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Biffy Clyro will play their biggest headline show to date at Rock Ness 2009 BRIEFS

HARRY POTTER author JK Rowling is enjoying raves for her new work, The Tales of Beedle the Bard, the profits of which will be donated to the Children’s High Level Group, a charity co- founded by the author.

THE NATIONAL GALLERY will bring in the Bells by opening an annual display of watercolours by J M W Turner (1775- 1851) on New Year’s Day. The 38 works in the display were bequeathed in 1900 by Henry Vaughan, a London art collector. A regular in the Gallery’s exhibition calendar, the display will run throughout January.

ONE OF THEATRE’S most famous props will be set aside as the RSC will no longer be using the real skull of Polish pianist Andre Tchaikovsky in its performance of Hamlet, starring David Tennant, as it transfers to the West End.

LIST WEBSITE SCOOPS AWARD

List.co.uk was announced as

winner of the Best Online Presence award at last week’s PPA Scotland

Awards beating off competition from the likes of Clash magazine for the

gong. The site was relaunched in July

2007 and now has over 375,000

unique users a month. In addition to searchable articles and listings, the

site features daily news updates,

email newsletters and further content. Among the exclusive content new this

week is an audio interview with

Summer director Kenny Glenaan, our full Tracks of the Year 2008 list (and

the tracks to listen to) and your chance to comment who should be in

(or out) of the Hot 100.

LITERARY WARMERS Winter Words is back and boasting an impressive line- up including actor and adventurer Brian Blessed, Julia GruffaloDonaldson and Coastauthor Christopher Somerville. For more see www. pitlochry.org.uk.

WWW.LIST.CO.UK Visit us daily for arts & entertainment news

11 Dec 2008–8 Jan 2009 THE LIST 7

Rock and a hard place Mixed fortunes in festival land as RockNess unveils a storming line-up and Live at Loch Lomond cancels for 2009. Words: Anna Millar

blasted rumours that aging hard rock kings AC/DC would be appearing at the annual Balado event. This however, still leaves the Aussie legends without a Scottish date on their mammoth world tour. The organisers of Live at Loch Lomond have announced that there will be no festival in 2009. Organiser Ricky Magowan said ‘it’s not happening due to a number of factors, from issues at the site over the last two years to the credit crunch. Although the site is picturesque, it wasn't practical for our event.’

Magowan plans to return however, with a

three day dance music event called EH1. The event, to be held at the Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston on 14- 16 August and will play host to some of Scotland’s most loved clubbing institutions like Streetrave and Colours.

I f all the world’s a stage, there are an impressive amount of players lining up to showcase their wares in Scotland over the coming months. Local lads, Biffy Clyro will take to the stage as one of the headliners of RockNess, setting out their stall in the picturesque surrounds of Dores, on the eastern banks of Loch Ness, in June. Organiser’s have already announced that the festival will this year grow for the first time from two days to three, with The Prodigy, Basement Jaxx and Dizzee Rascal already confirmed as part of the line-up. Biffy Clyro’s Ben Johnston said the band would be using the festival to showcase new material. Tickets are on sale now at www.rockness.co.uk.

Elsewhere, following its previous successful outing in 2008, the Shockwaves NME Awards Show will return to Glasgow, in February 2009, with Norwegian hottie Ida Maria, hip hop act Iglu & Hartly, Tricky and rockers The Wombats at the helm.

James McMahon, NME features editor, said: ‘We’re absolutely chuffed to be bringing such a diverse line-up of acts to Scotland. This year Glasgow went nuts for the Shockwaves NME Awards Shows I’m sure the 2009 rock’n’roll extravaganza will be no different’. On a different festival tack, a question mark still hangs over the line-up for 2009’s T in the Park after organiser Geoff Ellis