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/
