So Long It's Been Good to Know Ya
Posted: Tuesday, 16 December 2008 |
Bring On The Perrier Award
Posted: Monday, 24 November 2008 |
Happy Talk
Posted: Thursday, 13 November 2008 |
Way Up North - the Viking Earl Tour
Posted: Tuesday, 01 July 2008 |
Until the 1970s, the North of Scotland, Orkney & Shetland Steam Navigation Co’s steamer the Earl of Zetland sailed from Lerwick to the North Isles of Shetland – providing those islands main link with the Mainland. This was before the days of ro-ro ferries. I remember, in 1973, going on a day’s round trip – on Da Earl - from Lerwick to Symbister on Whalsay, to Mid Yell to Uyeasound on Unst. We berthed at Whalsay and Yell, but at Unst, a flit-boat came off to where we lay at anchor, bringing some Shetland ponies which were lifted, by derrick, on to the Earl.
Now, all of these islands are served by modern ro-ro ferries. These now provide the means by which passengers and goods come into the isles. On Sunday, though, the Shetland Amenity Trust and SIC Ferries organised a day trip from Toft, in the north of the Mainland. From here, onboard the ferry, the Daggri, we sailed along Yell Sound and up the east coast of Yell, past Burravoe, Aywick and Otterswick to Mid Yell – the ‘capital’ of Yell.
Coming in to Mid Yell
In 1973, the Earl dropped me and a friend off while we went to visit someone nearby. Engrossed in blethering, we didn’t notice the time and had to sprint back to the pier as the Earl turned into the voe. Fortunately, they heard us shouting and the skipper turned the boat back to come alongside and pick us up. This time we didn’t stop at the pier but turned around within Mid Yell Voe and headed back out.
Mid Yell Pier
Continuing north, past Hascosay, we came in close to Fetlar which was recovering from its Foy the day before. Two ferries were running a shuttle to take all the survivors away. Glastonbury has nothing on da Fetlar Foy (Come on Muness Views where’s the report on this!!).
Brough Lodge on Fetlar
Turning into Bluemull Sound between Yell and Unst, we sailed around to Lund on the west coast of Yell before turning around and continuing up the east coast to Baltasound. After our lunch, onboard provided by the crew, we got on a coach to head to Belmont in the south end of Unst. Felt strange coming to Unst as a ‘tourist’! Well I remember the days of Far North.
At Belmont is a Norse period longhouse that is being excavated by a team of Danish archaeologists. Thirty such Viking houses have been found in Unst so far. The builder of the house would have had quite a commanding view in either direction along Bluemull Sound, and across to Yell.
Norse longhouse at Belmont
Also at Belmont is Belmont House – a fine example of a Georgian House which is in the process of being renovated by local craftsmen - to an astounding level of workmanship - windows, interior panels, windows, etc. When completed it will provide an art gallery and hostel accommodation. Much of the interior décor had been untouched in 200 years!
Belmont House
Inside Belmont House - Mike Finnie and John Scott show how small the doors are
Part of the original staircase in Belmont House
Original fireplace in Belmont House
The renovated window in the Venetian parlour
The superb wood panelling in one of the Pavilions
Over to the west side of Unst, brought us to Underhoull, near Lund. Hear archaeologists from Bradford University are excavating another Viking longhouse. Great catching up with some of the same team of diggers that I knew from Scatness when I worked as a guide of the Iron Age village there.
The excavations at Underhoull
Archaeologists at Underhoull
Looking to Vallafield
The excavataions at Underhoull, Belmont - and at Hamar - are part of the Viking Unst Project. This project is the only project in Scotland to have reached the semi-finals of the National Lottery Awards 2008 - with a chance to win a £2000 grant and and to appear on a special TV programme. This is all dependent on public voting and the closing date is midday on Friday, 4 July. The link to vote is www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards.
After spending more time than we intended it was back to Baltasound.
Leaving Baltasound
By now, the weather was beautiful and it was down the east side of Fetlar, catching some rays time on the way back to Toft. No sign of Muness Views on Fetlar - nor Ruthodanort on Unst.
Houbie on Fetlar - the school is the building on the left.
Off of Tresta, Fetlar - here there is the most beautiful beach backed by a shallow loch.
