This week, we’re chatting about comedian, writer and director Paul Black's terrific new BBC short film - Govan Fair Queen - starring Elaine C Smith, Maureen Carr and Julie Wilson Nimmo, among others. We recorded this at the Pearce Institute in Glasgow. Watch on YouTube!
We’re at Glasgow Women’s Library - yes, heaven *is a place on earth - celebrating Carrie Marshall’s new book, Small Town Joy and Laura Jane Wilkie’s latest album, Vent, and all manner of wonders and safe spaces in between…
Man’s Best Friend at The Tron
We’re at one of my old places of work for this episode - The Tron theatre in Glasgow, to celebrate a terrific one-man play called Man’s Best Friend - you might have seen the dogs who’re ostensibly at the heart of it all over social media - and it’s there until the 12th of July, before touring Aberdeen, Ayr, Dundee, Edinburgh, Greenock and Inverness in the Autumn.
Glasgow Jazz Festival
This week, we're at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, as this year's 39th Glasgow Jazz Festival kicks off..
With only a mere few hours till the opening events, I met up with Glasgow Jazz Festival director Jill Rodger, and rising jazz star Marianne McGregor, who won best vocalist at the Scottish Jazz Awards in 2023, and who'll launch her new album at the festival on Sunday…
Bloody Scotland with Ian Rankin, Natalie Jayne Clark & Gordon Brown
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We’re in my hometown of Stirling in this episode, for the launch of the brilliant Crime Writing Festival, Bloody Scotland, which started back in 2012… I’m joined by this year’s guest programmer, Sir Ian Rankin, festival co-founder and author Gordon Brown, and debut novelist Natalie Jayne Clark…
Kathryn Joseph and Lomond Campbell
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The Scottish Album of the Year Award-winner on her new LP, We Were Made Prey, in cahoots with Lomond Campbell.
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Recorded at Some Great Reward record cafe in Glasgow.
KELI (The National Theatre of Scotland)
In this episode, we’re celebrating brass bands, activism, teenage angst and community spirit, thanks to the National Theatre of Scotland’s latest production - KELI, which is running at Dundee Rep this week, before marching on to Perth Theatre and Glasgow Tramway in June…
David Keenan on Volcanic Tongue
The incendiary author of This Is Memorial Device, For The Good Times and more reflects on post-punk, art, magic, acid house, science fiction and his thrilling new collection of underground music writing, Volcanic Tongue.
Recorded live at Edinburgh’s Portobello Bookshop - thanks if you joined us!
On August 20th, 2-3pm, folk singer, pop star, actor and icon Barbara Dickson reflects on her life and work on stage, and screen - and in music of course - and Barbara will also discuss her choice of a Scottish album, film and book - and what they mean to her.
Come spend a summer lunchtime with us! Tickets here.
(Photo credit: Brian Aris)
In the first of a series of 'Scottish Album Social' events celebrating some of the country’s best-loved LPs, music icon Horse will join me to reflect on 35 years of the band's just-reissued debut, The Same Sky (which features timeless hits like Careful and The Speed of the Beat of My Heart) - and to perform a couple of stripped-back songs from the record.
I’m thrilled to be chairing / hosting / introducing some really special events at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival, and tickets are on-sale now! Two Hamish Hawk via Ivor Cutler shows (both now SOLD OUT); a discussion with legendary producer Joe Boyd (Pink Floyd, Nick Drake, REM) AND - as a counter to the Murrayfield Oasis swagger (nothing against them, btw; but it is a fab excuse for another party / line of enquiry) - a femme-fuelled bash in The Spiegeltent on August 10th…
On August 19th, 2-3pm, award-winning wildlife cameraman, film-maker, presenter, lion-tamer, and a man who's been hailed as "Scotland's David Attenborough", Gordon Buchanan reflects on his life and work, and discusses his remarkable memoir, In The Hide. He'll also chat about his choice of a favourite Scottish album, film and book - and tell us what they mean to him. There are no guarantees that he'll bring along lions, tigers and bears - let alone camels - but then again, you never know...
