Latest news with #EwanMcVicar
Daily Record
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Historic stately home in West Lothian provides splendid backdrop for Boiler Room session
Armand van Helden and Ewan McVicar delighted thousands of revellers at Hopetoun House Thousands of dance music fans descended on a stately home in West Lothian at the weekend for a two-day event. The grand looking 325-year-old Hopetoun House near the village of Newton provided an incredible stage backdrop for the occasion. Looking in the opposite direction, beyond the greenery the Queensferry Crossing dominated the skyline. Hopetoun House is owned by a charity trust but the south wing remains the family home of the 4th Marquess of Linlithgow. The Hopetoun House Sessions is a new series of outdoor summer shows by the Scottish events company, EE Live, who also organise the Terminal V festival. On Saturday, the headline act was Australian house and techno producer Fisher who thrilled the crowds. Comments on social media during the day confirmed that the music wasn't confined to the site, with many over the water in Fife being able to hear the party in full swing quite clearly. The weather remained fair for the crowds who attended over the two days with showers contained to Sunday morning, and the sun was out ensuring the site was dry again before the gates opened for the afternoon. There was an even bigger crowd on the Sunday with broadcaster and promoter Boiler Room taking over the stage for the day. It was a prevalently youngish crowd who queued patiently at the gates to access the site where the usual, quite pricey, festival-type bars and eateries. The Boiler Room stage set-up allows the crowd to get up really close and rub shoulders with the DJs as they perform. Top of the bill was legendary house music veteran and speed garage pioneer Armand van Helden, the former Grammy Award nominee from Boston rolled out a set laden with classics including his own remixed versions of Sneaker Pimps' Spin Spin Sugar and Tori Amos's Professional Widow, which went to number 1 in the UK Singles Chart. He also delivered Bonkers, his collaboration with Dizzee Rascal from 2009, and the following year's Barbra Streisand track which he released as half of duo Duck Sauce with Canadian DJ/producer A-Trak, it hit number 3 in the UK. His set delighted the euphoric dancing crowd further as lasers and searing flames lit up the West Lothian sky. Prior to Armand van Helden's appearance, Scotland's own Ewan McVicar had upped the tempo a bit in preparation for the Bostonian's arrival and there was a maturity about the set he delivered, which didn't include his 2021 debut single, Tell me Something Good. Earlier in the day an international line-up featuring; Swatt Team, Messie, Saint Ludo, Notion, and a back-to-back set featuring Oppidan and Todd Edwards had kept the receptive crowd moving. The event rounded off at 10.30pm but with no on-site parking facility at the venue and revellers relying on being picked up, taking a taxi, or hopping on the Happy Bus, it would be a few hours before the majority made it home, with many departing on foot for lengthy walks to pre-determined pick-up points elsewhere. However, they happily wandered off into the relative darkness following a great day dancing in surroundings of splendour.
Daily Record
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Ayr set for return of Pavilion Festival featuring Ewan McVicar and Happy Mondays
Ayr is gearing up for the third edition of the Pavilion Festival this weekend and the man behind it has thanked the town for their support. DJ and music producer Ewan McVicar, 31, said he was "excited" for the festival's return to the Low Green from Friday, May 2, to Sunday, May 4. A third day has been added to the festival this year which kicks off on the Friday for the first time with Ayr Beach Live including headliner James. Ewan McVicar and Pals will be onstage on Saturday which includes Ben Hemsley and special guest Annie Mac before the festival concludes with Streetrave: Ayr Beach on Sunday headlined by Happy Mondays. Starsailor, Vistas, DJ Seinfeld, Sally C and STREETrave Classical are also on the bill for the festival which includes a number of rock and dance acts in tribute to the former Pavilion night club. The Electric Brae Big Top - a "state-of-the-art" 5,000-capacity will host the main stage at the festival for the first time as Pavilion aims to create "immersive experiences and unforgettable energy". Speaking exclusively to Ayrshire Live , Ewan said it was "insane" to be bringing such a line up to his home town. The former Belmont Academy pupil said: "We have added a third day onto the festival which is a big deal considering the climate most festivals are in in Scotland. It was always my plan to pay tribute to the Pavilion - I am aware it was a rock club as well as a dance club - so the festival is all based around and in testament to the old club. "Bringing James to headline on the Friday, Annie Mac, Ben Hemsley and me on the Saturday and Happy Mondays on the Sunday, it's just insane. "I am so excited that we've got a three-day festival and that we are putting eyes on Ayr again for the third year in a row. "The new indoor tent for the main stage is insane, I was in it yesterday. It looks like we are going to get the first sunny day that we've had at the festival which is sods law but the new tent will add amazing sound and we get to use lasers for the first time. "It is just going to add a different dynamic to the festival so I am so excited for all the acts to be playing in that on the main stage." Festival goers will be able to take in more than 120 artists, selectors and DJs across four stages in what's being called "a genre-spanning programme" from legendary Britpop bands to underground electronic pioneers. More than 13,000 people are expected to attend the festival over the weekend. After two successful years which have seen a number of visitors head to the Ayrshire coast, Ewan