SCOTLAND’S MOST INSTAGRAMMABLE STREETS

AS lockdown eases across Scotland, lots of us are beginning to think about city breaks we can perhaps take this summer. 

And many will want to make the most of beautiful spots after spending a year in the same surroundings.

Scotland at least isn’t short of picturesque spots, but where to go for that perfect post-lockdown Instagram shot? 

Personally we think High Street in Glasgow had a lot going for it but to help you decide which city streets will pick up the biggest engagement on your summer socials, Direct2Florist have revealed the Most Instagrammable Streets in Scotland.

10 Most Instagrammable Scottish Streets

Rank	Location	Street	Location	Area	Instagram # No.
1	Scotland	Stockbridge	Edinburgh	Midlothian	231,679
2	Scotland	Victoria Street	Edinburgh	Midlothian	75,837
3	Scotland	Shoregate	Crail	Fife	41,315
4	Scotland	Ashton Lane	Glasgow	Greater Glasgow	29,355
5	Scotland	Tanhouse Brae	Culross	Perth	19,292
6	Scotland	The Royal Mile	Edinburgh	Midlothian	16,553
7	Scotland	Circus Lane	Edinburgh	Midlothian	13,356
8	Scotland	Back Brae	Tobermory	Isle of Mull	1,412
9	Scotland	Pier Road	Luss	Dunbartonshire	375
10	Scotland	Bon Accord Street	Aberdeen	Aberdeenshire	28

In the wider UK rankings, Stockbridge came second overall: 

15 Most Instagrammable Streets in the UK

Rank	Location	Street	Location	Area	Instagram # No.
1	England	Carnaby Street	London	South East	366,761
2	Scotland	Stockbridge	Edinburgh	Midlothian	231,679
3	England	High Street	Clovelly	North Devon	147,785
4	England	The Street	Castle Combe	Wiltshire	110,522
5	Scotland	Victoria Street	Edinburgh	Midlothian	75,837
6	England	The Circus	Bath	Somerset	48,892
7	Scotland	Shoregate	Crail	Fife	41,315
8	England	Steep Hill	Lincoln	East Midlands	32,947
9	England	The Shambles	York	Yorkshire	32,845
10	Scotland	Ashton Lane	Glasgow	Greater Glasgow	29,355
11	England	Gold Hill	Shaftesbury	Dorset	25,497
12	England	Grey Street	Newcastle	North East	23,783
13	Scotland	Tanhouse Brae	Culross	Perth	19,292
14	Wales	Smithfield Street	Dolgellau	North Wales	17,588
15	Scotland	The Royal Mile	Edinburgh	Midlothian	16,553

Reflecting on the findings, Simon Stirling of Direct2Florist said:

“One of the best things about the UK are the quaint little side streets and beautiful roads which make up some of our oldest and best towns and cities. Some of these streets are world famous, and with travel most likely restricted to the UK this summer, there couldn’t be a better time to get out there and tick these beauty spots off your bucket list.

“With city breaks becoming a bigger focus this year, we wanted to pull together a handy guide of the most beautiful streets to visit post lockdown, and did so through Instagram - on the logic that the more hashtags for the street, the more photogenic and more beautiful it was. These are the perfect streets to visit this summer for a cake and a coffee or a pint.”

Streets were compiled based on newspaper survey data of the UK’s most beautiful streets and ranked based on the total number of Instagram hashtags. 

CHEESE LOVERS WILL LOVE NEW GLASGOW POP UP

IF you like cheese, then theshowbizlion.com has great news for you as the swanky new shop The Cheese Club has opened its doors on Byres Road in Glasgow's West End.

Led by the team behind Six by Nico, The Cheese Club shop takes up temporary residence in the former Fopp Music Store at 358 Byres Road. Stephen Sweet, an award-winning cheesemonger, oversees the day-to-day operations of the pop-up store as well as curating The Cheese Club shops' products and HOME-X's online distribution services.

As well as some of the finest cheese selections you'll find in Glasgow, The Cheese Club shop pop up offers a delicious range of chutneys, crackers, olives, cured meats and a deli counter serving both hot and cold snacks. The shop serves delicious cheese while also highlighting the incredible work, pride, and effort that goes into making beautiful artisan and farmhouse cheeses. A varied and delicious takeaway menu with loaded toasted sandwiches and hearty brunch items is also available at the store.

