WET WET WET GOT US TEARY AND EMOSH DURING SCOTS HOMECOMING

WITH a name like Wet Wet Wet, you'd expect a little bit of er dampness, and there were definitely some tears (what else?) at a gig that was classed as the band's homecoming in Glasgow's SSE Hydro.
Clydebank's Marti Pellow, Graeme Clark, Tommy Cunningham, Graeme Duffin and Neil Mitchell gave the crowd exactly what they wanted and looked like they received as much back in return as they entertained on the ultimate Saturday night.
 Marti may have suffered a sweet little mystery of an illness just days before but there was no sign of fatigue in his voice as he showcased his smooth vocals during a gig that enthralled every one of the crowd.
In parts it was like a massaoke as the audience members sang their favourite parts of each and every hit, but then we all felt like we were part of 'our' band.
Fans clamoured to be invited up on stage by Marti himself and everyone spent the run up to the gig sending in selfies so they'd be the chosen ones for the onstage competition.
Markus Feehily warmed up with a brilliant set which showed off his powerhouse vocals and Marti brought it all to a climax.
The lads had played Glasgow Green in 2013 but the Hydro brought everyone together with songs like Wishing I Was Lucky,  Julia Says and Sweet Little Mystery.
The crowd including Scotland boss Gordon Strachan chanted loudly on the chorus of Goodnight Girl and as an at times emotional looking Marti sang a mash up of Angel Eyes, Temptation, and with A Little Help From My Friends,  they continued to impress as he held his mike out for them all to sing.
After She's All On My  Mind, Marti let us enjoy some of his banter with tales of shooting documentaries at 'Loch Lomondo'  and getting too drunk the night before.
He joked he barely kept down his roll and sausage for a rendition of Roll Um Easy. The band also had a good laugh about the Versace suits they used to wear with a relaxed Marti adding: "Why did you not stop me and say 'Marti, don't wear the crushed velvety number tonight?'"
They might have at one point looked like 'rejects from the Chippendales' but they gave their audience a good laugh and they showed humility by thanking everyone who had helped them put the gig on.
Referencing the homecoming, Graeme Clark also thanked fans adding: "It's great to be back here and understood for a change."
By the time Love Is All Around was performed you could feel it oozing from every single pore.

JASON DONOVAN THRILLS WITH NOSTALGIA TRIP IN GLASGOW

 JASON Donovan was the boy next door every schoolgirl wanted to be with at lunchtime in the eighties, and nothing appeared to have changed at Glasgow's Royal Hall for his Ten Good Reasons Tour.
The hands were up in the air as a throbbing mass of female hormones screamed out in adoration of the former Neighbours Star.
Charlene was nowhere to be seen but there was still plenty going on down under.
Banners bearing the message 'We'll be your Kylies' were waved in the air as Jason sang all of his big hits like Too Many Broken Hearts, Nothing Can Divide Us and Seal It With A Kiss mixed with a few lesser known ones like Question Of Pride and If I Don't Have You. Stock Aitken and Waterman were the chosen songwriters of the night, but it didn't matter what he sang, as the crowd lapped up every word, and every move - even cheering when he removed his jacket.

Jason who is coming to Aberdeen's His Majesty's Theatre on May 19, told his crowd: "We always end up in Glasgow and it is such a great city .It is one of my most visited towns, primarily for the theatre shows I've done here. Doing my own show is better than doing eight shows a week which is very taxing, traveling round the country. It's not so great when you have such a big family."
The atmosphere was like a giant hen night and one over excited lady even began flashing her bra at the star - until she was removed by security.

Jason joked with his mostly female followers, sharing titbits from his radio show and generally posing for selfies with those who found their way at the front of the stage.
He was humble, musing that he had to do this because his TV and film work dried up twenty years ago.
His parting note was Especially For you and everyone in the audience, including a couple of slightly drunk husbands, felt it was aimed at them.
There's more than Ten Good Reasons to go see him next time he's here.

IT'S A BOY FOR SANDI THOM!

