Saturday is a day of drum hires. From the celebration of older bands to a performance from one of the best new musicians of today. We have our Pearl Masters kit going to SWG3 on Saturday for Look-A-Like tribute event. The night brings some of the UK’s best tribute bands together for a huge indoor day festival to celebrate a whole era of music and culture. Some of the cover bands include ABBA, Queen, Oasis and The Beatles.
Prior to that, on Saturday morning we have our Ludwig Classic Maple Drum Kit going to the BBC. It's our second hire for the kids TV show Saturday Morning Mashup. The show will feature an interview and performance from drum prodigy Nandi Bushell. Nandi Bushell is an amazing talent, and at only 11 years old has already taken the world by storm. She is not just good at playing the drums for her age but as good as some of the best drummers in the world today. She has played with the likes of Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and has even performed on stage with the Foo Fighters in front of a sold out stadium. She has a great Youtube channel where she performs covers and meets some of the worlds best musicians. We are very excited that she will be using our Ludwig Kit this weekend.
]]>The festival welcomes an array of international artists, whilst also celebrating homegrown and up-and-coming talent. Some of this years’ performers include Dublin-based quartet The Jeremiahs, flute / whistle genius Brian Finnegan, world-folk sensations Dallahan, Nordic-inspired folk group Stundom and Gaelic singer Megan Henderson plus much much more. Check out the Celtic Connections website for the full line up.
This weekend we also have DJ gear going out to both Glasgow and Ediburgh. The team at Terminal V are teaming up with Adam Beyer to bring his legendary label and event brand DRUMCODE to Scotland for the 1st time in over a decade. An all-star techno line-up including Adam Beyer, Alan Fitzpatrick, ANNA, Bart Skills, Ben Klock, Joel Mull and Layton Giordani. The event opens at 6 and runs until 2am. We’ll be supplying the DJ gear for the party.
On Satuday we have more DJ gear to SWG3 where renowned fashion-guru, much loved DJ and all-round national treasure, Gok Wan brings his Isolation Nation party out of the home and onto the dancefloor. What started as a series of live streams to lift spirits during lockdown, will now find itself at Glasgow SWG3. With a feel-good soundtrack of your favourite club classics, bespoke production and guests including Angel Lee, DJ Leroy Fish, Roscoe Brothers and Tom Langur.
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We have two full backlines out this Saturday with one going out to the Hilton for Radio Clyde’s Cash for Kids lunch. The event is part of the charities mission is to improve the lives of disadvantaged children and young people affected by poverty, illness and neglect. Collectively Cash for Kids raised over £19.2 million across the UK in 2020, supporting 396,639 children. Soul and Funk nine piece band Big Vern & the Shootahs will be leading up the event. We also have a full backline going to the Academy for 48 hour party people. A line up featuring the best britpop cover bands including Definitely Oasis, The Complete Stone Roses, Ocean Colour Scheme, Happy Mondaze and Gary Cinnamon. Some absolute excellent names to say the least.
We also have our newest DJ Gear including the Pioneer CDJ 3000s and Pioneer DJM V-10 once again going out to SWG3 on Friday and Saturday. On Friday American DJ, record producer and remixer DJ MK will take to the Galvanisers stage and on Saturday the iconic Glitterbox night comes to Glasgow featuring performances from Dimitri from Paris, Artwork, The Shapeshifters and more.
]]>This Saturday also sees the return of the Scottish Alternative Music Awards at St Luke’s. Now in its twelfth year, the SAMAs have supported a range of award winning artists including Steg G, Zoe Graham, The Dunts, Gerry Cinnamon, Be Charlotte, Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5, Fatherson and Lewis Capaldi. The awards will showcase some of Scotland’s best emerging talent in various categories including best acoustic, best electronic, best hip hop, best live act, best metal, best newcomer and best rock/alternative. The winners are based on votes from fans all across Scotland. The night will also feature live sets from Union of Knives, Taaliah and LVRA. We’ll be supplying DJ Gear for the ceremony.
We also have another busy weekend delivering DJ Gear across the city. We’ll be supplying the DJ equipment to O2 Academy on both Friday and Saturday. On Friday the Academy hosts the final night of the Foreverland tour. The night is billed as a night of “sensual sounds and mind-bending visual where you’ll find yourself entwined in fluorescent vines and gardens” Expect interactive walkabout characters, trippy neon themed decorations, giant hanging inflatables, C02 jets, sparks and confetti explosions, psychedelic dip painting, and more. There will be performances by James Hype and Second City. We’ll be dropping it off again to the Academy the following night for Hardstyle Superheroes on Saturday. Dutch DJ duo Brennan Heart will be leading a night of hardstyle dance music alongside Sefa, Soundrush and Villain.
Artist Michael Corr's 2018 mural tribute to Scott Hutchinson.
A poignant night also takes place on Sunday. In memory of Scott Hutchison, on what would have been the month of his 40th birthday, Tiny Changes charity are hosting a fundraising event to raise money to help young minds feel better. Taking place at St. Lukes in Glasgow on 28th November, this will be a day of bands, artists, DJs and comedy featuring The Twilight Sad, Lanterns on the Lake, Cloth, Lizzie Reid, Fiskur, Lubna Kerr, Uninvited, Pretty Ugly DJ's, and more, hosted by Paul Black. We’ll be supplying the backline and DJ equipment for this important event.
]]>This weekend we have hires for a few club nights at SWG3. Friday night sees the tech-house duo Solardo play the Galvanizer’s. The Manchester duo who were crowned DJ Mag’s Best Breakthrough Act of 2016 and Best Duo of 2017 have been prolific over the last few years and are getting bigger and bigger. The sold out show on Friday night is bound to be great. We’ll be sending out some of the Pioneer CDJ 3000s as well as our RMX 100.
The next night we’ll be sending out the same kit to the Galvanisers for Sasha & John Digweed. The duo are veterans of the dance music scene and have been performing and releasing tracks together since 1993. They are the first to act to request our new Allen & Heath DB4 mixer for the show. The Allen & Heath Xone DB4 is a truly ground-breaking USD DJ mixer and according to Allen & Heath themselves “the most advanced product” that they have designed. Every feature has been meticulously researched with a view to offering DJs ultimate creativity. You can check out our listing for the mixer here if you are looking to hire one.
We also have two of our premium pianos going out this weekend. The Yamaha NU1X was delivered to Voco Grand Central Hotel on Thursday for a four day conference. The upright piano is top of the range digital piano with the natural feel and sound of a world class acoustic piano. We also have the Roland RG 1 mini grand piano going to Dunmar House in Alloa. The Rg 1 is another world class digital piano with the design of a grand piano. The piano sound and touch are fantastic, akin to playing a world-class acoustic grand. If you’re looking to hire a piano we have a wide selection to choose from.
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Stag and Dagger, the multi-venue festival will take place throughout Glasgow City Centre and we’ll be delivering backline to various venues including Broadcast, Nice N Sleazy, The Attic, Blue Arrow, Mango, Firewater and The Garage. This year’s headliners include indie rock band The Sherlocks and Dublin post-punk and noise rock band Girl Band. Other headliners include Yorkshire synth-pop band Working Men’s Club, whose debut album released last year was met with critical acclaim. They will be joined by over 30 bands throughout the day.
In the West End of the city another multi-venue festival will be taking place. The Great Western festival will see headliners Arab Strap, Anna Meredith and over 30 other bands take to the stages of the West End. The Hug and Pint, Websters Theatre, Maryhill Community Centre and Glue Factory are a few of the venues we’ll be delivering backline to. You’ll be able to see an eclectic mix of acts from both Scotland and further afield. It is billed as “A festival of musical exploration and discovery" so you are sure to find many diverse and excellent bands at the festival.
Edith Bowman will host the Specsavers Scottish Music Awards
This Saturday also sees the return of the Specsavers Scottish Music Awards. The awards is the primary fundraiser for the Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy charity and has been running for over 20 years. The Fratellis, Nathan Evans and Nina Nesbitt will perform at Glasgow’s Barrowlands as part of the event which will be hosted by Edith Bowman. The 2021 event will be the first time that the ceremony will take place at the iconic venue. The money raised will prove vital funding for the Nordoff Robbins work with those living with disabilities and life-limiting conditions, especially after the challenging financial year caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Last years winners and performers included Texas, Amy Macdonald, Wet Wet Wet, and Dougie MacLean raising £89,000 to ensure the charity is able to provide vital services across Scotland.
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Unless you’ve been living under a rock you will have heard that Glasgow is hosting COP26 the UN Climate Change conference. The COP26 summit will bring parties together to accelerate action towards the goals of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. This is one of the most pressing issues that we will ever face and it is very exciting that Glasgow will play such a huge part in trying to combat the issues of climate change. The city is going to be extremely busy with people and events over the next two weeks and we are excited to be playing a small part in the events.