The Cheese Club Shop manager and Head Cheesemonger, Stephen Sweet said:

"We hope our customers are as enthusiastic as we are about the opening of The Cheese Club shop pop-up. With the goal of providing something different, we want to bring a proper cheese experience here to Byres Road, along with all the necessary accompaniments. We're now open and excited to become a part of the West End community"

The Cheese Club Shop pop-up is now open weekly Wednesday - Saturdays from 9am - 6pm, Sundays 10am - 6pm and the store will be open Easter Monday from 9am - 6pm  as part of opening weekend and Easter festivities. 

Address: The Cheese Club Shop, 358 Byres Rd, Glasgow G12 8AP

Follow The Cheese Club on Instagram for further updates at www.instagram.com/thecheeseclubuk

DEL AMITRI TOUR FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2018

SOME reckon that Nothing Ever Happens during lockdown, but Del Amitri are proving that not to be the case with their new material. 

Puns aside, it’s been 19 years since the Scots band fronted by Justin Currie released a studio album, their current single ‘It’s Feelings’ proves that their flair for crafting melodic rock songs with lyrical bite, soulful comfort and heart-swelling uplift has only strengthened in the intervening years.

 And the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive with the single earning strong support at radio, while early acclaim for its parent album ‘Fatal Mistakes’has come from Mojo and Classic Pop.
 
Now Del Amitri’s return gathers pace with news of their first full UK headline tour since the summer of 2018. Culminating at Glasgow’s iconic Barrowland, the tour also includes a substantial run of dates in Scotland and a major London show at the Palladium.
 
Justin Currie commented: “It’s been nearly 20 years since we toured with a new album, lord knows what took us so long. The prospect of sprinkling our set with a few choices from ‘Fatal Mistakes’ fills us with the sort of excitement that, for some men of our age, might call for light medication. We think the adrenaline will see us through.”
 
The dates are:
 
SEPTEMBER
13th - Cardiff, St. David’s Hall
14th - Southend, Cliffs Pavilion
15th - Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall
17th - Blackpool, Opera House
18th - York, Barbican
20th - Manchester, Bridgewater Hall
21st - Sheffield, City Hall
22nd - Newcastle, O2 City Hall
 
OCTOBER
11th - Hamilton, Townhouse
12th - Aberdeen, Music Hall
13th - Inverness, Ironworks
14th - Perth, Concert Hall
15th - Dunoon, Queen’s Hall
16th - Oban, Corran Halls
18th - Birmingham, Symphony Halls
19th - Southampton, O2 Guildhall
20th - London, Palladium
 
DECEMBER
19th - Glasgow, Barrowland (free show for NHS and key workers)
20th - Glasgow, Barrowland
 
Tickets go on general sale at 9am on Friday, 9^th April from www.gigsandtours.com,  www.ticketmaster.co.uk and www.delamitri.info.
 
Contemporary heartland rock quintet The Byson Family will support on all dates. Fronted by former Temperance Movement vocalist Phil Campbell, the soft release of the band’s debut album ‘Kick The Traces’went straight to #1 on the Independent Breakers chart and to #3 on the Scottish Albums chart when it was released in January. An extended version of the album will receive a full release this summer.
 
Throughout their first chapter, Del Amitri released a succession of hits - including ‘Nothing Ever Happens’, ‘Always The Last To Know’ and ‘Roll To Me’ - which became international radio staples, propelling a career that accomplished five UK Top 10 albums and 6 million sales. They reunited for sold-out tours in 2014 and 2018, when core members Justin Currie(vocals/bass) and Iain Harvie (guitar) began writing songs that would form the foundations for ‘Fatal Mistakes’. The line-up is completed by Andy Alston (keys), Kris Dollimore (guitar) and Ash Soan (drums).
 
‘Fatal Mistakes’ will be released on CD, vinyl and digital formats and is available to pre-order here. The Del Amitri official storeoffers a selection of exclusive formats including coloured vinyl and a cassette plus new merch designs. It also offers the five-track CD ‘Outtakes and B-Sides’, which features five unreleased tracks from the ‘Fatal Mistakes’ recording sessions.
 
In addition, Del Amitri have launched a ‘Making Music’ series of videos. The campaign features a wealth of new content, with weekly videos including track-by-track commentary on the new album as well as Currie’s solo versions of the songs. Fans can access the content by pre-ordering ‘Fatal Mistakes’ or by purchasing an exclusive ‘Making Music’ pass.

THE FUN LOVIN’ CRIMINALS ARE COMING TO GLASGOW’S BARROWLANDS

THE Fun Lovin’ Criminals always have blast when they come to Scotland and they plan to do exactly that when they come to Barrowlands in October. 

