The Idlewild bassist put out a new album, A Sentimental Education (available to fans through an innovative, waste-free pre-order system), in early 2010, followed up by a solo dates. He also worked with Emma Pollock to lay down the Fruit Tree Foundation – First Edition compilation: an album written and recorded by Scottish musicians as part of the mental health- supporting Music Like A Vitamin project. (JE)
81 CAROL ANN DUFFY Poet Laureate thrives A certain wedding might keep the Scottish Laureate busy in ‘11, but during her first full year in the post, Duffy has written odes about David Beckham’s achilles injury, volcanic ash and those who have lost their lives to HIV/AIDS. (BD)
80 BRAW GIGS Noisy Embra DIY gig promoters Focusing on the noisy, experimental scenes, but with a reliable ‘good music is good music’ policy, 2010 saw solid-gold sets from warped-popper James Ferraro plus virtuoso guitarists Steffen Basho Junghans, C Joynes and James Blackshaw. A much-appreciated kick up the avant-garde for Edinburgh’s musical landscape. (CS)
79 FRIGHTENED RABBIT Borders band 2010 marked the release of third album The Winter of Mixed Drinks as well as Frabbit being signed by label giants Atlantic Records. After two sell out gigs at the Barras, the future looks bright for the Selkirk natives. (HG)
78 BREW DOG
Roadkill-stuffing beer-makers The irreverent, iconoclastic and fast-moving brewers from Fraserburgh attracted 1350 online investors with their Equity for Punks scheme, opened a bar in Aberdeen and marketed the world’s strongest beer, End of History, using tasteful taxidermy. As you do. (DR)
77 DISCOMBOBULATE Comedic and literary nights It’s the place where ‘literature, boy scouts and comedy collide’ and their regular events (hosted by the effortlessly dry Ian Macpherson) have showcased talents such as Alan Bissett, Magi Gibson, Douglas Maxwell, Aidan Moffat, Ewan Morrison and Luke Wright. (BD)
76 STEVEN THOMSON
Glasgay! Producer extraordinaire Despite massive cuts to its already modest budget, Scotland’s biggest celebration of LGBT culture returned in rude
health once again under the auspices of Steven Thomson. The programme, based around the theme of ‘relationships’, included a new play from Louise Welsh and Zoë Strachan and a new discussions strand as well as the usual mix of music, clubs, talks and special events. (AR)
75 MALCOLM MIDDLETON Renamed former Arab Strap chap No assault on the Christmas number one spot this
HOT 100 2010
year for our Malcy, but be sure to give anyone you hold dear a copy of his double live CD to unwrap on the 25th. He’s even given himself a new moniker, Human Don’t Be Angry, with wonderful live work soon to be followed by a record. (BD)
74 TRACER TRAILS Homespun gig promoters Massively supportive of Edinburgh’s strong alt-folk movement, this tiny DIY promoter showed big love to gig-goers, with it’s August church-held festival, Retreat! plus performances from Calvin Johnson, Wire cover star Alasdair Roberts and Part Wild Horses Mane on Both Sides. (CS)
73 KATHRYN HOWDEN Ubiquitous stage actress
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One of Scottish theatre’s best-kent faces, Kathryn Howden continued to tackle challenging roles in 2010, appearing alongside her brother Lewis for the first time in Linda McLean’s powerful Any Given Day and convincingly portraying a woman making the painful transition to the afterlife in Every One, Jo Clifford’s lyrical meditation on death. (AR)
72 NICK BARLEY Book Festival boss One of two ex-List editors in this 100 going on to fresh pastures (see also: Alice Thompson) is Nick Barley who shaped an impressive debut Book Festival. He introduced guest selectors, the Unbound strand of night-time entertainments and exclusive online stories while the standard set of top literary names showed up. (BD)
71 LA CHEETAH
New club earning its spots The List has been impressed with the breadth and quality of clubs at this basement venue in 2010, with Mount Heart Attack, Stay Plastic, Jelly Roll Soul and Banjax joining old favourites Slabs of the Tabernacle and Inner City Acid in raising La Cheetah to a par with Sleazy’s or Stereo. (DP) 16 Dec 2010 – 6 Jan 2011 THE LIST 19