Mr Boom
Who: "Truly unique children's entertainment, direct from Scotland - or the Moon,
as Mr Boom tells us once his spaceship lands on Earth. What ensues is at
times educational, always entertaining and truly a delight for youngsters.
Meshing song, dance and a high level of audience participation,
Mr Boom's experience shines through."
Lauren McMenemy, The Advertiser (Adelaide, South Australia).
"the best sort of children's theatre" The Scotsman.
Mr Boom's website
Where: Old Pulteney Marquee
When: Wednesday 13th August 15.00 - 16.00
Tickets: £4.00
Concession: £3.00
FAT SAM'S SWING BAND
Who: Fat Sam's Swing Band is Scotland's premier jumpjive, boogie, dance, blues and R & B swing band. This outfit could, and does, play all over the world and holds its own with anyone. Under the leadership of clarinetist Hamish McGregor, Fat Sam's nine-piece band has bounce, swing and exuberance allied to top notch musical virtuosity. Don't miss this foot tappin' finger snappin' show.
Fat Sam's Band's website
Where: St Andrew Blackadder Church
When: Wednesday 13th August 20.00
Tickets: £12.00
Concession: £10.00
Orkestra Del Sol
Who: The Edinburgh-based, manically Eastern European-sounding Orkestra del Sol
are a riotous high-energy ten-piece band with split-second timing,
and North Berwick is just the place to hear them. Their sound is exuberant and joyously big. Their dress code is smart/eccentric, trilby hats with shorts, turbans and eastern slippers. Their behaviour is unpredictable - not so much a marching band as a running-round-the-stage band. They sing surreal songs, break-dance on the floor and strike extravagant poses. Throughout it all, however, is superb crafted musicianship, and a sense of very well-orchestrated stagecraft. Unmissable!
Orkestra Del Sol's website
Where: Parade along North Berwick High Street. (Weather permitting)
When: Wednesday 13th August 14.30
Tickets: Free
Where: Old Pulteney Marquee
When: Wednesday 13th August 18.00 - 19.00
Tickets: £10.00
Concession: £8.00
BECKY MILLS
Who: Becky Mills was one of the four members of Yorkshire group Waking the Witch, but has been writing songs and singing for many years, as she demonstrates on her album "Live at the Mucky Duck". There really ought to be more albums like this - Becky chats and sings to a small audience, and sings a seventeen-song set made up of her own songs (including the Waking the Witch classic Man
of Moon) and some choice covers.
Becky Mills's website
Where: Masonic Hall
When: Wednesday 13th August 19.30
Tickets: £10.00
Concession: £8.00
Mr Boom
Who: "the best sort of children's theatre" The Scotsman.
Where: Old Pulteney Marquee
When: Thurday 14th August 11:00 - 12:00
Tickets: £4.00
Concession: £3.00
Comedy Special
Who: A fabulous night of stand up comedy feauring Kevin Bridges, described as "the next Billy Connolly", with two of Ireland's finest new talents, Maeve Higgins and Jarlath Regan. Get in early for the best seats!
Kevin Bridges's website
Maeve Higgins's website
Jarlath Regan's website
Where: Masonic Hall
When: Thursday August 14th 19.30
Tickets: £10.00
Concession: £8.00
Dougie MacLean and Acoustic Band
Who: Dougie MacLean is one of Scotland's most successful, respected and popular musicians. Singer-songwriter, composer and 'magical' performer, he is also a fine guitarist and fiddle player. From his home base in Butterstone near Dunkeld in the beautiful Tay Valley in Perthshire, Scotland, MacLean tours the world with his unique blend of lyrical, 'roots-based' songwriting and instrumental composition. His moving song Caledonia and melody The Gael (used in The Last of the Mohicans) have been recorded by hundreds
of
artists and enjoyed by millions worldwide.
Performing with a full acoustic band in the intimate
and unusual setting of St Andrew Blackadder Church, the evening is bound to be a sell-out!.
Dougie MacLean's website
Where: St Andrew Blackadder Church
When: Thursday August 14th 20:00 - 22:00
Tickets: £15.00
Concession: £13.00
Seaside Skiffle
Who: Formed by Eric Wales and Jerry O'Regan. Nostalgia with a twist as the skifflers interpret the songs of Lonnie Donegan, The Vipers, Nancy Whiskey and Cliff Richard. Er... Cliff Richard? Sing along and join in the kazoo orchestra. Highly infectiously enjoyable music: bring along a washboard to add to the ensemble!
Where: Harbour Marquee, Old Pulteney
When: Thursday August 14th 20.00
Tickets: £5.00
Concession: £4.00
Tommy Smith Youth Jazz Orchestra
Who: Formed and directed by the renowned Scots saxophonist Tommy Smith, the Youth Jazz Orchestra is a non-profit collective of some of the most promising jazz youngsters the country has to offer. A great opportunity to see the jazz stars of the future, nurtured by Scotland's most famous jazz export. Following in the footsteps of Duke Ellington by playing in church, it promises a tremendous
evening of big band music.