As the lads celebrate twenty five years since the release of Come Find Yourself thru are looking forward to getting out of lockdown. 

As always, the multi-platinum New York trio have plenty to celebrate but the opportunity to escape the gloom of the past year and party with fans across the UK this coming October is bringing a huge smile to the trio.

 
"With the world in the toilet, and all the strife and bullsh!t that’s been going on; here is the light at the end of the tunnel. The FLC are accepting the United Nation's invitation to be the first real motherf@ck£rs to get back to making rock and roll shows great again. No huge bubbles or liquor free silly a$$ gigs, just some real New Yorkers bringing you the best in live music! You are welcome."
-Huey
 
2021 marks the 25^th anniversary of their acclaimed debut album Come Find Yourself, the 20^th year since Loco, their highest charting single and the end [we hope] of a horrendous global pandemic for pretty much everybody. Besides, this is the Crims, naturally they will find something to party for.
 
Fun Lovin’ Criminals burst onto the music scene in 1996, gate crashing the euphoric Brit-pop party with unforgettable finesse. Heralded for their generation defining blend of styles and effortless Lower East Side charm, FLC’s refreshing cocktail of rock n’ roll, funk, blues, soul, hip hop, jazz and latin, gave the Crims a unique timelessness that is still apparent three decades on.
 
FLC’s debut single ‘Scooby Snacks’, famed for sampling Tarantino movies such as Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction launched a career that saw the debut EMI album Come Find Yourself remain in the UK album chart for an astounding two years. FLC performed an infamously raucous set on the legendary Pyramid main stage at Glastonbury ’99 and have been bringing the party to stages worldwide ever since.
 
2021 also marks the 20^th anniversary of Loco, a song that may be remembered for sound-tracking a sun-drenched Miller beer ad in which Huey can be found riffing the songs unmistakably cool, latin-infused guitar lick on the roof of car…in a traffic jam. Loco became the FLC’s highest charting single and likewise the Loco album became a Top 5 album in the UK.
 
Still a mainstay on the festival circuit in UK and Europe, FLC are Europe’s best-loved “cousins from New York”, whip-smart story-tellers in smarter Saville Row suits who, through comically tall tales of living large in the neon metropolis, launched a career in music that saw three ordinarily New Yorkers who met working at the legendary Limelight on W 20^th St, swap glass collection for world tours with their pals U2 and studio collaborations with the late-great BB King.
 
Playing a headline set of their most cherished work and maybe even something new, rock star turned BBC 6music broadcaster Huey Morgan and his Fun Lovin’ Criminals return to UK stages in October 2021. The party is on, and you are all invited.
 
Fun Lovin’ Criminals (support tbc) – UK Tour 2021
 
Thu 7 Oct        BRISTOL                      O2 Academy
Fri 8 Oct          NOTTINGHAM            Rock City
Sat 9 Oct         MANCHESTER            Albert Hall
Thu 14 Oct      NORWICH                   University of East Anglia
Fri 15 Oct        NEWCASTLE               Boiler Shop
Sat 16 Oct       GLASGOW                  Barrowland Ballroom
Thu 21 Oct      BRIGHTON                  CHALK
Fri 22 Oct        WOLVERHAMPTON   KK’S Steel Mill
Sat 23 Oct       LONDON                     O2 Forum Kentish Town 
 
Visit funlovincriminals.co for more information and ticket sales.

STRICTLY STAR SUSAN CALMAN TRIES TO FIND HAPPINESS IN NEW SHOW

 

STRICTLY star and Scots comedian Susan Calman is searching for happiness on her new show - and she’ll be doing her utmost to chat to those who are bringing some cheers through difficult times. 

The chatty presenter is on a quest to investigate the weird and wonderful ways we are discovering unexpected hits of happiness in these uncertain times, in a brand new four part series for BBC Scotland.

 

Each week Susan Calman’s Happy Space will seek out and celebrate the many ways, however odd,  we are all seeking out the lighter side of life.   From her studio-based Happiness HQ Susan will be speaking to people around the country and joined by famous faces who will share some of the ways they’ve discovered happiness and, never one to shy away from embracing the more eccentric parts of life, Susan will be road testing a few herself.

 

Commenting on the series, Susan said:  “I'm so looking forward to spending time in my Happy Space, and finding out what's bringing people cheer in difficult times.  No matter how unusual or incredible it's a quest to find the joy in life.  And I'll be sharing some of the strange things that make me happy, like my Smurf Collection.  I can't wait to get started!”

