As ever, it’s a packed program featuring some of the best music Shetland has to offer throughout each day and evening. For the full lineup visit www.flavourofshetland.com/music

Some of the many highlights I’m looking forward to include…

Fullsceilidh Spelemannslag, who are making two appearances this year; tonight at 22.00 and Saturday at 17.30 where they will release their new album. Entitled “Spreefix”, the recording was produced by omni-talented Jonathan Ritch (of Fiddlers’ Bid fame) at Wethersta Studio outside Brae.

Friday night is sure to be a spree with The Revellers and Hom Bru headlining.

Norman and the Folding Deck Chairs, Shetland’s young jazz prodigies take to the stage at noon on Saturday, with The Vinyls and Scaldin Bragg closing proceedings in the evening.

To round things off, Sunday afternoon features a bouquet of Shetland’s finest females singers including Sheila Henderson, Izzy Swanson (Mahogany), Freda Leask and Young Musician of the Year Erin Sandison.

Notable this year is the number of bands playing acoustic sets, in part due to Shetland’s most pervasive drummer, Archer Kemp, breaking his elbow a few weeks ago (wishing you a speedy recovery Archer).

See you on the pier…

Here’s a photo slideshow, which will be updated throughout the weekend, courtesy of Marvin Smith

Shetland Young Promoter’s Group (SYPG) will hold a fund-raising ‘Variety Night’ in the South Nesting Public Hall on Saturday the 11th of April.

The event will allow the SYPG to further work of promoting young musicians and bands, and giving the youth of Shetland greater access to well produced music events.

The evening, compared by Scalloway School teacher Patrick Robertson, will start with a concert followed by supper and a dance.

Concert performers include Shetland Senior Young Musician of the Year Erin Sandison, Shetland Schools Music festival award winning group “Norman & The Folding Deckchairs”, Kollifirbolli and “The Bryan McCaffrey Experience”.

There will also be comedy sketches by performers including Margaret Jean Robertson.

The dance will feature young bands “Brack da Bröd” and “Four Piece Suite” culminating with “Rachel Anne Williamson & Friends”

Chairperson Ryan Stevenson said, “We aim to promote young bands in all areas of music and we think the best way to introduce new dance bands is to give them a chance to play”

SYPG committee member Harley Gear said, “We’d like to thank all the local businesses who generously donated prizes for the raffle. We’re really grateful for all the help we’re getting from everyone”

Bryan Peterson, Shetland Arts Music Development Officer added. “It’s great to see the young promoters putting such effort into supporting the young performers and their local communities. Many of the promoters themselves are top class musicians, such as SYPG Vice Chair Lana Thomson, a Schools Music Festival Award Winner and finalist in the Young Musician of the Year competition. The SYPG gives them a chance to gain experience of the organisational side of events, which really complements their performance skills.”

The Variety Night will be held in the South Nesting Hall on Saturday 11th of April starting at 7pm. Tickets cost £8 for adults and £5 for children (under 16’s) and are available from the Shetland Box Office, Islesburgh Community Centre, Lerwick – 01595 745 555 and the Robertson and Reid shop, South Nesting – 01595 890 374
Press release ends

SYPG Variety Night poster

Further information
www.bebo.com/sypg
SYPG c.o. Shetland Arts, Toll Clock Centre, Lerwick, Shetland
01595 743 843

Notes to the editor:
The group aim to build on the recent success of their over 14s alcohol free ‘Rock vs. Rave’ event at the Aith Hall on 20th February. This youth gig featured performances by local bands The Revellers, Pets In Jars and Happy Hour, together with DJs Nadia and Murray.

The ‘Variety night’ is the latest in a long list of events planned for the coming year including:

• Youth Music Forum Conference – Sat 16th May – Sandveien Community Centre – featuring a performance by Oscar Charlie

• Silent Disco – 22nd & 23rd May – Islesburgh Community Centre and Norscot Angling Club (a disco where no speakers are used as the audience hear the music through wireless headphones)

The Shetland Young Promoter’s Group (SYPG) is a joint initiative between Shetland Arts, The Shetland Youth Music Forum and Shetland Youth Services. SYPG is an enterprise to empower young people to stage music events and gain the real-world skills and knowledge needed to manage and promote their own concerts.

SYPG organise events in conjunction with experienced promoters, technical crews and music industry professionals in order to learn aspects of event management; including promotion, business skills, health and safety, sound engineering and lighting; and obtain practical experience of event management and promotion.

It also gives younger audiences a chance to experience live performances in a safe environment and provide young up-and-coming musicians, bands and DJs with performance opportunities.

SYPG is a self contained constituted group open to young people aged 14 to 18 who formed in late 2008.

The formation of the group follows consultation with the Shetland Youth Music Forum, a consortium of youth organisations, local agencies, music professionals and young people, intended to support and sustain youth music provision in Shetland.

The Youth Music Forum is an initiative sponsored by the Scottish Arts Council and administered by Shetland Arts.