Music | Paisley Scotland

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DIANE MITCHELL MUSIC SCHOOL

The Diane Mitchell Music School offers tuition and classes to all ages and walks of life, right now they are doing lots of live videos and one to one tuition over the internet, from babies up to pensioners. For adults who may wish to return to music practice or indeed start from scratch to learn new and life enhancing skills, there are groups and individual lessons in a wide range of instruments at our centres in Paisley at Brick Lane Studios and in the Life Church, and Barrhead at the Evangelical Church.

For young children, we offer a fun way to enjoy learning about music. Based on the Kodaly approach and using up to date teaching resources, we match the age and preferences of the child to their practice.

We will lead your child on a voyage of discovery in music, while providing useful skills for the future. As well as developing musical skills, Diane’s approach ensures that children also gain in confidence, concentration and social skills. We enable each child to reach his or her potential in music, becoming a successful learner, a confident individual, an effective contributor and a responsible citizen.

As well as offering graded exams (ABRSM and Trinity Rock & Pop), the Diane Mitchell Music School helps to prepare and motivate students to achieve their SQA exams and ultimately learn the skills required for a career in music teaching/performance.

Enrol here.

14/05/2020/by Brian McGuire

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Chords for the Accord

Lisa Kowalski and the Accord Hospice are working on pulling together an online music event to raise funds for the hospice. It’s on 25th April and will be called Chords for the Accord.

We have pulled together 10 local artists who Lisa has worked with before to take part and they will be livestreaming their sets into a 5 hour music session with any donations to go to an Accord just giving page.

Chords for the Accord Rosta

Artist	Time	FB Link
Liv Dawn	4.00 – 4.30	https://www.facebook.com/livdawnmusic/
Liam Doyle	4.35 – 5.05	https://www.facebook.com/liamdoyle22/
Charlene Gordon	5.10 – 5.40	https://www.facebook.com/charlene.gordon.37
Jordan Stewart	5.45 – 6.15	https://www.facebook.com/jostewartmusic/
Graeme Kerr	6.20 – 6.50	https://www.facebook.com/graemejkerrmusic/
Hollie Robinson	6.55 – 7.25	https://www.facebook.com/HollieRobinson22/
Lisa Kowalski	7.30 – 8.00	https://www.facebook.com/lisakowalskimusic/
Alan McKim	8.05 -8.35	https://www.facebook.com/alanmckim123/
Laura Murray	8.40 – 9.10	https://www.facebook.com/LauraMurrayMusic/
Johnny Barr	9.15 – 9.45	https://www.facebook.com/Jbmusic91/

Bios

Liv Dawn

Although from the Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond, Liv is a friend of the Paisley music scene and recently wowed the audience with her pop/ country styled set at a gig at CCs – Callums Cavern.

Liv started off 2020 with a bang by supporting Tom Walker on his U.K Home Run tour and was a finalist in the BBC Scotland Singer/Songwriter competition last year.

Liam Doyle

Liam Doyle graces the streets of both Paisley and Glasgow with his wonderful voice. His singing ability has won him a number of national awards and a strong fan following. He is also an accomplished song writer, who writes from the heart and has released a charity single for Alzheimer Scotland.

Charlene Gordon

Paisley based singer Charlene, of Rock Choir fame, is a polished performer and accomplished vocalist. Charlene’s vocal ability means she needs no accompaniment and can hit all notes, genres and eras.

Jordan Stewart

18 year old Jordan has already been a fixture of the Paisley youth music scene for a number of years and is a real rising star. With her flawless voice, impressive work ethic and warm heart, Jordan is sure to continue to grow her audience.

Graeme Kerr

Graeme Kerr is a dedicated acoustic performer from Paisley. His set list is wide and varied and includes songs that are rarely heard but are instantly recognisable.

Hollie Robinson

Hollie is a, fun loving but 100% professional 16 year old singer/songwriter who loves to perform and entertain people.

Hollie represented the UK at the World Championships of Performing Arts in Los Angeles in the summer of 2017 returning home with 3 bronze medals and an Industry award in her vocal categories. Not long after this she won Paisley’s Got Talent 2017, singing her way to the win with ease.

Lisa Kowalski

Lisa’s music career really took off with the launch of the Paisley 2021 bid in 2017 and the release of her EP and Hearts of Gold video, which was about busking in the town. Lisa has since been honoured to perform at many great venues, from St Mirren FC to an open top bus on 6th Avenue New York. As NYC Tartan Week 2020 has been cancelled, this week she sang Hearts of Gold live on Scott Mill’s Radio 5 Live show.

