Monday 14 September 2009

Homecoming Live - The Final Fling

My comments in The Scottish Sun about the forthcoming Homecoming Live gigs seem to have ruffled a few feathers, with people assuming that I was either misquoted, or my comments were taken out of context.

Full story here.

Actually I'm pretty sure I said everything credited to me, and given the information I had at the time, I was pretty comfortable about that. Bearing in mind I'm over 40 myself, comments that the gig would attract mostly over 40s certainly weren't intended as a slur on the event...

I was actually fully supportive of what's being attempted, but the truth is that now I'm actually having reservations.

At first it seemed like a brilliant idea to have one final massive event to round off the homecoming year, linking it in with St Andrew's Weekend (though not quite sure when St Andrew's Day became a whole weekend, but any excuse to party on longer!). I knew that a couple of the halls at the SECC were to be used for the "Final Fling" gig(s), but it was only seeing the ad in the Sunday papers yesterday that I realised the 2 gigs (with a 3rd at the Clyde Auditorium still to be announced apparently) were actually separate gigs.

I'd got it into my head that you'd be able to wander from one hall to the other and see performances from stars of the past, present and future, but that's not the case. In Hall 4 (seated) of the SECC you have Deacon Blue, Lloyd Cole, Hue & Cry, Midge Ure, The Bluebells, James Grant, Kevin McDermott and Tommy Reilly celebrating "the golden era of Scottish music", while in Hall 3 (standing) it's a line up including "those who have inspired some of the biggest acts in the world, and who demonstrate the enormous influence Scotland has had on shaping the international music scene plus the hottest up and coming Scottish talent". For that, read The Vaselines, Idlewild, The View, King Creosote and The Law (with more to be announced).

It seems to me that we now have 2 pretty special live music events clashing with each other, but both part of the same celebration of Scottish music. How wonderful it would have been to introduce fans of The View for instance to the rich heritage on offer in the other hall... and indeed for fans of the "blasts from the past" to see that the future of music is in safe hands.

Of course the Hall 4 show is a bit more mainstream musically, and I'm sure the thinking is the Hall 3 show will attract a more alternative crowd.... but I'm sure I'm not the only person who'd like to see Lloyd Cole (one of the first acts I ever saw live, 20+ years ago) and The Vaselines, or indeed any combination of acts playing the rival gigs...

I think the line-up for both gigs isn't bad, but it would have been much better if the gigs had been on different nights.

Homecoming Live - The Final Fling: tickets available from http://www.gigsinscotland.com/

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It will be interesting to see if these two events sell-out.

If the Homecoming is all about the quality and variety of art that Scotland has produced, then surely it would be better to have all the bands playing together. If not in the one hall, then allowing people to wander between the halls. I guess the seating might make that a bit of an issue.

Murray, Glasgow

Anonymous said...

Seems that The Sun leapt in (as any good tabloid should) and ran the story befre the facts were known - to be fair, the facts were pretty well hidden. Certainly one of the halls is 'old', the second hall is quite 'young' and it seems silly that there's effective segregation especially as Jim says, Lloyd Cole fans migh fancy seeing the Vaselines or Idlewild (though I suspect that the Deacon Blue fans might just sit tight for the night...)
I thought that buying tickets for both and wandering between them might be an expensive option for music fans with broad taste, but that looks out too due to the seating (yup, the big hall for the oldies again!)

I thought that there were 3 nights of shows in the SECC so again the info supplied was misleading I feel.
There are wee shows at Tuts that weekend though. Like every other weekend.

S

The Cat said...

My views were quoted in the Scotland on Sunday, as you know, and on the Jocknroll blog and I was more concerned by the lack of female artists. We've been promised more acts but they haven't been forthcoming since the announcement. Two clashing gigs, which you can't move between, seems plain daft. Notwithstanding a prior engagement, I wouldn't have been going anyway.

Jim Gellatly said...

Tempted to think after a call I got this morning... that this isn't the end of the matter.

Jim Gellatly said...

Maybe I'll just keep quiet next time. So much for me trying to put a positive spin on the event:
http://www.thesun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/2647084/Homecoming-concert-suffers-from-poor-ticket-sales.html

Jim Gellatly said...

Looking like my fears were well-founded. They have at least now introduced a roaming ticket, but I think it would have been better to spread the SECC gigs over a couple of nights... Latest on the event is that the shows have been downscaled. Still think they are good value for money mind you, and it's certainly not Alex Salmond's fault.

This from The Herald: http://heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/public-snub-for-finale-of-scotland-s-culture-year-1.932048