This week, banging the drum about the Scottish Album of the Year Awards, soaking up the culture at Glasgow Mela and I’ve found a new presenting side-kick…

Scottish Album of the Year @ o2 ABC

There’s no doubt that as a country (and a city) we punch above our weight, musically. To recognise the extraordinary talent we have here, the Scottish Album of the Year was set up in 2012, with the support of Creative Scotland and, well, it’s no beat around the drum kit since then; honouring acts that have gone on to huge critical success, such as last year’s winners Young Fathers.

It’s not just kudos, though. The winner also gets their musical mitts on £20,000, with the runners-up taking home £1,000 plus, rather than a daft glass award that sits on the mantelpiece, they also receive a specially designed quilt valued at £2,500. So, something to keep them cosy and some money in their pocket: how practical!

Glasgow Times:

 

Back to the night itself, the SAY Awards moved venue this year to the o2 ABC and to honour the venue’s past as a cinema, as well as the free bar there was popcorn and endless ice-cream for the VIP crowd (this made the pregnant lady very happy!) There were also live sets from Young Fathers, the insanely avant garde Golden Teacher, Tuff Love and political poets Loki and The Kartel.

Glasgow Times:

I knew most of the shortlist, but was reminded of forgotten favourites Belle and Sebastian and have already added Glasgow-based pop duo Happy Meals and Honeybloody to my Spotify playlist. In the end, though, newcomer Kathern Joseph was crowned the winner with her debut album, Bones You Have Thrown Me and Blood I have Shed, recorded in the city at the Diving Bell Lounge in Dennistoun. She is an absolutely stunning talent, one we should be proud of and will no doubt go far… and because of this award, that is really SAYing something!

Glasgow Times:

Glasgow Mela @ Kelvingrove

On Sunday I soaked up Glasgow’s diversity at the 25th anniversary of the Mela in Kelvingrove. It’s a pretty unique event and has grown from a wee shindig in the Tramway in Pollockshields to one of the largest cultural melting pots in the city: from bubbling venison curries to haggis pakoras.

As well as all the food (as you can see, I could not get enough of the delicious Indian Kulfi ice-lollies), there was also loads of brilliantly colourful entertainment too, both on the main stage (where the speakers blew because one band was so energetically noisy!) and on the latest addition to the park; the beautifully renovated Kelvingrove Bandstand.

However, perhaps the highlight of my day was reading a quote on Bloc’s food stand in the Kilter beer garden from this very column! I know it’s not quite up there with a Winston Churchill quote, but the fact that ‘Quite Simply, it’s the Dogs’ is being cited by other folks.,, well, quite simply the dogs!

Glasgow Times:

 

Scottish Awards for Business Excellence @ Raddisson Blu

This week, I found myself a new presenting side-kick. Last year, my Dad wasn’t very well (he had us all pretty scared for a while) and during the time he was out of action, I was his stand-in at a few important events. One of them was the Scottish Awards for Business Excellence. Thankfully, my Dad is now much better, so this year we decided to do the awards as a double act.

The awards are an important part of Quality Scotland, an organisation which hopes to make Scottish businesses - private, public and charity - the best they possibly can be. They have a framework of awards that celebrate businesses under a globally recognised model, which assesses organisations for their ‘excellentness’! Really! It’s so Bill and Ted’s, what’s not to love!

It was great to celebrate all the achievements of the Quality Scots at the awards but I was even more happy to be up there on the stage with my Dad. I think we did a good job together… although neither of us could quite let the other have the very last world! We were nearly there blethering all night; well, like father like daughter!

 

Glasgow Times:

Wee Bird Recommends

When Sunday is the new Saturday it can make Monday even more unpleasant. So, the trick is to start early! That’s why Oran Mor’s All Dayer has now become a regular part of the West End Festival line-up! This Sunday the venue will play host to 14 different acts over 3 stages, including SAY winner Kathryn Joseph and Wee favourites The Phantom Band, all kicking off from a respectable 2pm. Tickets available online or in person at the door.