The Fife grown, Glasgow based band began as a duo and have grown into a 6 piece ensemble – with Sher Watson (lead vocals, guitar), Dave Webster (trumpet, keys, backing vocals), Tony Courtney (sax, flute), Colin Walker (drums), Andy McDonald (bass) and Gerardo Ballesteros (percussion).
With an eclectic, original sound, the Das are a bit folk, a bit rock, a bit Latino and a bit reggae… and just like their own music, their influences criss-cross genres and include Love, Manu Chao, Tiger Lilies, and The Specials among others.
The Das recently supported Terry Callier in Glasgow and shared a stage with him again at the prestigious Jazz CafÈ in London (after receiving a personal invitation from the man himself).
Das Contras have played King Tuts, Queens Hall, Barfly , Cabaret Voltaire, Princes St. GLadyland, Hobotalk ardens, RSAMD, Royal Concert Hall, The Ferry, Jamhouse and shared a stage with Marlena Shaw, Candi Staton, Acoustic and Derrick Morgan.
Das Contras @ Cafe Royal
A cold and wet November evening in Edinburgh was rapidly replaced with
the welcoming warmth and soul of Das Contras in Café Royal.
Initial impressions of the ensemble on stage were of lounge music. But
only if your lounge is painted a deep terracotta, you have a nightly
group of Latino beauties dressed in tight black dresses tossing back
large glasses of red wine until four in the morning threatening to
steal your soul and replace it with a never ending madness of
melancholy and passion.
From beginning to end there was no defining lead person, all of them
extremely adept at their relative instruments with attention shifting
from sax to keyboard to bass to guitar to the singing. The band had
left any egos at the front door to concentrate on the music. Dave
Webster’s head was lost in the sound created by his keyboard nodding in
time to the audience’s reciprocating appreciation, so smoothly and
timely executed. This was complemented by Sherman Watson on acoustic
and lead vocals, a charismatic presence despite his shambolic
appearance. The drums and bass provided the backbone of timeless soul
shaking grooves and the funk needed, holding back to add a more subtle
flavour to the slower numbers. The bass guitarist was all over his
instrument, especially when the strap fell off his shoulder appearing
to propose to the drummer on one knee for the rest of the song. The
horn section added that final harmony. The sax was (I can’t believe I’m
writing this) a tranquil yet also a powerful force driving the band,
while at other times entirely uplifting.
A refreshing change to guitar bands, their maturity and obviously
studied dedication to their craft created layers of warmth of sometimes
up beat jazz and reggae to despairing sadness. Think Ruben Wilson, gypsy
violins, Miles Davies, filterless French cigarettes, The Bosstones, bull
fighting and Ray Manzerick and you’ll probably wonder what the hell I’m
talking about.
There appeared to be a fairly large fan base with them and rightly so.
It was not just a gig but a celebration and a chance to party.
A joy to watch and even better to listen to.
Chris Catley - Live Music Direct
Das Contras were winners of the 2006 PRS New Music Award
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2. "I'm really looking forward to being back on stage with the other girls. It's been a long time and I want to look to the left, look to the right and see them right next to me," says Emma "Baby Spice" Bunton. (Image: Getty)
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Burning of The Wickerman: Photos compliments of USAWeeklyNews.com A range of bands, trade stands and children's entertainment will be happening ... www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk/ - 25k - the festival - www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk/festival.html tickets - www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk/tickets.html the stages - www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk/stages.html gallery - www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk/gallery.html More results from www.thewickermanfestival.co.uk » The Wickerman Festival - Scotland's Alternative Music Event
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Hugo Chavez, friend of the poor, has booked a floor at the Savoy. Odd that the guest editor couldn’t find more room for this pieceThe U2 star fills The Independent with his chums and misses a good story, says william langley. Hold the front page! Come to that, hold all of them! Preferably, as far away as possible. Todays edition of The Independent is guest-edited by Bono, the U2 frontman who needs no help to change a lightbulb. The whole damned universe already basks in his glow!
