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Scottish Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Major summer festival with pop legends & carnival rides coming to Scots city in just weeks
The lineup for the event has also been revealed 'WE CAN'T WAIT' Major summer festival with pop legends & carnival rides coming to Scots city in just weeks Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN EXCITING summer festival with carnival rides and pop legends is set to come to a Scottish city in weeks. The Tall Ships festival will come to Aberdeen next month for the first time in 28 years, leaving music fans delighted. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 6 The Tall Ships Races will arrive in Aberdeen next month for the first time in 28 years Credit: HANDOUT 6 Carnival rides will be set up in the Granite City Credit: AFP 6 And music fans can enjoy performances from stars like Deacon Blue Credit: Getty The huge event will see a fleet of historic-style sailing ships arrive in the city for four days of exciting events. It will be held in the Granite City from Saturday, July 19, until Tuesday, July 22. Many of the vessels will be taking part in races and will be open to the public to view at certain times. There will also be a host of legendary acts lined up to entertain crowds at the Quayside Concerts. The open-air performances will be held at Peterson Seabase on the city's Regent Quay to a crowd of 7,000 people. And we previously revealed that the opening night will be hosted by popular Scottish band Deacon Blue. We can't wait to see 50 Tall Ships sailing into Aberdeen this summer. We've made sure there's something for everyone, especially families and children Emma Wadee They will be followed by the Ministry of Sound's 30-piece classical orchestra. While rock icons Kaiser Chiefs have also been asked to back up the 50 boats as they sail into the Port of Aberdeen. There will also be a free event on the Sunday where punters will get to enjoy tunes performed by Tide Lines and Calum Bowie. And now, The Press and Journal has revealed a section of the city will be transformed into a carnival fun zone for the bonanza. Here's how to do festival looks on a budget - and save the planet The Castlegate and King Street areas will be at the heart of the action as rides and attractions are set up. Around 400,000 punters and music fans are expected to descend on the city to lap up the entertainment. A funfair will be in place on King Street, from the West North Street junction to Castle Street. A Discovery learning zone will also be set up in the Castlegate area, which will include several rides and attractions such as the Fast and Furious. This was a huge hit with families when it previously came to Broad Street's Christmas village. Visitors will also be able to go for a ride on the Ferris Wheel and enjoy skyline views of the city. This zone will be free to enter and will also feature a STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) hub. Here, visitors will be able to explore native sea life touch pools, try their hand at boat-building challenges and enjoy Lego workshops. 'SOMETHING MAGICAL' TICKETS for the festival first went on sale back in March after the lineup for the incredible event was announced. Deacon Blue frontman Ricky Ross said: 'We last played the Tall Ships festival back in 2011 in Greenock and loved it. "We're very happy to be asked back and really looking forward to another great night under the stars in Aberdeen later this year.' Tide Line's lead singer Robert Robertson said: "We can't wait to play for the Tall Ships in Aberdeen on 20th July! "We've had some brilliant gigs in Aberdeen over the years and loved playing for the Tall Ships up in Lerwick a couple of summers ago—so this has all the makings of a great night. 'It also falls just after the release of our new album, Glasgow Love Story, making it an especially exciting time for us!' While Calum added: "So excited to be coming back home to play Tall Ships. Being from Banchory, it's an honour to have been asked to play my first ever festival in Aberdeen! "Also super excited to be supporting Tide Lines, such a big inspiration. Should be a class day!" Adrian Watson, the chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, said: 'It is a real coup to bring these top-flight acts here to provide an epic soundtrack for the Tall Ships in the Granite City. "Can you imagine Deacon Blue leading 7,000 people in a rendition of Dignity, with all those beautiful vessels as a backdrop? That promises to be something magical. 'These four nights of outstanding concerts will mean Aberdeen is really set to hit the high notes during the Tall Ships visit – not least with the economic boost the 400,000 expected visits will bring the city.' The Codona's carnival will be open across all four days from 9am to 11pm, however, it will close earlier on the final day at 3.20pm. While the Discovery Zone will be open from 9am until 6pm on all days apart from the final day when it will close at 3.30pm. The Tall Ships festival is being organised by Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeen Inspired and Port of Aberdeen. Emma Wadee, Aberdeen City Council's Project Manager for the event, told the Press and Journal: 'We can't wait to see 50 Tall Ships sailing into Aberdeen this summer. 'We've made sure there's something for everyone, especially families and children.' A spokesman from Codona's added: 'With a selection of kids, family, and thrill rides, there will be something for everyone.' 6 Punters will get to enjoy tunes performed by Calum Bowie Credit: Getty 6 Kaiser Chiefs will also headline one of the days Credit: Getty
Daily Mail
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE What happened to 90s star Maria McKee? Singer, 60, who topped the charts with Show Me Heaven and was pals with U2 and Johnny Depp admits she found touring 'horrible'