Fishing boat off of Fetlar
Fellow travellers in the reflections on the ferry's bridge windows
Heading south again
Now, all of these islands are served by modern ro-ro ferries. These now provide the means by which passengers and goods come into the isles. On Sunday, though, the Shetland Amenity Trust and SIC Ferries organised a day trip from Toft, in the north of the Mainland. From here, onboard the ferry, the Daggri, we sailed along Yell Sound and up the east coast of Yell, past Burravoe, Aywick and Otterswick to Mid Yell – the ‘capital’ of Yell.
Coming in to Mid Yell
In 1973, the Earl dropped me and a friend off while we went to visit someone nearby. Engrossed in blethering, we didn’t notice the time and had to sprint back to the pier as the Earl turned into the voe. Fortunately, they heard us shouting and the skipper turned the boat back to come alongside and pick us up. This time we didn’t stop at the pier but turned around within Mid Yell Voe and headed back out.
Mid Yell Pier
Continuing north, past Hascosay, we came in close to Fetlar which was recovering from its Foy the day before. Two ferries were running a shuttle to take all the survivors away. Glastonbury has nothing on da Fetlar Foy (Come on Muness Views where’s the report on this!!).
Brough Lodge on Fetlar
Turning into Bluemull Sound between Yell and Unst, we sailed around to Lund on the west coast of Yell before turning around and continuing up the east coast to Baltasound. After our lunch, onboard provided by the crew, we got on a coach to head to Belmont in the south end of Unst. Felt strange coming to Unst as a ‘tourist’! Well I remember the days of Far North.
At Belmont is a Norse period longhouse that is being excavated by a team of Danish archaeologists. Thirty such Viking houses have been found in Unst so far. The builder of the house would have had quite a commanding view in either direction along Bluemull Sound, and across to Yell.
Norse longhouse at Belmont
Also at Belmont is Belmont House – a fine example of a Georgian House which is in the process of being renovated by local craftsmen - to an astounding level of workmanship - windows, interior panels, windows, etc. When completed it will provide an art gallery and hostel accommodation. Much of the interior décor had been untouched in 200 years!
Belmont House
Inside Belmont House - Mike Finnie and John Scott show how small the doors are
Part of the original staircase in Belmont House
Original fireplace in Belmont House
The renovated window in the Venetian parlour
The superb wood panelling in one of the Pavilions
Over to the west side of Unst, brought us to Underhoull, near Lund. Hear archaeologists from Bradford University are excavating another Viking longhouse. Great catching up with some of the same team of diggers that I knew from Scatness when I worked as a guide of the Iron Age village there.
The excavations at Underhoull
Archaeologists at Underhoull
Looking to Vallafield
The excavataions at Underhoull, Belmont - and at Hamar - are part of the Viking Unst Project. This project is the only project in Scotland to have reached the semi-finals of the National Lottery Awards 2008 - with a chance to win a £2000 grant and and to appear on a special TV programme. This is all dependent on public voting and the closing date is midday on Friday, 4 July. The link to vote is www.lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards.
After spending more time than we intended it was back to Baltasound.
Leaving Baltasound
By now, the weather was beautiful and it was down the east side of Fetlar, catching some rays time on the way back to Toft. No sign of Muness Views on Fetlar - nor Ruthodanort on Unst.
Houbie on Fetlar - the school is the building on the left.
Off of Tresta, Fetlar - here there is the most beautiful beach backed by a shallow loch.
Fishing boat off of Fetlar
Fellow travellers in the reflections on the ferry's bridge windows
Heading south again
Rescue Me
Posted: Tuesday, 17 June 2008 |
Last weekend was Lifeboat Day in Lerwick, so Consort & I ventured north to the metropolis to support it. A highlight of the each Lifeboat Day is the trip by the Northlink ferry from the terminal around the south end of Bressay to Noss and back. It always includes a display by the lifeboat and rescue helicopters. Consort had never been before so, with her not being a good sailor, was unsure how she would take it.
She loved the display by the rescue services and was amazed at how close they flew the helicopters. We're in safe hands if we get into trouble at sea.
She loved the display by the rescue services and was amazed at how close they flew the helicopters. We're in safe hands if we get into trouble at sea.
