Latest news with #LughnasadhFestival
The Courier
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Theo Bleak: Dundee rising star on unexpected Fife friendship and dead birds ahead of 71 Brewing show
When Theo Bleak take to the stage in Dundee later this month, it will come as a landmark gig for Broughty Ferry-based rising star Katie Lynch. Since adopting her alter ego in 2022, Katie has released a handful of EPs to rising acclaim while developing a growing fanbase. And although she has played her home city before, this date promises to be extra special. Firstly, Theo Bleak, the project formed with long-term musical partner Mark Johnston, are the first to play local beer maker 71 Brewing's brand new venue Canvas at their Bellfield Street headquarters. Furthermore, the gig promises 'live visuals and artwork' from a new collaborator – photographic artist Kit Martin, who also provides the imagery for the cover of Theo Bleak's latest EP, Bad Luck Is Two Little Flowers, her first made available on vinyl. For the front cover, Kit provides a delicate picture of flowers created by camera-less photography – in this case by exposing photographic paper direct to sunlight with objects creating often ghostly images. Musician Katie found the Newport-on-Tay-based creative's work online while seeking local artists to work with and immediately felt a connection, she explains over coffee in her new pal's kitchen. 'I was just instantly in love with it,' she says. 'With art and culture, I'm in to anything that's got a philosophical or profound edge to it, where there's layers or a subtext. I felt like the work on face value was so beautiful, but when you look closer, there's a darkness there.' That was certainly the case with the first of Kit's images that Katie viewed – a dead bird – feeling it chimed with her hushed arrangements, she reveals: 'With my own music, I think sometimes things sound sweet, but what I'm singing about is very different.' While Katie has been an independent artist for several years, having first worked with Mark in alternative pop group Kit became a full-time artist later in life. Having worked as a medical and police photographer, along with time at NGO Zero Waste Scotland, Kit pivoted to a more creative life once she moved to Tayside. Nowadays, she sells her own pieces and runs workshops in techniques such as pinhole cameras at venues including DCA as well as local schools, most recently Aberhill Primary and Levenmouth Academy. When Katie got in touch, the artist immediately responded. Although unaware of the musician, she too felt Theo Bleak's music was sympathetic to her own sensibility. 'There's death in my work – decay, life cycles, everything,' she explains. 'Definitely, melancholy comes into it, is in my life and in the music I enjoy listening to as well. There's a melancholic element in Katie's music, but it's so beautiful.' Kit almost saw the band perform in her village at last year's inaugural Lughnasadh Festival held by Forgan Arts Centre, but arrived late as she had been an artist at Pittenweem Arts Festival. Katie laughs at the thought. 'It's like we were passing ships,' she points out. 'We weren't aware of each other, but when we met, there were so many similarities: our birthdays are the day after each other.' For the EP, Katie and Mark selected some of Kit's ghostly flower images – coltsfoot for the front sleeve – that the artist thought she'd sold, but then found in a drawer. 'Serendipity', the photographer marvels. Katie admits to having been a loner for much of her life – she recently attempted Perthshire and Angus walking route the Cateran Trail solo, wild camping along the way, and claims she would love to live on Skye. So while the singer is thrilled to have met a fellow artist on a similar wavelength, she is also pleased to be making a connection among Tayside's fertile creative scene. 'I really enjoyed that the whole time we were on the other side of the river from each other,' she says. 'I found that really moving 'cause I was, like, 'Oh my God, there's other people out there'. 'Dundee and Fife are coming to life so much at the moment and it's just made me really excited.'
The National
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Female artists to headline ‘eclectic' festival offering
The second year of the event at Newport-on-Tay follows gigs from James Yorkston, Hamish Hawk and Pictish Trail, thanks to the efforts of local music collective Big Rock Records, a group of music aficionados celebrating Scottish independent music talent. The line up for this year's Lughnasadh is headlined by Scottish Album of the Year (SAY) award-winner Kathryn Joseph (below), along with fellow SAY award-winners Sacred Paws, Mercury Prize nominee and Heavy Music award finalists Dead Pony. Also appearing are Becky Sikasa, who was BBC Introducing Scottish Act of the Year 2025, Connor Liam Byrne and the Bad Kissers, with art activities curated by artist Ruby Pester. The family-friendly festival will take place in August in the gardens and grounds of Forgan Arts Centre which was bought by Community Asset Transfer in 2022. It is one of four festivals Forgan Arts Centre hosts annually to celebrate nature and the turning of the Celtic wheel. Alongside the line-up of some of Scotland's best musicians, there will be food and drinks from top Scottish independent producers. Kathryn Joseph said she couldn't wait to be back in a part of the country that she loves very much. READ MORE: Pro-Palestine activists protest against Israel at Eurovision opening ceremony 'I'm very happy and excited to be part of Lughnasadh Music and Arts festival in Newport-on-Tay and very happy to get to play our new record live with Lomond Campbell,' she said. Big Rock Records member Chris Mugan added: 'With so many fond memories from last year's joyous event, we're thrilled our Forgan pals have invited us back for more. We've worked hard to pull together a line-up that's even stronger, more eclectic and diverse. There's something for everyone and everyone's welcome.' Last year's inaugural Lughnasadh Festival was programmed in response to a request for more live music events at Forgan Arts Centre. The positive reception to the 2024 festival enabled the organisation expand the festival to welcome audiences from across Scotland to see some of the best homegrown new music around in a beautiful setting. Interim director at Forgan Arts Centre Teri Laing said: 'Lughnasadh is becoming a much-loved community event, and the centre, grounds and woodland are the ideal backdrop for soaking up some sounds and celebrating the end of summer.' Lughnasadh Festival, which will take place on August 2, is supported by North East Fife Area Committee. Forgan Arts Centre is supported by Northwood Charitable Trust, the North East Fife Area Committee and Fife Council.
