Beyond are one of the busiest promoters in the region having in the past brought acts like Ash, Idlewild and Biffy Clyro north to put on some legendary performances in some of most unassuming venues on the UK tour circuit.

Robert, originally from Cornwall, moved to Ullapool in 1993 to become manager of the now legendary Seaforth pub and it is from there that he moved on to create Beyond promotions. Over the past few years Beyond has grown remarkably providing local bands the chance to play support slots with some of the country's highest profile rock acts whilst giving Highland music fans the chance to hear the newest talent from the UK and beyond. MIDAS caught up with Robert at the recent "triple decker club sandwich" nights at this years Highland Festival to get some more background on Beyond and Roberts tips for those interested in having a go at promotion…
 
 

MIDAS:
So Robert, when did you first become interested in music and gigs? Was there anything in particular which sparked off your interest in promotion?

Robert:
When I was younger I was an avid gig goer and really enjoyed listening to recorded music as well. It wasn’t until I moved to Ullapool to manage the Seaforth that I became involved with booking live music. It was just part of the job. My background is in the restaurant trade and it was on that basis that I was invited to come up and manage the Seaforth. As time went on I started to really enjoy the whole experience of putting a band on so I guess that was the first indicator of an interest in promotion.

MIDAS:
It seems that a lot of people working in the music industry end up in a job which is completely different to what they set out to do. In your case you kind of fell into the industry through chance……..

Robert:
Yeah, I didn’t come up to Ullapool to become a promoter or to get involved with the industry in any way for that matter. The live music side was a small part of the job but I ended up really enjoying it. I started to get a bit more involved with looking for more bands to bring up to the Seaforth. Looking after the bands came naturally to me because of my hospitality background and this was evident in the way so many bands came to love playing in Ullapool - it was such a refreshing experience in comparison to many of the other gigs that they did.
 

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