Thank You For The Music
Posted: Wednesday, 07 May 2008 |
Well, that’s it for another year. No, not the sunshine – but the Shetland Folk Festival. I had more luck this year in getting tickets- although I did give some away, as Consort had her birthday on one of the nights.
My son saw the Peatbog Faeries in Lerwick’s Clickimin Centre on Friday. According to him they were amazing!! He and I saw them in the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen in 1999 – and they were that then as well. I’m sure I’ll get a fuller report from him at a later date.
Sunday night is the last night of the festival and is the night of the Foys. To the unitiated, the Foys are where all the visiting acts perform. On the night each act has to play in three different venues – Lerwick British Legion, Shetland Hotel and the Clickimin Centre. Acts came from Scotland, England, Ireland, Denmark, Croatia, Canada, USA, Australia and even Mongolia! On the night, 14 acts in 5 hours!! A musical voyage around the world - not bad for £13 each.
Arrive just before the concert starts and you’ll be banished to seats away at the back, which is OK - if you have binoculars. Queuing an hour or more before the doors open is part of the whole ritual and pays off if you want decent seats – as Ruthodanort & Scallowawife will remember from 2006.
As the doors opened, Consort & I, along with several hundred others – who apart from 6 others were all behind us, made our way into the cavernous Clickimin. Yeeeeah, excellent seats right at the front.
Bang on 7, the first act started. Quinteto Mambo Jambo opened with the Latin sounds of the salsa and the chachacha. Their final number was dedicated to their home. No, not a bossa nova from Buenos Aries or a cumbia from Cuba but a “Rumba from the Humber”.
[Pete Jack of Quinteto Mambo Jambo]
Veteran Texan singer-songwriter, Katy Moffat was next on singing a couple of songs which I admit pretty much washed over me but finished with a belter of a blues number, “Sojourner Truth” – about women in the Civil Rights Movement in the USA.
Americans, Brother Mule brought an uplifting mixture of bluegrass and more rockier elements – even throwing in some Norwegian Hardanger fiddle sounds. With them, the Clickimin – or at least Consort and I began to awaken.
Ben Winship of Brother Mule
Lissa Schneckenburger is a fiddle player from New England, USA. Another previous visitor to Shetland came onstage with her – bass player Corey Di Mario was here last year with Crooked Still.
French-Canadian band, Le Vent du Nord – the North Wind – blew up a hurricane force storm with their Quebecois music. From the beginning they had the Clickimin crowd up on their feet stamping along to a song about a horse. Down came the dancers again practising their Gallic gyrations.
La Vente du Nord blow the Clickimin away
Astounding guitar-picking came from American, Andy McKee. I first came upon him via YouTube a couple of months ago where the videos of him playing have had 12 million hits!! Check him out there. Imagine listening to percussion, rhythm and lead guitar being played at the same time by the same person!! Highlight for me was his version of Toto’s “Africa”. Sadly, his CDs never made it to Shetland but I did download Africa from I-Tunes.
Andy McKee astounds
A touch of the exotic arrived from Mongolia with Hanggai. In the line-up of instruments were the horse-headed fiddle and the two-stringed banjo – two of the world’s oldest instruments. Throw in percussion, bass, guitar – and throat singing – and you had a mesmerising sound transporting us to the Mongolian steppes. The ever-smiling leader of the band couldn’t speak much English but got a great roar of approval from the crowd when, with a thumbs-up, he announced “Shetland, cool!” The Shetland audiences always seem to give a great reception to more exotic acts. Over the years these having included Bulgaria, Bolivia, Zimbabwe, Russia, Peru, Mozambique.
Hanggai's horse-headed fiddle
Award-winning Danish fiddle player, Henrik Jansberg, came on with his band. Hang on, I recognise that double-bass player. Yes, it was Steffan Sorensen, who appeared with Zar at the festival in 2004. With his film star looks – according to Consort – he obviously had quite a following among the young women in the audience as they gyrated their way to the front of the hall to dance. Styles of dancing seemed to range from flowing like liquid to looking like old grannies carrying heavy shopping bags.
