Comedy: Rory Bremner and Jan Ravens- Edinburgh Fringe Preview Show

Ticket availability is limited, so grab yours while you can!


Here’s your chance to join Rory and Jan for this special preview as they put the finishing touches to their SOLD OUT shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe…
 
She’s Merkel to his Trump. He’s Boris to her Theresa. Two of Britain’s top impressionists come together on one bill, featuring personalities from Farage to Lumley, Dianne Abbott to Fiona Bruce and the sublime to Jacob Rees Mogg.
 
Over 30 characters for the price of two.
 
A unique mix of impressions and satire from the stars of Bremner, Bird and Fortune and Dead Ringers.
 
Ticket availability is limited, so grab yours while you can!

Sunday 12th August 
Time: 7:45pm
Doors: 6:45pm
Tickets £10 + BF*
Box Office: 01896 756 852 
                   
www.ticketsource.co.uk/bright-spark-promotions

Sunday 12th August
Time: 4:45pm
Doors: 3:45pm
Tickets £10 + BF* 
Box Office 01896 756 852


www.ticketsource.co.uk/bright-spark-promotions

Licensed Bar open prior to event

​*Booking fee applies

​

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Pygmy Twylyte, with the help of special guest Ben Thomas (formerly of Zappa Plays Zappa), present you with a smorgasbord of Frank Zappa classics from his enormous back catalogue.
 
This very special gig sees the band unite with the LA based multi-instrumentalist and singer for an unmissable evening of music! Zappa's 70's and 80's work is the main showcase, though there is the occasional foray into his earlier 60's material. Expect to hear some well-known tunes such as "Cosmik Debris", "Stinkfoot" and “Outside Now”, interspersed with instrumentals like "Black Napkins" and “Zoot Allures”.
 
The eight-strong band will surely bring something to suit everyone’s tastes (and maybe even some poodles, dental floss, snowballs, devils, and a low-rent monster from the silver-screen on the side...) ARF!
 
With local favourites South of Sanity opening the show, it is highly advisable to book in advance!

Thursday 23rd August
Doors: 7:30pm
Tickets: £10 advance via website 
www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/522937

Box Office: 01896 7576 852

Over 14s gig (under18s must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or over)

MUSIC: The Vignettes +support from Scott Wallace 

Although only solidifying themselves on the Glasgow music scene in late 2017, The Vignettes have already gained a reputation for energetic live shows and catchy, impassioned tunes. Called "the missing link between Glasgow and New York" (Turn Up the Volume), The Vignettes first got together in late 2015 after Hamish Swanson and Innes MacKintosh met at a flat party during fresher’s week of Strathclyde University. Matthew Bird joined on drums shortly after, and after a few different bassists came and went, Sean Mason entered the fray in early 2017. 
 
Although they come from different parts of Scotland (two from the Highlands, one from Aberdeenshire and one from the Central Belt), they all bonded over their tastes in music - namely classic rock 'n' roll, glam rock, and post-punk, along with a few newer influences: Talking Heads, Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, Rolling Stones and Franz Ferdinand. Their main priority is to deliver high energy performances and put on shows that audiences will remember.
 
The Vignettes wowed their Border audience at MacArts back in February when they supported The Ninth Wave as part of the nationwide Independent Venues Week.  With their incredible stage presence and lead singer Hamish’s inimitable swagger, don’t miss the chance to catch these guys again before they become massive!
 
 Over 14s
(under 18s must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or over)
Licensed Bar

Saturday 25th August
Time: 8pm
Doors: 7:30pm
Box Office: 01896 756 852
 Tickets: £8 on door 
                £6 in advance (online or in person from venue)

www.ticketsource.co.uk/booking/galashiels/macarts-centre/the-vignettes-support/2018-08-25/20:00

MUSIC: Claude Bourbon - Spanish and Medieval Blues

 Ready for a unique and talented take on a wide range of musical traditions? Claude Bourbon is known throughout Europe and America for amazing guitar performances that take Blues, Spanish, and Middle Eastern stylings into uncharted territories.
 
