Category: Blog

Tae Sup wi’ a Fifer – April 1^st 2017

 Tickets here – Music starts 8pm

Roddy Woomble / Oliver Coates / Yorkston Thorne Khan

Roddy Woomble – With a long running career in both Indie and folk music, as a solo artist and with his band Idlewild, Roddy’s place is firmly set as one of Scotland’s finest songwriters.

‘The harmonies are pitch perfect, the bass and drums drive a stake through the heart and Woomble‘s voice is gritty enough to deliver material that deserves to be soaked in whisky by a roaring fire’

‘One of Britain’s most distinct and talented voices’ Kerrang

‘Tender and epic, enormous yet touching’ BBC Music

‘… a moving and quietly joyous collection of pieces weaving together strands of folk, jazz and country. Frankly, it sounds like the sort of record you might make if you had largely decided to turn your back on the modern world.  – The Guardian

Oliver Coates is a cellist, composer and producer based in London.
He has performed solo shows in China, Russia, Brazil, Egypt and Australia, and made his New York debut at Le Poisson Rouge. He was the winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society Young Artist Award 2011 and is an Artist in Residence at the Southbank Centre. Two major commissions will premiere in early 2017: HELIOTONES, for girls’ choir, flutes, cello and electronics, for Borealis Festival in March, and Shorelines, for string quartet and electronics, for Cryptic in May.

In 2016 Coates released a solo record, Upstepping, on PRAH Recordings, and a collaborative record, Remain Calm, with Mica Levi on Slip. He works closely with Levi, London Contemporary Orchestra,
Elysia Crampton, Jonny Greenwood and the visual artist Lawrence Lek, for whom he has scored the award-winning video pieces Unreal Estate and QE3. He has conceived and programmed the Southbank Centre’s long-running Harmonic Series and its first DEEP∞MINIMALISM festival in 2016, which featured Pauline Oliveros’ last public Tuning Meditation.

 

Yorkston Thorne Khan – An experimental collaborative group that includes James Yorkston one of the most “influential singer/songwriters on the Scottish folk scene”, Jon Thorne, best known as jazz double bass player with electro outfit Lamb and Suhail Yusuf Khan, award winning sarangi player and classical singer from New Delhi. YTK will release their second album in Spring 2017.

★★★★★ Record Collector ‘New Album of the Month’ “Throughout, this is the sound of three world class talents raising their respective games, as if trying to keep up with each other, creating something far greater even that the sum of their world-class parts.”
★★★★★  fRoots “Joyous, contemplative, playful, euphoric and bleakly beautiful album”
★★★★★★★★  UNCUT “It isn’t easy to pigeon-hole but it could just be one of the albums of the year”

Sat June 10^th – Tae Sup wi’ a Fifer

Hosted by James Yorkston

Tickets here

Martin Simpson / Duke Special / Seamus Fogarty

“Martin Simpson has transcended borders and oceans to quietly become a superb storyteller and musician of great depth and unquestionable taste.” Stephen Fearing

Universally acclaimed as one of the finest ever acoustic and slide guitar players, and a fine banjo-picker to boot, his solo shows bear witness to an artist at the very top of his game. Whether interpreting material from tradition or singing his own potent self-penned songs, Simpson is a remarkable storyteller: captivating and profoundly moving. His own songwriting produced the poignant ‘Never Any Good’, from Prodigal Son, 2007’s Folk Album of the Year.

Duke Special is a writer, performer, singer and artist who magpies between art forms, then brings it all to a boil in the world of music and song. His creative talents have seen him involved in projects as diverse as writing the theme tune for the Irish Sesame Street to writing the music for and appearing in Deborah Warner’s critically acclaimed 2009 production of Bertolt Brecht’s ‘Mother Courage and Her Children’ at London’s National Theatre. More recently, he has joined forces with stand-up comedian Andrew Doyle and together they brought a brand new musical adaptation of ‘Gulliver’s Travels’ to the Lyric Theatre in his native Belfast, where he has also just completed a year as their Artist In Residence. As part of this residency, he also wrote a musical adaptation of Huckleberry Finn, based on songs written by Kurt Weill, which will premiere at The Lyric in 2018. He has also recently been collaborating with traditional Irish band, Ulaid, to create a new body of songs entitled Belfast Suite.