Henrik Jansberg
Irish act, David Munnelly and his band played some Irish jigs and reels. All-Ireland singing champion Shauna Mullin joined them to sing a Karine Polwart song – Follow The Heron. Karine apparently wrote the song after being in Shetland. Must have been when I saw her a few years ago at the British Legion supporting the Felsons.
Shauna Mullin sings with the David Munnelly Band
Rory Ellis is a big bear of man from Australia. Accompanied by a marvellous slide-guitarist, he gave us some of his own songs. He has a deep growl of a voice that seems to come out of the very ground itself. Think of Chris Rea, but a lot deeper voiced. He played two of my favourite songs of his most recent album – “The Rushes” and “Road of No Return.” The latter closed his set – a slow song ending in a blinding steel guitar solo and a gentle hum of feedback from Rory’s guitar, reminiscent of the whirr of tyres on tarmac.
Rory Ellis with his voice from Down Under
Afion are a Croatian band playing music from Croatia, Bosnia and Macedonia. Their lively, upbeat sound belying the content of the songs – which apparently were do with curses and death. At one point I looked at Consort to see her counting out on her fingers. I eventually realised that she was tallying the number of different rhythms that were being played simultaneously – while coming together as a whole!
Two members of Croatian band, Afion
Young Scottish band, Breabach brought two sets of bagpipes to the Clickimin and opened with a fiery sound that reminded you of why the pipes had previously been thought of a weapon of war! They slowed right down with a song from Ewan Robertson, 2008 BBC Scotland’s Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award. Some Scottish step-dancing (not Irish dancing!!) closed the set, as the young dancers at the front joined in.
Ewan Robertson of Breabach
English three-piece, the Martin Harley Band began with a couple of rockabilly numbers before finishing with a powerhouse of a blues number , Blues At My Window. While the double-bass player rocked his instrument back and fore and the drummer attacking his drum kit while surrounded by a halo of flailing hair, Martin Harley, alone in a spotlight, played some soaring slide-guitar
Martin Harley underneath the Shetland Folk Festival logo
Orkney’s The Chair closed the night beginning with a lovely slow air before erupting into a pounding set. A melee of guitar, bass, drums, banjo, fiddles, accordion that had the Clickimin once more on its feet, the crowd calling for – and receiving an encore from them.
The Chair close the concert
The impressive thing about this year was the variety of acts that were on. Some years I’ve been there and thought, “Hmmm, this sounds a bit like the previous act, who sounded exactly like the one before them….” But not this year, it was a veritable cornucopia.
I'm Alive
Wish You Were Here
Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Row Your Boat Ashore
My son saw the Peatbog Faeries in Lerwick’s Clickimin Centre on Friday. According to him they were amazing!! He and I saw them in the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen in 1999 – and they were that then as well. I’m sure I’ll get a fuller report from him at a later date.
Sunday night is the last night of the festival and is the night of the Foys. To the unitiated, the Foys are where all the visiting acts perform. On the night each act has to play in three different venues – Lerwick British Legion, Shetland Hotel and the Clickimin Centre. Acts came from Scotland, England, Ireland, Denmark, Croatia, Canada, USA, Australia and even Mongolia! On the night, 14 acts in 5 hours!! A musical voyage around the world - not bad for £13 each.
Arrive just before the concert starts and you’ll be banished to seats away at the back, which is OK - if you have binoculars. Queuing an hour or more before the doors open is part of the whole ritual and pays off if you want decent seats – as Ruthodanort & Scallowawife will remember from 2006.
As the doors opened, Consort & I, along with several hundred others – who apart from 6 others were all behind us, made our way into the cavernous Clickimin. Yeeeeah, excellent seats right at the front.
Bang on 7, the first act started. Quinteto Mambo Jambo opened with the Latin sounds of the salsa and the chachacha. Their final number was dedicated to their home. No, not a bossa nova from Buenos Aries or a cumbia from Cuba but a “Rumba from the Humber”.
[Pete Jack of Quinteto Mambo Jambo]
Veteran Texan singer-songwriter, Katy Moffat was next on singing a couple of songs which I admit pretty much washed over me but finished with a belter of a blues number, “Sojourner Truth” – about women in the Civil Rights Movement in the USA.
