There’s a potent six-pack in the way of gigs on the way at Kinross over the next week.
The Green Hotel is stepping up its live music activities with a series of shows by established crowd-pullers, tribute bands and rising talents.
It all gets under way tonight with an appearance by Queen homage Flash, before Cumbrian power rockers Hardwicke Circus hit the Backstage venue tomorrow.
Many times a-rockin’
The Jonny Foster-fronted six-piece have proved a popular turn at Kinross in recent years and have played well over 700 gigs since forming in 2015.
Among their highlights was a support slot with alt-country legend Neil Young at London’s Hyde Park.
Sunday sees an afternoon set from Fab Four acolytes Just Beatles, with Green favourites Focus – one of prog rock’s most consistent outfits of the past five decades – taking the limelight on Monday.
Led by bonkers frontman Thijs van Leer, the four-piece formed way back in 1969 and scored global hits in the ’70s with their mind-bending singles Hocus Pocus and Sylvia, with van Leer’s eccentric yodel, flutes and whistles prominent.
The original Focus split in 1978, before twice briefly reuniting in the ’90s. Then, in 2002, van Leer relaunched the band with a new line-up, with veteran drummer Pierre van der Linden rejoining two years later.
Dutch masters of the riff
The hard-riffing Dutch masters have been touring and recording in prolific style ever since, with the talented Menno Gootjes on guitar.
They released their 11th studio album in 2018 and a new LP is imminent.
Into next week, there are visits from blues rock fireball Sari Schorr on Wednesday and the Billy Walton Band the following night.
New York-born Schorr was inducted into her native city’s blues hall of fame in 2015 and has released two blistering studio albums, her 2016 debut A Force Of Nature and Never Say Never (2018).
Walton is a former lead guitarist for New Jersey icon Southside Johnny and has shared stages with the likes of Little Steven, Gary US Bonds and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler.
A busy Church
Separately, Dundee’s Church also has gigs aplenty in the coming days, including a showcase of talent from the city’s new AW Music record label on Wednesday.
Billed as “a fine blend of shoegaze, dream pop and indie”, the session will feature young signings Imaginary Friend, Jacob Christie and a special guest act in the shape of Adverse Camber.
That’s followed by sets from the Jack Fletcher Band on Thursday and Morganway supported by Kezia Gill next Friday.
Fletcher’s Wolverhampton four-piece are known for their stripped-back indie rock stylings, while Morganway have been making an impression on the UK Americana scene with their catchy six-part harmonies and energetic rhythms.
Multi-instrumental talent Kezia Gill pulls together influences from a wide range of genres including folk and Irish, country, rock and blues and has enjoyed chart success in recent months.
She’s also out on the road again later this month supporting The Shires.
Pictish Trail at Beat Generator
Still in Dundee, Beat Generator is gearing up for a visit from electronic folkster Pictish Trail, aka Johnny Lynch, next Friday.
The St Andrews University graduate ran Fife’s influential Fence Records for a decade up to its demise in 2013 following reported differences with the label’s founder Kenny Anderson, who performs as King Creosote.
Lynch, who went on to start his own Lost Map imprint, is based on the isle of Eigg and will be playing tracks from his new sixth album – the aptly titled Island Family – at North Lindsay Street.
Elsewhere, PJ Molloys has a full band show tonight from trad troubadour Amy Papiransky, with Dundee duo Peal set to make their headline debut at the Dunfermline venue tomorrow, with support from Hardly Workin.