Claude’s inimitable style incorporates all five digits on each hand dancing independently but in unison, plucking, picking and strumming at such speed and precision that his fingers often seem to melt into a blur. Thousands of people in the UK, Europe and USA have enjoyed listening to this virtuoso and for the majority of his audience it is an experience that compels them to return again and again to hear and watch him play, as his fingers lightly dance over the strings of his guitar and create a unique sound that is ’Claude’.
 
It is very hard to describe the almost endless amalgam of different influences in Claude's playing, all melting into each other, as he moves from classical openings, across a whole continent of cultural roots, from the Balearic’s to the Balkans, and then across to the Mississippi Delta, and shoehorned into all that is music that would not have been out of place in the courts of Emperors and Kings. 
 
Claude Bourbon weaved his songs through the audience as if on a journey through life taking in different flavours of Europe and beyond. His Spanish medieval blues evolved into Gypsy, Eastern European, with a splash of Paco de Lucia, Delta Blues and more. Holding audience attention under a musical spell.
It's not easy to begin to describe the breadth or mastery of the music you will hear if you are fortunate to catch one of Claude’s gigs, it is a sort of sensory experience like no other. A top master of his craft and never appearing to be rushed, he has impeccable timing and makes things that one can only marvel at seem simple.
 
Now based in the UK, some of this guitarists’ influences allow us a fascinating insight into this remarkable musician; Paco De Lucia: Deep Purple’s Richie Blackmore; Joaquin Rodrigo; JJ Cale; JS Bach….
 
Claude has played countless venues, including Glastonbury Festival, Isle of Wight Festival, Colne Great British & Blues Festival, Rock O'Z Aren ,  Avenches, Switzerland, among others. He has shared the stage in Europe and the USA with countless musicians, Calvin Russel, Charlie Morgan (Elton John, Gary Moore), Jan Akkerman (Focus), Steve Grossman (Miles Davis), Herbie Armstrong ( Van Morisson), Jose barrense Dias and many more.
 
Experience an evening of exploration in the unique ambiance of the Thumb!
 
“ Claude Bourbon is a unique figure today… his playing is almost indescribable“ - The Hook, Charlottesville, USA
 
"Never heard anyone get that much beautiful sound out of a J-45", Bob, Tucson, AZ
 
“A breathtaking acoustic fusion of blues, jazz, folk, classical and Spanish guitar from a stunning guitar virtuoso…”Altadena News, USA”
 
“…This accomplished artist offers tender, compelling performance through highly developed precision. His sound instantly creates ambience – from haunting Spanish moods to lyrical, romantic jazz, Claude Bourbon provides both a rich evening of music for lovers, and a real treat for music lovers…”
BBC, UK
 
"...His fingerpicking is exquisite and if I closed my eyes I could clearly hear two guitars playing. Just when I recogngnised a theme he moved on with a mesmerising cascade of notes which kept on flowing. He added a driving bass, for a version of “She knows how to stretch it”. By the time he sang the first verse he had ‘stretched it’ from Spain to the Caucuses, and from the concert hall to the bar room. His forte is obviously his wonderful guitar work, but he does occasionally burst into song and what you then get is something between Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens, combined with a French accent! C’est magnifique.” Dave Baily
 
Sunday 26th August
Time: 7:30pm
Doors: 7pm
Tickets: £12/£10
Box Office: www.macarts.com
                      01896 756 852
​www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/492080

​Over 14s gig (under 18s must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or over)
Licensed Bar                 

MUSIC: Niteworks

“Niteworks' sound crosses genres and boundaries, melding Gaelic vocals with electronica and dance music. Add all this to their explosive live shows and you've got a band that truly encapsulates what it means to be Scottish: imaginative, versatile, cultural and exciting.” The List

Niteworks fuse the Gaelic language and traditional music that was central to their upbringing on the Isle of Skye with electronica and techno to create an electrifying and genre-defying sound.