Americans, Brother Mule brought an uplifting mixture of bluegrass and more rockier elements – even throwing in some Norwegian Hardanger fiddle sounds. With them, the Clickimin – or at least Consort and I began to awaken.
Ben Winship of Brother Mule
Lissa Schneckenburger is a fiddle player from New England, USA. Another previous visitor to Shetland came onstage with her – bass player Corey Di Mario was here last year with Crooked Still.
French-Canadian band, Le Vent du Nord – the North Wind – blew up a hurricane force storm with their Quebecois music. From the beginning they had the Clickimin crowd up on their feet stamping along to a song about a horse. Down came the dancers again practising their Gallic gyrations.
La Vente du Nord blow the Clickimin away
Astounding guitar-picking came from American, Andy McKee. I first came upon him via YouTube a couple of months ago where the videos of him playing have had 12 million hits!! Check him out there. Imagine listening to percussion, rhythm and lead guitar being played at the same time by the same person!! Highlight for me was his version of Toto’s “Africa”. Sadly, his CDs never made it to Shetland but I did download Africa from I-Tunes.
Andy McKee astounds
A touch of the exotic arrived from Mongolia with Hanggai. In the line-up of instruments were the horse-headed fiddle and the two-stringed banjo – two of the world’s oldest instruments. Throw in percussion, bass, guitar – and throat singing – and you had a mesmerising sound transporting us to the Mongolian steppes. The ever-smiling leader of the band couldn’t speak much English but got a great roar of approval from the crowd when, with a thumbs-up, he announced “Shetland, cool!” The Shetland audiences always seem to give a great reception to more exotic acts. Over the years these having included Bulgaria, Bolivia, Zimbabwe, Russia, Peru, Mozambique.
Hanggai's horse-headed fiddle
Award-winning Danish fiddle player, Henrik Jansberg, came on with his band. Hang on, I recognise that double-bass player. Yes, it was Steffan Sorensen, who appeared with Zar at the festival in 2004. With his film star looks – according to Consort – he obviously had quite a following among the young women in the audience as they gyrated their way to the front of the hall to dance. Styles of dancing seemed to range from flowing like liquid to looking like old grannies carrying heavy shopping bags.
Henrik Jansberg
Irish act, David Munnelly and his band played some Irish jigs and reels. All-Ireland singing champion Shauna Mullin joined them to sing a Karine Polwart song – Follow The Heron. Karine apparently wrote the song after being in Shetland. Must have been when I saw her a few years ago at the British Legion supporting the Felsons.
Shauna Mullin sings with the David Munnelly Band
Rory Ellis is a big bear of man from Australia. Accompanied by a marvellous slide-guitarist, he gave us some of his own songs. He has a deep growl of a voice that seems to come out of the very ground itself. Think of Chris Rea, but a lot deeper voiced. He played two of my favourite songs of his most recent album – “The Rushes” and “Road of No Return.” The latter closed his set – a slow song ending in a blinding steel guitar solo and a gentle hum of feedback from Rory’s guitar, reminiscent of the whirr of tyres on tarmac.
Rory Ellis with his voice from Down Under
Afion are a Croatian band playing music from Croatia, Bosnia and Macedonia. Their lively, upbeat sound belying the content of the songs – which apparently were do with curses and death. At one point I looked at Consort to see her counting out on her fingers. I eventually realised that she was tallying the number of different rhythms that were being played simultaneously – while coming together as a whole!
Two members of Croatian band, Afion
Young Scottish band, Breabach brought two sets of bagpipes to the Clickimin and opened with a fiery sound that reminded you of why the pipes had previously been thought of a weapon of war! They slowed right down with a song from Ewan Robertson, 2008 BBC Scotland’s Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award. Some Scottish step-dancing (not Irish dancing!!) closed the set, as the young dancers at the front joined in.
Ewan Robertson of Breabach
English three-piece, the Martin Harley Band began with a couple of rockabilly numbers before finishing with a powerhouse of a blues number , Blues At My Window. While the double-bass player rocked his instrument back and fore and the drummer attacking his drum kit while surrounded by a halo of flailing hair, Martin Harley, alone in a spotlight, played some soaring slide-guitar
Martin Harley underneath the Shetland Folk Festival logo
Orkney’s The Chair closed the night beginning with a lovely slow air before erupting into a pounding set. A melee of guitar, bass, drums, banjo, fiddles, accordion that had the Clickimin once more on its feet, the crowd calling for – and receiving an encore from them.
