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Live Music at Nithraid!

As part of the Nithraid this year, our Nithraid riverside village plays host to blueprint100’s curated acoustic music stage, a beautiful, nautically themed new stage and set created by the blueprint team and Emily Cooper with support from artist and maker John Kingston. Into the evening our Nithraid Nighttime events will take a more ambient approach, with live musical scores into the night.

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Opening this years Nithraid is local based singer song-writer Stoney Broke. Stoney Broke has been busy promoting his energy packed debut  “If It Ain’t Broke…” through gigs in North England and the centre belt.

Preceding our viking battle you can watch the amazing up and coming artist Kate Kyle. Kate has been a regular at Stove events including Brave New Words and also collaborated with the Tinderbox Orchestra in Edinburgh earlier this year playing one of her songs to an audience of 600+ people at The Tinderbox Album launch.

Kate Kyle

Following Kate Kyle you can watch another Brave New Words regular Colin James. Known for his witty banter and quirky presence keep an ear out for the unofficial Nithraid anthem “Boaty McBoat Face.”

Colin James

Launching over the past year local guitar teacher David Bass started his under 18 acoustic afternoon – which takes place on the last Saturday of every month at the Stove – to offer a stage to young performers looking to get their foot in the door in the local music scene. We are delighted to announce that one of the performers playing this years Nithraid will be Taylor Nelson. Taylor recently played this years Youthbeatz event and is set to be one of the artists to watch in the future.

Fraser Clark

Our Nithraid Nighttime will feature performances from bassist and composer Stuart MacPherson, and jazz pianist and composer Fraser Clark. Stuart most recently worked with the Stove on his commissioned Flight piece last autumn and has been involved in numerous projects ranging from the highly acclaimed orchestration of Martyn Bennett’s ‘GRIT’ by Greg Lawson to his work with singer/songwriter Emma Gillespie (Emma’s Imagination). Fraser Clark’s EP From the Depths launched at the Stove at the end of 2016, and his work has been performed by a variety of professional musicians, including The Scottish Ensemble, organist Kevin Bowyer, cellist Robert Irvine and local Dumfries amateur choir, The Balliol Consort.

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Musings

Song Factory

From Alix Adair

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In an effort to provide young musicians the opportunity to write, record, and release their own tracks; Blueprint100, in association with D&G Council and DGU, created the Song Factory. Running over the course of two months, participants were taken through various aspects of the music industry from songwriting to graphic advertising. Workshops ran every Wednesday from the 14th of a June to the 5th of July, with time to record until the 2nd of August when the final workshop was held.

song factory workshop

During these workshops those involved were able to work with poet Hugh McMillan; singer-songwriter Jamie McClennan; graphic designer Sam Sparrow; and producer and owner of Lovers Lane Studios Grant Christian Henderson. They worked in groups to create 3 songs overall, paying ample attention to both music and lyrics, and then – after a tour of the studios – were funded to record these songs.

song factory workshops
Song Factory Workshops

The final workshop focused on publicising your music, so as well as being taken through some basic graphic design participants were talked through an interview in preparation for a slot on the Thursday Night Showcase on Alive radio the following night. Here they talked about how they found the course and either played their track or performed their song live. All recorded tracks will be regularly featured on the show from this point onward.

Song Factory Recording
Song Factory
Song Factory

The response to Song Factory has been truly touching, with the involved Blueprint members receiving messages of thanks from many of those involved, and the songs created will be worthy additions to Dumfries and Galloway’s ever-growing music scene.

All photographs credited to Kirstin McEwan Photography.

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News

A Day At Off the Record – A Short Review

By Isla Gracie of Taagan

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As a young musician playing in a “neo-folk” duo, I was under the impression that it was vital that you had to play an instrument to be able to work within the industry. I have never be more disillusioned! Last weekend my band member and I attended Off The Record at The Stove in Dumfries, an event where anyone from 14 to 25 interested in working within the music industry could learn about all it’s key factors and how important they are.
The event was a series of seminars and talks from lots of different speakers who came from lots of different parts of the music industry. These talks ranged from learning about organising and getting gigs, producing and releasing music, working within the music industry, promoting your or your band’s music and getting the best images to promote your music and style.