 

Gavin Smith commissioning executive, BBC Scotland adds:  “It’s never felt more relevant to highlight all the fantastic and varied ways the Scottish public are making themselves and others happy. We’re delighted Susan will showcase and celebrate some of these joyful activities with the BBC Scotland audience. Hopefully the series will inspire viewers to take up something new!”

 

Susan’s new show is part of BBC Scotland’s continued effort to commission programming in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Across the year it has worked closely with the independent production sector and collaborated with creative partners to bring a variety of content, across all genres, to help entertain and engage audiences.  Titles include the recently recommissioned Shelf Isolation, Socially Distant with Susan Calman,  Scenes for Survival, in partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland and Reflections at the Quay.   This is in addition to its comprehensive education service Bitesize which is available across television, iPlayer and online.

 

Susan Calman’s Happy Space is due to broadcast in March on the BBC Scotland channel and will be available to stream on BBC iPlayer.  It is produced by Red Sky Productions for BBC Scotland.

WEST LOTHIAN BAND THE SNUTS HELP REFUGEES

WEST Lothian band The Snuts have teamed up with the Scottish Refugee Council for their new video. 

The hotly tipped ban, who theshowbizlion.com first met during at Battle of The Bands competition at Hard Rock Cafe in Glasgow, will officially release  their raucous, hook laden debut album, W.L. on 19th March on Parlophone Records. 

Today they released their infectious new single ‘Somebody Loves You’, which premiered on Annie Mac’s Radio 1 show, alongside an emotionally uplifting video for the track. 

A love song for the ages, with its title deep-rooted in the desire to check in on people closest to us, the radio-ready indie-pop tune sees the band step into another direction with ‘Somebody Loves You’.

“Three simple words: ‘Somebody Loves You’, spray painted all across my city. It is a simple but powerful reminder,” Jack said of the track. “As the days disappeared into months, I noticed myself and everyone around me scrambling to stay in touch, to check up on each other. There was something really special about this to me. I don’t think anyone really saw that coming. It shouldn’t take a global pandemic to remind us how important the people we care about are, but I'm kind of glad it did.”

A charity close to their hearts, the band teamed up with the Scottish Refugee Council to create the video and help raise awareness for the charity. Directed by Michael Sherrington and shot in Glasgow, the video follows the lives of people directly affected by the actions and efforts of the charity, who with the help of the Scottish Refugee Council have made a home in Glasgow. As well as the band donating the video budget to the charity, the band’s label, Parlophone Records, will also donate all proceeds from downloads of the single.

Speaking of the video Jack said: “When our record label asked what we’d do if they gave us the full video budget, immediately we decided to use our platform to help bring attention to the Scottish Refugee Council here in Glasgow. The song for us is a universal message of love and compassion and the work of this charity and others like it is something I am particularly inspired by.” He continued, “It  is exactly this sense of an expanding and welcoming community spirit we hope to portray with this video.”

Watch the video for ‘Somebody Loves You’ HERE

Hailing from Whitburn, West Lothian, The Snuts have well and truly found their stride on W.L.. Produced by Tony Hoffer (Beck, Phoenix, M83) and recorded at the Firepit London, the album encapsulates the band’s journey from four working class kids growing up with a dream in Whitburn, to becoming one of the UK’s most exciting and vital bands of the new decade. 

Adored up and down the country for their uninhibited, sweat-drenched live shows, the band have also announced a UK tour for May/June 2021, including 3 sold-out dream shows at Glasgow’s Barrowland. Tickets on sale now from HERE

The Snuts play the following UK and Irish shows:

April
Fri 30th             LIVERPOOL, Sound City 
May
Sat 1st              DORSET, Teddy Rocks 
Sun 2nd            CARDIFF, Globe                                        SOLD OUT
Tues 4th            SHEFFIELD, Leadmill 
Weds 5th           LEEDS, Stylus                                           SOLD OUT 
Thurs 6th           MIDDLESBROUGH, Town Hall Crypt        SOLD OUT 
Sat 8th              NORWICH, Waterfront 
Mon 10th           BRISTOL, Fleece 
Tues 11th           OXFORD, O2 Academy
Weds 12th         MANCHESTER, O2 Ritz                            SOLD OUT 
Fri 14th              EDINBURGH, Corn Exchange                   SOLD OUT 
Sat 15th             LONDON, O2 Kentish Town Forum 
Mon 17th            DERBY, The Venue 
Tues 18th            BRIGHTON, Concorde 2
Weds 19th           EXETER, Phoenix
Fri 21st                COLCHESTER, Arts Centre 
Sat 22nd              HULL, Asylum 
Sun 23rd              BLACKPOOL, Waterloo                           SOLD OUT 
Tues 25th             DUBLIN, Button Factory 
Weds 26th           BELFAST, Empire 
Fri 28th                LEEDS, Temple Newsham 
Sat 29th               WARRINGTON, Neighbourhood Weekender
Sun 30th              NEWCASTLE, This Is Tomorrow 
June
Tues 1st               BIRMINGHAM, Sonic Wave Closing Party – O2 Institute
Tues 8th               GLASGOW, Barrowland                          SOLD OUT
Thurs 10th            GLASGOW, Barrowland                         SOLD OUT
Fri 11th                 GLASGOW, Barrowland                         SOLD OUT