Seamus Fogarty left his home in the West of Ireland in 2009 and ended up in Anstruther performing at the legendary Homegame festival.  His debut album, hailed by the Irish Times as ‘one of the best Irish albums of recent years’, was released on Fence Records in 2012 leading to a slot on the main stage of Greenman and tours alongside James Yorkston, Pictish Trail and Malcolm Middleton.  Having spent the following two years touring the UK and Europe, he released an EP “Ducks & Drakes” on another Scottish label, Lost Map, in 2015.  Gideon Coe from BBC6 Music proclaimed the title track to be ‘one of the songs of the summer’ while Max Rheinheart from BBC Radio 3’s Late Junction proclaimed it the work of an ‘Electroacoustic Wickerman’.  A new album is due out in late spring.

‘Deep listening psychedelic folk, a peaty brew’ – The Quietus Magazine

Hello all,

Delighted to say that Tae Sup wi’ a Fifer is returning for seven more shows, throughout 2016 and 2017.

First up, we will have a Christmas show:

Tae Sup wi’ a Fifer – Dec 3^rd 2016 – Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy

Tickets here

Read More…

King Creosote Fife’s Kenny Anderson, aka King Creosote, has become one of Scotland’s most acclaimed and prolific singer-songwriters: a squeezebox Casanova and a seafaring pop heart-breaker.

Kadialy Kouyate is a singer songwriter and kora player, born into the great line of Kouyate Griot in Southern Senegal and inspired by the West African Griot repertoire. http://kadialykouyate.com/

Laura Cannell plays fiddle, overbowed fiddle, double recorders, sometimes percussion and other rarefied wind instruments, “Exploring the space between experimental, medieval and improvised music”. http://www.lauracannell.co.uk/

A further six shows will be added for 2017, dates and acts TBA.

‘Tae Sup wi’ a Fifer’ returns to the Adam Smith Theatre in Kirkcaldy for Spring 2016

Tae Sup wi’ a Fifer is a club that began life in 2015, when James Yorkston was invited to curate some nights for the Adam Smith Theatre in Kirkcaldy. Pretty soon the evening developed a reputation for its quality, diverse line-ups and laid-back, welcoming nature. There was Steve Mason, Dick Gaughan, Karine Polwart, Richard Dawson, Lisa O’Neill, Aidan O’Rourke, Bill Wells – some well-known, some less so, but all worth watching, all worth the admission price.

And we’re delighted now to announce that this Spring there’ll be further three shows:

March 5^th: Martin Carthy, Alexis Taylor (Hot Chip) (solo), Geoff Hattersley

April 9^th: Linton Kwesi Johnson (solo), Kathryn Joseph, Randolph’s Leap (solo)

May 7^th: Malcolm Middleton, Viking Moses, Yorkston Thorne Khan

Now, don’t those line-ups just look barry? Let’s have a closer look:

March 5^th 2016

Martin Carthy: Legendary and extremely influential English folk-song singer and guitar player. `Arguably the greatest English folk song performer, writer, collector and editor of them all’ Q Magazine

Alexis Taylor: Best known as front man of electro-pop outfit Hot Chip, performing here in his solo guise. “It’s a fine collection of intimate, slow-burning, understated songs meshed together by Taylor’s unmistakable voice. In short: beautiful.” Clash Magazine. Alexis comes up to Scotland to sit down at the piano and play some new songs of his own as well as the occasional gospel, torch and local ballad song he has learned on his travels.

Geoff Hattersley: Geoff edited the independent literary magazine the Wide Skirt between 1986 and 1998, publishing more than 300 writers. ‘A powerful and uncompromising poet’ — Ian McMillan. ‘A poet whose work I scour the bookshops for… He’s like a flat-cap wearing, ale drinking Yorkshire Bukowski’ – James Yorkston

April 9^th 2016

Linton Kwesi Johnson: A Legend of both British poetry and British reggae music, Linton has received an uncountable number of prizes and honours for his work and his political activism. In 2002 he became the second living poet, and the only black poet, to be published in the Penguin Classics series. ‘…the newest and most original poetic form to have emerged in the English language in the last quarter century’ Fred D’Aguiar

Kathryn Joseph: Winner of the prestigious Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) Award in 2015. “Kathryn Joseph has crafted one of the year’s most raw, unflinching and remarkable records” The Skinny “There’s something haunting and utterly compelling about this debut.” – The Herald