The band, comprising of Innes Strachan (Synth), Allan MacDonald (Pipes), Christopher Nicolson (Bass) and Ruairidh Graham (Drums), are set to have their busiest year in 2018, which will see the release of their second album; the follow up to their critically acclaimed ‘NW’, released 2015.

Their second album, to be released this summer, sees the band’s sound mature. Overseen by acclaimed techno producer Alex Menzies (Alex Smoke), and featuring appearances from notable acts such as Julie Fowlis, Iain Morrison, Ellen MacDonald, Sian and Kinnaris Quintet, it is a record that blurs the lines between Scottish traditional music and contemporary electronica.

The band welcomed in the New Year at Edinburgh's Hogmanay 2018 having been asked to curate the music to accompany the expansive fireworks display, broadcast not only around Edinburgh but live on BBC Scotland. The band also played to a sold out 12,000 audience at the SSE Hydro in Glasgow at Celtic Connections.

Saturday 8th September 
Time: 8pm
Doors: 7:30pm
Tickets: £10+BF*

Box Office : 01896 756 852
www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/489855


www.niteworksband.com

CLUB NIGHT: Kitten Casino

Kitten Casino was established in 2011 by Trisha & Bruce Wagener and since then they have been having regular events throughout Scotland with visitors coming from as far afield as Spain!  
 
Kitten Casino is an exciting and amaaaazing club night full of fantastic people who love to dance to original sixties vinyl with a mixture of classic mod, soul, northern soul, r&b, boogaloo and original ska.  With the colourful set up at Kitten Casino you will not be disappointed. 
 
Resident DJs and guest DJs from all over the UK and beyond will keep you on your feet or you can take it easy in the chill out area that overlooks the dance floor.  You will get to hear various tunes to keep you entertained and meet a real friendly bunch of people in this incredible venue!
 
We don't have a strict dress policy but we do dress to impress.  All we ask is that you come along and enjoy yourselves. 
 
We look forward to welcoming you if this is your bag, cats! 

Saturday 15th September
Time: 7pm to 12am 
Tickets: £6 (only available on door so get along early)
DRESS TO IMPRESS!
Over 18s only
Licensed Bar

THEATRE/CIRCUS: No Show 

The Wee Review * * * * *
 "A breathtaking piece of contemporary circus"
 
The Herald * * * *
 "A generously funny, ultimately moving display of grit, determination and athletic prowess"
 
Broadway Baby * * * * *
 "This show is thoughtful, empowering and awe-inspiring.  It cannot be missed"
 
The List * * * *
 "Exposing circus' ugly side while celebrating feminine strength"
 
What do you expect when you go to the circus?
 
The greatest show on earth?
 
The glitzy smiles, the glitter of sequins, the drum rolls as performers who seem superhuman effortlessly perform death-defying acts?
 
No Show joyously and heartbreakingly reveals what lies hidden beneath the showmanship. There will be desperate attempts and heroic failures, glorious achievements and bruised bodies and egos as the performers push themselves to their physical and mental limit. See behind the flawless smiles and perfect execution of the traditional circus performance to show the wobbles, the pain, and the real cost of aiming for perfection.
 
A show for anyone who has tried, failed and failed better.

Sunday 23rd September
Time: 7:30pm 
Doors: 7pm
Tickets: £10/ £8
Box Office: 01896 756 852
                      www.macarts.scot 
www.ticketsource.co.uk/booking/galashiels/macarts/no-show/2018-09-23/19:30

POSSIBLE CIRCUS SKILLS WORKSHOP DURING DAY- more details tbc...


*Image by Chris Reynolds*

Music: Le Cafe Parisien 

Le Café Parisien is a musical and cultural journey throughout the streets, cafes and terraces of Europe…
 
Expect to hear Hot Club Swing, Classical Themes, adventures into Romany and Celtic music and vintage songs- all delivered with a fresh new twist.
 
