Glasgow Bands get set to perform in the US
at South by South West 2014
- Glasgow bands, Prides, Honeyblood, Casual Sex and Holy Esque receive support from Creative Scotland to perform at South by South West Music Festival, Austin Texas
- Showcasing Scotland presented by Creative Scotland and the Association of Independent Music will take place on Friday 14 March, 8pm at the British Music Embassy, Austin Texas
- Scottish films God Help the Girl and For Those In Peril to screen as part of The SXSW Film Conference & Festival
GLASGOW-based Prides, Honeyblood, Casual Sex and Holy Esque are amongst a showcase of seven bands getting ready to perform at South by South West (SXSW) Music Festival, Austin Texas in March, 2014 with support from Creative Scotland.
Running from Tuesday 11 to Sunday 16 March, SXSW Music Festival is recognised as the world’s most prestigious international showcase for contemporary music and one of the most important events in the music industry calendar.
The other bands also receiving support to perform at the showcase include Meursault, Young Fathers and Withered Hand.
Creative Scotland and the Association of Independent Music is presenting Showcasing Scotland at SXSW 2014 on Friday 14 March.
Withered Hand, Meursault, Casual Sex, Honeyblood and Young Fathers will be joined by We Were Promised Jetpacks from 8pm on the stage of the British Music Embassy.
Prides’ turn in the spotlight at the British Music Embassy comes on Tuesday 11 March at 10pm. While Holy Esque take to the stage of Quantum Lounge at 8pm on Saturday 15 March.
David Weaver, development officer at Creative Scotland, leading on SXSW, said:
“The seven acts we are supporting really showcase the diversity in Scottish music right now. All of the bands are fantastic in different ways, both on record and live, and I’m really looking forward to seeing them perform in Austin.
“Each act is set for a great year ahead, and SXSW is an incredible opportunity not only to make contacts and do business, but also to perform at one of the most exciting music events in the world.
“I’m delighted these bands will be representing Scottish music in 2014 to music fans and industry professionals from all over the globe.”
Other Scottish acts announced in the festival line up include Nina Nesbitt, Saor Patrol and Cairn String Quartet.
For band biogs and quotes, please see below.
Two Creative Scotland supported films God Help the Girl and For Those In Peril will screen as part of The SXSW Film Conference & Festival, running from 7 – 15 March 2014.
Caroline Parkinson, director of Creative Development, Creative Scotland, commented:
“These SXSW film screenings will promote two of Scotland’s most exciting emerging filmmakers to new international audiences and markets. I’m sure SXSW audiences will enjoy both films and the profile achieved will open up new opportunities.”
Following its recent world premiere at Sundance Film Festival and then at Berlin Film Festival, Stuart Murdoch’s first feature film God Help the Girl is screening in the 24 BEATS PER SECOND strand at Paramount Theatre on Saturday 15 March. http://schedule.sxsw.com/2014/events/event_FS15241
God Help the Girl is a coming-of-age story that doubles as an indie-pop musical staring Emily Browning, Olly Alexander and Hannah Murray. The film won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Performance at Sundance and has been and was screened earlier this month at the Berlin Film Festival and has been picked up by Amplify for US distribution.
Co-producer, Carole Sheridan, from Singer Films, said:
“Those behind God Help the Girl are delighted that the film will receive another outing at SXSW, following the wonderful reception the film received at Sundance and Berlin.
“With its mix of music and film, SXSW feels like an apt place for the film to screen. SXSW is a cool festival and we are hopeful the film will be loved by the music and film fans that attend.”
The 2013 BAFTA award winning feature debut by director, Paul Wright, For Those in Peril is screening in the SX GLOBAL strand from Saturday 8 – Thursday 13 March. http://schedule.sxsw.com/2014/events/event_FS14989.
For Those In Peril tells the tale of Aaron, a young misfit in a remote Scottish community. Aaron is the lone survivor of a strange fishing accident that claimed the lives of five men including his older brother.
Spurred on by sea-going folklore and local superstition, the village blames Aaron for this tragedy, making him an outcast amongst his own people.
Steadfastly refusing to believe that his brother is dead, and possessed by grief, madness and magic, Aaron sets out to recover him.
On being selected for SXSW, director, Paul Wright, said:
“It’s really exciting for us all to be part of this years SXSW festival. We could not have picked a better place for the film to have its North American premiere than at a festival known for showcasing exciting new talent from around the world and it’s a real honour to be part of this.”
ENDS
Editors Notes:
SXSW MUSIC
Showcasing acts are selected on the basis that they are already well established in both Scotland and the rest of the UK, have enjoyed US or international success and have a clear plan in place to seize the opportunities that SXSW presents.
Artists and bands can only apply to Creative Scotland for support to attend the festival if they have already applied directly to SXSW to appear at the festival.
Showcasing acts were selected by a panel of industry professionals including:
- Paul Cardow of PCL Concerts, Broadcast in Glasgow and Sneaky Pete’s in Edinburgh
- Dave McGeachan, DF Concerts, T In The Park and King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut
- Vic Galloway, BBC Radio Scotland
- Jamie Gilmour, Scottish Music Centre and Hail Eris Management
For more information about South by Southwest visit: http://sxsw.com
Creative Scotland is the national development agency for the arts, screen and creative industries. www.creativescotland.com. Follow us @scotsxsw and https://www.facebook.com/scotsxsw
Band Biogs and Quotes:
Formed in 2013 Prides is made up of singer and keyboardist Stewart Brock, guitarist Callum Wiseman, and drummer Lewis Gardiner, also the band’s producer.
