Irish band Kingfishr announce Barrowland show in Glasgow
The gig will take place on Monday, November 24.
READ NEXT: Here's why this star loves bringing 'UK's longest-running theatre show' to Glasgow
The band formed in Limerick in 2022. They currently have over one million monthly listeners on Spotify.
To grab tickets for the group's show, click HERE
READ NEXT: Eurovision 2025 star announces show in Glasgow
General sale will go live on May 30 at 10am.
Pre-sale tickets will go live at 10am on May 29.
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The Herald Scotland
18 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Barrowland Ballroom to honour unsung hero of Glasgow music
John 'Soapy' Soutar was one of those people. A tireless advocate for the grassroots Scottish music scene, he died of cancer in May. On August 31 his life will be celebrated with a concert at his favourite venue, the Barrowland Ballroom, dubbed 'Soapyfest' with all money raised going to Marie Curie and the Beatson Cancer Charity. Read More: His wife, Susan Soutar, told The Herald on Sunday: "We were together since we were teenagers. We met as bairns, I was 16 and he was 18. "He didn't have a cynical bone in his body, he just exuded enthusiasm, compassion, kindness and fun. "He also had a deep, deep love of music. We were regulars at the Barrowlands, that was our first date and where his funeral was. "Even when we met, one of the things we bonded over was that we'd both been at the same Jesus and Mary Chain gig at the Barrowlands the previous November. "The bands that are playing are bands he wanted to promote at every opportunity. Someone would put up something like 'is anyone around for a video shoot in Glasgow at 2pm today?' and Soapy would go 'yep, I'm there'. 'He just loved being part of things, feeling part of and building a community. "We never – ever, ever, ever – asked to be put on a guest list. We'd always pay for tickets and if there was merch to be had we'd buy that, whether it was a CD, vinyl, t-shirt, or a tote bag. 'We wanted to make sure we gave some money back because we know what it's like, these bands don't make much money and they're doing it for the love of music. John and Susan Soutar (Image: Susan Soutar) 'So many people came to me after he died and said 'he really helped me when I was down on my luck'. He had a knack for spotting when something wasn't quite right and getting in touch to check in with people, just quietly in the background and that showed when we had his funeral. 'He had said himself he wanted his funeral at the Barrowlands and my son and I were going, 'who do you think you are, bloody Michael Jackson?'. "By the time we were really getting to the point where we had to think about it we couldn't work out where we could actually hold it because we knew it was going to be so big. We had to go to Clydebank Crematorium because it was the only one in Glasgow that could cope and it was full to bursting. "I got in touch with Alec (Downie) at the Barrowlands and asked if there was any chance we could have the wake there and they were as wonderful as we've always known them to be. Tom Joyce was an absolute joy to deal with and helped us give him the send-off he deserved." And what would he have thought of Soapyfest? Susan laughs: "He was selfless and very kind but he also had a healthy ego and my God he'd be beyond delighted at the thought of this happening in his honour – he'd be giggling away about it. 'Even being in The Herald, he'd be casting that up to me forever after. 'It's just a shame that sometimes these things happen after people die.' Soapyfest will feature music from Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5, The Filthy Tongues, Mickey 9s, Warren Starry Sky, The Girobabies & The Twistettes; all of whom will perform a cover of a song by James, Soapy's favourite band. Phill Jupitus will play songs between acts, Barrowland manager Tom Joyce is waiving the costs associated with putting the show on and Ken McCluskey of The Bluebells will make a special guest appearance to end the night. John 'Soapy' Soutar at Eden Festival (Image: Susan Soutar) Gavin Mitchell, best known for playing Boaby the Barman in Still Game, will compere the event, having had a longstanding friendship with Soapy. He said: "He was just the most amazing guy. I first met him on a video shoot with Colonel Mustard and the Dijon 5, he had his wee dog Jake with him. 'I didn't know who he was but he cropped up in all sort of places – gigs, video shoots, all the rest of it – and I just thought he was part of the band, which in a way he was. He was a part of so many bands. 