Randolph’s Leap: “They will be huge” – Ian Rankin. “A band deserving of every shred of love and success which came Belle & Sebastian’s way” – The Scotsman. “Adam Ross is a witty writer who sings fulsome melodies whilst strumming away looking mischievous. He’s like a mouse who’s escaped onto a Rolling Stones record and pee’d onto the snare drum” – Bob Agnews. “They’re ace!” – Marc Riley, BBC 6Music. “The next generation of witty Scottish indie pop” – The Quietus

 

May 7^th 2016

Malcolm Middleton: “Right up there with Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen and Johnny Cash” (SUNDAY TELEGRAPH), Malcolm Middleton returns to the limelight after a 7 year hiatus with his masterfully crafted new album ‘Summer Of ’13’. Siphoning his influences from the worlds of pop, metal and folk, Malcolm will be appearing in this intimate setting to perform a rare acoustic concert. “Middleton shows off impressive acoustic guitar skills oddly reminiscent of a young Paul Simon” (THE TIMES). While on the one hand he “achieves ABBA-like moments of pop greatness” (MOJO), Malcolm also “has a warm, immediately engaging voice that makes even his saddest songs sound strangely joyful” (THE GUARDIAN).

Viking Moses: “If the DIY house show circuit has a pied piper, his name is Brendon Massei. Massei, who plays music under the name Viking Moses, has been recording and touring independently as a full-time job since he was 14, and he’s spent more than half of his life paving trails for other musicians to follow. Artists that Massei took on their first tours include: Deer Tick, Scout Niblett and Nat Baldwyn of the Dirty Projectors.” MTV. / “Viking Moses is ‘The Most Uniquely talented musician since Kurt Cobain… an absolute genius, and one of the best musicians I have ever released.” Alan McGee

Yorkston Thorne Khan: A new project from James Yorkston, featuring Jon Thorne of Lamb on double bass and Suhail Yusuf Khan of Delhi on Sarangi and vocals. Their album ‘Everything Sacred’ was released to great acclaim in January 2016. Album of the Month ***** – Record Collector / Folk album of the Month – MOJO / “One of the albums if the year” UNCUT. / ***** fRoots / “This is an uncategorisable, hugely original concoction of folk forms” – Rolling Stone

Tickets for all the shows are available here: https://goo.gl/FL0GRH

So the second night of Tae Sup wi’ a Fifer is almost upon us – October 3^rd, 2015 – and we’ll have Karine Polwart, Dick Gaughan and Lisa O’Neill.

Three fine acts as ever, two well known, one less so in Scotland but a wonderful talent she is. Karine Polwart you’ll all be aware of I imagine. I first heard her sing when she was part of the group Malinky. Indeed, Malinky and my own backing band The Athletes shared a fiddle player for a while, Jon Bews, and we were fortunate enough to have them name a set of tunes after myself and my band – Yorkston Athletic on their Three Ravens album. Karine possesses a canny song craft and beautiful voice and I’m looking forward to sitting at the side of the stage and watching and listening. Here she is singing ‘Daisy’

Karine’s talent for crafting enduring melodies and her gift for saying just enough without overstating her case have established her as one of the foremost songwriters on the Scottish and UK folk scenes. Four times winner at The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, including twice for Best Original Song, her 2012 album Traces was picked as Album of The Year by both The Herald and The Guardian and was shortlisted for Scottish Album of the Year Award.

“One of the finest singer-songwriters in Britain” The Guardian

 

Dick Gaughan I first saw play way back in sometime in the early 1990’s when an old band I was in Miraclehead were invited to play at a wee festival in Cupar. When we arrived, we saw also on the bill was Dick Gaughan (and a band o’ ne’er do wells named the Skuobhie Dubh Orchestra). I didn’t know Dick’s music back then but was urged to watch and listen. I liked what I saw, did a bit of digging and picked up a few of his albums which I continue to listen to this day. It’s a privilege to have him play oor wee club. I’m not sure if he still sings this auld song, but here he is with ‘Willie o’ The Winsbury’

The only performer to hold the dual honours of a Lifetime Achievement award by BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards and induction into the Scots Traditional Music Hall of Fame. “One of the five or six great voices of our time.” (John Peel). “How music from the gut really sounds” (Guardian). “Gaughan is absolutely one of the best in the world” (Frets). “In any style, on any stage, Gaughan is one of folk music’s guitar geniuses as well as one of Scotland’s finest singers” (Dirty Linen).