The first thing you see is a big, red square, decorated by Damien Hirst, Britain's richest artist (one of whose pickled sheep fetched £1.8 million in New York last week) bearing the anti-headline No News Today, and reminding us, at the bottom of the page, that "6,500 Africans died today as a result of a preventable, treatable disease". Quite. And if you felt that the world was, perhaps, growing a little weary of Bono's questionable solutions to the problems of Africa - he thinks more assistance is needed, although there is an equally plausible and humane argument that sending less would be more effective - this one-off venture is unlikely to win you over. By page 5 the singer himself appears, conducting a conference call with Tony Blair and Gordon Brown: "Prime Minister, I want to take you to a more personal place in your trips to this terrible beauty that we call Africa now... " Blair: "I remember being in Ethiopia and visiting people who were putting together really exciting projects... " Wait, though. There's a good story buried at the bottom of page 14. Visiting Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, friend of the poor, enemy of capitalism, has booked an entire floor of the Savoy hotel for his brief London visit. Odd that the guest editor couldn't find more room for it. But, then, there is guest music critic Condoleezza Rice to be fitted in, and Stella McCartney interviewing Giorgio Armani. Back on the leader page, Bono wryly admits that most of us are sick of "messianic rock stars". Too right. And of vanity publishers. |
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Kylie and Domenico Dolce took time out from busting some grooves on the dance floor to pose with Stefano Gabbana, U2's Bonoand The Edge. Guests were given goody bags containing a pair of Dolce & Gabanna sunglasses on arrival, not that Bono ever needs any encouragement to don a pair of shades.
Bono gets too close to the edge
The deals were struck by Elevation Partners, a $1.9bn (£1bn) Silicon Valley-based investment firm, of which Bono is a founding partner. On Monday, Elevation announced an investment of $250m (£130m) in Forbes Media, a publishing company managed by Steve Forbes. Forbes ran twice for the US presidency - in 1996 and 2000 - arguing for a flat income tax, prayer in schools and a ban on abortion.
Bono, a champion of Third World debt relief and AIDS treatment, thus becomes part-owner of Forbes magazine and a number of other business titles serving America's financial elite. U2 has also joined many business high-fliers in moving part of its multi-million-dollar operation from Ireland to Amsterdam, to take advantage of a lighter tax regime. Meanwhile, another of Elevation's portfolio companies, Pandemic Studios, a video-game developer, has incurred the wrath of American liberals for creating a game in which players take the role of mercenaries sent to Venezuela to depose a Hugo Chavez-like figure. Players of Mercenary 2: World in Flames are told "if you can see it, you can buy it, steal it or blow the living crap out of it". Pandemic has also done work creating computerized war simulations with the Institute for Creative Technologies, a southern Californian research centre funded by the US Army.
Lisa Featherstone, a columnist for The Nation, a liberal magazine based in New York, yesterday challenged Bono to choose between his investments and his declared commitment to improving the lot of the world's poor: "If Bono is serious in his commitment, and not, as one frequently suspects, a vapid celebrity poser, he should immediately use his financial muscle to deep-six this horrible video game (right)." Elevation was founded in 2004 by Bono and five prominent Silicon Valley investors and executives, led by Roger McNamee, a venture capitalist and former business adviser to the Grateful Dead. Their goal is to invest in media and entertainment businesses. U2 is known as one of the most financially astute bands in the world, having retained all rights to their music. Bono's name helped Elevation raise its first fund, but he rarely attends the firm's meetings in California. He may care to drop by before Pandemic's next major release, Destroy All Humans 2, in which players "have total freedom to destroy anything and manipulate everything in the world".
FIRST POSTED AUGUST 10, 2006
The First Post: Bono gets too close to the edge
The deals were struck by Elevation Partners, a $1.9bn (£1bn) Silicon Valley-based
investment firm, of which Bono is a founding partner. ... http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?storyID=2310
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The First Post: Bono: a triumph in vanity publishing
Todays edition of The Independent is guest-edited by Bono, the U2 frontman who
needs no help to change a lightbulb. The whole damned universe already basks ... http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/index.php?menuID=1&subID=489
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Pro Bono Geek: Quick Post on Standing and the First Amendment
Pro Bono Geek. Blogs are digital journals that cross the private/public boundaries
in strange and ... Quick Post on Standing and the First Amendment ... http://probonogeek.blogspot.com/2006/12/quick-post-on-standing-and-first.html
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Google Earth Community: Bono's Real Home.
