Today’s letters to The Courier.
Sir, ““ An almost capacity audience attended Wednesday’s performance at the Caird Hall, Dundee, of the highly celebrated Alfie Boe. It was an event my wife and I had eagerly looked forward to indeed, we sacrificed a day of our holiday rather than miss it.
We were astonished to find that the quality of the sound reproduction proved to be similar to that of the St Patrick’s Day performance.
That was marred by gross distortion of the music, caused by unnecessary high amplification and I sent a letter of complaint to the administrator of the Caird Hall, who replied to the effect that the sound reproduction was controlled by the event organiser.
Well, here we are again, with a night’s entertainment quite ruined. So loud and distorted was the presentation, it was impossible to hear any clarity of either music or song.
Perhaps the acoustics of the Caird Hall are poor, while it could be that those sitting on the main ground floor area are better positioned.
However, no ticket should be sold for the upper regions if good sound quality cannot be guaranteed.
We have enjoyed many concerts over the years, the 60s, 70s etc, which were very good and I would suggest this problem began about two years ago.
I remember some friends attended a Royal Marine Band performance about that time and experienced a similar situation.
After a shocking first half, my friend found himself in a position to speak to the band leader, who said a correction would be made and it had a positive effect on the second half.
But should this have been necessary?
Peter Adamson.St Andrews.
Best we can hope for so stick with it?
Sir, – Mona Clark’s letter (July 12) was one long moan suggesting that the former SNP MP Gordon Wilson’s comments about independence are, basically, “pie in the sky”.
Mona Clark’s message seems to be, well, the Union is the best we can hope for so let’s stick with it.
The idea behind Scotland running its own affairs an aim which those of the unionist persuasion seem unable to grasp is to eradicate and/or improve upon the many problems and difficulties she seems only too happy to highlight.
Lastly, her comment about Brigadoon is, to put it kindly, a non sequitur.
What exactly does a musical based upon the premise that the inhabitants of a Scottish village come to life every one hundred years have to do with the real world of which Scotland is an inhabitant?
John Campbell.40 Auchrannie Terrace,Dundee.
All “Made in Westminster”
Sir, – Mona Clark is right to draw people’s attention to Scotland’s appalling social statistics, the banking scandal, MPs expenses scandal, the UK press scandal, and may I add illegal wars, the PFI scandal, and the long-term impact of austerity cuts that will be especially hard on women.
However, Ms Clark draws the wrong conclusion.
If she looked more closely at the bottom of all these scandals she would see “Made In Westminster” written all over them.
I agree with Ms Clark’s assertion that these problems are ultimately the responsibility of the Scottish Government and parliament to deal with.
She must recognise, however, that without real political power centred in Edinburgh we Scots might as well live in Brigadoon.
Malcolm McCandless.40 Muirfield Crescent,Dundee.
Pragmatism needed
Sir, – ‘Its Scotland’s oil’ was an effective slogan when it first emerged in the early 1970s with the North Sea fields coming on stream, prices soaring and the Middle East in disarray.
Forty years later, with the US and Canada emerging as the planet’s new energy giants and shale driving the costs of oil and gas lower every day, it is an empty mantra.
The Office for Budgetary Responsibility rightly cautions against basing our future on this fading resource and the North Sea is becoming a distraction in the constitutional debate.
Of course we too have vast reserves of shale handily placed in the central lowlands but Alex Salmond has bet the house on renewables and wants nothing to do with fracking.
The time has come for some economic pragmatism to emerge from the SNP to replace its Brigadoon fantasies, cradle-to-grave welfarism and politically correct greenery.
Dr John Cameron.10 Howard Place,St Andrews.
Cheaper to buy furry slippers
Sir, ““ Landlords in Edinburgh and Dundee have been ordered by the councils to fit carpets on top of the wooden floors in their properties since the wooden floors are too noisy for those living below.
This has infuriated the property owners who will have to spend about £4000 to comply.
As is the norm, councils are far too ready to spend other people’s money.
Would it not have been cheaper and more sensible to buy the tenants nice soft furry slippers?
Clark Cross.138 Springfield Road,Linlithgow.
Get involved: to have your say on these or any other topics, email your letter to letters@thecourier.co.uk or send to Letters Editor, The Courier, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL. Letters should be accompanied by an address and a daytime telephone number.