Our Yamaha Clavinova is going to the Radisson Blu Hotel for COY 16 the UN Climate Change Conference of Youth on Saturday. COY16 is the official precursor event of the United Nations Climate Change Conference and is officially endorsed by the United Nations Secretary General Envoy on Youth. COY serves as a space for capacity building and policy training, in order to prepare young people for their participation at COP.
We also have backline going to the Theatre Royal for the Pathway to Paris event on Sunday. Pathway to Paris brings together musicians, artists, activists, academics, mayors, and innovators to help raise consciousness surrounding the urgency of climate action and offers solutions to turning the Paris Agreement into action. This Sundays event will see the likes of legendary rocker Patti Smith taking to the stage. The concert will feature Patti Smith, Tenzin Choegyal, Soundwalk Collective in collaboration with Patti Smith and Jesse Paris Smith to perform "Crisis of the Lost", a sound piece composed of underwater recordings deriving from the TBA21–Academy sound archive that documents the voice of ocean life in contrast with the destructive impact of manmade acoustic pollution over all species of marine life. All proceeds from the event will be donated to the 1000 Cities Initiative for Carbon Freedom by Pathway to Paris.
Earlier this year we got quite a few of the new CDJ 3000s. Pioneer are always at the forefront of DJ technology and the new CDJ 3000 is absolutely no exception. As well as expanded creative options, the new design of the CDJ-3000 brings even more stability and reliability to your setup and is one of the most reliable muli-players you can hire. These beauties are out on hire at a few different venues this weekend alongside some other staples from our DJ Kit. This Friday the CDJ 3000s are off to SWG3, a regular destination for them. We also have other DJ Gear going to Festival of the Dead at the O2 Academy. A post-apocalyptic kaleidoscope of circus, carnival and chaos set to an incredible soundtrack and a hoard of giant creatures, magical creations and enigmatic characters. Absolutely perfect for clubbers looking for a good night out before halloween. We’ll be dropping it off again to the Academy the following night for Hardstyle Superheroes on Saturday. Norwgian DJ duo Da Tweekaz will be leading a night of hardstyle dance music.
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We are supplying backline to many of the performers during the festival. First of all we’ll be supplying backline this evening for the opening night featuring Michael Rother, founding member of influential German electronic bands Neu! and Harmonia. He’ll be performing songs by both acts and solo works. Tomorrow, Friday the 8th, our old friends The Bluebells will be taking to the stage to perform some of their greatest hits such as the classic “Young at Heart.” We’ll be supplying various equipment for their show. As well as the Bluebells and Michael Rother we will be supplying backline for Nick Lowe on Sunday and Scottish singer songwriter and 2015 Scottish album of the Year award winner Kathryn Joseph on Monday 11th.
Also this week for all you Status Quo fans the Status Quo convention McVention will be taking place at Slay. The event will run both Friday and Saturday and celebrate the music of the classic rock band. We also have hires going out for Australian electronic artist Sonny Fodera at SWG3 as well Japanese all female metal band Bridear at Nice ’n’ Sleazys. Both these gigs will take place on Saturday. Also on Saturday we have various equipment heading to St Andrews for the prestigious Kate Kennedy Club Charity Opening Ball. The event is one of the oldest most established events at the uni where nearly 2000 guests will be greeted by Highland Pipers and a Champagne Reception, followed by a night of great entertainment.
]]>The very first time the piano went out on hire was for another Scottish BBC music awards and that was a great success so we’re hoping for more of the same. You can listen to the show on BBC Radio Scotland at 7pm on Sunday.
Also on Sunday we Roland RD 800 & Korg Trinity Plus going to the Kings Theatre for Motown Greatest Hits show. Now in its 18th successive year, this stunning 100% live show combine’s first class music together with slick choreography and an amazing band. The show features songs from legendary artistes such as Lionel Richie, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson Five, The Isley Brothers, Edwin Starr and many more. The Korg Trinity Plus is almost 30 years old but still packs a punch and is perfect for the musicians of Motown.
]]>This weekend also sees Playground Festival come to Rouken Glen park. The festival features an eclectic mix of acts from heritage acts with timeless classics such as Nile Rodgers and Chic, to up and coming DJs. We will be supplying backline to some of the acts this weekend. On Saturday we are supplying backline for Sister Sledge. The funk act will be sure to have the crowd dancing with hits such as “We are Family” and “He’s the Greatest Dancer.” We are also supplying a backline for both Martha Reeves and R&B singer Macy Gray on Sunday. We are looking forward to hearing her fantastic husky voice singing classic such as “I Try.”
Sunday also see’s Carl Cox, king of dance music play at SWG3 as part of the Colours September weekend special. This will be COx’s first Glasgow show in 6 years and the first time playing at the Galvanizers so it's bound to be brilliant. We’ll be supplying DJ equipment for the turntable extraordinaire to perform with.
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This Weekends TRNSMT line-up.
The King Tut’s stage will see the likes of Ash, Declan Welsh & The Decadent West, Tom Odell and Joesef while the Riverside stage will bring together some of Glasgow’s best homegrown DJ talent alongside some renowned acts from across the globe. They are sure to keep people dancing all day and night. Throughout the festival we also have DJ gear going to Yxng Bane, House Gospel Choir, Jay 1, Miraa May and our Korg SV1 is being hired by London based rapper Berwyn.
German happy hardcore band Scooter headline this years Coloursfest.
Across the city Coloursfest is also making its return. The Braehead Arena will welcome some of the best Dance DJs from across the world. The headliners are the classic German happy hardcore, rave and techno music band Scooter. Scooter are one of the most successful German bands of all time selling over 30 million records and earning over 80 Gold and Platinum awards. They will be hiring a plethora of our DJ Gear and a number of our keyboards for the gig. Its sure to get the crowd dancing at the Renfrewshire venue. If you are heading out to either of the festivals this weekend we hope you have the best time.
]]>The Beautiful Moog Subsequent 37
Moog Subsequent 37
Last Autumn we had a few acts request a Moog Subsequent 37 and we had been toying with the idea of adding one to our current Moog collection which includes the legendary MiniMoog Voyager and the Moog Sub Phatty. We didn’t need much more deliberation after this and we are happy to now stock one at ESP. The guys over at Moog set themselves the difficult task of improving upon the Sub 37 Tribute Edition, an already brilliant synth, and the result was the Subsequent 37, a rich and powerful sounding analogue synth with a massive tonal range. A big part of this undertaking was inspired by the feedback they received from owners of the Tribute Edition. They wanted to take on board these users comments and build an even better synth. Cyril Lance, a chief engineer at Moog had this to say about the process:
“We are really excited to incorporate community feedback into the evolution of an instrument. Adding CV interconnectivity was the starting point, but we have also increased the headroom in the mixer and significantly extended the range of Multidrive, giving the Subsequent 37 CV expanded sonic capability and modular control."
As noted above the expanded headroom in the synth’s mixer allows the synth to generate lovely warm clean tones even with volume cranked high, however for those looking for something with more bite, driving the re-calibrated multi-drive circuitry will generate some wonderful gritty tones. Driving it to the max will generate much grittier tones than the Tribute edition was capable of so the overall tonal qualities of the updated synth are amazing. As well as all its impressive functionality and sound the synth also looks exquisite and is another example of Moog's unparalleled aesthetic design.
MiniMoog Voyager - A Modern Classic.
MiniMoog Voyager
Next up we have another amazing synth by the people over at Moog. The Minimoog Voyager is a monophonic true analogue synthesizer modelled after the classic Minimoog synthesizer that was popular in the 1970s and is meant to be a successor to that instrument. Just like the original Minimoog, the Minimoog Voyager was designed by synthesizer pioneer, Bob Moog. The Minimoog Voyager is a handcrafted, all-analogue performance synthesizer that incorporates the features and incredible sonic range of the original Minimoog, while adding a vast number of new features and improvements to its design. Most significantly it introduces patch storage so that sounds can be saved. It also includes a three dimensional touch pad, MIDI I/O, extensive patching facilities, mod wheel, and much more.
Just like the original, the Voyager has three analog wide-range voltage controlled oscillators, one noise source, as well as one audio preamplifier for externally-applied audio signals. Two resonant Moog-style filters are on-board and function in dual lowpass or lowpass/highpass modes and can be modulated by one of the two ADSR envelopes, the LFO, or external control. All knobs and switches can have their settings stored into one of 128 Program memories. There's also a 44-note keyboard, this time with velocity and aftertouch sensitivity. There are so many more features to this synth that we can’t cover them all in this article but the full spec can be found here.
Trent Reznor talking about the influence of the MiniMoog on his music
Although there have been many recreations of this synth in software form, and more recently in hardware with the impressive Behringer Model D that has authentically reproduced the circuitry from the original Minimoog synthesisers (for a fraction of the price of the original), nothing quite compares to the actual aesthetic and feel of a real Voyager. Cased in a beautiful, solid hardwood cabinet with a multi-position hinged control panel, its timeless design make it the perfect synth for any studio or live set.