Alan McKim

Paisley singer-songwriter Alan McKim is a passionate performer. Alan possesses a refreshing back-to-basics and gritty approach ideal for these austere times whilst succeeding to keep his sound wholly new and fit to fill city stadiums. Alan is a past winner of the highly prestigious Best Acoustic Scottish Alternative Music Award and is a fine example of why Paisley is considered to be a richly talented music town.

Laura Murray

Laura is a Paisley born Singer/Songwriter with a pop-orientated, soul twist.

In November 2018 she was flown to Germany to represent the UK in Project Aloft Star 2018, performing her original music to many industry professionals. A subsequent single was quite a hit on Spotify and in Germany.

Johnny Barr

Johnny Barr is a Paisley Singer/Songwriter, Music Teacher and Events Organiser. He is member of the London based singer/songwriter collective Winter Springs (https://www.facebook.com/winterspringsmusic) and is capable of performing a wide mix of songs ranging from Motown to Modern. If you enjoy a musician that is capable of creating a performance totally based on where the mood takes everyone then this is not to be missed. Get your requests in!

22/04/2020/by Brian McGuire

Blog, economy, Events, Music, Newsletter, Paisley, Paisley Arts Centre, Paisley Events, Paisley Visitor Attractions, People from Paisley, Press Release, Renfrewshire, renfrewshire events

Music festival will still be a Sma’sh Hit online

A MUSIC festival at Paisley Arts Centre that had to be cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic is now going ahead… with bands performing an online gig instead.

The Sma’sh Hits all-day festival was due to take place on April 25 and now four bands – The Vegan Leather, Drift, V.C.O and The Gateway Clash – have each recorded a set on video to be broadcast online that evening from 8pm.

The digital music festival features established and up-and-coming bands from the local area that play a wide range of genres like pop, rock and electronic music.

The Sma’sh Hits event, promoted by Renfrewshire Leisure’s arts team, is being broadcast on the Renfrewshire Leisure website and social media channels.

Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes, chairperson of Renfrewshire Leisure said: “We may have had to close Paisley Arts Centre, but the show most definitely goes on.

“Although it’s not going to be the live event we had planned, we are still going to showcase some of our talented musicians. It’s important that we continue to celebrate and nurture the vibrant local music scene.”

Following a string of successful early singles and festival appearances, The Vegan Leather recorded their debut LP ‘Poor Girls/Broken Boys’ in the legendary Chem19 studios in Glasgow.

Released in October 2019, the album has attracted wide critical acclaim and enthusiastic support from the likes of Franz Ferdinand’s Alex Kapranos and Radio One’s Jack Saunders.

Shortly after the album release and the band’s BBC Radio One Maida Vale session in October 2019, the band won Best Live Act at the Scottish Alternative Music Awards and were named by The List magazine among the year’s Hot 100 most influential cultural figures in Scotland

Drift is a Paisley-based electronic duo that merges the folk influences of songwriter Linzi Clark with the electronic styling of producer Andrew Quinn to create ambient pop beats.

Formed as a solo recording project in 2018, V.C.O is the brainchild of Josh Adams that has expanded to a seven-piece live band featuring Ellie Buglass, Lewis Docherty, Lizzie McCreadie, Jon Joe McGirr, Calum Stuart and Nathan Syed Tollan.

The Gateway Clash is a versatile post punk band. The band has drawn on the talents of a group of young artists who attend Gateway – a day centre for people with Autism, learning disability and complex needs. Its material is derived from an eclectic mix of influence from all band members.

Go to www.renfrewshireleisure.com to see the Sma’sh Hits festival performances.

21/04/2020/by Brian McGuire

Blog Posts, Business, Client, Events, Music, Paisley, Renfrewshire

Online Music Lessons

Why not learn a new instrument, develop your skill and keep yourself occupied during this time!

Register your interest via Facebook or at 07896689816

info@dianemitchellmusicschool.com

31/03/2020/by Brian McGuire

THOUSANDS of youngsters and adults will be dancing the days away when they’re stuck at home due to measures introduced to beat the coronavirus pandemic.

Renfrewshire Leisure’s Active Schools team has produced a free online dance workshop video for people to follow at home.

And within hours of the sign-up for the video being launched, more than 800 people registered to be sent a link to download the dance workshop, on Wednesday, March 25.

The video workshop is led by a former dancer, Samantha Duncan, who is now an Active Schools Co-ordinator with Renfrewshire Leisure.

The 30-minute video features three dances, including one which shows moves that can be done sitting in a chair.

Renfrewshire Leisure’s chairperson, Councillor Lisa-Marie Hughes said: “It’s a shame that our clubs and activity camps have had to be cancelled, but we’ve all got to do our bit by staying at home, to help stop the coronavirus spreading further.

“To make sure everyone has the chance to stay active and have some fun to look forward to, we filmed a dance workshop that everyone can download for free and follow in their own homes.