The Chair close the concert
The impressive thing about this year was the variety of acts that were on. Some years I’ve been there and thought, “Hmmm, this sounds a bit like the previous act, who sounded exactly like the one before them….” But not this year, it was a veritable cornucopia.
I'm Alive
Posted: Tuesday, 06 May 2008 |
Wish You Were Here
Posted: Friday, 29 June 2007 |
We're now into the countdown to the summer hols - HOOORAAY!! Here's a pic (as threatened) of the teacher's band that performed at last week's legendary show in the school. Think we'll use this for the cover of our album, "Never Mind The Textbooks......". Then there's the tour, complete with t-shirts..... we could play St Ninian's Isle, Bobby's bus shelter, Muness Views hoose, the Peerie Neep Festival!
Last weekend was also the Johnsmas Foy in Lerwick. A flotilla of yachts from Norway arrived. Tents for food, Shetland crafts, beer & music were set up on the pier in the middle of the town.
Got there on Friday night, Consort & I had a nice alfresco seafood meal - mussels, squid, octopus, etc. Consort had to go to a work's do so I retired to the beer tent - as one must. Bumped into Ruthodanort & her man. Good blether with them. For the first time in years, saw local band, Drop The Box playing a stormer of a set.One of the best ever gigs I remember being at was in the mid-90s when Drop The Box and 2 other Shetland bands - the Red Vans & Bongshang played in a marquee in Aberdeen's Union Terrace Gardens. One of those nights when bands and audience were out to have a good time.....Also brought back memories of seeing them in the Blue Lamp in Aberdeen.
Shame we didn't make it up to the Fetlar Foy the following night - did try dropping hints with Muness but to no avail.
Last weekend was also the Johnsmas Foy in Lerwick. A flotilla of yachts from Norway arrived. Tents for food, Shetland crafts, beer & music were set up on the pier in the middle of the town.
Got there on Friday night, Consort & I had a nice alfresco seafood meal - mussels, squid, octopus, etc. Consort had to go to a work's do so I retired to the beer tent - as one must. Bumped into Ruthodanort & her man. Good blether with them. For the first time in years, saw local band, Drop The Box playing a stormer of a set.One of the best ever gigs I remember being at was in the mid-90s when Drop The Box and 2 other Shetland bands - the Red Vans & Bongshang played in a marquee in Aberdeen's Union Terrace Gardens. One of those nights when bands and audience were out to have a good time.....Also brought back memories of seeing them in the Blue Lamp in Aberdeen.
Shame we didn't make it up to the Fetlar Foy the following night - did try dropping hints with Muness but to no avail.
Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Posted: Friday, 22 June 2007 |
Yesterday was the longest day & everyone in Shetland was encouraged to fly the Shetland flag. Lapel badges were handed out to all Shetland school children. The Shetland flag (see pic), since its official recognition in 2005, is now flown throughout the isles in place of the Union Jack or the Saltire.
Another event also happened yesterday. Some people remember being at Woodstock, Live Aid, the Cavern....... But our pupils put on a talent show yesterday afternoon, culminating in the debut of Discipline With Dignity. Ten teachers on stage performing Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the all (part 2). We were ready to RAWK!! after lengthy rehearsals - well, 2 ten-minute stints in the music department on Tuesday & Wednesday - we took to the stage. Taking a tip from AC/DC's Angus Young, there we were before the entire school in school uniform - shorts, school ties, lollipops in our mouth, the lot. Alice Cooper had nothing on our stage show: fights on stage, water pistols spraying the audience, etc. Band line-up was PE teacher on drums, French teacher on bass, Music teacher on keyboards and our Head on guitar/mandolin. Vocals were from our depute head, one of our Maths teachers, Geography teacher, one of the Primary teachers, and one of Learning Support - oh, and myself. What we lacked in finesse we more than made up for in enthusiasm. We even had to do an encore. Which we did from our vast repertoire of 1 song.