SANDI Thom has given birth to a beautiful baby boy and she admits waiting for him to appear was a real labour of love.
 The Earthquake and Punk Rocker singer had been offline for a few days prompting fans to ask if she had become a mother yet. 
On Thursday afternoon she revealed she and hubby Matt were parents as she posted up these pictures of her family, including her mum with her new addition. 
She told fans: "FINALLY.... Proud to announce that our little man arrived this week."
Sandi admitted the new addition to the family was bigger than expected,
She said: "Weighing in at a whopping 9lbs 15oz and already wearing 3 month old baby grows he is perfect!!! 😘. It wasn't a walk in the park that's for sure but so proud to have given birth to him and so thankful to my husband and mum for keeping me focused throughout a very tiresome but 100% worthwhile labour. Our little boy is a wee beauty!!!!"
Sandi used hypnosis to help ease the run up to her birth and claimed she was looking after her body after a cervical cancer scare when she was a student.

THE BROONS WELCOME BAY CITY ROLLERS, GERARD BUTLER AND JUDY MURRAY AT AWARDS BASH

THE first ever annual Broons Awards kicked off in Scotland tonight with a host of names including Gerard Butler, Lorraine Kelly, Judy Murray, Walter Smith, Aggie Mackenzie, Gordon Smith Bernard Gallagher and The Bay City Rollers.

Scotland's favourite comic strip family was celebrating its 80th anniversary in Glasgow's Grand Central Hotel by awarding Scotland's other families and friends for all their good work.
The stylish tartan and shortbread evening began with a lively performance by Clanadonia who whooped up the crowd before telly host Lorraine Kelly was introduced by an exclusive Broons comic strip.

She said: "I'm thrilled. I've never had a welcome like that before."
Guests were then treated to a very special message from Hollywood actor Gerard Butler and showbiz correspondent Ross King.

The duo enthused: "We're really sorry we can't be there tonight but we have been in The Broons ourselves and are really humbled by that. We are really humbled by you all so well done tonight."
The two lads then joked the Editor Richard Prest was buying everyone a drink before Gerard added that Ross would be buying a round. Ross of course corrected him saying he earned more money.
Guests tucked into traditional dishes of haggis, neeps, and tatties followed by fillet of beef and clootie dumpling for desert.

The ceremony itself awarded people - and one four legged friend - for their personal achievements, many in the face of adversity.
And there wasn't a dry eye in the house after hearing some of their stories.
Presenters included Walter Smith, Aggie Mackenzie, Sanjeev Kohli, Brian Soutar, Emmerdale's Bhasker Patel, and Judy Murray.
The Bay City Rollers closed the night with all their big hits and maw, paw and the bairns were left crying out for more.
The well deserving prize winners will be in the Sunday Post

GARBAGE RETURN WITH MUCH ANTICIPATED SIXTH ALBUM

Garbage fans will be chuffed to hear the band's sixth album is on the way on June 10.
Shirley Manson, Steve Marker, Duke Erikson and Butch Vig will release Strange Little Birds, their sixth studio album, on June 10 on the band’s own label STUNVOLUME. 
The band recently shared the title via Twitter, and today released the track listing and artwork. The album, produced by the band, is the follow up to 2012’s heralded Not Your Kind of People. 
Working initially in Vig’s basement and then at Red Razor Sounds in Los Angeles,  Garbage drew on a variety of sources, from their recent fan letters back to the albums they loved growing up.  
Edinburgh born lead singer Shirley Manson said: “The guiding principle was keeping it fresh, and relying on instinct both lyrically and musically." 
Strange Little Birds is “less fussed over” than anything Garbage has ever made. “We fell in love with immediacy,” added Vig. Shirley said. “To me, this record, funnily enough, has the most to do with the first record than any of the previous records. It’s getting back to that beginner’s headspace. In part, she says, that’s a result of not having anyone to answer to.”
Garbage will perform at various festivals and headline shows across Europe this summer. 