'He was nothing but positive, he was always this ray of light even right up to the end. When you went to see John in the hospice he had a mirror ball in his room and had one of the nurses coming in with a mirror ball crash helmet. He was still talking about gigs, still asking about others and not himself – all positive, all optimistic. I loved him very much. "He championed so many people, he was unbelievable – he's an unsung hero to so many. As soon as people were asked it was: 'for John? Absolutely, not a problem'. So it should be a very special night.' It's a measure of what Soapy meant to people that Mr Mitchell is speaking to The Herald on Sunday by phone, sheltering from a Glasgow downpour while walking his dog during a break in filming. At one point he pauses: "Gosh, I'm talking to you just now and there's a guy over the other side of the park wearing a bright yellow jacket and a carrying a rainbow umbrella, which puts me so much in mind of John." Mrs Soutar says: "He was really funny and daft, and he wore brilliant clothes, he had a really unique dress sense. "The photo of him with the rainbow coat, yellow boots and umbrella was a photoshoot for a friend, he was trying to build a portfolio to get into university and was looking for models and Soapy looked out the most eye-catching outfit he could find because it was a really grey day. "He was taking Colin to places and saying 'photograph me there, that will look brilliant, the colours will pop out'. That was him, always ridiculously, effortlessly colourful. 'A friend posted on Facebook in the aftermath of his death and described him as being 'a colour spectrum all of his own', which I thought was a beautiful way to sum him up.' Soapy was an unsung hero of the Scottish grassroots music scene, a superfan who enthusiastically and relentlessly sang the praises of his favourite acts. John McAlinden of Colonel Mustard & The Dijon Five said: "From the word go he was always a massive supporter of Colonel Mustard, the Mickey 9s, the Girobabies and he was a big part of the whole Yellow Movement. 'He and Susan came to pretty much every gig, he tried to get us Christmas number one, he really promoted all the bands without being asked to. 'The very first time I met him was down at Avant Garde on King Street and he was just so flamboyant, wearing this really cool, out there shirt. He was full of life, full of joy, just loved music. "He ran the James fan club and he used to tell all the James fans about the up-and-coming bands in Scotland who weren't household names. "He was the world's greatest fan of James, of the Barrowlands, of Scotland's music scene, and guys like that might normally go unsung and unknown but through this gig his legend will live on." Read more: Jo D'Arc of The Twistettes says: "He and Susan would be at all the gigs, he was just an amazing character. 'He made a lot of things happen as well, he sponsored a stage at Mugstock Festival, he supported the bands and the scene and just always brought positivity. "Certain people, and Soapy was one of them, create a sense of community around them and he did that wherever he went, that was just the kind of person he was. 'He gathered people, made them feel welcome, and those kind of people are integral to anything in life but especially within the underground music scene that's so important – having someone who goes: 'this thing is really good, come and watch it'. 'He would tell people about the gigs, buy records, put on events – it's great to be able to celebrate him at the greatest venue in the world." In the final days of his life, Soapy was inducted into the Barrowland Hall of Fame, memorialising him with the likes of The Ramones, Iggy Pop, Franz Ferdinand and Biffy Clyro. Susan says: "Billy (Coyle) and Gavin came to the hospice when he was very, very poorly and brought him his Barrowlands Hall of Fame trophy. 'When the cancer came back it was in his brain so toward the end he wasn't always communicating in the way he would have done, so when they came in he was in mid-flow talking to me and he just carried on as if they weren't there. 'I felt really bad, as if he hadn't noticed, but he never shut up about it thereafter, he was so chuffed." Soapy will also be immortalised on one of the famous stars on the ceiling of the venue so, as Gavin Mitchell puts it, he'll never miss a gig again. His wife says: "That, for him, is the greatest prize you could get – up there with David Bowie? That'll do!' Tickets for Soapyfest are £25, with all money raised going to Marie Curie and The Beatson. They can be purchased here.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Scotsman
Spotify: Why I'm giving the service a rest to go back to basics with music listening