Roland Juno 60
The Juno series is renowned for its influence on electronic music, and the Juno-60 is the standout of the series. This polyphonic synth’s signature sounds are brass, strings and organs with lovely analogue warmth, however it's capable of a wider range of sounds and has been used many times to create snappy basslines which work wonderfully with the synths on board arpeggiator. On the Juno-60 you can easily create patches for massive musical textures and ideas and the filter itself is just brilliant. The on-board chorus effects on the synth are part of its unique sound and give it an unparalleled warmth. The arpeggiator is unbelievably fun to play with and by adding some delay to the synths output signal you can make dreamy and percussive soundscapes. Nils Frahm is a major proponent of this synth and these sounds and techniques can be heard put to wonderful use in his track ‘All Melody.’ There is nothing quite as fun as hooking this synth up to our Roland Space Echo and in house PA and letting the arpeggiator run wild. We also have a Juno 6 here at ESP which is very similar in functionality and sound but lacks the ability to save patches which makes the Juno 60 just ever so slightly superior.
Nils Frahm performing his tracks all Melody and #2 which both feature the Juno 60 and show off whats possible with its impressive sounds and arpeggiator.
Korg Minilogue
This synth is one our most recently acquired and has quickly become a real favourite. The Minilogue is a stylish, innovative, 37 slim-key fully programmable analogue polyphonic synth. With the Minilogue you can get your hands on the powerful sound that's only possible with real analogue and find inspiration with features including a polyphonic step and motion sequencer, on board tape-style delay, multiple sound shaping and filter options, and an oscilloscope display. All of these seamlessly integrated features make Minilogue as fun and easy to use as it is powerful. We have been having a go of the synth here over the last few days and have had lots of fun combining it with our Korg MS20 Mini.
Overview of the Minilogue by the guys at Korg themselves.
And Beyond
This is just a small snap shot of some of our favourite synths we have at ESP but there is so much more that we were unable to touch on. From the amazingly simple yet powerful MicroKorg to the expansive polyphonic Prophet 08 to the extremes of the absolute powerhouse workstation that is the Korg Kronos 2. There is something for every occasion. Head over to the synths and keyboards section of our site to see them all. If you see something that takes your fancy don’t hesitate to get in touch at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk.
]]>Celtic Connections has come to an end but as always there is still plenty of shows going on in Glasgow and we are supplying to many of them this weekend. Tonight we are supplying our Pioneer RMX 1000 for CamelPhat at the Galvanizers at SWG3. CamelPhat is a British DJ and production duo, consisting of Dave Whelan and Mike Di Scala, formed in Liverpool in 2004. They earned their stripes and studied dance music dynamics as resident DJs long before they produced. Their first release was in 2010 and ever since then they have been releasing authentic and timeless house tracks. The band who recently signed to RCA Records came to prominence in 2017 with the hit Cola, a collaboration with fellow electronic act Elderbrook. Tonights show at SWG3 has sold out already but if you have tickets you're bound to have a blast.
CamelPhat and Elderbrooks 2017 hit 'Cola.' CamelPhat are playing SWG3 this evening.
Tonight there is also music at Swing on Hope Street where we will be delivering our MarkBass CMD102P. Swing is a unique underground bar and club where an exciting blend of live jazz, blues, soul and funk bands, aerial acrobats and thrilling performances take place. Canada's multi-award-winning Nick MacLean Quartet feat. Brownman Ali will be performing at the venue. Led by 26-year old Toronto piano player this contemplative yet thrilling quartet delivers jazz between the two poles of thoughtful introspection and powerhouse conveyance, taking influences from Herbie Hancock's primordial 1960's Blue Note era recordings, while paying tribute to some of the greatest improvisers in jazz history. Maclean’s quartet heavily features one of Canada's most provocative improvising trumpet players -Brownman Ali, heralded as "Canada's pre-eminent jazz trumpet player" by New York City's Village Voice. Recognised as an internationally acclaimed jazz iconoclast, he currently splits his time between Brooklyn and Toronto. Ali and Maclean stand shoulder-to-shoulder with 2 of Toronto's finest jazz performers: Jesse Dietschi on upright bass, and Tyler Goertzen on drums.
The Nick MacLean Quartet feat. Brownman Ali are playing at Swing on Hope Street as well.
We will also be delivering some RAT Music Stands to The National Piping centre for The National Youth Pipe Band. The National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland is a non-competing cutting edge performance pipe band for 10-25 year olds in Scotland. Membership is drawn from across Scotland’s 32 councils, and young pipers and drummers come from an array of different competing pipe bands and musical backgrounds, brought together as a collection of the very best chosen to play for their country. As well this we will be delivering our Pearl Vision Drum Kit and Ashdown ABM NEO C210 to the Dam Basement in the merchant city for up and coming Glasgow band Pelican Tusk.
Saor founder Andy Marshall will be leading the 'Caledonian Metal' band at Drygate on Saturday.
On Saturday metal band Saor are playing a home-town Glasgow show to kick off the new year. Since their formation in 2013, Saor has continually evolved while remaining boldly faithful to its Scottish heritage. Forged by the vision of the band’s founder Andy Marshall, Saor (meaning “Free” in Scottish Gaelic) has a uniquely expressive approach that dives deep into lyrical themes based on literature, landscapes, history, sorrow, nature, and the majestic mountains of his homeland. Following the success of the Forgotten Paths album release show in March 2019, SAOR returns for a one-off Scottish show at Drygate Brewery in Glasgow. This will be their only show of 2020 so is not to be missed. Support on the night comes from fellow black metal band Wolvencrown and we will be delivering a Pearl Masters Premium Legend Drum Kit, 2 Marshall JCM 2000 DSL100 and 2 Marshall 4x12 1960A Cabs for the show.
90s dance classic "Set you Free" by N-Trance. N-Trance are one of the groups featuring at The Big Nineties Festival at the Old Fruit Market on Saturday.
There is something completely different going on in the Old Fruitmarket where The Big Nineties Festival is taking place. Featuring some of the biggest and best dance acts from the 90’s, this months event will feature Baby D, N Trance and Phats & Small. Baby D is an English breakbeat hardcore and house music group, best known for their UK number 1 single "Let Me Be Your Fantasy" in 1994. While N Trance are responsible for the dance classic “Set You Free’ and Phats & Small’s are best known for other international hit “Turn Around.” We will be supplying 2 Pioneer CDJ 2000 Nexus and a Pioneer DJM 900 Nexus for the acts.
If you are heading to any of the shows this weekend we hope you have a great time and if you would like to hire anything from us at all in the future don't hesitate to contact us at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk.]]>Tommy Emmanuel will feature at this years Transatlantic Sessions.
This year Transatlantic also becomes trans-Pacific with the appearance of Australian-born guitar deity Tommy Emmanuel (long based out of Nashville), whose dazzlingly multilayered finger-style prowess earned him the title of Certified Guitar Player from the late Chet Atkins. From this side of the Atlantic the show will feature Irish singer and front woman of the band Dervish, Cathy Jordan. Scottish ‘folk noir’ singer-songwriter Rachel Sermanni will also feature after the success of her 2019 studio album As It Turns. Once again the sessions will be under the annual musical direction of Shetland fiddler Aly Bain and multi-Grammy-winning dobro maestro Jerry Douglas, with the accompanying instrumental dream-team featuring Russ Barenberg, Phil Cunningham, John Doyle , Michael McGoldrick, John McCusker, Donald Shaw, Daniel Kimbro and James Mackintosh. There are shows at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall tonight (Friday 31st) and Sunday and afterwards the show will go on a small UK tour starting in Liverpool on the 3rd of February and finishing in Brighton on 8th Feb. We will be supplying a substantial backline for both the Celtic Connection shows and the subsequent tour.
Footage of 2015 Transatlantic Sessions for PBS.
Tonight there is another show that is bound to be a highlight of the festival as Malian singer-songwriter Fatoumata Diawara brings her Grammy Award nominated set to Tramway. Fatoumata Diawara’s 2011 debut LP saw her hailed as a thrilling new standard-bearer of Mali’s celebrated musical traditions. Since then, she’s featured in collaborations with Bobby Womack, Herbie Hancock, Roberto Fonseca and Damon Albarn, plus compatriots Amadou and Mariam, Oumou Sangaré and Toumani Diabaté. 2018’s Grammy-nominated second album, Fenfo, showcased her compelling range and depth of expression amid a vibrant array of ancient and modern sounds. Her captivating live performances are demonstrated wonderfully in her performance of her song Nterini for Colors Studios which we have linked below. We are delivering a full backline to the show which includes our Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute Drum Kit with Zildjian Cymbals, a Roland SPD-SX, Timbales, multiple amplifiers, a Fender Stratocaster, a Novation Impulse 61 and much much more.
Fatoumata Diawara performing Nterini at Colors Studios.