A veritable melting pot of astounding musicianship and novel arrangements, all flavoured with a sense of warmth and fun to make for a cracking night’s entertainment!

Licensed Bar 

Saturday 29th September 
Time: 7:30pm
Doors: 7pm
Tickets: £10
Box Office: 01896 756 852
                      www.ticketsource.co.uk/macarts

          
​                     www.andylawrensontrio.co.uk
 

Talk/Film: The Beatles in Scotland by Ken McNab followed by Beatles film (tbc)

Author Ken McNab takes you on a journey revealing in intimate detail the pivotal part Scotland played in the genesis of the Beatles and the extraordinary connections that were fostered north of the border before, during, and after their meteoric rise to global fame.

Following the Fab Four as rough-and-ready unknowns on their first tour of Scotland in 1960 chaperoned by legendary Borders Promoter Duncan MacKinnon whose sprit lives on here in Mac Arts (The Duncan MacKinnon Music and Arts Trust)  — when they were booed off stage in Bridge of Allan—and then in 1964 as all-conquering heroes. Ken’s insightful biography also shares how the momentous decision to break up the band was made in Scotland.
 
The Bar will be open during the evening and Ken’s talk will be followed by a showing one of the Beatles classic films 

Thursday 4th October
Time: 7:30pm
Doors: 7pm
Tickets: £6
Box Office: 01896 756 852
​
www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/529780

Theatre: The Macbeths by The Citizens Theatre, Glasgow

“...a sweaty, erotic and breathlessly self-destructive re-imagining”
The Herald ★★★★

“...a rich evening of theatre for anyone who loves Macbeth, and also loves to see it reborn, in ever more challenging forms.”
 
​The Scotsman ★★★★
 
At the heart of Shakespeare’s darkest play is a disintegrating marriage. This new adaptation using a radically cut-down version of the text focuses on the relationship between one of the most famous killers in literature and his ambitious wife.

‘O full of scorpions is my mind, dear wife’

Returning from battle, Macbeth hears a prophecy emboldening him to murder and betray. Compelled by his equally ruthless wife, Macbeth ignores his creeping sense of guilt and hopelessness and attempts to hasten the hand of fate, unwittingly ushering in the downfall of them both.
Recommended 14+. Scenes of a sexual nature.
What the critics said...
Dominic Hill of the Citizens’ is one of the finest directors of main-stage classic productions ever to work in Scotland; but for this new vision of Shakespeare’s Macbeth...he turns to the most intimate kind of studio theatre....
...a rich evening of theatre for anyone who loves Macbeth, and also loves to see it reborn, in ever more challenging forms.
Joyce McMillan, Scotsman
 
One can't help but wonder whether this abridged version of the Scottish Play is the kind of
thing Shakespeare would be writing if he were embarking on his career in an era dominated by small-scale studio shows.
Alan Radcliffe, The Times

In scaling down the production, Hill’s ability to support striking performances is made more explicit.
Gareth K Vile, Stage

...a thrilling and visceral new way into one of Shakespeare’s most familiar plays.
Anna Burnside, Daily Record

...a sweaty, erotic and breathlessly self-destructive re-imagining that casts the Macbeths as serial killers driven to extremes by their own distress...this is a play for today’s desperate times as much as its classical source.
Neil Cooper, Herald
​
...this is Shakespeare's play delivered in powerfully concentrated form, as if straight into the bloodstream. Cleverly set and superbly acted, it is a reminder of the possibilities of studio theatre at the Citizens.
Mark Brown, Sunday Herald 

Recommended 14+. Scenes of a sexual nature.

Friday 5th October 
Starts: 7:30pm
Doors: 7pm
Tickets £10/ £8 
Box Office: 01896 756 852
www.macarts.scot
 www.ticketsource.co.uk/booking/galashiels/macarts/the-macbeths/2018-10-05/19:30

*The Citizens Theatre*

THEATRE: Stuff by Sylvia Dow

We are what we build around us

Stuff is about the hoarding of memories, emotions and things. Today the Council is coming to clear Magda’s house. She must find a way to deal with the constant shifting of stuff in her house and her head, as she revisits the past and struggles with the present to find a way to face the future. Told with humour and tenderness this will resonate in its view of our attachment to things, and our need for attachment to each other.