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. I might have all the music in the world at my fingertips - but do I need it all at once? Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Spotify has faced criticism in recent months over its CEO's investment in an AI military defence company. But that isn't the only issue - the choice on the platform has also become overwhelming for some. Benjamin Jackson writes about why he's giving up Spotify in favour of going back to basics. The idea of having millions of tracks at my fingertips became a reality when Spotify first launched in 2008. No longer did I have to contend with how much space I would need on my Zune (ask your parents), as the catalogue the Swedish-based streaming service offered meant that I could retain hard drive space for… well… did I need hard drive space from there on in? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But 17 years later, Spotify has grown from that weird app on your phone that not too many people were familiar with, to part of everyday language. 'Did you listen to that new Chappell Roan song?' 'No, it's on Spotify - I'll Spotify.' But a lot has changed over those years; the company has been hit with numerous complaints, from hosting Joe Rogan's podcast to how much artists actually earn from royalties through the service. That's not mentioning the most recent problem; Daniel Ek investing money into Helsing, a European defence technology company focused on developing AI systems for military applications, including those for drones and battlefield targeting. That's led to artists, such as Deerhoof, to decide that the money they help Spotify make is something they cannot do in good conscience. I've also had a few bands, from back in the days I used to release music, ask if I can remove their stuff from Spotify - despite the ubiquity of the service. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But the reason I am forgoing Spotify is far simpler. Although I am also not a fan of paying for a subscription that may help fund a war machine (for lack of a better term), it isn't merely that. For the life of me, I don't think I need that amount of music at my disposal - and therein lies two operative words here: disposal and disposable. Choice overload and the problem with Spotify While Spotify has become the 'king' of music streaming services, is too much choice and never-ending algorithms making music 'disposable'? | Canva You might be familiar with the concept of choice overload, as we've written about it before. For me, it is a real problem. It's why when at the end of the working day I put on Netflix or Prime Video, I'm met with numerous options, and I instead spend most of my time thinking about what I want to watch, rather than going in committed to what I do want to watch. It's very much the same when it comes to music; maybe I'm getting old and my patience with technology is changing, but I find myself more often than not sitting in silence during the day rather than putting Spotify on. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It never used to be that way, and as someone who has previously belittled the importance of radio for artists owing to the way we all access music this century, I actually am a hypocrite – I have been enjoying the radio again. Why? Because the choice has been taken away from me and instead 'curated' by music programmers. It still all boils down to what artists are considered 'du jour' this week, but to have hours of music with conversations between moments is the respite I think I require these days. I don't get that same feeling from Spotify, and before people sound out 'that sounds like a you problem,' I am happy to admit it is. My patience for some reason is getting thinner the greyer I get. I've been called a boomer for my attitude sometimes. Great. But for all the recommended, customised, curated playlists created for me based on what I have been listening to, my Spotify Wrapped will demonstrate there's only a handful of acts I still use Spotify for. Is it worth £16.99 per month when that money could be used towards a CD or a vinyl from a local act? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There is a reason I've been extolling the virtues of compact discs since the beginning of the year: unlike Spotify, an album on CD, vinyl, or cassette tape has a definitive start and a definitive end. The wall of noise that is Spotify's algorithm To put it into some perspective, let's say I end up listening to Nirvana's Nevermind; I'll enjoy the album, but then, when the album is finished and it segues into the 'recommendations' based on Spotify's algorithm, it all just becomes a wall of noise. It's akin to just having non-descript sound on at times, and hence why the operative word is 'disposable.' Am I enjoying the fact that I can listen to whatever I want free from commercial interruptions or discussion about upcoming releases, or is it just a disposable form of entertainment that is just put on for the sake of 'having something on in the background'? It used to be, and still is in many respects, an event when an album finally dropped, and those of us of a certain age can remember lining up outside of HMV or Fopp to pick up the latest album we've coveted since reading about it in magazines and following their music videos on television. It was a full package. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Now? I can pre-save an album to Spotify, and it'll just appear in my library; there is no pomp and pageantry anymore. Instead, it just feels like I've ordered my meal on a flight and, low and behold, there it is… not quite nourishing but just doing the job to keep me sustained. That's why I think people are turning back to having tangible items with music on them, be it vinyl, cassette, CD, or Minidisc. Whatever takes your fancy. Maybe part of that is the realisation that royalty rates for physical items still command more than streaming services, or maybe this post-internet movement of removing ourselves more from the digital world has led us back to a halcyon era where we could hold the album we've been waiting for. For me, it's that combination of still enjoying the 'ritual' of pulling a CD sleeve out, reading the inlay, and allowing myself the time to digest an album once it has finished. Rather, as it were, not allowing myself that moment and instead gorging myself, without reason, on more music. Okay, there might be a reason – that Spotify Wrapped can't have Bush as a top-rated artist for another year in a row. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Interestingly, when I posited the notion on Facebook of cancelling Spotify in favour of buying CDs, an overwhelming number of people agreed with it. Some asking why that opinion was so popular, others offering advice such as supporting artists directly using Bandcamp might be more of a viable way to support people. But for me, as I pop on Charli XCX's remix version of 'brat', on CD, it's that content moment after an album has finished that has led me to eschew Spotify for now. It might sound like I have a lack of self-control regarding the use of the streaming service, but as it stands, I've been enjoying music way more this way in recent months than the 'onslaught' of options Spotify has. As my father used to say – you can only listen to one thing once. He's right – so maybe it's time to give up the subscription permanently and instead go back to basics, discovering music through word of mouth instead of what an algorithm is pushing, and adorning my shelves with CDs once again. Something you can't do with streaming tracks. Are you still a fan of Spotify or are you too finding yourself looking at other services and other ways to listen to music? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Scotsman
Spotify: Why I'm giving the service a rest to go back to basics with music listening
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement. I might have all the music in the world at my fingertips - but do I need it all at once? Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Spotify has faced criticism in recent months over its CEO's investment in an AI military defence company. But that isn't the only issue - the choice on the platform has also become overwhelming for some. Benjamin Jackson writes about why he's giving up Spotify in favour of going back to basics. The idea of having millions of tracks at my fingertips became a reality when Spotify first launched in 2008. No longer did I have to contend with how much space I would need on my Zune (ask your parents), as the catalogue the Swedish-based streaming service offered meant that I could retain hard drive space for… well… did I need hard drive space from there on in? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But 17 years later, Spotify has grown from that weird app on your phone that not too many people were familiar with, to part of everyday language. 'Did you listen to that new Chappell Roan song?' 'No, it's on Spotify - I'll Spotify.' But a lot has changed over those years; the company has been hit with numerous complaints, from hosting Joe Rogan's podcast to how much artists actually earn from royalties through the service. That's not mentioning the most recent problem; Daniel Ek investing money into Helsing, a European defence technology company focused on developing AI systems for military applications, including those for drones and battlefield targeting. That's led to artists, such as Deerhoof, to decide that the money they help Spotify make is something they cannot do in good conscience. I've also had a few bands, from back in the days I used to release music, ask if I can remove their stuff from Spotify - despite the ubiquity of the service. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But the reason I am forgoing Spotify is far simpler. Although I am also not a fan of paying for a subscription that may help fund a war machine (for lack of a better term), it isn't merely that. For the life of me, I don't think I need that amount of music at my disposal - and therein lies two operative words here: disposal and disposable. Choice overload and the problem with Spotify While Spotify has become the 'king' of music streaming services, is too much choice and never-ending algorithms making music 'disposable'? | Canva You might be familiar with the concept of choice overload, as we've written about it before. For me, it is a real problem. It's why when at the end of the working day I put on Netflix or Prime Video, I'm met with numerous options, and I instead spend most of my time thinking about what I want to watch, rather than going in committed to what I do want to watch. It's very much the same when it comes to music; maybe I'm getting old and my patience with technology is changing, but I find myself more often than not sitting in silence during the day rather than putting Spotify on. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It never used to be that way, and as someone who has previously belittled the importance of radio for artists owing to the way we all access music this century, I actually am a hypocrite – I have been enjoying the radio again. Why? Because the choice has been taken away from me and instead 'curated' by music programmers. It still all boils down to what artists are considered 'du jour' this week, but to have hours of music with conversations between moments is the respite I think I require these days. I don't get that same feeling from Spotify, and before people sound out 'that sounds like a you problem,' I am happy to admit it is. My patience for some reason is getting thinner the greyer I get. I've been called a boomer for my attitude sometimes. Great. But for all the recommended, customised, curated playlists created for me based on what I have been listening to, my Spotify Wrapped will demonstrate there's only a handful of acts I still use Spotify for. Is it worth £16.99 per month when that money could be used towards a CD or a vinyl from a local act? Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There is a reason I've been extolling the virtues of compact discs since the beginning of the year: unlike Spotify, an album on CD, vinyl, or cassette tape has a definitive start and a definitive end. The wall of noise that is Spotify's algorithm To put it into some perspective, let's say I end up listening to Nirvana's Nevermind; I'll enjoy the album, but then, when the album is finished and it segues into the 'recommendations' based on Spotify's algorithm, it all just becomes a wall of noise. It's akin to just having non-descript sound on at times, and hence why the operative word is 'disposable.' Am I enjoying the fact that I can listen to whatever I want free from commercial interruptions or discussion about upcoming releases, or is it just a disposable form of entertainment that is just put on for the sake of 'having something on in the background'? It used to be, and still is in many respects, an event when an album finally dropped, and those of us of a certain age can remember lining up outside of HMV or Fopp to pick up the latest album we've coveted since reading about it in magazines and following their music videos on television. It was a full package. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Now? I can pre-save an album to Spotify, and it'll just appear in my library; there is no pomp and pageantry anymore. Instead, it just feels like I've ordered my meal on a flight and, low and behold, there it is… not quite nourishing but just doing the job to keep me sustained. That's why I think people are turning back to having tangible items with music on them, be it vinyl, cassette, CD, or Minidisc. Whatever takes your fancy. Maybe part of that is the realisation that royalty rates for physical items still command more than streaming services, or maybe this post-internet movement of removing ourselves more from the digital world has led us back to a halcyon era where we could hold the album we've been waiting for. For me, it's that combination of still enjoying the 'ritual' of pulling a CD sleeve out, reading the inlay, and allowing myself the time to digest an album once it has finished. Rather, as it were, not allowing myself that moment and instead gorging myself, without reason, on more music. Okay, there might be a reason – that Spotify Wrapped can't have Bush as a top-rated artist for another year in a row. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Interestingly, when I posited the notion on Facebook of cancelling Spotify in favour of buying CDs, an overwhelming number of people agreed with it. Some asking why that opinion was so popular, others offering advice such as supporting artists directly using Bandcamp might be more of a viable way to support people. But for me, as I pop on Charli XCX's remix version of 'brat', on CD, it's that content moment after an album has finished that has led me to eschew Spotify for now. It might sound like I have a lack of self-control regarding the use of the streaming service, but as it stands, I've been enjoying music way more this way in recent months than the 'onslaught' of options Spotify has. As my father used to say – you can only listen to one thing once. He's right – so maybe it's time to give up the subscription permanently and instead go back to basics, discovering music through word of mouth instead of what an algorithm is pushing, and adorning my shelves with CDs once again. Something you can't do with streaming tracks.