Other hires for the festival's last weekend include a backline for English musician Keeley Forsyth at the CCA, and a Drum Screen for Scottish multi-instrumentalist Ross Ainslie at St. Luke’s on Friday. Also on Friday our Gretsch USA Custom Drum Kit will be going to the Mackintosh Church for Dutch band Under the Surface. On Saturday the shows begin early with a performance at The New Auditorium by The Fridays (a misnomer if ever there was one.) We will then be delivering a substantial backline for the Annie Ebrel Quartet at the Tron Theatre which includes Roland RD 800. There will also be another delivery to St Luke’s for Cape Breton singer-songwriter Heather Rankin and another one to the CCA for American songwriter Ryley Walker. The final show that we have a hire for at this year's festival is at the Old Fruit Market for Scottish band Rura. They are hiring 2 Fender Twin Reverbs.
Line-up for Colours 25th Birthday Party at SWG3.
We have more hires outside of Celtic Connections this week including separate hires of our DJ equipment. On Friday 31st we will be delivering 2 Pioneer CDJ 900NXS and a Pioneer DJM 800 to The Glasgow Women’s Library for an evening of music and chat as they celebrate the creativity and talent of women for their first St Brigid's Day Celebration in association with the Celtic Media Festival. On Saturday at SWG3 Colours will be celebrating their 25th birthday with a line-up including Key4050, Faithless DJ set, Roger Sanchez and much more. The event begins at 3pm and will run all day through until 12am. The hire includes 6 Pioneer CDJ 2000 NXS2 , 2 Pioneer DJM 900 NXS2 and a Pioneer RMX 1000. We have another hire for Forest of Black who we wrote about in last weeks newsletter. They are filming another video this week and have hired our Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute Drum Kit.
Its been a very busy January for us and we are looking forward to next month. If you are heading to any of these shows we hope you have a great time and if you would like to hire anything from us at all in the future don't hesitate to contact us at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk.
]]>On Saturday one of our Fender Deluxe Reverbs and our Ludwig Super Classic Kit is going to the Strathclyde Suite of The Royal Concert Hall for the tribute to Rick Taylor, writer extraordinaire who died last year. An Ampeg SVT-4 Pro Bass Head and Ampeg 410 Cab are going to The Old Fruitmarket for The Peatbog Faeries. We also have 3 full backlines, including hardware, drums and Amps going to 3 different venues. The first is for JP Bimeni and the Black Belts at the Oran Mor who have hired our Pearl Studio SBX Kit, Nord Electro 5HP, and various amps. The next delivery is to The Blue Arrow for Jeff Parker which includes our recently refurbished Fender Rhodes with a Roland KC550, various guitar amps and more. Lastly Les Amazones d'Afrique are playing at the Tramway and the hire includes our Gretsch USA Custom Kit with a Ludwig Black Beauty Snare and a Pearl Piccolo Snare.
On Sunday we are delivering our Ibanez Mandolin, a Fender Princeton Amp and a Vox AC30 Amp for Roaming Roots Review. This year's Roaming Roots sees Roddy Hart and The Lonesome Fire celebrate the music of Bruce Springsteen who turned 70 last September. The line-up includes beguiling Irish folk-pop songstress Lisa Hannigan, multi-award-winning US singer-songwriter Ryan Bingham, The Hold Steady frontman Craig Finn and folk-rock duo The Rails. Scottish singer Karine Polwart also features alongside California-based Jonathan Wilson and Glasgow-born Phil Campbell steps out solo from rootsy blues rockers The Temperance Movement.
Some other highlights from this week's events include a recording by Bees Nees Media’s SEIRM series. Over the last few years the production company have filmed and aired several shows on BBC Alba that feature performances by various artists appearing at the festival. We will be delivering some RAT Music Stands, a Markbass CMD102P and a Double Bass for the recording at The Arches this Monday. On Tuesday our Nord Stage 3 is going to the at The Old Fruitmarket for Nitin Sawhney. And on Thursday our Nord Stage and Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute are going to concert Hall for folk singer Sam Lee. We are also providing backline for Showcase Scotland's Celtic Connections event at the Drygate Brewery on Thursday 30th and Friday 31st. Showcase Scotland aim is to further the live export opportunities for Scottish based artists working in the genres of folk, traditional, Scots, Gaelic, world and acoustic music. They aim to forge relationships with overseas music trade events and to promote showcase opportunities for Scottish based artists.
Also on this weekend out with Celtic Connections we are supplying the backline for Perth’s Riverside Lights Event. With various themed nights including Burns Night, Chinese New Year and Music in The Park. The events will offer up live music, dancing, food & drink and storytelling. To the main Stage we are sending out our Pearl Masters Premium Legend Drum Kit and a set of Sabian and Zildjian Cymbals, an Ampeg SVT Classic Bass Head and Ampeg 410 Cab, 2 Fender Hot Rod Deluxes and a Marshall JCM 2000 Combo plus one of our MXR Carbon Copy Delays. And to the 2nd Stage we are sending our Pearl Vision Kit with another set of Sabian and Zildjian cymbals, a Hartke Hydrive 5410 and a Fender Twin Reverb. The events run from the 25th January to the 2nd February. There will be plenty for all the family to enjoy with music and events for kids. The full schedule for the events can be found here.
As always if you are heading to any of the shows during Celtic Connections we hope you have a great time and if you would like to hire anything from us at all in the future don't hesitate to contact us at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk.
]]>Celtic Connections is running from the 16th January to the 2nd February.
To kick things off we will be supplying backline for BBC Scotland's run of shows in conjunction with the festival. Broadcasting from Cottiers in Glasgow, this special run of shows celebrates music from many of the artists performing at the festival. Including performances from the American, Seamus Eagan Project, legendary Canadian performer Frazey Ford, Scotland’s finest Lau, Birmingham based ambient-pop quartet Chartreuse and the critically acclaimed fusion trio Yorkston/Thorne/Khan.
Scottish band Lau will be playing at Cottiers as part of BBC Scotland's coverage of the festival.
We will also be supplying backline to many of the other events taking place as part of the festival. On Friday our Roland RD700 SX is going to the Royal Concert Hall and we are delivering backline to the Old Fruitmarket for Colonel Mustard & The Dijon 5, a hire which includes our Yamaha Stage Custom Drum Kit, a Fender Twin Reverb, Fender Bassman 500 plus more. Saturday is another busy day at Celtic with backline going out to Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn at the City Halls. Our Pioneer CDJ 900NXS and Pioneer DJM 850 are going to the Barrowlands for DJ Dolphin Boy and on the same day our Yamaha Maple Custom Absolute Drum Kit is going to the Barrolwands for the 80-piece Grit Orchestra who are performing compositions by the late Martyn Bennett. Finally we have 3 amps and our Nord Stage going to Drygate for French-Cameroonian singer Valérie Ekoumè. On Sunday we are delivering a substantial backline to the Royal Concert Hall for Lucy Rose. We are also delivering some of our new RAT Stands to the Strathclyde Suite in the same venue for Padruig Morrison. Later in the week we are delivering our C&C Playerdate 1 Kit, Aguilar Tone Hammer 500, Aguilar GS410 Cab and Fender Twin 65 Reissue to the Mitchell Theatre for Amanda Platt and The Honeycutters on Tuesday. On Thursday another substantial backline is going to St. Luke’s for Frazey Ford. It includes 4 amplifiers, our Yamaha Maple Custom Drum Kit and our Nord Electro 5HP plus more. We will have a lot more deliveries for Celtic events over the coming weeks and will keep you updated on them all. In the meantime a full list of all the shows can be found over at celticconnections.com.
Angel Olsen's All Mirror's from the album of the same name.
Outwith Celtic Connections this month we have supplied our Gretsch Catalina Club Jazz Kit for Angel Olsen’s All Mirrors European Tour. The tour is in support of her new album All Mirrors which was released in October of last year. Following on from the critical acclaim of 2016’s My Woman the new album All Mirrors sees Olsen return with another enchanting album. On her vulnerable new album Olsen takes an introspective deep dive towards internal destinations and revelations. In the process of making this album, she found a new sound and voice, a blast of fury mixed with hard won self-acceptance. All Mirrors gets its claws into you on both micro and macro levels. Of course, there’s that singular vibrato, always so very close - seemingly simple, cooed phrases expand into massive ideas about the inability to love and universal loneliness. And then suddenly, huge string arrangements and bellowing synth swells emerge, propelling the apocalyptic tenor. Olsen herself says of the album: “In every way–from the making of it, to the words, to how I feel moving forward, this record is about owning up to your darkest side, finding the capacity for new love and trusting change even when you feel like a stranger.” Her live shows are often as enchanting as the records themselves and often have that aggressive edge that makes lives shows so captivating. The tour for the album begins in Lisbon on the 23rd January and ends in Glasgow’s legendary Barrowlands on the 14th February and our Drum Kit will be with her the whole way.