“The dance workshop is not just for children and young people, the grown-ups can also join in. And if anyone is in a wheelchair or is not that steady on their feet, they can still take part because one of the dance routines can be done sitting in a chair.

“And we’d encourage everyone to share videos of their family’s dance moves on social media by tagging @RL4Leisure on Facebook and @RLSPortServices on Twitter using the hashtag #RLSportAtHome.”

Councillor Hughes added: “We’re all facing challenging times just now and we’d like to say a big thank-you to our customers for their understanding and support.”

Log on to www.renfrewshire-leisure.class4kids.co.uk to get the free download link for the dance workshop.

Photo Booth London

24/03/2020/by Brian McGuire

Blog, Business, Events, Music, Paisley, Paisley Events, People from Paisley, Press Release

DMMS – School of Rock and Pop

Blue Green Red Music Icons Open Mic Night Flyer

The Diane Mitchell Music School will be running a School of Rock and Pop week for kids ages 7-14 years

Play and instrument or sing? Come along and use your talents to collaborate with others, play in a band and perform at the end of the week

17/03/2020/by Brian McGuire

A Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “In line with national guidance from the Scottish Government on the coronavirus, we have taken the decision to cancel all large-scale Renfrewshire Council-run events until the end of June.

“This will include the Paisley Food and Drink Festival which was due to take place on Friday 24 and Saturday 25 April and an agreement with the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA) to cancel the British Pipe Band Championships in Paisley, which was set to take place on Saturday 23 May.

“We will also look to reschedule both Renfrew Gala Day and Barshaw Gala Day for the end of summer.

“We will continue to review our future events, including Sma’ Shot Day on Saturday 4 July, as the situation progresses.

“We would advise everyone to continue to observe the medical advice available at NHS Inform. For further information, please visit www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus.

“For ongoing updates to our event programme, please visit www.paisley.is.”

16/03/2020/by Brian McGuire

Lewis Sherlock - Puppetry Scratch Night - Fri 14 June 2019 - Roxy Assembly (© photographer - Andy Catlin www.andycatlin.com) -2297 - Lewis Sherlock

NEW SPACE FESTIVAL, THE FIRST EVER FESTIVAL OF NEW WORK IS ON AT PAISLEY ARTS CENTRE ON FRIDAY 20 – SATURDAY 21 MARCH

The first ever New Space Festival makes its Renfrewshire debut on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 March at Paisley Arts Centre. The festival is an opportunity for Paisley and the wider community to experience new work – plays, theatre, music and performances before anyone else and for artists and companies to try out new work in front of an audience. The festival is co-curated by Jordan Blackwood, a local theatre director and facilitator and Carla Marina Almeida, Performance Programmer, Cultural Services, Renfrewshire Leisure.

The Festival organisers said: ‘New Space is all about giving artists the opportunity to test out new ideas in a relaxed, supportive and creative environment. For the inaugural festival, six artists are being given space, time and resources to develop new work. The result of what happens in the rehearsal spaces will be shared over two evenings, giving audiences the opportunity to be the first to see new work that will one day become full productions. We’re putting new stories at the forefront, come and join us!’

Programme:

Friday 20 March, 7.30pm

FLESH by Kirsty May Hamilton

Flesh invites the audience to tour the prototype of a new world. Spectators are welcome to capitalise on an institution breeding sin free vessels in a future utopian state. Flesh weaves fragments of live art, video artistry and spoken word into an experimental theatre performance. This sharing of work explores the political potential of poetic language.

Unexpected Item by Suzi Cunningham and Dylan Read

Unexpected Item presents a surprise encounter between two of Scotland’s finest theatre/dance/performance artists. It deals with themes of connection and resistance and celebrates latent energy through humour, physical commitment and formal subversion.

Text Me When You Get Home by Siren

Text Me When You Get Home is gig theatre exploring hyper-vigilance necessitated by women in Glasgow’s club scene. Blending live music, storytelling and poetry, it examines rape culture, female solidarity and the aftermath of the #metoo movement.

Lewis Sherlock – Tech – Puppetry Scratch Night – Fri 14 June 2019 – Roxy Assembly (© photographer – Andy Catlin www.andycatlin.com)

Saturday 21 March, 7.30pm

Thread by Kick the Door

An original musical about a changing town on the edge of a changing world. Thread follows Ellie, a young girl who has to return home after the passing of her mother to help her sister sort through her childhood home. It explores change, both within our own homes and within our communities.

The Thief by Lewis Sherlock

Here comes the Thief now! He’s given up stealing for slim pickings and pilfering purses in order to pocket the big prize. A theatre-going audience, he knows are totally minted…He’s gonna get away with him too, or so he thinks, because Picasso once said that ‘Art is theft’ – isn’t it? The Thief is a small puppet with a human head who directly responds to audience suggestions for actions whilst attempting to steal their possessions.

