Once again Montgomery Scott raises a glass to see out the old year and ring in the new and that means it’s time for Scots Whay Hae!’s annual selection of New Year’s Eve treats. It’s an alternative to the Hogmanay telly, so if there’s little you fancy on the box there might be something here to your liking.
SWH! recorded more podcasts in 2021 than ever before, most of them including a Zoom video version which you will find over at our YouTube channel. Here's one of the most memorable examples - In March Ali spoke to Martin Metcalfe who has been in a variety of bands over the years, but who is best known to many as the frontman of Goodbye Mr Mackenzie, one of Scotland's finest bands:
If there are no films you fancy tonight, then over on BBC's iPlayer there are a few you can catch up with, including Ken Loach's The Angel's Share. Here's the trailer:
Scottish Opera were a company who faced the challenges of COVID, lockdown, and other restrictions head on, putting many of their shows online. Here's one incredible example. This is their production of Donizett's L'elisir d'amore:
Continuing the great music, it’s our very own Hootenanny to see you through the Bells. There were some great live performances caught on film this year, and here's just one – Finn Anderson's 'Skin' - Live from Chamber Studio:
One of the best albums of 2021 was Josienne Clarke's A Small Unknowable Thing, released on Corduroy Punk Records back in August. From it this is 'Unbound':
SWH! managed to catch a few great gigs in 2021, but perhaps the most memorable was the launch event at Glasgow's CCA for Broken Chanter's album Catastrophe Hits, which was joint released on Last Night From Glasgow and Olive Grove in October. One of the highlights of the evening, and on the album, was 'Extinction Event Souvenir T-Shirt', which sounds like this - great video as well:
Well, that was 2021, that was. Who knows, or fears, what 2022 holds for us, but whatever happens we’ll be here reviewing, commenting, and in conversation with some of those who help to shape it.
We're going to leave you with two musicians who had great years either as solo artists, with bands, or with other collaborators, but perhaps most notably together. I'm talking about Kevin Daniel Cahill and Graham Costello, who, as Cahill//Costello released an album which was a thing of beauty and intrigue. It's called Offworld and here's a wonderful example of that. The perfect end to any year:
From everyone involved with Scots Whay Hae!, Happy New Year and we’ll see you on the other side…