Thirty-five years ago, the American singer-songwriter Maria McKee spent four weeks on top of the UK singles chart with the power ballad Show Me Heaven. Forty years ago, A Good Heart, which Maria wrote when only a teenager, was a No.1 for the Northern Irish singer Feargal Sharkey. Maria also inspired Real Gone Kid, the 1988 hit for Scottish band Deacon Blue, when their lead singer Ricky Ross was mesmerised by her wild live performances as lead singer of Lone Justice, the country group she made her name in. Now aged 60, after a career spanning five decades, Maria has revealed that she hasn't just slowed down, she's stopped altogether. 'I am very much retired and enjoying it. It's possible I might start writing again, but the last album [La Vita Nuova in 2020] took a lot out of me. I don't want to tour, that's horrible,' she said. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new Showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. 'Knowing I had a show at the end of a night felt like I was facing the guillotine. Nothing was better than getting off the stage and going home. I don't know if I could do it now. Even the thought of doing a one-off… oh God!' The daughter of a builder named Jack and dancer called Elizabeth, Maria described her childhood as 'traumatic, crazy, and at times violent.' Her half-brother was Bryan MacLean, guitarist with the rock band Love, who died in 1998 aged 52. 'I grew up with him, and even as a kid I was looking after him cos he had mental illness and drug addiction. We started playing in bands together when I was a teen,' she explained. Maria attended theatre school with future film stars Nicolas Cage and Crispin Glover, and initially aimed to be an actress but admitted: 'I quit school because I wanted to play in rock n roll bands.' A founding member of Lone Justice in 1982, Maria was described by Dolly Parton as 'the greatest girl singer any band could ever have', and fellow superstar Linda Ronstadt helped get them signed to prestigious Geffen Records. Bob Dylan wrote the song Go Away Little Boy for their debut album, and Maria shared: 'I think he thought he'd make some money cos everyone was talking about the band becoming huge. 'He came to the studio while we were recording it. I was a little brat and he was giving me the runaround cos Bob likes to play around and see what he can get away with. 'He kept making me sing it over and over again and I started getting really p***ed off. We fought. Because I didn't cave, Bob always liked me. Everybody kisses his ass and I wasn't going to.' Asked if, in her early career, she had any MeToo-type moments, Maria replies: 'Did I have any Harvey Weinstein experiences? No, thank God. I think I was a little too tough, I gave off an air of 'F*** off!' 'But things happened to me that I didn't appreciate, like the way I was treated by some of the older men around me. 'For instance, my first single in Lone Justice was the Tom Petty song Ways To Be Wicked. 'Sung from a male point of view it's bullet-proof, but when you have a young cute girl singing ''You know how to let me have it, you know how to stick it in''…. I asked for it to be rewritten but all the men around me said ''Absolutely not, just sing it, it's not gonna be a problem.'' 'The minute I landed in the UK for my first European tour, all the journalists asked what I meant by it. I got on stage at The Marquee and there were young boys chanting ''Stick it in, stick it in!'' Lone Justice opened for acts including Tom Petty, and U2 for whom Maria did backing vocals years later. 'U2 and I used to be quite close - I lived in Ireland from 1989 till 1992 and was considered family back then,' she explained. 'For one Sunday lunch at Bono and Ali's house by the sea, I took my pet rabbit who I used to bring everywhere with me. I let the rabbit loose in the house while we were in the kitchen. 'They were waiting to hear from their manager Paul McGuinness whether or not their latest release had gone to No.1, and they waited and waited and waited but the phone didn't ring. 'Eventually Bono picked up the phone and he click, click, clicked it then goes ''the phone is dead!'' So he followed its wire along the floor and discovered… my rabbit had chewed through the wire!' After attaining reasonable success, including a Top 50 album and single here, Lone Justice broke up in 1987 and Maria went solo. Having penned A Good Heart - which Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics gave to Feargal Sharkey knowing it was a chart-topper - she rewrote other writers' lyrics for Show Me Heaven which she performed brilliantly. 'It was a corny love song, a big Tom Cruise power ballad' she said, because it featured on the soundtrack to his movie Days Of Thunder. 'Tom Cruise is one of the few famous people I haven't met. He probably liked the song, but I don't know. 'I was living in Ireland when Show Me Heaven hit, so it was really exciting for me. It was a hit pretty much around the World but not here in the States for some reason.' Quentin Tarantino used Maria's sultry number If Love Is A Red Dress in his 1994 classic Pulp Fiction, a film she'd like to have appeared in. But she confided: 'People tried to make me into an actress and I had big agents and meetings, including for the role Lisa Bonet got in High Fidelity which I didn't even show up for. I usually found ways to sabotage because I was terrified of being famous, seeing my big head up there.' However, Maria did act opposite Robbie Robertson in the Martin Scorsese-directed steamy video for his hit song Somewhere Down The Crazy River. 'At first Martin panicked thinking I couldn't do it. Robbie said ''Give her time, she can do it.'' 