Tag: gig

Leith Arches gig and workshop to celebrate International Women’s Day

Sunday 9th March
GIG 7-10pm / Workshop 3-5pm
Leith Arches 6 Manderson Steet EH6 8LY

EMERGING ‘Woman band’ Machine Orchid are hosting an event to celebrate International Women’s Day 2025.

MACHINE ORCHID  are Aurora Engine Harp, synths /  vocals, Caro Bridges guitar / vocals and Emma Lloyd Violin, vocals and electronics.

All profits will go to WOMEN’S AID EDINBURGH. 

Other sets will come from harpist ESTHER SWIFT, folk singer KIRSTY LAW and Glasgow artists CURLEW. 

Blending electronics and real instruments MACHINE ORCHID will present a set focused on women’s rights to include an acapella protest song ‘3 Rings’ about women’s safety / victim blaming, ‘Sharks, Bears Wolves,’ a song about toxic masculinity.

Sprinkled with  electonic fizzles, polyrhythms their pefomance will also embed an electronic soundscape made up of Trump’s comments on women – ‘In His Own Words’.

In the afternoon the group will host an interactive women focused dynamic and empowering singing workshop that explores what it means to be a woman in 2025. 

TICKET LINK HERE 

Woman band ‘Machine Orchid’ (Aurora Engine / Emma Lloyd / Caro Bridges) Host International Women’s Day gig and singing workshop raising money for WOMEN’S AID

Machine Orchid are an emerging ‘woman band’ from Edinburgh blending harp, guitar, and violin with lush harmonies, electronic fizzles, and a deep connection
to the natural world made up of Emma Lloyd (contemporary composer and violinist, harpist Aurora Engine /Deborah Shaw (“Magical and Delicate’” Tom Robinson) and Caro Bridges, vocalist, guitarist and songwriter.

The one off International Women’s day gig also hosts trailblazing harpist harpist Esther Swift, provocative folk singer Kirsty Law and the Glasgow based roots and electronic artist Curlew (Gill Higgins).

In the afternoon the band who are all composers and choral leaders will host an interactive women focused dynamic and empowering singing workshop that explores what it means to be a woman in 2025.

Through songs addressing themes like women’s safety and the impact of the Trump era on women’s rights, this two-hour afternoon session aims to inspire, uplift and unite.

TICKET LINK HERE 

Music students perform exclusive gig for care home residents

ASPIRING musicians from Edinburgh College blew care home residents away during a private garden concert.

The three performers, Nualla Macgregor, Seonaid Wilson and Chloe Mak, visited Mansfield Care’s Pine Villa to deliver an outdoor musical extravaganza consisting of singing, piano, clarinet and clarsach – a Celtic harp.

Inspired by a class project, the group, NCS Collective, chose to play for the Midlothian-based care home after it was recommended to them by a teacher.

Band member, Seonaid said: “After hearing about the concerts our teacher had performed at Pine Villa, and how much the residents loved it, we all decided to perform there ourselves.

 “It was our first concert out of lockdown and first concert at a care home so we were especially keen to organise a socially distanced performance to bring some in-house entertainment while venues are still closed.

“It was amazing to finally be able to make music again and perform for other people. It was really gratifying.”

After hosting a successful concert in April, the group were eager to schedule a summer performance in the sunshine.

The band perform a variety of songs from Disney anthems to The Beatles and are all selected by the residents themselves.

Clarsach player, Nualla, added: “It’s important to us that we perform songs the residents want to listen to, so we prepare a questionnaire with lots of different choices for residents to fill out.

“From there, we compile a set list and rehearse together ahead of the concert. Some top picks included Abba, Disney, The Beatles and pop songs – which were all so fun to perform and very different from our usual classical music set list.”

“We’re hoping to keep this going on a regular basis and arrange for concerts every couple of months if we have the time and if the residents want us back.”

Denise Williams, Pine Villa Care Home Manager in Loanhead, said: “It was amazing. We had residents tapping their feet and singing along, they really enjoyed it.

Margaret Morton, resident at Pine Villa said: “It was lovely sitting in the sunshine listening to the music.

Rena Flavell, resident at Pine Villa added: “The harp music was very special, it was all really lovely.”

20 year old Chloe said: “It was a great time! I think both the staff and residents really enjoyed it. The residents loved seeing all of our individual instruments and talents, so we prepared more solos as well as ensemble pieces.

“As classical performers, this isn’t something we usually get to do, so seeing how much everyone at Pine Villa enjoyed our performance was really inspiring and has definitely encouraged us to go back.”

Mansfield Care specialise in small, friendly residential care homes in Edinburgh, Borders and west of Scotland; each designed to an exceptional standard with state-of-the-art facilities.

The Mansfield Care ethos is inspired by the kind of care we would wish for ourselves in later life – supportive, friendly, bright, positive, empathetic, respectful and homely.