Following on from the success of their collaboration on Threads (2015), award-winning director Muriel Romanes (The List) and acclaimed writer Sylvia Dow are joined by the creative team of Lighting Designer, Jeanine Byrne and Sound Designer Philip Pinsky.

Wednesday 24th October 
Time: 7:30pm
Doors: 7pm
Tickets: £10 / £8
Box Office: 01896 756 852

Ages 12+
                    
                      www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/528562
 
 
 

MUSIC: Aidan Moffat & RM Hubbert Support from Siobhan Wilson

Hear Lies the Body
​“The album title has a dual meaning – sex and death.” These are common themes from Aidan Moffat; since his early days with Arab Strap, he has explored these subjects with a grace and grit that plunges deep into the human soul. But this is no re-hash of the past, rather a further leap forward for Moffat, now teaming up with fellow Scot, singer and guitarist extraordinaire, RM Hubbert, for this new project.

“It can be read as romantic surrender, but of course it’s also a phrase you’ll find on a tombstone,” Moffat elaborates. Equally multidimensional is the music contained within, weaving beautiful, spidery guitar work, haunting piano lines, lush strings, delicate percussion, fizzing 808 beats, synth pop, samba, and moments of jazz, while Moffat’s rich voice carries the narrative in rich grumbles, hushed whispers, and revealing spoken word.

The album begins with first single Cockcrow and a chance encounter of two old flames as they enjoy hen and stag parties in Blackpool – the album follows their story as it moves forwards (and backwards) with wit and wisdom, exploring themes of love, family, fortune telling, deceit, death, Schrodinger’s cat, the multiverse … and marshmallows. The narrative was influenced, Moffat says, by “an article I read about mothers who abandon their families, and how that still remains a pretty taboo subject in our times. When marriages break down, it’s almost always the man who leaves.” 

The video for Cockcrow was directed by Paul Fegan, who made 2016's 'Where You’re Meant to Be' Scottish folk doc with Moffat and is based solely around a performance by Dundee ballet dancer Jack Webb. "It was inspired by a dance piece I saw performed last year by Scottish Ballet. Aidan, Hubby and Siobhan's song felt both tender and cold, vulnerable and hopeful. Jack Webb, Julian Schwanitz (Cinematographer) and I decided on a simple one-shot idea based on these conflicting emotions. Something dream-like. And we wanted to include a bed given it's a prominent element in the singles cover art. Bridging a traditional music video and a performance piece, it's lit in a way that makes the dancer appear like a living painting, specifically an old master, obscured by time - but fierce." Says Fegan.

Siobhan Wilson, whose vocals you can also hear on Cockcrow, along with former Arab Strap drummer David Jeans, will be joining Aidan Moffat & RM Hubbert

Website http://www.hereliesthebody.com/

Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGk8Lp1gPLY


Friday 19 th October 
Time: 8pm
Doors: 7:30pm
Tickets: £12.50 (+ bf)
Box Office:  ​01896 756 852
www.ticketsource.co.uk/macarts

Licensed Bar 
Over 14s gig (under 18s must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or over) 

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MUSIC: Neives + support tbc

Glasgow-based alt-rockers NEIVES released their debut album 'Exist and Expire' to much critical acclaim earlier this year.
 
Catch them at MacArts!
 
Licensed Bar
 
Over 14s (under 18s must be accompanied by a person over 21 yrs)  

Friday 16th November 
Doors: 8pm
Doors 7:30pm
Tickets: £6
Box Office: 01896 756 852
                      www.macarts.scot

www.ticketsource.co.uk/booking/galashiels/macarts/nieves-support-tbc/2018-11-16/20:00

MUSIC: Turin Brakes + support

After an impressive 19 years together, seven studio albums and over a million records sold worldwide, they might be excused a bit of downtime. But no…….the estimable London 4-piece Turin Brakes released their eighth studio album ‘Invisible Storm’ in January 2018 on Cooking Vinyl.
 
