HE might be wanting to change his name to Love Regenerator but Calvin Harris is keeping his old name as he comes to Dundee to play Radio 1’s Big Weekend.
The Dumfries born star will be playing the line up alongside Dua Lipa, who of course he had the massive hit One Kiss with in 2018.
Ayrshire rockers Biffy Clyro have also been announced for the gig at Camperdown Park on May 22-24 as well as the huge Camila Cabello who is currently dating Shawn Mendes.
AJ Tracey will also play with more acts to be announced.
Radio 1 breakfast host Greg James announced the news this morning on BBC Radio 1 amid hopes that Scotland would be chosen to host the event once again.
Glasgow played host to the fest in 2018 with acts like Ed Sheeran, The Vamps and Rita Ora and Perth’s Scone Palace was also a venue in 2013 when Lady Gaga played.
Theshowbizlion.com has had the pleasure of attending Big Weekend before and it is a festival and a half.
In Perth we were actually mistaken for Lady Gaga and ended up posing for pics and even got a discount on a sweatshirt we fancied from one of the on-site shops there!
Dundee is Scotland's fourth largest city, and last played host to the Big Weeekend back in 2006.
Tickets are free and will be made available by application and through competitions on Radio 1.
ON the fortieth anniversary month of Sex Pistol's Never Mind The Bollocks, original band member Glen Matlock has recalled the bands first ever Scots gig in Dundee - and the unexpected carnage of the night.
Glen who was the band's bass guitarist and man who cowrote ten out of the twelve tracks on Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols is currently on tour and plays Aberdeen's Lemon Tree tonight (Sunday).
Despite the band's rebellious reputation Glen admits the Dundee gig was full on and he says he'll never forget the welcome he and the young punks received there in October 1976.
He said: "I played here with the Sex Pistols in 1976 and we played at a teacher training college in Dundee. It's not really on the radar this gig and we got bottled off.
The gig was at the Dundee College of Technology’s Union, more commonly known as the Bowling Alley by the locals and Glen recalled:
"There weren't that many people there but they must have drunk a lot cause there were lots of bottles of Tennent's and Newcastle Brown.
"People just began throwing bottles at us and we had to go off stage. The door was just behind the drum riser and it was going bang bang bang bang bang from the sound of the bottles for about fifteen minutes.
"Eventually they ran out of ammunition and we opened the door and the place had cleared and we went to the bar to get a drink.
These two blokes were there and they said to us 'Why didn't you come out and play any more numbers?' and we said 'Because you were throwing bottles at us and they replied: "But we read that you liked that.'
The young band were meant to return to Dundee following their debut that same year at Caird Hall but had to quickly re-arrange their plans at the last minute to enable them to appear on the "Today" tv programme that was broadcast live on December 1 1976.
Their appearance with Bill Grundy was full of profanities and as a consequence of all this publicity, the Pistols were "banned" from most of the Anarchy tour venues, including Dundee - so they never returned.
Glen who will soon been touring in Australia and New Zealand as well as playing Glastonbury and nostalgia festivals like Rewind this year parted ways with the Pistols in 1977 said: "Life hasn't been that bad. It's a bit up and down being a musician but I've been doing lots of things."
"I'd tell my teen self to get a good lawyer. There's always something going on and always somebody who will try and take you for a charlie."
He added: "I've always loved Scotland and I had a song called Ghost of Princes In Towers which I did with a fellow Scot of yours Midge Ure. We got on well and I’m proud of our project the Rich Kids. We were a bit before our time.”
For his gig tonight Glen who has already played Paisley and Edinburgh this week says he's ready to rock n roll.
He said: "I just need plenty of Silk Cut and some coffee when I play. It keeps you on your toes. Then I strap up my guitar and off I go."
Excerpts of this story have since appeared in the Sunday Post.
From Scotland with Love - theshowbizlion.com
TAKE That might well give true Scotsmen a run for their money after backing Scotland's famous Kiltwalk.
The trio did their own cover version of The Proclaimers I’m Gonna Be (500 miles) alongside ITV Breakfast’s LA correspondent Ross King to encourage punters to sign up for the Royal Bank of Scotland Kiltwalk which takes place next month.
Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen join other celebs including actor Gerard Butler and comedian Kevin Bridges in support of the charity.
Mark Owen who used to come up to Scotland regularly during his solo career said: " Is it about walking in a kilt? I'd like to."
Kiltwalkers won’t need to walk 500 miles, but 23 miles for the Mighty Stride, 15 miles for the Big Stroll or six miles for the Wee Wander in four Royal Bank of Scotland Kiltwalks this year.
For every pound raised by walkers, £1.10 will go to charity. This comes after Sir Tom Hunter and The Hunter Foundation generously pledged that 110% of all fundraising at each of the four 2017 Royal Bank of Scotland Kiltwalk events will go to charity.
Whether a walker raises £10 or £100 or more The Hunter Foundation will add 10% to their fundraising total with absolutely no limit.
Paul Cooney, Chief Executive of the Kiltwalk said: “It’s brilliant that the Take That lads are encouraging fans to walk. Our ambition is to turn the Kiltwalk into Scotland’s largest mass participation event, so this kind of support is invaluable.
