Happy New Year folks, welcome to the first Rocktalk column of 2011 which, if your glass is half-full, should be a great one.
Okay, that’s a bit flippant but, while it feels like the whole music scene, like the rest of the country, is under a big dark cloud, there are some grounds for optimism.
For those of you with eclectic musical tastes, the year starts off brilliantly with Celtic Connections, two full weeks of the finest traditional and world music played and sung by world-class musicians from home and abroad.
From folk to roots, indie to Americana, this is the hottest winter festival in the music calendar and attracts huge audiences from the start on January 13 to the end of the month.
Locally and nationally all eyes will, of course, be on The View when they launch their third album, The Best Lasts Forever, on March 14.
The first single, Grace, will be out the week before and should give a clue as to how the band’s latest material will go down.
Rocktalk has had a sneak preview of some of the tracks and there are some top tunes heading your way, with the band doing what they do best great indie-pop-rock melodies and catchy choruses.
Seen by some as make or break time for them, it is a hugely important few weeks and, hopefully, will be another massively successful period to lift all our spirits.
A big tour will accompany the album’s release which should bring them back for a big homecoming gig sometime in the spring.
Watch this space for details…
Look out too for new albums too from Elbow, Arctic Monkeys, Coldplay, Snow Patrol, Queens of the Stone Age, Foo Fighters, Blink 182, Jay-Z (including a collaboration with Chris Martin), REM, The Ting Tings, Liam Gallagher’s new band Beady Eye, The Go! Team, The Wombats, Glasvegas, Enter Shikari, Lady Gaga and… oh, Pulp are back too…The return of Laviwallnun?Returning to local heroes, The Hazey Janes are set to release their new album sometime this year, after being forced to dump their last album.
On the evidence of their December gig at Duke’s Corner, they’ve found a heavier, fuller sound to go with their indie-Americana tunes, but still with their trademark superb harmonies.
Among the bigger touring bands to look forward to at Fat Sam’s over the coming months are Professor Green (February 4), The Feeling (9th), Feeder (10th), The Wombats (March 6) and Stiff Little Fingers/Spear Of Destiny (March 16).
And, of course, looking further ahead to warmer, sunny days, there’s the festival season, with T in the Park hosting Foo Fighters and Blink 182, with strong rumours of other huge acts including Arctic Monkeys although promoters DF Concerts are keeping tight-lipped on any more announcements till the T launch next month.
Rockness is also off and running with Kasabian and The Chemical Brothers topping the bill.
Closer to home, we’ve got the massive Rewind Festival at Scone Palace.
Dozens of 80s acts are due to be announced shortly and Rocktalk will be at the forefront of all the coverage of what should be a tremendously enjoyable event.
Last, but certainly not least, the charity collaboration put together for the Haiti fund-raiser at Fat Sam’s last May, the “supergroup” Laviwallnun, might just be persuaded to jump on stage together at some point in 2011, with some of the members having already been working together on new material.
Again, watch this space…
So loads to look forward to if you look hard enough and plenty to spend whatever spare cash you have left in this year of cutbacks.
All the best for 2011 from everyone at Rocktalk!