Jump to first unread post. Pages: 1. ssccrab First Post Reged: 01/22/07 Posts: 1
... This is Bono's actual home. Note: If you look at the front gates by the ... http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/765704/an/0/page/0
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Google Earth Community: Bono's Dublin Home
Jump to first unread post. Pages: 1 ...First Post Reged: 08/10/06 Posts: 1 ...
have guessed roughly where Bono lives,and it's nice to see a pointer now. ... http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/140355/an/0/page/12
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Amazon.com: Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas: Books ...
What does it take to get Bono on the couch? Read the first page .... Discussion,
Replies, Latest Post. No discussions yet ... http://www.amazon.com/Bono-Conversation-Michka-Assayas/dp/1573223093
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Amazon.com: De Bono's Thinking Course: Books: Edward De Bono
Libraries that hold some of de Bono's many, many other books (from New Think,
....First post:. Receive e-mail when new posts are made. Prompts for sign-in ... http://www.amazon.com/Bonos-Thinking-Course-Edward-Bono/dp/0816031789
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S'mythology: Bono and Gates - First of the Big Spenders?
Bono and Gates - First of the Big Spenders? It's nice to see Bono and the Gateses
being rightly recognised as Time magazines ... 0 comments:. Post a Comment ... http://colmsmyth.blogspot.com/2005/12/bono-and-gates-first-of-big-spenders.html
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Bono Online [dot] com Fan Forum ~ Connecting Bono Fans
To edit a poll, click the first post in the topic, which always has the poll
.... The Bono section, ----------------, News, Bono, Images, Music & Videos ... http://www.bonoonline.com/phpBB/faq.php
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The Uncivil Litigator: My very first jury trial
... pro bono plaintiff's case that I could "probably wrap up pretty quickly."
Ahem. ... My First Post · My Greatest Case · My First Jury Trial ... http://uncivillitigator.blogspot.com/2004/03/my-very-first-jury-trial.html
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Beat Off Dirty Yanks
Show type: Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2007
A comedic character smackdown slammed with stand-up, sketch and improvisation.
Some contenders include: Buck, a Jewish soul loving hick and Hector, a chauvinistic Mexican plumber.
Free nightly knock-out bout of warped jackasses delivering American spunk!
The Queen reportedly wants to ban the documentary edited to show her storming out of a photoshoot.
» More
'Why is there no Queen of America?'
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival includes more than 2000 shows. ... New in 2007, Edinburgh Festival TV produces a daily show online that includes reviews and ... gouk.about.com/od/ |
MySpace Profile - Edinburgh Festival Fringe, 59 years old, Female, Edinburgh, ... Pride and Prejudice, Harry Hill's TVBurp, American Dad, The Sopranos, ... www.myspace.com/edfringe - 156k - 31 Jul 2007 - |
Show type: All Adelaide Fringe 2007 (14)Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2000 (60)EdinburghFringe Festival 2001 (317)Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2002 (354)Edinburgh... www.chortle.co.uk/shows/edinburgh_fringe_festival_2001/ - 26k - |
Free Shows on the Edinburgh Fringe, in August 2007: 100's of comedy, music, theatre and cabaret shows for the price of none. An exciting new adition to the ... www.laughinghorse.co.uk/fringe2007/thefree.htm - 26k - |
The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the largest arts festival in the world. ... Current TV announces its debut Current TVComedy Award at this year’s Fringe. ... www.edfringe.com/area.html?id=36 - 25k - |
James DuBern, Director of Programming said: “The Edinburgh Festival Fringe provides the perfect opportunity to look for new talent. Current TV is delighted ... www.edfringe.com/story.html?id=1850& [ More results from www.edfringe.com ] |
Festival TV live online from EdinburghGuide.com and Nexuslive ... News, views and see-yous on the Edinburgh Fringe andFestival bulletin boards. ... www.edinburghguide.com/festival/ - 16k - |
Streaming TV at the 2004 Edinburgh Fringe Festival. (Edinburgh, Scotland) - JVC is sponsoring Sweet Entertainments at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival... www.jvcpro.co.uk/news/releases_ |