wanted to thank the people of Ayr who have supported Pavilion since it's inception in 2023. He said: "We listen to the consumer more than, I would say, any other festival to be honest. We try and do as much as we can for the people of Ayr. I know the economy gets a boost in the town as well. "Keep supporting us and we will keep supporting you is what I would say." Despite flying across the globe on his music career, Ayr always holds a place in Ewan's heart. He added: "It has a special place to me. I go all over the world - I am flying to Australia next week after the festival - and, I say it every year so I probably sound like a broken record, the crowd and the people that go to Pavilion are what make it. "It makes me happier than ever that we are creating this in my home town. It is such a special thing. I don't think it will ever get old for me. I don't know about other people but it doesn't get old coming back to my home town. "The normal circuit never included Ayr before Pavilion and now it does so I'm so happy with it." For more information and to buy festival tickets, visit here . Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Ewan McVicar: Working classes are being 'priced out' of culture
When Ewan McVicar was a a teenager, he would spend what money he had going to clubs while dreaming of becoming a superstar having realised his ambition, he fears the next generation of working class kids are being priced out of Scottish 31-year-old, who brings his Pavilion festival back to his native Ayr over the first weekend in May, is concerned the rising cost of going to gigs or clubs will stop people being energised by told BBC Scotland News he often felt alienated at industry events because they are dominated by people from affluent backgrounds. McVivar was working in a cold storage warehouse when his cover of Rufus track Tell Me Something Good cracked the Top 20 in the UK went on to be downloaded more than 83m previously spent years training to be a teacher, before deciding to to pursue his passion for DJ traces this back to watching rave documentaries as a teenager and going to nights at Glasgow's legendary Sub Club able to spend a few pounds and take in music is something that is increasingly rare, with major concerts often costing three figures, aided by controversial dynamic pricing systems - where the cost can increase if demand is high. "Going to clubs and gigs changed my life," he says."I ended up working at the Sub Club so I could see my favourites for free, and before that I'd spend a fiver going to see any DJ - that inspired me. "If I couldn't afford to do that, then none of this would ever have happened. "If you look deeper, that's where my story started – going to see a DJ or a band can change your life." McVicar's father died before he was born and, growing up in Ayr, he had to work hard for believes the current state of play will squeeze out people from ever getting into the music industry."Working class people getting priced out of things is getting worse and worse," he says."I know what it is like to be skint. About five years ago I was living off my overdraft. "If you look at football, working class people are being priced out of going to games and that's true in music too. "Look at the Brit Awards, nearly all the winners were privately educated apart from Sam Fender. "I feel quite alienated at these events where you'll ask someone how they got into there to perform and they'll say it's because their dad did this and that."I worked my buns off to get where I am." That attitude is why the Pavilion festival - named after a famed Ayrshire club night in the 90s - is so important to launched the event two years ago, having long wanted to make use of the Low Green area near the beach in the town. More than 7,000 people attended each day of the this year he has expanded it to three days, with the first day on 2 May presenting bands including James and will play the middle day of the festival alongside an array of other DJ's, including Annie Mac and Ben he is excited about the final day when Madchester pioneers the Happy Mondays top the bill. "Pavilion in the 90s was predominantly a rock club, where STREETrave [veteran Ayrshire promoters] happened to do dance events. "So I always kinda wanted to get bands into the festival."It's mental. If you said before the festival started that the Happy Mondays would be playing on the Low Green, then you'd be like 'aye, sure'." McVicar says there was plenty of scepticism surrounding his plans to hold events in Ayr, but also local support as now has the backing of South Ayrshire Council, who previously stated the weekend bash gave a "massive" financial boost to the there is one supporter of the event far more important than anyone else - his baby son Mac, who arrived in December."I've been back on tour the past couple of months and it gives me more of a purpose than ever," he smiles. "I was scared in a way because my whole life has always revolved around music and now I have even more of a reason to do bigger and better things. It's for him. "When I get home from tour the best thing ever is just seeing him smiling."You've done three flights but you see him and exhaustion just goes away." 'It feels crazy to be doing stuff this big' He admits the past year has seen some big changes, like Mac's arrival and buying his first home with fiancée Aimei Melvin. McVicar's life has changed musically too - he broke up with his management last year, having felt they didn't understand what he wanted from his career. Now, having performed in Japan and Korea, he has booked an American tour and also hopes to release new music."I definitely pinch myself," he says."It feels crazy to be doing stuff this big. There's a Scottish thing of being hard on yourself, and sometimes I don't give myself a pat on the back. "You see other artists and they're so confident, it almost verges on arrogance. "Maybe it would be easier to be like that - but I suppose it makes me who I am."
