Aberdeen enters Eurovision race

ABERDEEN City Council has thrown the Granite City’s hat into the ring to host next year’s Eurovision song contest. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) today announced that the UK would host the competition on behalf of Ukraine. As this year’s winner, Ukraine would normally host next year’s contest. But Russia’s ongoing invasion means the EBU…

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What’s On This Weekend: Jazz, boats, and more

An eclectic look at what’s on this weekend around Scotland, with Peter Ranscombe. LOCAL talent is under the spotlight this weekend at the Glasgow Jazz Festival. “With Love from Glasgow”, a festival within a festival, takes place at Òran Mór on Sunday. DJ and producer Rebecca Vasmant, who curated the line-up, said: “Glasgow is such…

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Review: Jason Donovan steals the show in Joseph

Kenny Smith revels in the return of an old favourite. THERE’S a good reason why Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat keeps coming back again and again – it’s a damn good musical. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s hit, based on a Bible story, is the show that keeps bouncing back, with a new…

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Scone Palace celebrates first garden fair

NEARLY 4,000 people flocked to Scone Palace near Perth for the venue’s first garden fair as it aims to become “the home of Scottish horticulture”. A total of 32 exhibitors from Scotland and the North of England met visitors at the event. Brian Cunningham, head gardener at Scone Palace and one of the BBC Beechgrove…

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Vigil among Scottish winners at Celtic Media Festival

BBC television series Vigil was among the Scottish winners at this week’s Celtic Media Festival. Last summer’s programme, set on a nuclear submarine, won the drama series category. The six-part series was made by World Productions and broadcast on BBC One. The Celtic Media Festival brings together producers and broadcasters from Brittany, Cornwall, Galicia, Ireland,…

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Scottish Opera opens 50th Perth festival

SCOTTISH Opera will open the 50th Perth Festival of the Arts on Thursday. The festival’s gala opening concert will feature sopranos Eleanor Dennis and Catriona Hewitson, mezzo-sopranos Catriona Morison and Lea Shaw, and baritone Jonathan McGovern. Scottish mezzo-soprano and winner of the BBC Cardiff Singer of the World Catriona Morison is making her debut with…

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Edinburgh’s Tradfest is back for 11 days of music

Edinburgh Tradfest returns this Friday with an 11 day programme of traditional live music at venues across the city. There will also be additional talks, dance and storytelling happening at the Scottish Storytelling Centre. Kicking off the Festival at the Assembly Rooms on Friday night is celebrated Highland fiddle player Duncan Chisholm and his band…

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Scottish park to benefit from community garden

Paisley is to benefit from a new community garden inspired by its local heritage after it was named Scottish winner in the RHS’ Garden Day Competition. Barshaw Park will see the creation of a new space that nods to the town’s textile past for local people to enjoy, learn and garden. On the site of…

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Bellfield Brewery: Keeping ‘Vigil’ on Edinburgh’s beer

Bellfield Brewery took a ‘deep dive’ into gluten-free beers, but is now moving them from a niche into the mainstream, writes Peter Ranscombe. WHILE the rest of the nation sat transfixed by BBC One submarine drama Vigil last autumn, Bellfield Brewery in Edinburgh was preparing to take delivery of its very own stainless-steel tubes. “They…

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