The HOT
100
Compiled by List staff through a painstaking process of review and debate, the Hot 100 is the comprehensive list of Scottish creative talent, covering both individuals and organisations who’ve made a standout contribution to culture in 2009. This year’s list favours the new faces who’ve made an impact, supporting courage and creativity above all else. Comment online at www.list.co.uk or write to letters@list.co.uk
Contributors: Kelly Apter, Niki Boyle, Hamish Brown, Adam Coulson, Paul Dale, Brian Donaldson, Rosalie Doubal, Laura Ennor, Jonny Ensall, Kirstin Innes, Carol Main, Henry Northmore, David Pollock, Allan Radcliffe, Donald Reid, Claire Sawers, Alice White
The quietly unassuming Alex Reedijk is on a run of success. Collaboration with his homeland’s New Zealand Opera for recent hit The Italian Girl in Algiers is set to be followed by two more full productions and another round of the 5:15 short opera commissions project. (CM)
96 DF Concerts CONCERT PROMOTERS
It was another strong year from DF. In other words, huge Hampden concerts from artists like Take That, AC/DC and Coldplay, the second year of the rebranded Edge Festival in Edinburgh in August and yet more record- breaking sales for their flagship event, T in the Park. (DP)
95 Peter Irvine HOGMANAY HERO AND
AUTHORITY ON SCOTLAND
Pete Irvine’s Unique Events company has prepared a great line-up for their 2009/2010 Hogmanay schedule, with five days of celebratory events stretching over the decade divide. We’ve also just been treated to the latest version of Scotland the Best, Irvine’s personally-researched and indispensable guide to this noble country. (JE)
94 Ian Rankin THE DON OF CRIME WRITING
Another Rebus-less year for the bestselling Edinburgh-based crime author, but he managed to keep busy. As well as numerous media
100 Susan Boyle CULTURAL PHENOMENON
Scoff, as you might well do, at the corrosive effect of reality TV on our nation’s cultural fabric, but there’s no overlooking the perverse appeal of SuBo. She’s either the first true representative of the media age’s democracy of choice, or just temporary tabloid fodder. We suspect the latter, but appreciate too that her ascent to the ridiculous heights of her current fame couldn’t have been achieved without some vocal talent. (JE)
99 Canongate PUBLISHING GIANT
Canongate bagged many column inches with their UK re-releases of David Simon’s Homicide and The
18 THE LIST 17 Dec 2009–7 Jan 2010
Corner, but it was the pioneering September release of Nick Cave’s The Death of Bunny Munro in print, ebook, audiobook, and iPhone formats which forced the Edinburgh publishers to the frontline of digital publishing. (DP)
98 Brewdog FRASERBURGH’S
FIREBRAND BREWERS
James Watt and Martin Dickie have continued to rip up the rule book of beer making and marketing with provocative new releases (including Tactical Nuclear Penguin, the world’s strongest ever beer at 32% alcohol), surging sales and big expansion plans. (DR)
97 Alex Reedijk SCOTTISH OPERA’S
GENERAL DIRECTOR