'By the end of it they were like ''Oh my God, you're gonna be the next Jessica Lange!'' The production team were like ''You have to continue acting', but I never did.'' Yet she revealed: 'Johnny Depp always had a little crush on me when we were kids because he was Nicolas Cage's friend. 'So when I'd run into Nicolas, often times Johnny would be hanging around. He wasn't famous yet, and he used to come see my band and he was a bit starstruck by me. So he always had a deep respect for me. 'Then I used to be part of Johnny Depp's entourage in the early 90s, and I was quite close to him. We were platonic but sweet on each other with a romantic connection. I wasn't one of his fiancées obviously! 'When he was filming Gilbert Grape in Texas, he had a chimpanzee holding a bouquet of carnations delivered to my door! I played with the chimp for an hour. Johnny's funny that way. He does things like that.' Despite releasing seven solo studio albums, three live albums and 17 singles since 1989, Maria didn't match the level of Show Me Heaven's success again. 'I was a little phobic about the spotlight. At every turn, I fought all the suits who wanted to make me the next Stevie Nicks or Madonna. I sabotaged everything cos I was terrified of it.' Touring extensively and performing energetically also took their toll. 'As my brother was such a bad drug addict, I was very scared of drugs and never took them except for smoking a little Pot now and then. 'But it did not prevent me from becoming an alcoholic. My weakness was Vodka which was my brother's drink. 'At times I'd have to drink to get on stage. I haven't had a drink since '96. But I'm in therapy and treating my issues, and maybe that's why I don't want to perform as much.' Maria got together with musician Jim Akin in 1996 and married him in 1999. Since being based in London between 2018 and 2023, they've lived in separate flats in the same building in Los Angeles and have an open relationship. 'I feel very safe having Jim downstairs. Ours is a platonic, non-physical but very loving and deep connection. 'I probably realised I was gay when I was four watching King Kong and seeing a half-naked Faye Wray rolling around in his nest. But I still liked boys and back in the day it was harder to 'come out'. 'Even Joan Jett never really fully came out and she and I used to flirt up a storm! I'm not really dating now. I fell in love with two women in the last couple of years, but it was not a picnic. It's very possible I've retired from that as well! I'm basically an old celibate lesbian now.' Although she's not become a mother, Maria has 'a lot of young friends' many of whom are transgender, and she's an advocate for trans rights. Following the recent Supreme Court ruling that declared that trans females are not women, she said: 'My heart is breaking. Most of my friends in the UK are young trans kids who call me Mom, including my own goddaughter. We are dealing with our own trans apartheid here in the US. 'I always thought the UK was pretty together, cos I was at the first Trans Pride event ever - I sang Show Me Heaven. 'I was like ''What a great legacy to have in London'', and now it's like it's all been burned up. I can't believe it. People don't know where to go to the loo!' Unsurprisingly, Maria is not a fan of JK Rowling. 'Here's what I feel about her…. Something happened to her. Something deep in her spirit has caused this psychic wound. Her obsession with this feels spiritual to me. 'I feel like she could have spiritual awakening where she realises that she was operating under dark forces, and the scales can fall from her eyes. 'She's been such an influence for the dark side that, if she were to go the light side, imagine what an influence she would have as someone who says 'I've seen the light. I was wrong. 'I was afraid. I was working something out personally, I did so much damage and I want to undo it.' That's what I pray for her.' Asked whether she'd like to meet her and share her thoughts in person, Maria said: 'Listen, she's a villain. She's attacking my most beloved people. She has been the face, voice and money behind this ruling. 'But as a light worker and someone who has a spiritual path, we don't wish ill on anyone - we pray for those who are in the dark to come to the light. 'That is what wish for her. But as the me who's in the world, I'd probably butt her! if I saw her in the street I don't think I'd go ''Hey, can we have a minute, can I try to influence you spiritually?'' 'I think I'd probably knock her to the floor. I hate to say that but she's harming my most beloved.' Maria is also a 'devoted Dogmother,' adding: 'At the moment I've just got the one, a retired racing greyhound I named Lizzy (after my mother) and she's extraordinary. She ran 55 races but I don't know if she won. 'My previous retired racing greyhound lived in London with me. I was always a pug person and I had pugs, and my husband had a miniature greyhound in the 90s, then he got a whippet, so I shifted to liking long dogs. 'If often say that when I'm too old for a greyhound, I will consider little wieners' she said, meaning Miniature Dachshunds. 'I think they're darling.' Asked if there's anything that might lure her out of retirement, Maria replied: 'If Robbie Williams wanted to do a duet! 'I've not met him but I love him. He's classic working-class England old-school cabaret. 'They broke the mould with that guy. We're not gonna see many more like him.' Summing up her own remarkable life and career, Maria went onto say: 'For someone who hasn't had a hugely prolific output and doesn't really have a great work ethic, who's a bit of a dilettante, I think I have a pretty good body of work to show for itself. 'I feel like my life has worked out the way it was supposed to. I'm not one for regrets. 'But I often say that my tombstone will read UNDERRATED SINGER-SONGWRITER, because it feels like anytime anybody ever talks about me, that's the lead: ''She's so underrated''.'