There were many elements of the day that I found very informative including a presentation on realising music by Toni Malyn who works with EmuBands. He gave a step by step talk on how to get your music heard through companies such as Spotify, he also gave us useful information on how to release covers of other artists’ songs – this was something that we as a band duo found especially helpful. We learnt what the term “derivative work” meant from Toni, a phrase that has definitely stuck with me.
We also got the opportunity to listen to Nick Roberts, who is part of the team who run the very successful festival Electric Fields each year. He gave us a good insight of what his job was and how important it is to be a band or musician who is “good to work with”. He explained that you could be a rock star on stage but it is vital that you can work well with the organisers as it makes their jobs easier and everything runs smoothly. I thought that this piece of information was something that was very rudimentary but the most important.
He also gave some communication tips and how using emails effectively is also important. I was completely amazed as to how many bands copied and pasted emails to companies and promoters – I discovered that a “personal touch” can really go a long way within the industry.

We also got the chance listen to Jannica Honey, a well experienced photographer who has taken photos of bands such as The Killers. She gave us a presentation on the do’s and dont’s of music photography and provided helpful and nifty tips on creating the best photography so you or your band could get the best image for your sound and your style. She gave you simple questions to ask yourself like “who are you as a band or musician?” And “what and where does your music represent?” These simple questions made me really analyse our own band and where and what we symbolise.
Off The Record also highlighted a really fundamental part of the music industry – promoting your music. Derick Mackinnon of New Found Sound spoke about press packs and how using social media a lot can be a really great way to promote your music. This last talk was a really excellent way to wrap up the rest of day.
Attending Off The Record has really opened my eyes about the music industry and the amazing and unexpected destinations it can take you to, it isn’t just about playing music on a stage – there are numerous other jobs within the music business from sound engineering to promoting and even taking photos. It was less daunting to know how many career paths within music there really are. It was also really nice to hear humble advice such as “Be supportive to other bands” and “Flattery will get you everywhere” – modest guidance like that definitely reminded me of the excitement and enjoyment within the industry, and why I would really love to have a career in music whether it is playing in bands, promoting or even writing about it.

As a young musician, I would highly recommend going to Off The Record if you have the opportunity to. If you are a musician or interested in following a career within music then Off The Record is a phenomenal event where you can get a taste for it. It will open your eyes and fill your soul with first-hand knowledge from the best kind of people who have been there and done that.

By Isla Gracie of Taagan

Find out more about Isla’s band Taagan, online here

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News

Flight

As part of the upcoming launch of Kathy Hinde’s Luminous Birds installation in Dumfries, Stuart Macpherson will be introducing the first in a series of pieces of his newly commissioned work Flight. Both works launch on Wednesday, 7th September, starting from the Stove at 7.30pm, ahead of the switch on of Luminous Birds at 9pm at the Globe Inn. Full details available on our events page here

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Flight – Is a moving soundscape/composition influenced and inspired by the migration of barnacle geese from Svalbard to Caerlaverock. Taking the idea of Migration from Kathy Hinde’s Luminous Birds installation, Flight explores the ability to move from one place to the other, using multiple sounds sources to create something that mimics the movement of the birds. Individual parts are composed to work together as a movement.

This opening is an introduction to the piece which will continue with further developments and performances through until November. You are invited to come along and immerse yourself in the first run coinciding with the opening of Luminous Birds at The Stove.

Stuart Macpherson is a freelance bassist and composer based in rural Dumfries & Galloway. He has been involved in numerous projects and performances, mostly recently the highly acclaimed orchestration of GRIT by Greg Lawson at the Edinburgh International Festival. He also plays in a recently formed quartet with local musicians Wendy Stewart, Gavin Marwick and Ruth Morris. Short-listed twice for the Martin Bennet Prize for Composition Stuart’s work ranges from soundscapes such as his work with Chinese pole artist and performer Phil Hardie on Welcome my Son to pieces written for Red Note Ensemble and Mr McFalls Chamber. His compositional work has been taking an expansive swing towards more experimental pieces and collaborative work such as this.

