Scotland

Dumfries and Galloway is a region of Scotland found in the southwest corner which is becoming increasingly popular with tourists as a vacation destination.  While this area of Scotland has all of the usual tourist attractions, ruined abbeys, stately homes and castles, it is the lush countryside and fantastic Solway coast which attracts most. The rather moderate weather and the numerous sandy coves have led to the areas nickname of the “Scottish Riviera” and, with a close association with Robert Burns and the wonderful village of Kirkcudbright (a one-time artists’ colony) there is plenty to discover in Dumfries and Galloway... Read More

2008 saw the United Kingdom reach new heights in the number of annual music festivals. The total number of festivals for the year was well in excess of 400 with a great many offering some of the finest acts around at the moment as well as many up and coming acts and acts of the future. While many of the major music festivals put on extremely well known pop acts, bands and singers many of the small events chose to focus upon a very specific music genre. In stark contrast to the majority the Wickerman Music Festival, which is held annually at East Kirkcarswell, near Dundrennan in the heart of Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, had a spectacular and eclectic mix of music acts ranging from KT Tunstall to the incredible Orphan Boy, Birds Vs Planes etc. to Dance DJ’s and world music, all spread across eight stages... Read More

Think of Scotland and you will most probably immediately think of tartan, think of Scottish music and you will, most likely, think of the bagpipes or the fiddle. Yes Scotland is well known for both it’s tartan and it’s bagpipes and traditional Scottish music is known (and practiced) across the globe. While traditional Scottish music remains incredibly popular Scotland is a diverse nation and this is extremely apparent in it’s music. While the whole of the U.K. has seen a marked increase in the number of annual music festivals, Scotland seems to have exploded musically with festivals celebrating all types of music from the traditional to the bang up to date sounds of the DJ and modern rock/pop. The Rockness music festival, held near Inverness in the Scottish Highlands, saw a strange mix of modern dance acts and DJ’s alongside the latest pop acts and up and coming rock bands. So Scotland is not just bagpipes and tartan!.. Read More

If you were asked “What do you think of Scottish music” I would expect most to bring to mind one of a few instruments such as the bagpipes, fiddle, accordion and, maybe, a harp. Asked “What do you think about Scottish bands” I would would suspect that many would imagine a military band or maybe a “Ceilidh Band” or, in other words, a Scottish folk group. However Scotland has produced a wide variety of music other than traditional Scottish dance, Gaelic songs and the likes. Some of today’s most popular musicians have Scottish roots such as Franz Ferdinand, KT Tunstall, Belle & Sebastian, Travis, Idlewild, Snow Patrol, Texas, Biffy Clyro, Ladytron, Mull Historical Society, National Park, Solus, Del Amitri, Delgados, The Pastels and so many more with some of them listed below... Read More