STRANGE LITTLE BIRDS TRACKLISTING

1.     Sometimes
2.     Empty
3.     Blackout
4.     If I Lost You
5.     Night Drive Loneliness
6.     Even Though Our Love Is Doomed
7.     Magnetized
8.     We Never Tell
9.     So We Can Stay Alive
10.  Teaching Little Fingers To Play
11.  Amends 

LIVE DATES

May 24 - La Cartonnerie ­– Reims, France

May 26 - Rock im Revier Festival – Dortmund, Germany

May 27 - Women Of The World Festival – Frankfurt, Germany

May 28 - Rockavaria Festival – Munich, Germany

May 30 - The Paradiso – Amsterdam, Holland

May 31 - Den Atelier – Luxembourg, Luxembourg

June 1 - Caribana Festival - Nyon, Switzerland

June 3 - Le Radiant – Lyon, France

June 4 - Montereau Confluence Festival - Montereau, France

June 5 - La Belle Electrique – Grenoble, France

June 7 - Center Urbane Kulture Kino Siska – Ljubljana, Slovenia

June 8 – Fabrique – Milan, Italy

June 10 – Nova Rock Festival - Nickelsdorf, Austria

June 13 – Troxy – London, UK

June 14 - Rock City – Nottingham, UK

August 8 - Lokerse Festival - Lokeren, Belgium

August 10 - A Summer's Tale - Luhmühlen, Germany

www.garbage.com

BIG COUNTRY'S STUART ADAMSON INSPIRED NEW SONG BY SCOTS MUSICIAN CAROL LAULA

SINGER Songwriter Carol Laula claims she was inspired to write a song about late Big Country star Stuart Adamson on her new album. 
Paisley born Carol, whose new EP The Bones Of It , her eighth to date, has been released on Vertical records, relived her happy memories of touring with the Scots star as well as the tragedy that befell him in her new song Leave A Light On. 
Skids guitarist Stuart who was also the lead singer of  '80s rockers Big Country was found dead in a Honolulu hotel room in December 2001 after apparently descending into an alcohol-fuelled spiral of personal tragedy.

Carol said of the track: "Leave A Light On was written primarily about Stuart Adamson and it's about the dichotomy of having a straight forward life mixed with problems with addiction and other difficulties. I knew Stuart pretty well and had the privilege of  touring round the UK and Ireland with Big Country. I wrote a song with Stuart too for my fourth or fifth album and when I did that he was sober and straight. He was such a sweet guy who would travel through the night to a gig and get there at 6am in the mini bus and still take time to speak with fans."
 Carol  whose style has been described as something inbetween Joni Mitchell and Joan Armatrading, has also drawn on her experience working with prisoners and social workers in the Criminal Justice System for her new offering.
She's looking forward to some forthcoming tour dates in between working for the Scottish Book Trust on children's projects as an early years music and story specialist.  

Tour Dates: 

12 March 2016 at The Green Hotel, Kinross 

16 May 2015 (with local opener) at Heart of Hawick, Tower Mill Cafe Bar, Hawick 

27 May 2016: Tolbooth, Stirling 

16 July 2016 at Northern Pride Festival, Gateshead
 
23 July 2016 at Easdale Island Hall, Easdale Island 

18 June 2016 at Woodend Bowling and Tennis Club, Glasgow 

RUNWAY READY SPRING SUMMER 2016 FASHIONS FROM HOUSE OF FRASER

TAKING  a risk with a neon green blazer, a palm print tracksuit, or a fringe sued jacket is order of the runway for this spring summer.
 The new collection at House of Fraser boasts a range of trends from Utility Luxe, Summer Brights and Indido Trail to Fringing, Orangina and Exotic Safari that we'll be seeing on the hottest of celebs.
Utility Luxe sees maxi dresses, cargo trousers and trench coats as the key styles with hues of deep green and khaki, mixed with washed blacks seen throughout.
If you're looking for something a bit more blue then Denim could be the answer with everything from jumpsuits to shirt dresses that can be styled up or down. Mix with as bag or printed bomber and you are on your way.
Summer oozes sunshine and the brighter the clothing the better as a dramatic pops of colour from bright yellow strip dresses to hot pink bags help to keep the clouds away.

On a similar note bright orange also makes a big statement this season with plenty of accessories taking on the tangy hue.
Backpacks continue to be popular for holding your glam essentials and there's plenty to choose from, patterned or plain.
Last year we saw plenty of Fringing and that trend continues from the catwalks of Diana Von Furstenberg, Edun and  Derek Lam as well as Biba and Label Lab who come up with the goods on the high street.
Safari prints are go with plenty of lush embroideries and exotic colour combos  from the likes of Margelia and Dries Van Noten so you can go wild just like The Showbiz Lion.