Signed to Island Records this Glasgow based band burst on to the internet with Out Of The Blue. The track was quickly picked up by online blogs including The Line of Best Fit, Neon Gold and Pigeons and Planes, the band announced their first shows and the song took up residency in the Hype Machine’s Top Five.
After a summer of playing festivals, from Loopallu to Reading and Leeds, CMJ Music Marathon in New York, and finding themselves playlisted on BBC Radio 1, Prides are now back in the studio recording an EP.
On being selected to showcase at SXSW 2014, Stewart from Prides said:
“We’re really excited to start treading new ground, and get our music out to a wider audience. It’s an incredible time for Scottish music just now and it’s amazing to be involved.”
Find out more:
www.pridesband.com
www.facebook.com/pridesband
www.twitter.com/pridesband
Honeyblood are the Glasgow-based two-piece of Shona McVicar on drums and Stina Marie Claire Tweeddale vocals and guitar.
Since their formation in early 2012, the duo have supported acts including Sleigh Bells, Crocodiles, Palma Violets and Deap Vally, played shows for the likes NME and Vice, as well as festivals everywhere from Brighton’s Great Escape to Talinn’s Music Week; but they started out with humble beginnings putting on a show themselves at The Old Hairdressers in Glasgow to release their debut two-track cassette ‘Thrift Shop’ on CATH Records.
Signed to FatCat the band released their first viny Bud. Honeyblood are heading out on a US tour supporting label mates, We Were Promised Jetpacks, straight after SXSW.
On being selected to showcase at SXSW 2014, Honeyblood said:
“We are delighted to be a part of SXSW 2014. It’s a great platform for bands to play internationally and promote upcoming releases. Also, a great experience and chance to discover the music industry.”
Find out more:
www.honeyblood.bandcamp.com
www.facebook.com/honeybloodeatitup
www.twitter.com/yumhoneyblood
www.yumhoneyblood.tumblr.com
www.soundcloud.com/honeyblood
Casual Sex is made up of vocalist and guitarist Sam Smith, guitarist Edward Wood, bass player Peter Masson and Chris McCrory on drums.
The brainchild of Sam Smith, Casual Sex was formed at Sam’s workplace The Green Door Studio in the West End of Glasgow.
The band’s showcase at SxSW 2014 follows a successful trip to America in October where they performed at the internationally renowned CMJ Music Marathon in New York and toured with Franz Ferdinand.
Following the release of their five track EP Bastard Beat EP in October 2013 through We Can Still Picnic, the band are currently working on their new album which is due for release in Autumn 2014.
On being selected to showcase at SXSW 2014, Casual Sex said:
“We are delighted to be returning to America as part of the SXSW programme and we are incredibly grateful for Creative Scotland’s support on this. Without Creative Scotland’s support, we would not have been able to tour with Franz Ferdinand or perform at the CMJ Music Marathon first time round; let alone return as part of the SXSW Programme. With the support of our American team we’d like to find interested labels when we head to Austin in March.”
Find out more:
www.facebook.com/casualsexmusic
www.twitter.com/CasualSexBand
www.soundcloud.com/casual-sex
Holy Esque was formed in 2011 by four young Glaswegians: vocalist and guitarist Pat Hynes, Keir Reid on Keyboard, Guitarist Hugo McGinley and drummer Ralph McClure. Following the release of their self-titled debut EP, Holy Esque went on to tour across Europe with The Raveonettes, while 2013 then saw the release of the single ‘St‘ and appearances at Glastonbury Festival and SXSW. Their debut album is due for release in 2014.
Find out more:
www.holyesque.com
www.facebook.com/HolyEsque
www.twitter.com/HOLYESQUE
SXSW FILM
God Help The Girl is a musical feature film, written and directed by Stuart Murdoch, lead singer of the group Belle and Sebastian. It was produced by Barry Mendel, with co-producer, Carole Sheridan, of Singer Films and associate producer, Beth Allen of Forest of Black providing on the ground support for the film in Scotland. The film stars Emily Browning, Olly Alexander and Hannah Murray.
Shot in Glasgow, the story follows Eve who is in hospital dealing with emotional problems, and starts writing songs as a way of getting better. Song-writing becomes her way forward, leading her to the City where she meets James and Cassie, two musicians each at crossroads of their own. What follows is a story of renaissance over the course of a long, dream-like summer.
For Those in Peril is written and directed by Paul Wright and starts George MacKay, Kate Dickie and Nichola Burley. For Those in Peril is produced by Mary Burke and Polly Stokes and is a Warp X Production with support from BFI, Film4 and Creative Scotland in association with Screen Yorkshire.
Shot on location in various Aberdeenshire villages, For Those in Peril tells the tale of Aaron (George Mackay) the lone survivor of a fishing trip that claimed the lives of five men including his older brother, Michael (Jordan Young). Unable to remember the details of their trip, and feeling the weight of the community’s collective grief, Aaron’s sense of helplessness escalates into the belief that Michael and the other men somehow survived. Beautifully-shot and sensitively performed, Paul Wright’s folkloric film imaginatively explores love and loss.
Media Contact
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Creative Scotland
E: sophie.bambrough@creativescotland.com
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