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Singer of Glasgow band shares adorable pic of wife in touching post
The singer of a popular Glasgow band has shared an adorable picture of his wife as they celebrate a huge milestone. Ricky Ross, 67, who is Deacon Blue's lead singer, posted an image of himself and his spouse, Lorraine McIntosh, on social media as the pair celebrated being married for 35 years. The cute pair, who got married on May 12, 1990, have four children together. READ MORE: Iconic Scots pop-rock band to host special Q&A and gig in Glasgow As well as being married, Lorraine, 60, is also a member of Deacon Blue alongside Ricky. To celebrate their anniversary, Ricky posted a lovely snap of the pair on X. In the touching post, he wrote: "35 years." 35 years. ❤️ — Ricky Ross (@rickyaross) May 12, 2025 Deacon Blue are a well-known Scottish pop-rock band which formed in Glasgow in 1985. The band is currently made up of Ricky, James Prime, Lorraine, Dougie Vipond, Gregor Philp, and Lewis Gordon.
Glasgow Times
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
River City star 'overwhelmed' as MSPs call for show to be saved
The actor plays Bob Adams – or Shellsuit Bob – in the Scottish soap, which the BBC has announced will end next year. He and fellow cast and crew from the show, which has been on air since 2002, visited the Scottish Parliament on Thursday to hear MSPs urge the broadcaster to think again. The cast of River City alongside MSPs during a photocall whilst at the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, Edinburgh (Image: Andrew Milligan) Afterwards, Purdon spoke of his 'pride' that the show had been debated at Holyrood as he thanked politicians for their support. Speaking to the PA news agency, Purdon said: 'Hearing the kind words from all the MSPs was overwhelming, and it is a testament to how important the show is.' He spoke about the show's role in developing talent on screen and behind the scenes, saying a training academy had helped develop the careers of producers, directors, screenwriters and others. 'I don't see anywhere else in the Scottish TV industry where we are going to get that,' he said. While he said he does not know if the debate at Holyrood will be enough to force the BBC into a rethink, he added: 'What needs to be imperative is that there needs to be a replacement for the training academy.' The cast of River City including actor Stephen Purdon (middle row, second left) watch FMQ's from the public gallery (Image: Andrew Milligan) A member's debate at Holyrood was led by Labour's culture spokesman Neil Bibby, who hailed River City – which is filmed in Dumbarton, outside Glasgow – as being an 'important part of Scotland's culture'. READ NEXT: Popular fireworks display axed for the next two years He said: 'It has provided fans with laughs, tears and memorable moments since 2002. It has been long-running and successful. 'The BBC has a great product here and they should be proud of it.' (Image: Andrew Milligan) He also stressed the programme's role in developing new talent, saying River City is 'not just an entertainment show, it is a pathway and a platform for young Scottish talent'. Mr Bibby demanded: 'The BBC should think again. Often we don't fully appreciate what we have lost until it is gone, but in terms of River City and Dumbarton studios, we have not lost them just yet, and hopefully we see a twist in this plot which means both survive into the future.' Over the years, the soap has featured the likes of Sam Heughan, who went on to star in Outlander, and Lorraine McIntosh from Deacon Blue, while Lorraine Kelly and singer Susan Boyle are among those who have made cameo appearances. Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said River City is an 'iconic part of Scotland's TV landscape'. (Image: Andrew Milligan) READ NEXT: Café 'disheartened' as woman 'stole items after asking to use toilet' Ms Baillie's constituency includes the Dumbarton set, which is home to the soap's fictional community of Shieldinch, and she said the programme had 'created opportunities for screenwriters, set designers, producers, film crews and others in the Scottish TV and film industry'. She added: 'In the last two years, 23 screenwriters got their first screen credit on River City, while over a similar period, five out of six trainee directors were women. 'This is a training pipeline for the creative industry, unlike anything anywhere else in the BBC.' Losing this would be a 'fundamental blow to Scotland's TV and film infrastructure', she insisted, telling the BBC: 'Flying in crews to occasionally film in a Scottish castle is no substitute for a homegrown industry.' Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said it is 'more than regrettable' that the BBC has decided to end the programme in the autumn of 2026. Mr Robertson said: 'I am deeply disappointed that we continue to see a worrying trend in decision making that runs counter to the BBC's commitment to invest in the nations. 'While editorial decision making of course sits with the BBC, it is right that we speak out and urge against decisions that impact on services, on skills development and on jobs in Scotland.' BBC Scotland has said the decision to axe the show reflects a change in viewing patterns as audiences move away from long-running programmes, instead opting for shorter series. However, the broadcaster has announced three new dramas to be filmed in Scotland, with a spokesperson adding: 'River City training opportunities will remain active for another year until we cease production in April 2026.'