The band - founder members Olly Knights and Gale Paridjanian, along with long-time bandmates Rob Allum and Eddie Myer - returned to their favourite bolthole Rockfield Studios in the Monmouth Valley where with producer Ali Staton they could absorb the vibes left hanging in the air by a long line of musical mavericks, sit down at the piano where Freddie recorded ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and let the music take shape, revealing the next stage in the journey.
 
Invisible Storm is big-picture music played on a small screen, refracted through lyrics that embrace the personal and the universal. Formed in Balham South London, Turin Brakes released their Mercury Music Prize nominated debut album The Optimist in 2001 followed by Ether Song in 2003 which featured the top 5 hit single Pain Killer (Summer Rain). One of the finest indie bands of the last decade with 7 top 40 hits to their name Turin Brakes are a band that’s weathered many Invisible Storms, are sure of who they are and what they’ve set out to do, and know that there’s always a story left to tell…
 
www.turinbrakes.com



Saturday 27th October 
Time: 8pm
Doors: 7:30pm
Tickets: £20 (+ bf)
Box Office: beyondpresents.co.uk
​                      01896 756 852

Licensed Bar 
This is an over 14s gig
(Under 18s must be accompanied by an adult aged 21 or over)

COMEDY: Ray Bradshaw - 
                   Deaf Comedy Fam

1 in 6 people suffer from hearing loss.
 
2 of those people are Ray’s parents.
 
Full of hilarious, eye-opening tales about growing up with deaf parents, Deaf Comedy Fam presents a very first for comedy, as each show will be performed by Ray simultaneously in both spoken English and British Sign Language – which just so happens to be Ray’s first language.
 
There were only 6 BSL-interpreted Comedy shows when Ray debuted at the Fringe in 2015, and he has since made it his personal mission to make comedy more accessible for deaf people – if only to take the pressure off himself when it comes to making his parents laugh.
 
Having launched his comedy career in 2008, Bradshaw has quickly established himself as one of the brightest and most exciting acts on the UK comedy circuit. A two-time Scottish Comedian of the Year finalist, Bradshaw had a total sell-out, smash-hit run with I Dare Ray To… in 2015, as well as two sell-out seasons at Adelaide Fringe in 2015 and 2016. In the past year alone, Ray has performed at Adelaide Fringe, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Singapore Fringe and the Kuala Lumpur Comedy Carnival, amongst others. Ray has numerous radio credits under his belt with BBC Scotland and Radio 4, supported Ardal O’Hanlon on his recent tour, and is a regular guest on Frankie Boyle and Friends. Deaf Comedy Fam debuted at Glasgow International Comedy Festival and completely sold out, before moving to the Edinburgh Fringe for a critically acclaimed, fully sold out run – so don’t miss out on the first ever comedy set at to be spoken and signed by the stand-up themselves!
 
Adelaide Fringe Weekly Innovation Award 2018.
 
'Has a clear comedy gift' ★★★★ Edinburgh Evening News
 
‘Captivating, funny and sharply executed… Bradshaw’s brilliance truly comes to the fore [as] the show is a winning combination of substance and humour’ ★★★★★ Broadway Baby
 
‘Deaf Comedy Fam takes stand-up comedy into a new realm… a show I’ll remember for years – take a bow, Ray Bradshaw’ ★★★★★ Short Com
 
‘I grinned from ear to ear for the entire hour… the result is wonderful’ ★★★★ Voice Mag
 
‘Ray Bradshaw will have you laughing out loud… a mix of dry Scottish humour and great storytelling which might just teach you something in between your giggles’ ★★★★ Fringe Guru
 
‘Like the natural raconteur he is, Bradshaw makes each and every story into pure hilarity… Go on, I dare you to see Ray, and I defy you not to have a good time’ ★★★★ One4Review
 