Some of us sat outside the Head Teacher's office afterwards though - dunno why I was there, it wasn't me that done it. It's not fair anyway. It was all B-O-R-I-N'!!
Very cathartic being able to act the way a lot of our pupils acted. You could see some of them laughing and then the slow realisation that they were looking in a mirror. We were just behaving the way they often did.
If any pics of the performance turn up I'll post them.
Now, when are we playing Wembley?
Another event also happened yesterday. Some people remember being at Woodstock, Live Aid, the Cavern....... But our pupils put on a talent show yesterday afternoon, culminating in the debut of Discipline With Dignity. Ten teachers on stage performing Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the all (part 2). We were ready to RAWK!! after lengthy rehearsals - well, 2 ten-minute stints in the music department on Tuesday & Wednesday - we took to the stage. Taking a tip from AC/DC's Angus Young, there we were before the entire school in school uniform - shorts, school ties, lollipops in our mouth, the lot. Alice Cooper had nothing on our stage show: fights on stage, water pistols spraying the audience, etc. Band line-up was PE teacher on drums, French teacher on bass, Music teacher on keyboards and our Head on guitar/mandolin. Vocals were from our depute head, one of our Maths teachers, Geography teacher, one of the Primary teachers, and one of Learning Support - oh, and myself. What we lacked in finesse we more than made up for in enthusiasm. We even had to do an encore. Which we did from our vast repertoire of 1 song.
Some of us sat outside the Head Teacher's office afterwards though - dunno why I was there, it wasn't me that done it. It's not fair anyway. It was all B-O-R-I-N'!!
Very cathartic being able to act the way a lot of our pupils acted. You could see some of them laughing and then the slow realisation that they were looking in a mirror. We were just behaving the way they often did.
If any pics of the performance turn up I'll post them.
Now, when are we playing Wembley?
Row Your Boat Ashore
Posted: Friday, 15 June 2007 |
Another eventful week. Last Saturday was a proper spring day - sun shining, blue skies, sparkling seas. It was also the day of the Bigton Yoal Rowing Regatta. A yoal, for the uninitiated, is a small Shetland boat based on Nordic designs. It is intended to be rowed by 6 people. Rowing races with yoals are extremely popular throughout Shetland - with many localities having their own boat and teams, including men's, women's and youth's. In the beer tent, where else, Consort & I had a blether with Ruthodanort who was coxing the Unst women's team.
All day Wednesday I was involved with the Second Tammies Shetland Schools Film Festival. Schools from across Shetland - both primary and secondary produced films which were then shown to an audience in a cinema-like environment. The morning showing was practically a full house. There was also a smaller public event in the evening. Long may this continue. However, despite his boasts, Muness's entry never materialised...
Finally, today has seen our follow-up to the Day of Action when Charles & Camilla visited. It started off with a showing of Al Gore's film An Inconvenient Truth and carried on with further work on our school garden.
Our special guest today has recently appeared on TV. If you saw the edition of Coast dealing with Orkney & Shetland you'll have seen the hydrogen car from Unst. Ross took the car down to our school and some of the kids got a chance to go for a spin in it around our playing field.
The PURE energy project in Unst uses aero generators to produce hydrogen which are then stored in cells. This hydrogen is used to power the car whcih is amazingly quiet and whose exhaust gives off, not carbon monoxide, but - water.
All day Wednesday I was involved with the Second Tammies Shetland Schools Film Festival. Schools from across Shetland - both primary and secondary produced films which were then shown to an audience in a cinema-like environment. The morning showing was practically a full house. There was also a smaller public event in the evening. Long may this continue. However, despite his boasts, Muness's entry never materialised...
Finally, today has seen our follow-up to the Day of Action when Charles & Camilla visited. It started off with a showing of Al Gore's film An Inconvenient Truth and carried on with further work on our school garden.
Our special guest today has recently appeared on TV. If you saw the edition of Coast dealing with Orkney & Shetland you'll have seen the hydrogen car from Unst. Ross took the car down to our school and some of the kids got a chance to go for a spin in it around our playing field.
The PURE energy project in Unst uses aero generators to produce hydrogen which are then stored in cells. This hydrogen is used to power the car whcih is amazingly quiet and whose exhaust gives off, not carbon monoxide, but - water.
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