Forest of Black produced this video for the Scottish Ballet. You can see more of their work on their Vimeo page.
This Saturday we are providing our Gretsch Catalina Rock kit and guitar combo to Forest of Black. Forest of Black are are a small, focused team of Producers and Directors with collective experience making TV Commercials, Music Promos and Brand films in the UK and abroad, spanning 15 years. We have supplied backline to them on quite a few occasions and are always impressed with the work they do. Make sure to check them out over at their website and get in touch with them if you have a project idea.
If you are heading to any of the shows during Celtic Connections we hope you have a great time and if you would like to hire anything from us at all in the future don't hesitate to contact us at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk.
]]>Headliner Mark Ronson requested our Yamaha NU1X for the show. While our DJ Equipment including our Pioneer CDJ 2000 Nexus, Pioneer DJM 900 Nexus, Pioneer CDJ 2000 NXS2 and Pioneer DJM 900 NXS2 went out for Mungos Hi-fi, Rudimental and noughties children tv stars Dick and Dom who also played a set at this years party.
Marc Almond of Soft Cell headlined the Waverley satge and we supplied him and his band with our Gretsch USA Custom Kit with Sabian Cymbals. It was also the first hire for our recently acquired Korg Minilogue which went out alongside our Nord Stage 2. The band also hired our Taylor 510e Acoustic and 3 of our new top of the range RAT Stands.
We had lots lots more going out to each of the five venues at the event for bands including one our favourites The Snuts, Ninth Wave, Porkpie, Ronnie Scotts Jazz Orchestra and Eddi Reader. We had so much through in Edinburgh that listing all that went out would take us out of blog territory into that of a lengthy short story. It is suffice to say that the yard seemed empty with more out at the various events than left in stock. Once again the event was a massive success with over 70000 people in attendance and even more watching the Tv broadcast of the event.
We also had equipment out to the events in Glasgow including more Pioneer CDJ2000 NXS2 and Pioneer DJM 900 NXS2 out for the Hogmanay event at SWG3. The same list of the equipment was sent out to both the O2 academy and The Social for their respective new Year Parties. And last but not least we also had our Pearl Vision Drum Kit out on Ashton Lane for their New Years celebrations.
We are only now just recovering from all the events that took place and are getting excited about the year ahead. We’re sure to have another very busy year and are excited to be entering our 4th decade of business. We wish you all the best for 2020 and remember to contact us at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk for all your instrument and backline needs.
]]>Trying out our new Yamaha Recording Custom Series Kit for the first time.
We also received new state of the art music stands made by Rat Stands. Rat Stands are the best stand manufacturer in the industry and we now stock there flagship Jazz Stand. The Jazz stand is a professional music stand with a full range of height adjustment, industry standard stability and a full size music tray with pencil shelf. And yet, as a result of its unique design, it unfolds from a flat pack no larger than the size of the tray in just three moves. It does this with no knobs, no finger traps and no hassle. To go alongside the Jazz stands we also have one of their Conductor Stands. The Concert Conductor’s Stand has a wonderful combination of a slender metal and a natural wood to perfectly complement the appearance of a modern or historic concert hall. Designed with simplicity in mind, the extra wide tray is formed from one piece of natural birch and held firmly in place at any angle or height by advanced locking mechanisms.
Our new Rat Stands. The adjustable Jazz stand left and Conductor stand right.
We also have a little something for keyboard players as we recently acquired a new Korg Minilogue. The Minilogue is a stylish, innovative, 37 slim-key fully programmable analog polyphonic synthesizer. With the Minilogue you can get your hands on the powerful sound that's only possible with real analog and find inspiration with features including a polyphonic step and motion sequencer, on board tape-style delay, multiple sound shaping and filter options, and an oscilloscope display. All of these seamlessly integrated features make minilogue as fun and easy to use as it is powerful. We have been having a go of the synth here over the last few days and have had lots of fun combining it with our Korg MS20 Mini.
Breakdown of the Korg Minilogue.
As well as having lots of new equipment in we have lots going out to various shows this week. In particular we have a lot of hires for shows with Regular Music. We have been working closely with Regular Music for decades now and are always pleased when they get in touch. They are responsible for bringing some of the worlds biggest acts to Scotland and this week was no exception. On Tuesday they brought Primal Scream to the Barrowlands. The band were back in the city tonight to finish their UK and Ireland tour, promoting new album Maximum Rock ‘N’ Roll: The Singles. We had 2 of Our Technics SL1210s and our Pioneer DJM 800 mixer out for the show. The day after saw Regular Music host another of the best Glasgow bands of all time in their home city with Hipsways performing at St Lukes. We delivered 2 Fender Hot Rod Deluxes to Grahame Skinner and the gang for their show. Tomorrow night Gun will be playing an acoustic gig at the Barras Bar and we will be supplying our RCF EVox 5 PA, a Mackie Pro FX 12 Mixer and 4 Shure SM58s for the gig. And on Monday night, for the last of the 4 shows we have with Regular Music in the space of a week, we are supplying a substantial backline for American singer Ronnie Spector at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh. The backline for the show includes our Ludwig Super Classic Kit with a set of Zildjian cymbals, a plethora of percussion including LP Giovionai Series Bongos, Jam Blocks, Cowbells, our Ampeg SVT 3 Pro, an Ampeg 810 cab, and 2 Fender Deluxe Reverb 65 reissues. As you can see Regular always have great gigs on in Scotland. Head over to their website for a full list of their upcoming ones.
Regular Music promoted Hipsway at St Luke's on Wednesday.
We have quite a few other events on this weekend. Tonight Bingo Loco and ABBA Wonderland are at the O2 Academy. Also tonight is Glasgow University Union’s Daft Friday which sees the club open from 8pm on Friday to 8am on Saturday morning. We take our hats of to any student able to last the whole 12 hours. On Saturday night The Silencers are playing at SWG3 and we are supplying them with Marshall and Ampeg amps. And on Sunday night we will be supplying a full backline for the Joe Strummer tribute night at King Tuts.
This is our last update of the year so we wish everyone a very merry Christmas and Happy New Year. We are still open throughout the holidays however so if you are wanting to hire anything from us at all don’t hesitate to get in touch at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk.
]]>Full line up for The Dam All Dayer. Tickets available here.
Continuing on the Christmas Festivities this week saw the opening of Elfingrove at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Inspired by the film series Night at The Museum the team behind GlasGLOW and itison is turning Kelvingrove into Elfingrove, with a spellbinding night time tour of Glasgow’s best-loved museum, where the magic of Christmas is brought to life. The experience includes a 60-90 minute tour where the museum is brought to life with state-of-the-art projection, sound and lighting to create the most magical Christmas journey. Animals will prowl and roar, ancient warriors battle, The Glasgow Boys banter as paintings and statues take on a life of their own. When you step outside, your journey won't end; you'll emerge into a festive wonderland of gourmet street food and a bar with some incredible festive surprises, singing and dancing. We will be supplying a Yamaha P120 Keyboard to the event which runs from the 4th December until the 5th January. It is bound to be a very special experience for all the family. You can get tickets and more information about the event here.
Elfingrove at the Kelvingrove Museum runs from the 4th December to the 5th January.
For those looking for something to do this evening (Friday 6th) Irish musician Maria Somerville will be playing at the glad cafe in Glasgow’s Southside. Maria Somerville draws on folk forms alongside post-punk, traditional Irish motifs, starry eyed pop and hypnotic drones to create wholly original music that is borne of her roots in Connemara, Western Ireland. Her debut album All My People (self-released on 1 March and distributed by Rush Hour), channels the wilderness of the Irish landscape through dense, ethereal soundscapes, bare boned percussion and a heady electronic undertow, interspersed with ghostly vocals that are ever present and all encompassing, like crystalline glints of sunshine peeking through dark stormy clouds. Her enigmatic and enthralling live show comes in both solo and band shape, born of ties with fellow Irish maverick Davy Kehoe (Wah Wah Wino). We have just delivered our Ampeg SVT-4 Pro Bass Head and our Ampeg SVT 15E Bass Cab for the show.
Irish musician Maria Somerville is performing at the Glad Cafe on the 6th December.
On Sunday night there is a very unique event taking place at SWG3 in Glasgow as the all-star 10-piece brass band Old Dity Brassterds will be playing one of the best albums of the century start to end. Following multiple sold out shows in London, the UK's finest brass troupe reinterpret Arctic Monkeys' notorious debut album, ‘Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not’ in Glasgow. Now regarded as a timeless classic in British music history The Old Dirty Brassterds will be taking infectious floor-fillers like ‘Dancing Shoes’ and the generation-defining delights of ‘I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor’ and converting them into brass pipe bangers. We will be supplying our Yamaha Maple Custom Drum Kit with a set of Zildjian Cymbals to the unique event. This is one that fans of the Artic Monkey’s excellent first album should not miss. Tickets and more information about the event can be found here.
The Old Dirty Brassterds will be performing The Arctic Monkeys' first album at SWG3 on Sunday.