★★★★ The Scotsman

Friday 2nd November
Time: 7:30pm
Doors: 7pm
Tickets:  £8/ £6
Box Office: 01896 756 852
                      www.macarts.scot
​
www.ticketsource.co.uk/booking/galashiels/macarts/comedy-ray-bradshaw-my-deaf-fam/2018-11-02/19:30 

MUSIC: The Urban Voodoo Machine

"furiously energetic and versatile" THE GUARDIAN
 
​“The band veers into mariachi-influenced blues, whiskey-soaked country rags and punkabilly-style rave-ups.” — THE WASHINGTON POST
 
The Urban Voodoo Machine is a collective of shadowy, London based, ne’er do wells, led by Norwegian born songwriter/frontman Paul-Ronney Angel. Featuring up to nine musicians at any given time, The ‘Machine mash-up guitars, twin drummers, fiddle, trumpet, tuba, banjo, washboard, upright bass, gong, mandolin, accordion, harmonicas, saxophone, sousaphone and even empty bottles and tie racks to create their unique brand of Bourbon Soaked Gypsy Blues Bop’n’Stroll. 
The stars were very much aligned the night Paul-Ronney Angel was begged by a promoter to be the filling in a triple-bill band sandwich. Never one to turn down a knees-up, P-R realised he had 48 hours to put a band together. No problem! Trawling the dives and doss houses of London, he called in some favours, cracked some whips and so it was that The Urban Voodoo Machine lurched into life.
In 2008 The Urban Voodoo Machine opened for The Pogues on their American tour after a personal invitation from Spider Stacy, which in turn led to them being offered The Pogues full UK & Ireland X-Mas tour later the same year. The following year saw the release of their debut album ‘Bourbon Soaked Gypsy Blues Bop’N’Stroll’, on Gypsy Hotel Records. The album scored top reviews in all the major music magazines and made ‘Albums of the Year’ lists in Classic Rock and Big Cheese magazines. This was backed with lots of live shows and touring including headlining East London’s prestigious and beautiful Hackney Empire and joining the legendary New York Dolls on their UK tour.
 
“Drawing deep from a dirty well where Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Dick Dale are enjoying a burlesque all-nighter with Ennio Morricone.” — CLASSIC ROCK
 
Notable live events since then have included prestige shows in Norway, Hungary, Spain, Finland, Holland, Belgium, Portugal, Switzerland, Germany and France.
Major festival appearances include Glastonbury, Download, Latitude, Edinburgh, Sziget, Hard Rock Calling alongside Paul McCartney, Bestival, Bulldog Bash and Ukraine Stadium alongside Goran Bregovic and they have performed everywhere from prisons, schools and churches!

​Audio https://soundcloud.com/theurbanvoodoomachine
 
Full Bio http://theurbanvoodoomachine.com/about/biography/

Website http://theurbanvoodoomachine.com/
​
Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/TheUrbanVoodooMachine
​
Sunday 11th November
Doors 7:30pm
Starts: 8pm
Tickets: £10 +BF
Box Office: 01896 756 852
get tickets from: 
www.ticketsource.co.uk/booking/galashiels/macarts/the-urban-voodoo-machine-15th-anniversary-tour/2018-11-11/20:00

MUSIC/FILM: 
Hazel O'Connor
and
                 Breaking Glass                                          
The Film,  Q&A and Live Performance

A very special evening with award-winning singer songwriter Hazel O’Connor, featuring a rare screening of the digitally re-mastered uncut version of the film followed by an intimate Q&A and live performance of some of the films best loved songs.
 
Striding into the spotlight and catapulted into fame in 1980 in the iconic movie Breaking Glass, Hazel not only made the lead role her own, but also wrote all the songs. The soundtrack album Breaking Glass went on to go double platinum during its 38-week chart run, defining Hazel O'Connor as a powerful passionate performer and a force to be reckoned with. Joined onstage by Clare Hirst  (Bellestars, Communards, David Bowie) on sax, Sarah Fisher (Eurhythmics) on keyboards and Josh Blackmore (Troyka /Strobes) on percussion, the superb blend of the three voices and stunning musicianship add a sweet touch of class to their vibrant performance.
 