The TSYJO website
Where: St Andrew Blackadder Church
When: Friday 15th August 20.00 - 22.00
Tickets: £8.00
Concession: £6.00
MIKE AND ALI VASS
Who:
Twins, Mike and Ali Vass, just 22 years old, have been playing together for ten years. Mike (fiddle, vocals) and Ali (piano, vocals) are
two of the best young exponents of traditional music in Scotland. Playing a varied mix of traditional and contemporary tunes, songs with
close vocal harmonies and footstompin' jigs and reels, Mike and Ali's performances are bursting with energy, drive and vitality.
Their inventive arrangements are communicated with style and great technical command, seamlessly matching an empathetic feel for
the genre with a contemporary, innovative approach. They display the instinctive musical understanding often found among close
family members and are a real duo, not a fiddle player and an accompanist.
Hailing from Nairn in the NE of Scotland, Mike first
learned the fiddle at school and was subsequently taught by Ian Hardie (also from Nairn). Mike
regularly teaches fiddle
throughout Scotland with the Feis movement. Mike and Ali have been gigging in Scotland for the best part of a decade, appearing at Celtic Connections, the Fringe, Eden Court Theatre Inverness, Bute Folk Festival, Albert Hall Stirling, The Tron Theatre Glasgow, Hootannany Inverness among others. Ali is studying for her third degree in law, (the first two being philosophy, then music).
Mike was twice a finalist in the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award.
Mike Vass's website
Where: Masonic Hall, North Berwick
When: Friday 15th August 19.30
Tickets: £10.00
Concession: £8.00
FISCHY MUSIC
Who:
Fischy, led by Stephen Fischbacher, have an amazing gift to get alongside children on their level.
Someone said "Rock meets pop meets folk meets football terraces." And all for kids! An active, enjoyable
singalong for children of all ages.
Fishy's website
Where: Harbour Marquee, Old Pulteney
When: Friday August 15th 14.00
Tickets: £4.00
Concession: £3.00
TAKING CHASE and Super Adventure Club
Who: TAKING CHASE formed in Edinburgh in 2006 and in April 2008 released their debut EP "Have a Good Time All the Time" on Wasted State Records. Taking Chase play rock music and are influenced by Hot Water Music, Biffy Clyro, At The Drive-In, Cursive etc. The band have gigged and toured constantly since forming and played alongside such bands as CapDown, The King Blues, Chuck Ragan (Hot Water Music), Mike Park, JB Conspiracy Howards Alias, Catch It Kebabs, Lightyear, Errander and Sonic Boom Six to name a few. They have already received airplay on Radio 1 and XFM Scotland so things are looking promising. Taking Chase are also featured on the forthcoming
Punktastic compilation alongside 98 other UK punk bands. The band also appeared on MTV in March as part of the Get Scene Get Heard competition. They're fabby, noisy, exuberant, skillful and will bring a friendly
band to support them.
Taking Chase on MySpace
Super Adventure Club on MySpace
Where: Harbour Marquee, Old Pulteney
When: Friday August 15th 19.30
Tickets: £5.00
Concession: £4.00
Giveway
Who:
"I defy anyone not to be enthralled by this group... this is joyous music,
this is what music needs to be." Folk and Roots
It is a rare thing when one family produces four musically talented siblings
whose skills and versatility are at a level capable of taking the international
music scene by storm.
Giveway is a band with that capability. Formed in 1998, the group comprises four sisters. Fiona Johnson, an accomplished fiddle player, vocalist, guitarist, pianist and whistle player, Kirsty Johnson, a skilled
pianist, accordion player and singer, Amy Johnson, a talented drummer and accordion player, and Mairi Johnson, an accomplished piano and keyboard player, vocalist and bass player.
Giveway on MySpace
Where: Old Pulteney Marquee
When: Saturday 16th August 20.00 - 22.00
Tickets: £10.00
Concession: £8.00
Rab Noakes / Mike Heron and Georgia Seddon
Who:
Rab has honed his stage-craft to perfection and really puts that extra indefinable something into a performance that makes an audience feel they have seen and heard something extraordinary.
His anecdotal style complements the songs and brings a focus to the proceedings which wears its life-span well.
With his warmly intimate vocal style, apposite guitar picking and background knowledge it would be a hard heart who isn't drawn in. His set is a roots festival in itself.
Mike Heron is one of the most influential and individual Scottish singer-songwriters of the last 40 years, both as a founder member of the Incredible
String Band and later with his own bands, Heron and Mike Heron's Reputation. You don't get to see many people who played at Woodstock and Fringe by the Sea are lucky to have him! Tonight Mike is appearing with his daughter Georgia and renowned guitar player Frank Usher.
Rab Noakes's website
Where: St Andrew Blackadder Church
When: Saturday August 16th 20.00 - 22.00
Tickets: £15.00
Concession: £13.00
Opera East
Who:
OPERA EAST is the brainchild of John Marshall, and his chorus performs all over the East of Scotland,
covering an eclectic range of work from Bach to Lloyd Webber to Abba! Always entertaning and informal,
and with an exceptionally high standard, these concerts are a regular sell-out.
Featuring Christina Dunwoodie (soprano), Clare Shearer (mezzo), John Marshall (tenor) and Francisco Garcia (baritone) with the Chorus of Opera East Lothian.
Opera East's website
Where: Abbey Church
When: Saturday Aug 16th 19.30
Tickets: £8.00
Concession: £6.00