Proclaimers to play summer gig in Shetland
One of Scotland’s most popular bands is set to play at the Clickimin this summer.
Organised by Shetland Arts and Edinburgh based promoters Regular Music, the concert will take place on the 29th August and is in association with the Shetland Blues Festival, which is also on that weekend. The festival committee have organised the support act for the concert, Bex Marshall.
The Proclaimers last visited Shetland in 2003, playing to a sold out Clickimin Centre. Proclaimer Charlie Reid said: “We are very excited to be coming back to Shetland, we have very fond memories of our previous visit to the Clickimin Centre and are looking forward to a great night and to seeing some old faces and some new.” Shetland Arts music development officer Bryan Peterson said: “We’re thrilled to announce the Proclaimers are making the trip north and we’re very happy to be working with Regular, one of the biggest promoters of live music in Scotland.
“The Proclaimers’ concert has been timed so that folk leaving the Clickimin can head down to the Lerwick Legion in time for the Blues Festival’s Saturday night gig.”
Tickets for the Proclaimers concert will be on sale for £25 from 9am on Saturday 20th June at the Shetland Box Office, Islesburgh Community Centre, (01595) 745555.
Brian Robertson
I think it is great that the Proclaimers will be appearing in Shetland – Good luck to all concerned. I only have one small concern and wonder how Shetland Arts are able to find money for a show of this magnitude. Is regular music taking the gamble or is Shetland Arts picking up the tab for any loss incurred? I dabble in having Country Music under the umbrella of the Shetland Country Music Club and would be delighted if Shetland Arts would organise a similar sizeable name (in Country Music) to coincide with our little Country Music Festival which we promote every year in September. Maybe I will just have to keep on dreaming!!
James Carlyle
I think you will find that Regular Music are taking the gamble on this one. It was outside of the control of the Shetland Blues Festival committee and we are just trying to make the best of a difficult situation. I’m sure that if the Proclaimers had been coming up at the same time as the Country Music Festival you might have had to do the same.
Brian Robertson
I totally sympathize with your situation, my point is the fact that the Arts Trust appear to have money to get involved with this type of thing but none to help you or I with our festivals.
James Carlyle
From my understanding Shetland Arts have no financial involvement with the Proclaimers gig and are only helping out in the local promotion and persuading Regualr Music to use the local ticket office at Islesburgh.
I would like to say a big thanks to Bryan Peterson for helping the Shetland Blues Festival to come to an arrangement with Regular Music.
The Shetland Blues Festival does get help from the SIC through the Shetland Arts fund which is not controlled by the Arts Trust which is a separate entity to Shetland Arts. As I understand it this fund is available to anyone putting on an arts based project.
Bryan Peterson (Shetland Arts)
^ Thanks very much James
To clarify the funding situation, the “Shetland Arts Fund” is co-administered by Shetland Arts and the SIC Grants Department. Applications are first processed by the SIC Grants Department which are then passed to Shetland Arts for evaluation and approval.
Several music events and festivals receive financial assistance from the Shetland Arts Fund including the festivals organised by the Shetland Blues Festival Committee and the Shetland Country Music Club as mentioned above.
Shetland Arts welcomes anyone looking for funding or advise to get in contact – 01595 743 843
Regarding the Proclaimers visit, a band as busy as the Proclaimers has a limited number of dates available in their touring schedule, and in this case their planned visit to Shetland coincided with the Blues Festival weekend. Shetland Arts has been working with the Blues Festival committee and Regular Music to ensure an arrangement that was beneficial to all, particularly music fans in Shetland, could be reached.
And as James says, Shetland Arts has no financial involvement in the concert but is more than happy to support the Proclaimers in their visit.