Special acknowledgement to Sound recordists Geoff Sample and Simon Elliott who have very kindly allowed their recordings of the geese to be used for this piece.

This commission is supported by:
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News Project Updates

Here Comes Nithraid!

September 3rd sees The Stove’s fourth staging of Nithraid, a fun family event that takes place on and around the river. Nithraid is a celebration of the town’s long relationship with its river, highlighting the way the Nith connected Dumfries to the rest of the world through trade, goods (including Coos) and sail power. It is created and produced by The Stove Network and is part of the groups mission to make creative opportunities for local people to be involved in the future of Dumfries

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Matt Baker, lead artist on Nithraid, says, “It’s really exciting to see the event continue to grow and change with each passing year, for 2016 we’ve been overwhelmed by the support of local businesses and community groups – Dumfries is definitely pulling together for the Nithraid! New for 2016 we have the inclusion of Coastal Rowing and we’re also very lucky to be able to offer such high quality food produce, as well as a range of arts and activities on the Mill Green.”

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The daring sailing race, starting from the Solway Firth and sailing right up the River Nith into the centre of Dumfries, is made possible by one of the highest tides of the year. While waiting for the boats to arrive, The Stove invites you to enjoy the ‘arts and food village’ at Mill Green, opposite the Whitesands, from 12 noon until 4pm. Join in with art activities and demonstrations for all ages, listen to acoustic music, visit a mini market of local food producers, as well as watching the procession of the legendary Salty Coo, starting from Dumfries High Street down to Mill Green, where the winning skipper has the honour of lowering the Coo and releasing her into the river.

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For more information, including how to take part, please visit www.thestove.org/nithraid

Sponsors for Nithraid 2016 include McDermid Supply Co. Ltd, Dumfries Timber Co, Monaghan’s Jewellery, Farries Kirk and McVean, People’s Project, Lowland Accountancy and Luke Moloney Architect.

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Musings

Introducing Euan Macrory

This years Nithraid sees us welcome a new team of young interns to help kick-start our now annual sailing race up river and into the centre of Dumfries. First up is Euan Macrory, a musician from the town and joining the event production and marketing team. We asked Euan to tell us a little more about himself and his music:

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I am a musician that is driven by giving opportunities to other performers and artists. I hope to contribute my part to the Dumfries music community by encouraging new performers and hopefully allow people to try music as a hobby even if they never have, purely so people can discover a new passion. My main passion at the moment is combining genres and changing music. This has involved me taking genres that are not always perceived as exciting, like traditional folk and combining it styles like funk, flamenco and jazz. In the future I hope I can encourage a rise in the interest of the Dumfries music scene and try to change music.

I was drawn to Nithraid because I wanted to try being part of the organisation of an event so I could participate in events from a new perspective. I have been a performer at events but I am looking forward to experiencing events under different circumstances and gaining new skills in fields that present unique challenges and rewards.

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Nithraid 2014 – Procession and Nithraid Band

I think Dumfries is a town with a lot of potential. I think it has a really nice local community that you struggle to find in other areas. I believe that with our close community values we can make a modern town with more reasons for young people to stay here and build careers.

The most exciting part of the Stove process for me is the involvement it permits. The stove opens up a wide variety of opportunities for people to get involved in, including different types of workshops and events for activities that people would not consider if the Stove was not offering these unique opportunities.

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Five books I think everyone should read are Tortilla Flat by John Steinbeck, The Symposium by Plato, How to Ruin Everything by George Watsky, If On a Winters Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino and Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck.

There are so many songs that I couldn’t live without but if I had to name a few it would be Santeria by Sublime, Emily by the Bill Evans Trio and just every song by a spoken word poet and rapper George Watsky.

I never expected to enjoy volunteering in a charity shop as much as I did. Honestly when I started I thought it would be a fairly quiet standard shop job but I had so much fun and made so many great memories from it.

My passion is music, it means so much to me and it always has. I couldn’t see my life without it.

Find out more about Euan and his music online via his youtube channel here, and his instagram account here.