"With the Glasgow Kiltwalk just a month away, we’re asking Scots to choose a charity close to their hearts and sign-up for the Kiltwalk to help raise vital funds. The efforts from walkers will make a real and lasting difference to the lives of so many. And with the Royal Bank of Scotland Kiltwalk open to all charities there has never been a better time to get your kilt on.”
Funds raised at the Royal Bank of Scotland Kiltwalk went to 282 Scottish children’s charities in 2016. This year, even more people will be able to benefit as the Kiltwalk is now open to every Scottish charity.
Kiltwalk has raised more than £3.5 million for Scottish charitable causes since 2011. The dates for the Royal Bank of Scotland Kiltwalk 2017, are: Glasgow (April 30), Aberdeen (June 4), Dundee (August 20) and Edinburgh (September 17).
This year’s fundraising will be further boosted by a pledge from Platinum Sponsors Arnold Clark that one lucky Kiltwalker from each of the four 2017 events will win a brand new Renault Clio.
All you need to do is register to take part in any 2017 Royal Bank of Scotland Kiltwalk and start fundraising to be in with the chance of winning the car.
Those who choose to walk for the Kiltwalk itself will know that everything they raise will be distributed through the STV Children’s Appeal.
Walkers can choose to walk the Mighty Stride (23 miles), the Big Stroll (15 miles) or the Wee Wander (6 miles) so people of all ages and abilities can take part.
To sign up for any of the four Royal Bank of Scotland Kiltwalks simply visit www.thekiltwalk.co.uk
- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com
MARK Ronson, Rudimental, Clean Bandit, Basement Jaxx, The Fratellis, The Cuban Brothers, and Prides are lined up to play Dundee's Biggest Music Festival this August.
Carnival Fifty Six at Camperdown Park will take place on August 12 and 13 in association with 71 Brewing – Dundee’s urban craft brewery and will be the biggest music event there since Radio 1's Big Weekend in 2005.
Organisers have revealed an eclectic line up of some of the industry’s biggest and most exciting names at the fest which will be hosted by Arielle Free.
Boxed In (Oli Bayston), Dundee's The Law join pals Be Charlotte and Vladimir, Edinburgh-born Elle Exxe, Glasgow's Jonnie Common, Model Aeroplanes , Fat Goth, The Mirror Trap and Kashmir Crows along with rockers White, Tijuana Bibles, Crash Club and Miracle Glass Company.
There's plenty more electronics over at the official festival site too. http://www.carnivalfiftysix.co.uk/
Festival Director Craig Blyth said: “We are really pleased to be announcing this year’s Carnival Fifty Six line up. Mark Ronson is in a class of his own, few artists match the energy of Rudimental live and Clean Bandit are one of the biggest acts today. We’re delighted to have them join us as headliners in Dundee on a bill which has real depth and quality. There is a huge buzz about the festival, with a few more surprises still to come, and know the artists will get a massive response when they hit Camperdown this August.”
Duncan Alexander, Founder of 71 Brewing and proud Dundonian, added: “Carnival Fifty Six will be one of Scotland’s biggest music festivals and what an incredible line-up for the first year. It will definitely put extra swagger in the Dundonian step. The fact that everyone will be drinking 71 Lager in my home city makes me excited beyond words to be a part of this."
Day tickets from £40 (+bf)
Weekend tickets from £76 (+bf)
VIP tickets from £58 per day (+bf)
Weekend VIP tickets from £110 (+bf)
Phase 1 tickets are limited and available at www.carnivalfiftysix.co.uk.
- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com
BAY City Roller Alan Longmuir ended up playing Shangalang after becoming the surprise guest at a Scots celtic rock gig.
The legendary popster surprised punters at the Dundee gig by award-winning Scots celtic rock band Gleadhraich who were Rolling in Talent alongsideBritain’s Got Talentwinner Jai McDowall.
The band, who were Angus Cultural Ambassadors in 2014, were joined by two talents for their sell-out show at the Starlight Showroom.
After a kilted Jai provided vocals onLoch Lomond, the Carnoustie band welcomed Alan to the stage.
As he brought out his acoustic guitar the lads in the band joined him to play a special rendition of 1972 hitShang-A-Langsending the crowd into raptures.
The band then closed the show with their version ofTake On Mefrom their second EP,Where We’re From, with confetti canons blasting into the crowd and showering the band as they took their final bows to David Bowie’s fittingHeroes.
Both guest spots came about through piper Craig Weir who had supported the artists over the last few years.
Craig piped on the Bay City Roller’s reunion tour last Christmas, with Queen at the SSE Hydro in January 2015 and twice with The Libertines. He’s also composed and played a tune to the Dalai Lama in 2012 and along with brother, Paul, played Arnold Schwarzenegger into his Edinburgh business event in January.
Craig said: “We were keen to make this show extra special with the addition of a couple of special guests.
We’d previously played with Jai and thought it would be great to get him to sing with us. When I was on the Bay City Rollers tour I discussed with Alan the idea of him guesting for us, so when I asked if he was up for it he agreed straight away. I still can’t believe it’s really happened.
“To have both of these major Scottish artists playing with the band was amazing and hopefully the crowd enjoyed the surprises. It certainly completed the night for us!”
Afterwards, Roller Alan, who kept his promise to play despite suffering from flu, said: “They’re a great band.”
Jai added: “I was panicky before the gig, as I normally am, but once I was on stage the audience were great and the boys were brilliant too.”