The Snuts are: Jack Cochrane (vocals/guitar), Joe McGillveray (guitar), Callum ‘29’ Wilson (bass) and Jordan ‘Joko’ Mackay (drums).

https://www.thesnuts.co.uk/ / Twitter /Instagram / Facebook / TikTok / YouTube

About Scottish Refugee Council
Scottish Refugee Council are an independent charity dedicated to supporting people in need of refugee protection. Through direct services they provide practical support, advice and a listening ear to help people rebuild their lives in a sustainable and meaningful way. 

EDINBURGH BOOK FEST IS GOING OUTDOORS FOR 2021

EDINBURGH International Book Festival is going fully outdoor this year and will stream online. 

The biggest book fest in the UK has cconfirmed that the 2021 Festival will take place from Saturday 14 to Monday 30 August 2021 from the beautiful indoor and open, grassy outdoor spaces of the University of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh College of Art on Lauriston Place.

  While the full programme and event details will not be announced until the end of June, the Book Festival team are planning a range of live online author talks, workshops and readings and, only if circumstances permit, some events for in person, albeit socially distanced, audiences.  

 Nick Barley, Director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival said, “While we are now experiencing a full lockdown in Scotland which is challenging for so many people on so many levels, we very much hope that the combination of this, together with the ongoing vaccination programme, will bring the virus under control by August.  While 2020 proved extremely challenging for the Book Festival it also opened up some extraordinarily exciting opportunities.  

Building on the success of our online Book Festival we can now announce that we will be entering into a new strategic partnership with the University of Edinburgh that will enable us to inhabit this innovative space in 2021 with facilities to create events for both digital and, if circumstances permit, physical audiences.

 “Covid19 has created a huge tectonic shift in the way that live events, ourselves included, can reach their audiences.  With in-person ticket sales impossible to forecast this August, we simply can't justify incurring the costs of the tents and infrastructure we'd normally put into Charlotte Square Gardens.    It is highly probable that most events will take place online, and the need for broadcast studios is more likely than large venues for an audience.    

 “In the grassy courtyard of Edinburgh College of Art we will, if rules allow, recreate the elements of the Book Festival that our audiences love – bookshops, cafes and open spaces in which to come together safely offering the ‘oasis of calm’ for which the Book Festival is renowned.  The College offers excellent studio and theatre facilities for both online broadcasting and potential events with a socially distanced audience.”

 He added “We intend that this partnership with the University will be a long-term arrangement, and the Book Festival will continue to occupy their spaces when a Covid-free Festival, with audiences able to enjoy live events in person, can be staged.    However digital events will continue to be a key part of future Book Festivals, enabling us to reach truly global audiences as well as those closer to home who face barriers to attending the event.  We are excited that our hybrid festivals of the future will engage with authors and audiences around the world in a more environmentally responsible way.”

 Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, Professor Peter Mathieson, said, “We were delighted to be asked by the Edinburgh International Book Festival to support future events through this mutually beneficial arrangement. Building on our existing partnership this new deeper relationship will help to ensure that people in Edinburgh, and all over the world, can continue to come together to explore the power of ideas through their love of literature.”   

This strategic partnership gives the Edinburgh International Book Festival licence to occupy spaces within the University of Edinburgh’s Edinburgh College of Art in August.  The University of Edinburgh will operate catering and bar provisions, if permitted by the Government’s Covid19 guidelines, while the Book Festival is on. 

The 2020 Edinburgh International Book Festival presented a fully digital programme In August, with 146 online events ranging from daily draw-alongs to conversations with Bernardine Evaristo, Douglas Stuart, Samantha Power, Matt Haig, Hilary Mantel and Marian Keyes.  Audiences watched and engaged with events from around the world and have continued to watch on demand over the winter months.  

The full programme will be at www.edbookfest.co.uk.