Edinburgh TV Un-Festival 2007: This year the MGEITF (Media Guardian International TV Festival) has spawned its ownfringe event, the TV Un-Festival. ... cubicgarden.eventwax.com/edinburgh-tv-un-festival-2007/ - 7k - |
... or be bothered - to travel up to Edinburgh to see a comedy Fringe Festival? ... Take Me To, Home, News, Sport, Bizarre, TV, Film, Gizmo, Sun Woman ... www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2005400426,00.html - |
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is the granddaddy of fringe festivals. It has gotten so large that it even has ....TV News: It's Almost Time for Shark Week ... blogcritics.org/archives/2005/08/09/080332.php - 55k - |
Edinburgh TV Un-Festival. Wish I could be there, but I'll have to miss the Edinburgh...TV Festival has spawned its ownfringe event, the TV Un-Festival. ... www.socialmedia.biz/2007/07/edinburgh-tv-un.html - 37k - 1 Aug 2007 - |
Edinburgh - Fringe Festival 2006 pictures published by kristyhorwell4. ... MP3.com, mySimon, Search.com, TechRepublic,TV.com, Webshots, ZDNet ... travel.webshots.com/album/550996483WVUIiL - 72k - |
YOURCOMEDYSTARS.TV The innovative new stand-up comedy search site announces Edinburgh Festival Fringe finalists & a special guest appearance… ... www.edinburghguide.com/edgforum/viewtopic.php?t=4178 - 33k - |
Festival 2001 - Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2001 - TV2 International Laugh! ... drinks advertisements 2001 - Mitsubishitelevision advertisement 2000 - Lampen ... www.underbelly.co.uk/promotions/ |
Show type: All Adelaide Fringe 2007 (14)Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2000 ... Jenny Lion: As Seen on TV, Show type:Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2006 ... www.chortle.co.uk/shows/edinburgh_fringe_festival_2006/ |
This time we're getting involved in the Edinburgh TV festival and putting together a ...TV Festival) has spawned its ownfringe event, the TV Un-Festival. ... www.cubicgarden.com/.../offline/2007/07/ |
The biggest event of its kind in the world, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival tackles everything from comedy to opera. It is too much for one person to devour, ... www.abc.net.au/rn/deepend/stories/2003/932917.htm - 7k - |
There are forty-five poems in the book, along with lots of exciting images taken during the Fringe Festival. In AugustEdinburgh turns into the city ... fringefantastic.colingalbraith.co.uk/samples.html - 15k - |
Things to do in Edinburgh..whats on...tourist information....where to stay.....eating out....
getting there and getting around....sport....history and culture...Edinburgh Fringe Festival background...news....
Edinburgh Guides...museums and galleries...
History |
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The Free Fringe began in 1996, founded by Peter Buckley Hill, with his show Peter Buckley Hill And Some Comedians.
Peter saw the Fringe as it then was: performers losing thousands of pounds, venues with four or five people in them, and complaints about high ticket prices. He saw that this was a vicious cycle. As costs to the performers rose, ticket prices rose. As ticket prices rose, fewer people went to shows and even fewer went to shows by artists they hadn't heard of. And this was bad for comedy; you can't make people laugh if there are only four of them, one in each corner of an otherwise empty room. And the more empty the audiences were, the more prices went up, to cover the rising costs of the venues. There seemed no escape from the cycle, and yet it was providing no opportunity for performers to rise through the ranks. The circle had to be cut. Making the space free to performers would not be enough. The benefit had to be passed on to the consumer. Only thus could more people be attracted to see more shows.
For Peter Buckley Hill’s own account of these events go to: Truth & Lies Its 2007 and the true Free Fringe is back.A collaborative, not-for-profit Free Fringe Festival.Free for Performers, Free for audiences, and free of the commercial trappings that have led to the spiralling cost of both attending, and performing at the Fringe. The fringe is coming back to the people.This year the Free Fringe is bigger than ever, with more free venues, more free shows, and the best line-up yet.Check out the shows in the directory, and keep supporting the one and only, truly free Fringe! |
http://freefringe.org.uk/content/view/24/1/ Peter Buckley Hill |
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