The second music workshop in Shetland Arts Trust’s ‘Solid Rock’ youth music programme will be held in Aith Hall on Saturday 5th February from 2pm – 7pm.
The workshop, focusing mainly on rock music techniques, will feature elements of improved music making, band formation and construction, stage performance, PA and lighting techniques and other music making and performance related issues.
The event is open to young people aged 12 – 18 years and musicians with all levels of experience will be very welcome. Although the focus will be primarily on guitar, drums / percussion, vocals, bass guitar and keyboard, all types of instrument will also be included and again welcome. The workshop will also include introductory tuition on PA construction and operation, plus stage lighting techniques.
The practical workshop will be followed by an alcohol-free gig in the hall from 7.30 – 10.30pm. On the bill will be Juvenile Delinquents, Zero Talent and The Victims of Authority, while the gig will be headlined by Syzmik Klive (formerly Suppository Business) Some of the young bands who have taken part in the workshop will possibly be included on the bill as well.
The Aith workshop is part of a wider youth music programme entitled ‘Solid Rock, run by Shetland Arts Trust and funded by Youth Music Scotland, part of the National Foundation for Youth Music. Youth Music is a UK wide development agency that works to secure music making activities for children and young people, particularly those with least opportunity. Youth Music is developing music making activities in Scotland with the support of the Scottish Arts Council.
Further local workshops and gigs are planned in the North Isles and the North Mainland / Delting area and Lerwick within the next couple of months. The whole programme will be rounded off on the weekend 5th and 6th March when the acclaimed London based rock music organisation ‘Rockschool’ will make a return visit to Shetland to run workshops and gigs in the Clickimin Centre for local bands and musicians, an event that may also be filmed by a London based production company for possible TV broadcast.
The Musicians Union in Scotland have also offered to promote and sponsor gigs and showcases in Glasgow’s legendary venue ‘King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut’, featuring some of the bands who have taken part in the ‘Solid Rock’ project.
Shetland Arts Trust Music Development Officer Davie Gardner said ‘We’ve already run a very successful workshop and youth gig in Sandwick under this banner and are now looking forward to the one on the Westside. The whole project is very exciting and a great opportunity for young people involved in any kind of music making activity to improve their techniques and understanding, meet other young musicians, promote themselves and simply have fun. Shetland is one of the first areas in Scotland to secure funding from Youth Music, which says much about how the islands music scene is viewed from a national perspective”.
Anyone wishing to take part in the workshops can simply turn up on the day, and participation is not necessarily limited to those residing in the Westside area. All anyone taking part needs to bring will be their instruments. The workshops cost £2 per head and the gig in the evening is £3 – tickets on the door.
For further information contact Davie Gardner on (01595) 697550.
