruses waiting to be recorded. Just you try and stop them. iCainilla l’ial
I king Tut's. G/asJori: Thu 7-} Sep.
Duvrd'Berkman
64 THE LIST T—L‘i Se ‘ 2006
Reviews
lNDlE
BECK
Meadowbank Stadium. Edinburgh. Tue 22 Aug .0000
Beck almost threatened to outshrne Badrohead in this triumphant support slot. The atmosphere was that of an upbeat funk party complete with danCing bears. Cutlery as instruments and puppets galOre. For once the flourishes didn't feel like gimmicks but added to the audio-visual impact. a short film involving the band's puppet selves running amok through Edinburgh was a bizarre and genuinely funny highlight. Add to that classrcs like 'Loser'. ‘Deyil's Haircut' as well as set closer and recent Single ‘E-Pro' and you come away wrth the impreSSion that Beck rs one of the most COnSistently entertaining performers out there. oozrng charm and killer tunes wrth equal ease. lHenry Northmorei
BLUES WILLIAM DOUGLAS
Waterloo Function Suite, Edinburgh, Sat 26 Aug 0000
Betwrxt a straggly mop and pair of white trainers. something indeterminably wicked stirs in the soul of William Douglas. Despite his performing only a shOrt set tonight. sans The Wheel (his trio of like-minded blues troopers). this was the perfect opportunity to realise lust how fully fledged a conundrum this particular Vagabond is.
Wrapping the cold imagery of Leonard Cohen in a raggedy Dylan palate (with just a touch of gentle wrt a la Jonathan Richman thrown in for good measure). Douglas prowls, picks and pines like the best of trodden blues men. hitching unthinking stoner thrum to some deeply SOphisticated guitar work.
“Circle in a Square' is a confounding ball of fingers and thumbs; ‘When You're in Love' a lonesome ditty to die for. Wheels on or off, this train's away
JAZZ ISLAY JAZZ FESTIVAL
OH a dastartlh tourney. the destinatmn might as yet be unknown, but the finding DUI should make fer One thrilling ride. iMalcolrrW Jacki
Poi: SANDI THOM
T on the Fringe. Liquid Room. Edinburgh. Wed 30 Aug 000
Now that everyone's getting a bit b0red wrth the whole ‘marketing hype or not' argument over Sandi 'lhom's webcasts (let's face it. which musician has ever been a chart success Without hype7l. people are finding new ways to have a dig at the poor girl. 'l'ell some iokes.‘ she asked (.iesperately of the Crowd during an extended technical hitch. 'We love you. KT'. retorted a wrde-o at the back. Thorn looked gracefully pissed-off at that one.
The truth is. as far as MOB singer songwriters go. Sandi Thom‘s not all that bad. Sure, her music‘s for coffee houses and High Street chain stores. but she's a charming performer wrth a really qurte gorgeous vorce. Her big number one 'l Wish I Was a Punk Rocker' might be a big. patronising number two of a song. yet others like ‘Time' and 'Lonely Girl, and a very good cover of Gnarls Barkley‘s ‘Crazy'. demonstrate that she's rather more suited to quirky love songs than SOCIal commentary. (David Pollocki
Various Venues, lslay, Fri 15—Sun 17 Sep
Nine years ago. the announcement that a jazz festival was to be launched on the outwardly unlikely location of the island of lslay in the Inner Hebrides raised a few eyebrows. Many felt it would be a one-year wonder. or might manage to roll on for a c0uple more before the organisers finally gave up swrmming against the tide.
In fact. the tide has rolled the other way. and the festival has become not only a unique occaSron on the Scottish razz calendar. but one of the best—loved of the country's jazz festivals. Like the mainstream-oriented Nairn International Jazz Festival and the more recent Aberdeen event. it has proved that there is razz life
well beyond the central belt.
lslay has unique charms of its own to offer would-be festival goers. but as well as natural beauty and seven distrlleries making some of Scotland's most famous malt whisky — Black Bottle remain the sponsors of the event — the festival can stand on its feet purely in programming terms.
The principal focus rs always on Scottish Jazz. led this year by the likes of Martin Taylor, Salsa Celtica. Brian Kellock, David Milligan and Tom Bancroft. but it never feels parochial. Apart from presenting a Wide spread of mUSIC. from the traditional Jazz of Fionna Duncan through to cutting edge experiment with Trianglehead. there is always an international dimension to proceedings, represented this year by American guests David Berkman. Scott Hamilton. and a newcomer to
Scotland. alto saxophonist Jaleel Shaw.
Venues are equally varied. taking in the tranquil Columba Centre. several vrllage halls. a couple of hotels. an RSPB Centre. a private house and two distrlleries. Check out wwwislayjazzfestivalcouk of more details on how to get there. and what you can see and hear when you do. (Kenny Mathieson)