Live onstage, her unforgettable songs from the  film  including Eighth Day, Will You, Big Brother, Decadent Days, If Only and more seem even more relevant in our present times. 
 
Meet and Greet with Hazel immediately after the show
 
Limited availability- book early to avoid disappointment!
 
Bar open during film and Meet and Greet (not during performance/ Q & A)

Friday 23rd November 
Doors: 6:30pm 
Starts: 7pm
Tickets: £20 + BF
Box Office: 01896 756 852 
Get tickets from www.ticketsource.co.uk/macarts

                      

MUSIC: The Vaselines

The Vaselines were formed in Edinburgh in 1987 by singers/guitarists Eugene Kelly and Frances McKee, soon signing to Pastels frontman Stephen Pastel's newly formed 53rd & 3rd label.

Nirvana's Kurt Cobain regularly cited the Vaseline’s influence in interviews with the music press and Nirvana would go on to cover the Vaselines' ‘Molly's Lips’ and ‘Son of a Gun’ (both later compiled on their Incesticide collection) as well as perform ‘Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam’ on their legendary MTV Unplugged appearance. 
Cobain's gospel-spreading no doubt accelerated their rise to cult sainthood, but the Vaselines would have gotten there sooner or later on their own accord. Lewd but naïve and abrasive yet tender, the band's shambling, primitivist squall remains a perfect distillation of pop at its most guileless and euphoric. 
Eugene Kelly later went on to front Captain America / Eugenius, while McKee spent the better part of the decade out of sight, resurfaced in Suckle, and released a solo album in 2006. The Vaselines reunited proper in 2010 to record their second full album Sex With An X which was released on the Seattle label Sub Pop.
This was followed by V for Vaselines in 2014. The Ramones-inspired album featured many of the same players who helped make 'Sex.....', including Belle and Sebastian's Stevie Jackson, the 1990's Michael McGaughrin and Teenage Fanclub's Francis Macdonald.
“Even those too young-or not yet born-for the Vaselines' heyday can appreciate the earnest fun of Sex With an X” – Billboard
“A welcome return, then – let's hope they stick around for a bit longer this time.” – BBC Music
Saturday 1st December 
Time : 8pm
Doors: 7:30pm
Tickets: £19 +BF
www.ticketsource.co.uk/macarts
Box Office:01896 756 852

​Vaselines Website http://www.thevaselines.co.uk/

 MUSIC: The Wedding Present- Tommy 30th Anniversary Tour + support from Melys

The Wedding Present are touring to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the release of their first singles collection, Tommy. Fans can expect to hear tracks from the compilation, as well as favourites from across the band’s career.
 
The Wedding Present have had eighteen UK Top 40 hit singles… not bad for a band that has, from its inception, stubbornly refused to play the record industry’s game. It all started in 1985 when David Lewis Gedge boarded a National Express coach in London with 500 records packed into a pair of his mother’s suitcases and, in this fashion, delivered the band’s debut single GO OUT AND GET ‘EM BOY! to a distribution company in Yorkshire. That pioneering spirit has been at the core of the band’s philosophy ever since. From GEORGE BEST, “an unmitigated delight” [NME], the first full-length release on their own Reception Records onwards, the band has charted an appealing, if often eccentric, course of its very and in 2017, to commemorate the 30th anniversary of this debut album,The Wedding Present released GEORGE BEST 30. This album featured brand new versions of the original twelve songs recorded by Steve Albini and mixed by Andrew Scheps.
 
Tuesday 11th December
Time: 8pm
Doors: 7:30pm
Tickets: *£20 (*booking fee applies)
Box Office: 01896 756 852
                     www.macarts.scot 
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/date/499768

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