Men At Work by Wonder Fools

Men At Work will combine storytelling, movement and video design to create an exciting and dynamic piece of new contemporary theatre examining the mental health crisis on construction sites. In the UK, more than one construction worker takes their own life every day, 3.7 times the national average. The piece will be based on interviews with real people within the industry, explore workplace banter and demonstrate the importance of human connection.

For further information, interviews, photographs contact: Wendy Niblock PR: wendyjniblock@btinternet.com / 07961 814834

LISTINGS:

New Space Festival

Friday 20 and Saturday 21 March, 7.30pm

Paisley Arts Centre

£10/£6 concession plus booking fee

0300 300 1210 / www.renfrewshireleisure.com/new-space

13/03/2020/by Brian McGuire

Blog, Business, Music, Newsletter, Paisley, Paisley Photographs, People from Paisley, Press Release, Renfrew, Renfrewshire

DMMS in the community

The Diane Mitchell Music School offers Musical activities and workshops to Nurseries, Schools and community groups.

if you’re interested in these activities, contact us at info@dianemitchellmusicschool.com or 07898689816

13/03/2020/by Brian McGuire

Pete Lannon and Kim Donohoe in Like Animals 6 by Mihaela Bodlovic

Postponed: Like Animals tour

SUPERFAN in association with Tron Theatre presents

Like Animals

A parrot says ‘I love you’. A dolphin tries to speak. A woman spends a lifetime trying to understand.

Paisley Arts Centre on Friday 17 April.

Newly announced National Theatre of Scotland Company in Residence SUPERFAN set off on tour from 4 April – 1 May 2020 with Like Animals: a funny and poignant look at love and communication in human (and not so human) relationships.

Directed by Herald Angel Award winner Ellie Dubois (No Show) and inspired by true accounts of research scientists working to communicate with animals, Like Animals weaves stories of human-animal communication around an exploration into the real-life relationship of performers Kim Donohoe and Pete Lannon.

Every night, Alex the parrot and Irene the scientist bid one another farewell with ‘be good, see you tomorrow, I love you.’ As time marches on and their relationship deepens, Alex begins to use the language he has learned from Irene to manipulate her. Peter the dolphin lives in a flooded house with Margaret, who is teaching him English. Working together in a bizarre NASA-funded experiment, their relationship garners unwelcome attention in the press with headlines such as ‘The Woman who lived in sin with a dolphin’ (The Telegraph, June 2014). Delving into the research, Kim and Pete tell these stories with only a paddling pool and a couple of wetsuits.

Kim Donohoe in Like Animals by Mihaela Bodlovic

Pete Lannon in Like Animals, by Mihaela Bodlovic

Pete Lannon and Kim Donohoe in Like Animals by Mihaela Bodlovic

Pete Lannon and Kim Donohoe in Like Animals 2 by Mihaela Bodlovic

Pete Lannon and Kim Donohoe in Like Animals 3 by Mihaela Bodlovic(1)

Pete Lannon and Kim Donohoe in Like Animals 4 by Mihaela Bodlovic

Pete Lannon and Kim Donohoe in Like Animals 5 by Mihaela Bodlovic

Pete Lannon in Like Animals 2 by Mihaela Bodlovic

Pete Lannon and Kim Donohoe in Like Animals 3 by Mihaela Bodlovic

MJ McCarthy’s delicate score and Rachel O’Neill’s surreal, contemporary design draws audiences into the joy and heartbreak of trying, and sometimes failing, to understand another being.

Like Animals has been developed in association with Tron CREATIVE through their Scratch and Tron Lab opportunities, and with support from Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund.

SUPERFAN is a new Scottish performance company who create performances for adult and young audiences that blend theatre, live art, circus and dance. SUPERFAN won the 2019 Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust Award.

SHORTLIST – BEST THEATRE PRODUCTION, BROADWAY WORLD EDINBURGH FESTIVAL AWARDS 2019

“A quirky, thought-provoking two-hander” ★★★★ – The Telegraph

“Cleverly and deliberately entertaining …a production that asks chewy questions” ★★★★ – Herald Scotland

“Communication between animals may be important on a scientific level, but good communication with the ones you love is essential” ★★★★ – The Wee Review

“At a moment when we urgently need to reassess our relationship with the natural world, an exploration of human-animal connections feels timely” – Recommended Show 2019, The Guardian

“…Original and beautifully staged” – Fest Magazine

FB @superfanperformance | T @wearesuperfan| I @superfanperformance

#LikeAnimals

10/03/2020/by Brian McGuire

DIANE MITCHELL MUSIC SCHOOL

Online Music Lessons

DMMS – School of Rock and Pop

Like Animals – Postponed

Like Animals

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