Returning to the roots of MayDay's Cabarets

-->

Glasgow Friends of MayDay (GFoMD) have announced another stellar line-up for the sixth annual Great May Day cabaret celebrating International Workers’ Day (May Day). This annual event at Oran Mor takes place this year on MayDay itself - Monday May 1 – this year’s public holiday.

The Cabaret returns to its roots after a couple of years inclusion of drama into the celebrations, and appropriately this year’s headliners are the acclaimed and award-winning Edinburgh-based roots collective Southern Tenant Folk Union. They are ably supported by Leicester singer-songwriter and activist Grace Petrie, the welcome return of Marxist magician Ian Saville (wonder what he's got to say about Jeremy?), folk legend Arthur Johnstone, godfather of Scottish stand-up Bruce Morton, Ayrshire’s second-best ever poet Jim Monagahan, plus Fraser Speirs, Stephen Wright, and Gavin Paterson.  All hosted by Dave Anderson and supported by Thompsons Solicitors. it promises to be a great night. Tickets available (£14) from the Bar in Oran Mor or (+bf) via the facebook page or website

It’s great that the cabaret has attracted major talents like Southern Tenant Folk Union, and that Grace Petrie can come up and spend some time letting Scotland hear her fresh new style. It is especially good that there are a number of cabarets across Scotland this year.

This year, Mayday cabarets are also taking place in Irvine (Celtic SC – Fr1 28/4), West Lothian (Loganlea Miners Welfare – Sat 29/4), and Blantyre (Miners Welfare – Sun 30/4). Playing all four cabarets are core acts Ian Saville, Bruce Morton, Jim Monaghan, Fraser Speirs and Stephen Wright. They will be joined by Grace Petrie in Glasgow, Blantyre and Loganlea, rising star Maeve Mackinnon in Irvine and Blantyre, Arthur Johnstone in Irvine, Loganlea and Glasgow, and talented singer Calum Baird in Loganlea

This year’s Mayday marches will take place on different days around Scotland, with the

largest on Sunday April 30 in Glasgow, forming at George Square at 11.00 and marching to Kelvingrove Park Bandstand. Others will be on Sat April 29 (Aberdeen, Dundee and Fife) and Sat May 6 (Edinburgh and Irvine). Both Glasgow and Edinburgh’s marches feature Paul Laverty, screenwriter of  I, Daniel Blake as a keynote speaker. Details here - http://www.stuc.org.uk/campaigns-and-external-events/mayday-2017.

Other events around the MayDay weekend also include events at the Tron as part of its Mayfesto season, and a short tour of a one-man play about the miners’ strike. Undermined by Danny Mellor, touring with the backing of Unite Community, will play Aberdeen (The Blue Lamp – 26 April); Dundee ( Arthurstone Comm Lib - 27); Edinburgh (Out of the Blue Drill Hall- 28); and Glasgow (STUC-29).

Rab Noakes

Women Hold up Half the Sky

Our old friend (and MU activist) Rab Noakes has a welcome concert in Cottiers Theatre on May 7. In his 70th year and 50 years since his first paid gig, the 'songwriter-performer on top of his game' will be joined by Kathleen MacInnes and Innes Watson.And there is the prospect of a fascinating exhibition in the Glasgow Women's Library (Landressy Street). Sisterhood is Powerful - posters from the GWL museum collection is on from 11 May - 17 June.

These and many other events will be featured in the programme which is available via the GFoMD website.

Celtic Connections 2 - and Beyond

A selection of shorts re a number of shows that are not going to get onto my reviews in the Star (the first one of which is due in tomorrow's paper (Thursday 2).

One thing that is already in (Tuesday's) Star  is my review of Rab Noakes new EP, The Treatment Tapes - the final of these three album reviews. Rab has a show at Celtic Connections too, on Thursday in the Old Fruitmarket. There are tickets still available here (along with a nice wee clip of Rab in 1974!). He is celebrating 50 years performing and his 70th year - so expect a selection of gems from his career!

Another Celtic Connections success, has been the twice-sold-out show The Lions of Lisbon. On Sunday at the Tron our friends at FairPley staged a 50th/25th Anniversary rehearsed reading of this Willy Maley/Ian Auld play, with added music! By all accounts (and you can read some of them on Stephen's FB page here.) the play was a huge success.

pic by Eddie Middleton

But don't be downhearted if you couldn't get a ticket (as I couldn't), the play will be performed again, most notably in three shows at the Glasgow International Comedy Festival (at the Barrows Art and Design on the 16-18 March). Tickets are available now from the GICF website.

STFU - pic - Douglas Robertson

Finally, and a little wider afield, I went to see a great band that I would recommend (and will be in my first MS CC review - see above). On Monday the Hug and Pint played host to Edinburgh band Southern Tenant Folk Union. Not a band I'd heard before, but well worth a listen too. Sharp political writing, plus sparky folk melodies. Not going to rehash the review, but they too will be on tour next week (8/2) - startting at the fabled Hebden Bridge Trades Clud, it is mostly 'dahn Sarf' but returns to Scotland later. The dates are here.