As usual if you are looking to hire any of these pieces of equipment don’t hesitate to get in touch at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk and if you are heading to any of the shows we hope you have a great time.
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Edith Bowman will host the 21st Scottish Music Awards on Saturday 30th November.
We are very proud to have regularly supported the event and organisation and for over 10 years now have provided instruments and backline for the Awards Show. This years event is one of the biggest yet and the backline requirements are bigger than ever. Our Gretsch USA Custom Kit with sets of Zildjian and Sabian Cymbals and a Roland SPD-SX will be there for the drummers. There will be no shortage of amps either with our Ampeg SVT-VR and Ampeg SVT Classic Bass heads alongside an Ampeg 810E Cab for the bassists and a Fender Twin Reverb, Fender Hot Rod Deville 212 and 2 Marshall JCM 2000 DSLs heads paired with 2 Marshall 412 cabinets. Amongst much more both our Nord Stage 2 and Nord Stage 3 will also be on the stage.
All of this backline is required as the event will feature performances by Simple Minds alongside one of the biggest breakthrough artists of the last year, Tom Walker. The show will also feature a performance by Joesef, one of Scotland’s most exciting emerging artists. This years award nominees include Liam Gallagher, Simple Minds, Tom Walker, Joesef, Auntie Flo, Lewis Capaldi, Twin Atlantic and Be Charlotte. We are sure that the Awards will once again be a roaring success and will continue to support the event in the future.
Simple Minds will perform at the Awards on Saturday
Tomorrow night will also be the final night of GIOfest XII at the CCA. GIOfest is an annual festival in Glasgow providing a platform for improvising musicians and artists, organised by Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra. The festival began on Thursday with concerts on Thrusday, Friday and Saturday evenings. This year’s GIOfest features US-born composer Alvin Curran, co-founder of the legendary Musica Elettronica Viva, multi-instrumentalist Anne Pajunen from Sweden and members of Norway’s ground-breaking Kitchen Orchestra. Also performing will be one of GIO’s most loved and influential collaborators, Maggie Nicols. During the day the CCA will also be hosting GIOxtensions a series of events that showcase exciting new work emerging from artists and groups from within GIO. This will include workshops for both children and adults who can take part in musical sessions filled with drama and humour. When any orchestra comes to town they usually come to us to hire some of our orchestral percussion. This time is no different with our Premier Orchestral 36” Bass Drum and our recently acquired Musser M55 Vibraphone going out for the show alongside one of our Double Basses. Information about tickets and pricing for the event can be found over on the CCA's website.
Alvin Curran will perform on Friday night at the CCA as part of GIOfest XII
Sunday night sees a very different Orchestra come to town as legendary Hollywood composed Danny Elfman brings Tim Burton’s Iconic The nightmare before Christams live in concert to Glasgow for the first time as part of the movie’s 25th anniversary celebration. Elfman, performing his role of Jack Skellington, will be joined by other original cast members Catherine O'Hara as Sally, and Ken Page as the voice of Oogie Boogie with full orchestral accompaniment by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra . Conductor John Mauceri, Founding Director of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, will be leading the full orchestra and choir performing the film's classic score and songs live to picture. Two of our powerhouse Roland Keyboards will be going out to the show as part of the performance. Our Roland Jupiter 80 and Roland Fantom X7 will help bring the music of the wonderful film to life in Glasgow.
Disney's live show comes to Glasgow for the first time on Sunday 1st December.
There will be more Christmas festivities on Sunday in Glasgow as the West End’s Ashton Lane, Vinicombe Street, Cresswell Lane and Ruthven Lane will be turning on their Christmas lights. There will be a Christmas Market beginning at noon with a selection of local traders selling gifts, crafts, food and drink. There will be an entertainment stage which we are providing a full backline for. The actual switch on will be at 5.30pm on Vinicombe Street. Maybe those on the way to the Nightmare Before Christmas concert could swing by.
It's setting up to be a busy Christmas here at ESP and we will keep you updated of all our upcoming events here and on our Twitter. As always get in touch at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk if you would like to hire any of our equipment.
Cass Combs will be closing his European tour at The Great Western Festival tomorrow.
The Great Western is a new music festival organised by 432 Presents taking place in various venues in Glasgow’s west end. It is billed as ‘a festival of musical exploration and discovery.' Alongside McCombs, desert blues outfit Songhoy Blues and Californian dance-punk band Chk Chk Chk top the bill. The line-up also includes the likes of Warmduscher, Peaness, Big Joanie, Dry Cleaning and Art School Girlfriend. There are also a lot of excellent Scottish acts playing at the festival with The Pastels, Lightships and Malcolm Middleton all confirmed to play. Former Scottish Album of the Year winners Sacred Paws and this years SAY Award shortlisted Free Love (FKA Happy Meals) have also been announced.
The festival will take place throughout the west end of Glasgow, from nearby community spaces such as Burnbank Bowling Club, The Glue Factory and Maryhill Community Central Halls to more established venues such as The Hug & Pint, Òran Mór and QMU, as well as the beautiful Mackintosh Queen’s Cross Church. We have backline going out to three of these venues. As well as exceptional live music, The Great Western will also be working closely with local restaurants and bars in the area to offer attendees the chance to sample some of the finest food and drink on offer, with plenty of veggie, vegan and reasonably priced options available. And there will be a wide variety of community workshops on offer too, giving visitors the opportunity to try their hand at a new skill, or simply sharpen an old one. With all this talent on show and the price of full admission being only £31.50 getting a ticket is a no brainer. We will be there for the festival to catch McCombs alongside some of the other excellent acts. Make sure to pick yourself up a ticket here.
The Line Up for The Great Western. Tickets available here.
For those with more heavy tastes this weekend also sees the return of Darkness Guides Us festival. Billed as '2 days of Madness', the black metal festival will take place at the Classic Grand in Glasgow this weekend. Bands with names such as Necrosadistic Goat Torture and Impaled Nazarene will take to the stage so be prepared for an extremely heavy weekend. Like so much other music the black metal scene is supposedly thriving in Glasgow once again confirming what an amazing city Glasogw is to live in when it comes to live music. The pre-party takes place in Stereo on Friday and the rest of the festival continues throughout the weekend in the Classic Grand. Unfortunately the event is already sold out but if you were lucky enough to get tickets have a blast.
The Darkness Guides Us festival takes place over the weekend at The Classic Grand.
Moving from the established acts playing at these two festivals on Tuesday St Lukes will host the 6th incarnation of the Ignite event. Ignite is sponsored by the PRS Foundation and Help Musicians UK. Both organisations are strong supporters of burgeoning musical talent and the Help Musician foundation also does fantastic work supporting musicians who have found them self in difficult times. Although their main focus is to help musicians at times of crisis they also aim to support them at times of opportunity and Ignite is one of their initiatives that aims to do this. This event will showcase upcoming Scottish acts Fauves, Lizzie Reid, Tamzene and Medicine Cabinet. All very promising young acts who have already recorded some very special songs. With previous alumni including Walt Disco, The Vegan Leather, Beta Waves, The Dunts, Cara Rose these 4 acts join a growing list of talent showcased by the 2 foundations. We will be supplying the backline for the event and are very proud to be part of events that support young musicians in their journey. Tickets are currently available for the event at £6 and can be found here.
Fauves will be playing at 6th Ingnite Event at St Lukes.
If you are heading to any of the shows we hope you have a great time and if you would like to hire anything from us at all in the future don't hesitate to contact us atinfo@esp-musicrentals.co.uk.
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Santa's Sleigh in Paisley last year.
Our backline will be on the live stage where there will be performances from Funbox, The Singing Santas, Nickajack Men and this year’s stage headliners, special guests Reggie ‘N’ Bollie. Funbox in particular will be a brilliant singalong show for all the family. Performers Anya Scott-Rodgers, Gary Coupland and Kevin Macleod (alongside their cheeky dog Bonzo) bring a wealth of experience from their days as performers and writers of The Singing Kettle. They have created an dazzling show for kids and all the family which include a mix of traditional singalong songs and Funbox originals alongside a whole load of hi-jinx. We have worked with them many times over the years and not only do they provide onstage laughs they have some of the best backstage banter in the business. We look forward to catching up with them again tomorrow.
Funbox will be celebrating Christmas at Paisley tomorrow.
Perth also has its Christmas lights switch on event tomorrow and our backline will be on the main stage for the performances from Atomic Kitten, Alice DJ, Dario G, NTrance, Top Elvis Tribute (Lee Memphis King), Perth/Dundee rock and pop tribute band Last Orders and Scottish singer songwriter Nina Nesbitt. Catchphrase host Stephen Mulhern will be keeping things moving on the main stage and keeping the crowds in the party spirit. Joining Stephen, and bringing the spirit of the 70's, will be Mister Lionel Vinyl. The event runs from 12 noon to late offering something for all the family, including a dedicated children's performance stage, Santa's grotto, ice caves and live ice sculpting. The Christmas parade will set off from Thimblerow at 5.30pm, making its way to South Street/Speygate and then on to the Tay Street main stage for the official switch-on.