Lisa O’Neill hails from Cavan in Ireland and is one of my favourite singer songwriters of the last few years. You know when you hear someone sing and something just instantly clicks? Well, that’s how it was with me and Lisa’s music. As braw as a craw. I’ve done a few wee tours with her now and am delighted she’s coming over, especially for Tae Sup. Here she is singing ‘No Train to Cavan’

Lisa O’Neill’s songs are like milking stools or three-wheeled cars or unicycles: they’re scuffed and unusual and they’re built to do specific jobs. Lisa does not sugar her truth. She has self-released 2 albums and is currently writing material for the 3rd. Over the last couple of years Lisa has toured North America, Canada, Central Europe, Scotland & the UK, opening for David Gray, Mick Flannery, Angel Olsen as well as Glen Hansard and Sixto Diaz Rodriguez along the way.

”O’Neill is real. Her songs, poetry. Her gift, of the ages. It’s possible she’s the most important artist out of Ireland for decades.” – The Herald

 

 

 

Welcome to Tae Sup Wi’ A Fifer.

These events are being programmed and hosted by me, James Yorkston. If you don’t know me, here’s a wee potted history: I’m from the East Neuk and I’ve lived there over half my life, barring an 18 year stint in Edinburgh. In 2001 I signed a record deal with Domino Records and since then I’ve spent most of my time as a musician – writing, recording, touring, writing, recording, touring. I’ve released nine official albums and all sorts of oddities, had a book published… What else? – ach – here’s my website, you can see what I get up to there.

The idea behind Tae Sup is quite simple – we’re putting together well-kent faces, folk I’ve met on my musical travels, old friends – just making interesting, entertaining and unusual evenings. The first three line-ups are up and announced now and I’m feeling they’re looking pretty good. Am I looking forward to these? Of course. The chance to see three acts whose music I admire and love on one evening is pretty special.

First up is Bill Wells with Aidan Moffat, Aidan O’Rourke and Sheena Wellington. Bill Wells’ music I first heard in 2002 when Domino Records sent me a copy of Also in White up. It’s a beautiful suite of sparse piano and a bit of a cult item, the sort of album one drops into conversation sporadically that on occasion finds a fellow enthused admirer. When Domino Records had their tenth anniversary celebrations I was asked to choose one of my favourite albums of theirs and this is what I chose. It’s here – listen. His work with Aidan Moffat carries along the same path but with the added flavour of Aidan Moffat – Aidan who provided the lyric and vocals for Arab Strap for all those years. It’s a successful combination, reminding me in part of Lalo Shifrin and in part of Steven Jessie Bernstein. Here’s what they sound like together.

Aidan O’Rourke you’ll probably know from his work with Lau. I know him a wee bit now, bumped into him throughout the years at festivals and in bars and such. A great player, we all know that. My finest musical memory of him was when I was booked to close one of the stages at the Greenman festival – lovely to be asked of course, but I had no band – so I roped in a load of pals – Lau, Seamus Fogarty, Pictish Trail, Emma Smith. We rehearsed for an hour or so in Lau’s camper van and then played the show. What was it like? Pretty chaotic. Here’s some footage of us doing the Donna Summer classic ‘I Feel Love’. Is this clip in anyway representative of what Aidan will be playing at Tae Sup? I doubt it. I hope not. Here’s a clip of him playing in Cork a few years back, which I imagine will be a little more representative. He’ll be joined on stage by Graeme Stephen.

Sheena Wellington I’ve known since childhood, my wee brother being in the same class as her son. I’ve heard  Sheena sing at various stages throughout my life and my father used to play her cassettes endlessly – her songs are still sometimes mentioned when my family and I have pub reminisces about days of yore – The Dandy and the Beano, The Women o’ Dundee – plus it was one of my first exposures to songs like The Death of Queen Jane. Sheena’s great live, relaxed and amusing and I’m delighted she’s agreed to play, she’s a treasure in Scotland’s musical history. Here’s Sheena singing A Waukrife Minnie.

Now, there’s all the info about parking and all the practical stuff here. We’re aiming for the music starting at 8pm and there’s a bar folk can mingle in beforehand.That’s it. Come a’ ye, I’ll see you there.

JY

As one of Scotland’s most prolific and best-loved singer-songwriters, James Yorkston now launches a new kind of club night in his home county, attracting a comfortably brilliant gathering of stars from the worlds of music and literature across the borders into Fife.

Find out more about it here.