STV News
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- STV News
River City star 'overwhelmed' as Holyrood debates soap's future
River City star Stephen Purdon has said it was 'overwhelming' to hear MSPs call on BBC bosses to save the long-running show. The actor plays Bob Adams – or Shellsuit Bob – in the Scottish soap, which the BBC has announced will be ended next year. He and fellow cast and crew from the show, which has been on air since 2002, visited the Scottish Parliament on Thursday to hear MSPs urge the broadcaster to think again. Afterwards, Purdon spoke of his 'pride' that the show had been debated at Holyrood as he thanked politicians for their support. Speaking to the PA news agency, Purdon said: 'Hearing the kind words from all the MSPs was overwhelming, and it is testament to how important the show is.' He spoke about the show's role in developing talent on screen and behind the scenes, saying a training academy had helped develop the career of producers, directors, screen writers and others. 'I don't see anywhere else in the Scottish TV industry where we are going to get that,' he said. While he said he does not know if the debate at Holyrood will be enough to force the BBC into a rethink, he added: 'What needs to be imperative is there needs to be a replacement for the training academy.' A member's debate at Holyrood was led by Labour's culture spokesman Neil Bibby, who hailed River City – which is filmed in Dumbarton, outside Glasgow – as being an 'important part of Scotland's culture'. He said: 'It has provided fans with laughs, tears and memorable moments since 2002. It has been long running and successful. 'The BBC has a great product here and they should be proud of it.' He also stressed the programme's role in developing new talent, saying River City is 'not just an entertainment show, it is a pathway and a platform for young Scottish talent'. Mr Bibby demanded: 'The BBC should think again. Often we don't fully appreciate what we have lost until it is gone but in terms of River City and Dumbarton studios, we have not lost them just yet, and hopefully we see a twist in this plot which means both survive into the future.' Over the years the soap has featured the likes of Sam Heughan, who went on to star in Outlander, and Lorraine McIntosh from Deacon Blue, while Lorraine Kelly and singer Susan Boyle are among those who have made cameo appearances. Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said River City is an 'iconic part of Scotland's TV landscape'. Ms Baillie's constituency includes the Dumbarton set which is home to the soap's fictional community of Shieldinch, and she said the programme had 'created opportunities for screen writers, set designers, producers, film crews and others in the Scottish TV and film industry'. She added: 'In the last two years 23 screen writers got their first screen credit on River City, while over a similar period five out of six trainee directors were women. 'This is a training pipeline for the creative industry unlike anything anywhere else in the BBC.' Losing this would be a 'fundamental blow to Scotland's TV and film infrastructure', she insisted, telling the BBC: 'Flying in crews to occasionally film in a Scottish castle is no substitute for a homegrown industry.' Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said it is 'more than regrettable' that the BBC has decided to end the programme in the autumn of Robertson said: 'I am deeply disappointed that we continue to see a worrying trend in decision making that runs counter to the BBC's commitment to invest in the nations. 'While editorial decision making of course sits with the BBC, it is right that we speak out and urge against decisions that impact on services, on skills development and on jobs in Scotland.' BBC Scotland has said the decision to axe the show reflects a change in viewing patterns as audiences move away from long-running programmes, instead opting for shorter series. However the broadcaster has announced three new dramas to be filmed in Scotland, with a spokesperson adding: 'River City training opportunities will remain active for another year until we cease production in April 2026.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