Nina Nesbitt will headline the main stage for Perth's Christmas event.
Away from Christmas festivities this weekend we are also providing backline to Mono for a rare show from The Raincoats. The Raincoats are a seminal post-punk band known as the 'godmothers of grunge' and were an inspiration to a generation of musicians including Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth and Kurt Coabain. Formed in 1977 by Gina Birch and Ana da Silva The Raincoats created a sound that, while inspired by punk and rock music that had come before was uniquely and uncompromisingly powerful and female. Now over 40 years after the release of their eponymous debut album The Raincoats will grace the stage at Mono and we are very pleased to be providing them with our DW Collector's Series Drum Kit, 2 Fender Hot Rod Deville 212s and a Fender Deluxe Reverb for the show. Support comes from Glasgow's very own all girl five piece, Hairband whose carefree but meticulously crafted take on pop music is definitely worth catching before The Raincoats take the stage.
The Raincoats will be playing at Mono in Glasgow this Saturday.
Later in the week we are delivering backline to the Scottish Gaelic Awards 2019. The awards celebrate all aspects of the Gaelic language and culture across the length and breadth of the country. The awards are now in their seventh year and attended by over 200 guests including finalists, event sponsors and members of the Gaelic community. The event itself will be a celebration embracing traditional and modern entertainment. This years events will be hosted by Cath MacDonal and held in Glasgow at the Marriot Hotel on Tuesday 19th November. On Thursday we will be delivering DJ Equipment for an event at the beautiful Kinkell Byre in St Andrews. It is well worth checking out the venues website as it is an exceptionally beautiful space. Next weekend we will be supplying the backline for Darkness Guides Us festival. The pre-party takes place in Stereo on Friday and the rest of the festival continues throughout the weekend in the Classic Grand.
If you are heading to any of the Christmas light switch on events or any of the other shows we hope you have a great time and if you would like to hire anything from us at all in the future don't hesitate to contact us at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk.
]]>Cass McCombs is a prolific songwriter, his songs are cleverly crafted and wonderfully intriguing. His record label Anti- describes him as a ‘transient storyteller interested in words, music and dreams.’ While most of McCombs' albums have been pieced together in different studios over an extended period of time, Tip of the Sphere was recorded quickly and with a strong sense of purpose at Shahzad Ismaily’s Figure 8 Studios in Brooklyn. This new approach for McCombs brought his songs a raw immediacy and a special balance of compassion and experimentation with the intent of making a more consistent statement.
Video For "Absentee" of Cas McCombs' new album Tip of the Sphere.
We have have supplied our Tama Starclassic Kit, Hammond XK3, Ampeg SVT Classic bass head alongside an Ampeg 410 Cab plus much more equipment and accessories for the whole tour which culminates here in Glasgow on Saturday the 23rd November as part of the Great Western Festival.
Cass McCombs' European Tour Dates. Tickets available here.
The Great Western is a new music festival organised by 432 Presents taking place in various venues in Glasgow’s west end. It is billed as ‘a festival of musical exploration and discovery.' Alongside McCombs, desert blues outfit Songhoy Blues and Californian dance-punk band Chk Chk Chk top the bill. The line-up also includes the likes of Warmduscher, Peaness, Big Joanie, Dry Cleaning and Art School Girlfriend. There are also a lot of excellent Scottish acts playing at the festival with The Pastels, Lightships and Malcolm Middleton all confirmed to play. Former Scottish Album of the Year winners Sacred Paws and this years SAY Award shortlisted Free Love (FKA Happy Meals) have also been announced.
The Great Western Festival Poster. Full line up and tickets available here.
The festival will take place throughout the west end of Glasgow, from nearby community spaces such as Burnbank Bowling Club, The Glue Factory and Maryhill Community Central Halls to more established venues such as The Hug & Pint, Òran Mór and QMU, as well as the beautiful Mackintosh Queen’s Cross Church. As well as exceptional live music, The Great Western will also be working closely with local restaurants and bars in the area to offer attendees the chance to sample some of the finest food and drink on offer, with plenty of veggie, vegan and reasonably priced options available. And there will be a wide variety of community workshops on offer too, giving visitors the opportunity to try their hand at a new skill, or simply sharpen an old one. With all this talent on show and the price of full admission being only £31.50 getting a ticket is a no brainer. We will be there for the festival to catch McCombs alongside some of the other excellent acts. Make sure to pick yourself up a ticket here.
Moving from the West End to the East End we have a hire going to Platform in Easterhouse for Idris Ackamoor and The Pyramids. Platform is the arts centre at the heart of The Bridge, located in Easterhouse, offering a year-round programme of cutting edge performance, music, visual arts and participation. The venue views culture and creativity as a bedrock of a healthy and inclusive society and their work is rooted in our location and engages directly with their audiences. They work with a range of local and national partners to bring together communities and artists. As well as benefiting the local community encouraging, artistic expression and collaboration the venue also plays host to some excellent bands and performers.
Idris Ackamoor and the Pyramids playing at Platform on Saturday 9th November.
This Saturday sees them bring Idris Ackamoor and The Pyramids' intergalactic musical odyssey to Glasgow. Formed in 1972 The Pyramids fused influences from the rich jazz and funk scenes of the USA filtered through a musical spiritual journey around West Africa – resulting in an adventurous and bold Afrofuturism. After a trio of albums in the 70s Idris Ackamoor re-emerged in 2016 with We Be All Africans. Idris’ restless creativity sees each record move in a new and distinctive direction whilst maintaining that Pyramids sound. This tour will see them perform music from upcoming album ‘SHAMAN!’ and will feature Idris on saxophone, original Pyramid member Dr Margaux Simmons on flutes, Sandra Poindexter on violins and vocals, Bobby Cobb on guitar, Gary Brown on bass and George Hearst on drums and percussion. Tickets for the show can be found here.
Idris Ackamoor and the Pyramids - We Be All Africans
We have quite a lot more on this week including DJ Equipment for Festival of the Dead, a unique combination of carnival, circus and clubbing inspired by the art of the Day of The Dead celebration, at the O2 Academy tomorrow. On Monday our Dave Smith Prophet 08 is going to the Hug and Pint for American electronic musician Steve Hauschildt. On Tuesday we have backline going out for Sam Tomkins at the Poetry Club which includes our Moog Sub Phatty and Fender Hotrod Deville 212. On Wednesday our DW Collector's Series Drum Kit and one of our Fender Twin Reverb 65s are going to King Tut’s for Canadian Country group the James Barker Band and on Thursday various DJ Equipment is going out for the newly opened Max Mara shop on Multrees Walk in Edinburgh.
Its setting up to be another busy month here at ESP and we will keep you updated of all our upcoming events here and on our Twitter. As always get in touch at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk if you would like to hire any of our equipment.
]]>The final of the Jim Diamond award takes place at Drygate on Wednesday.
Our next hire takes us from Scotland’s emerging talent to stalwarts of Scottish music. Wet Wet Wet are embarking on a tour that includes 6 shows in Scotland. Formed in 1982 the band have had huge hits around the world and continue to put on incredible live shows. After the 2017 departure of Marti Pellow the tour sees them joined by their new singer Kevin Simm, who is best known for his time in noughties pop sensation Liberty X and as winner of the 2016 series of The Voice. The band have come to us to hire out Percussion for the Scottish leg of their tour. We have a large selection of Percussion here at ESP from the orchestral Musser M55 Vibraphone and 36” Bass Drum to the smaller Congas and Cajons. We also put together a selection of smaller and versatile percussion in our Percussion Box which contents can vary depending on your requirements.
Tickets and info about Wet Wet Wet's tour can be found here.
After the success of Terminal-V in Edinburgh last weekend, one of the biggest hires of our DJ Equipment to date, this Saturday sees our DJ Equipment going out to one of Glasgow’s coolest venues SWG3. The multi-disciplinary arts space is host to diverse events ranging from niche product launches to global brand activation, corporate dinners, fashion shows and Food & Drink events and of course to some of the best gigs. The venue is able to host such diverse events because of the variety of spaces within the massive complex. From the smaller capacity Poetry club to the larger rooms of the Warehouse, TV Studio and Galvanisers. Recent years has seen the venue expand to include The Galvanisers Yard, an outside area which has hosted The XX, LCD Soundsystem and Foals.
Inner City at STREETrave
We are supplying equipment for 2 events at SWG3 this Saturday. Our Moog Subsequent 37 will be going out for the 2nd time for STREETrave’s 30th Birthday at the Warehouse. The party features a live performance from InnerCty. Formed in 1987 by record producer, composer and international DJ Kevin Saunderson (who with fellow Detroiters Juan Atkins and Derrick May, are renowned as the “The Belleville Three”, the originators of Techno) and vocalist Paris Grey, Inner City are best known for their early crossover hits “Big Fun” and “Good Life”. STREETrave residents Jon Mancini, Iain ‘Boney’ Clark and Michael Kilkie will also be performing. On the same night in the TV Studio Folamour returns. Our boutique Rane MP2015 and M-Audio Axiom 49 will be there alongside all the clubbers for a night of disco. You can get tickets for both the events here.
Poster for SWG3 Presents: Filamour
If you are heading to any of the shows we hope you have a great time and if you would like to hire anything from us at all in the future don't hesitate to contact us atinfo@esp-musicrentals.co.uk.
]]>With 5 stages and a huge amount of performers the festival turned to us for their DJ Equipment needs which includes mixers, decks, drum machines and synths. Below is a breakdown of some of the highlights.
Terminal V Line-up
Moog Subsequent 37
A few of the acts had requested a Moog Subsequent 37 and we had been toying with the idea of adding one to our current Moog collection which includes the legendary MiniMoog Voyager and the Moog Sub Phatty. We didn’t need much more deliberation after this and we are happy to now stock one at ESP.
The guys over at Moog set themselves the difficult task of improving upon the Sub 37 Tribute Edition, an already brilliant synth, and the result was the Subsequent 37, a rich and powerful sounding analogue synth with a massive tonal range. A big part of this undertaking was inspired by the feedback they received from owners of the Tribute Edition. They wanted to take on board these users comments and build an even better synth. Cyril Lance, a chief engineer at Moog had this to say about the process:
“We are really excited to incorporate community feedback into the evolution of an instrument. Adding CV interconnectivity was the starting point, but we have also increased the headroom in the mixer and significantly extended the range of Multidrive, giving the Subsequent 37 CV expanded sonic capability and modular control."
As noted above the expanded headroom in the synth’s mixer allows the synth to generate both lovely warm clean tones even with volume cranked high. However for those looking for something with more bite, driving the re-calibrated multi-drive circuitry will generate some wonderful gritty tones. Driving it to the max will generate much grittier tones than the Tribute edition was capable of so the overall tonal qualities of the updated synth are amazing. As well as all its impressive functionality and sound the synth also looks exquisite and is another example of Moog unparalleled aesthetic design. We can definitely see this being a popular hire at ESP.
The beautiful Moog Subsequent 37.
Rane MP2015
The festival which features five stages and over 30 performers has hired pretty much all our DJ Equipment. This includes fantastic Pioneer mixers and decks such as the DJM 900 NXS2 (there are 32 of these out on this hire alone), Allen and Heath Xone 92’s and 96’s, Technics 1210s plus much more that can all be found on the DJ Hire Section of our website.
One particular mixer going out to the festival that we would like to focus on today is our Rane MP2015. The boutique mixer is a particular standout amongst the excellent DJ Equipment we have at ESP. With over 40 years of rotary mixer experience to draw on, along with collaboration and input from the world's best techno house DJs, the MP2015 is the best mixer produced by Rane and arguably one of the best mixers ever. There are no compromises in the design as it has unparalleled sound, features, feel, reliability and durability. Again, very much like aesthetic design of the Subsequent 37, it is very unlikely that you will ever see a better looking mixer. If you are heading to the festival tomorrow keep an eye out for it on the Interstellar stage.
The classy Rane MP2015.
Roland TR-909
Departing from two recently released but soon to be classic pieces of equipment we also have a bonafide legendary drum machine going out to Terminal V. Like its predecessor the TR-808, which became synonymous with the sounds of hip-hop, the TR-909 has become synonymous with electronic dance music such as techno, house and acid. Popularised in the 1980s by producers in Chicago and Detroit such Frankie Knuckles and Jeff Mills its distinctive sounds can be heard on literally thousands of songs. Today these classic drum machines are very hard to come across seen as Roland only ever produced 10,000 of them between 1983 and 1985. We count ourselves very lucky to have of one of these legendary drum machines available for hire and will be delighted to see it featured by some of the performers on the Area V Stage of the festival tomorrow.
As usual if you are looking to hire any of these pieces of equipment don’t hesitate to get in touch at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk and if you are heading over to the festival tomorrow have a great day. There are a few tickets available for Terminal-V here alongside a full list of all the performers.
]]>We have two original Fender Rhodes Mark 1 Pianos at ESP; a 1976 model and a 1978 model. We’ve had them for 15 years and 6 years respectively and they are some of our most requested instruments with previous clients including Marcos Valle, Ramsey Lewis, Theo Croker, Taylor McFerrin and Bill Laurance.
However over 40 years of gigging had left its mark on our 76 model and the piano was in a need of a little TLC. Our good friend and go to piano specialist Colin has been working on restoring the piano and we can’t believe how good it has turned out.
The 1976 model Rhodes before restoration.
The original case was painstakingly restored by stripping off all the tattered paint and Tolex. It was then repainted and recanvassed with new Tolex. A new badge matching the original Rhodes logos were attached and all the internal mechanisms and wiring were also restored. To finish of the project the keyboard itself was tuned and recalibrated. It has never looked better and we are delighted to have it available for hire again.
Suitcase stripped back on left and then with its new Tolex cover on right.
New badges.
This is just one of many restoration jobs that ESP has undertaken over the years. We have refaced many amps and drum kits and we regularly service all our instruments, backline and DJ Equipment to make sure that everything that is sent out on hire both looks the part and is in perfect working condition.
This is a service that we can also offer to our clients so if you have any instrument or amplifier that is in need of restoration contact us at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk. Also if you would like to be one of the first people to hire the newly restored Rhodes don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Fender Rhodes 1976 Restored to its original glory.
Tomorrow sees Tenement Tv’s Tenement Trail return for its seventh year and for the first time in its history it will take over Glasgow’s East End. We will be delivering backline to all its venues which include The Barrowlands, Barrowlands 2, St Luke’s, BAAD and McChuills.
The Tenement Trail is always a fantastic day of music with over 60 acts performing. It is a great opportunity to see some of best emerging acts alongside established acts such as headliners Fatherson, The Magic Gang and Baby Strange. Previous Tenement Trail performers have gone on to become some of the biggest acts in the world today. Scottish superstar Lewis Capaldi played The Vic Bar as part of the festival back in 2016 and recent Brit award winner Sam Fender has played the festival twice most recently in 2017. There are bound to be many fantastic acts to catch live with the first band opening the event at 1.45pm and the last acts finishing at 2.30am.
You can see the full line-up and grab one of the remaining tickets for tomorrow’s event here.
Just some of the backline going out to the Tenement Trail Venues tomorrow.
To add to all the excitement in the East End of Glasgow further West sees the return of the Paisley’s Spree Festival. The festival, organised by Renfrewshire Council, will have its eighth and biggest outing from 11-19 October. The festival encompasses music, drama, dance, comedy and has something for everyone to enjoy. There will also be a ‘wee Spree’ programme of activities for kids timed to coincide with the school holidays and a Spree for All fringe festival extended this year to take in events across towns and villages in Renfrewshire.
To kick off our involvement with the festival we have backline going out for Roddy Hart, Emma Pollock and Rab Noake’s celebration of revered Paisley musician Gerry Rafferty. Later on this weekend we will deliver backline for West-Lothian Indie sensations The Snuts and Modstuff - a celebration of Mod Culture and music.
You can see the Spree’s Full line-up and ticket availability here.
Mural of Gerry Rafferty on Brown's Lane, Paisley
Further afield we have a hire going to the Sage Gateshead in Newcastle where French prog rock legends Magma are playing as part of The 2019 Tusk Festival. Magma drumming legend and Gretsch endorsee Christian Vander is playing our Gretsch USA Custom Kit for the show. We are pleased to have a longstanding partnership with Gretsch Drums and have worked with many of their endorsees in the past. The hire will also see the first outing for our newly acquired Musser M55 Vibraphone.
Magma
If you are heading to any of the shows we hope you have a great time and if you would like to hire anything from us at all in the future don't hesitate to contact us at info@esp-musicrentals.co.uk.
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Last month we received delivery of our 1992 model Yamaha C3. The C3 is one of the most sought after and highly regarded pianos ever made and we are delighted to have one amongst our collection of Instruments for hire.
Last weekend saw the first hire for the piano. It went out to St Luke's in Glasgow as part of BBC Radio Scotland's Scottish Singer/Songwriter 2019 awards final hosted by Ricky Ross. It was a lovely night with great performances from the four finalists: Liv Dawn, Scott Wallace Mike McKenzie and Gus Harrower.
Congratulations to all the finalist, in particular Mike McKenze who took home the coveted award on the night. You can stream the performances from each artist over on the BBC Iplayer which includes Mckenzie's winning performance of his song Love Like This played on the C3.
If you would like to hire the Yamaha C3 or one of our many other instruments don't hesitate to get in touch with info@esp-musicrentals.com.
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