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        Not Pete Atkin >> Off-topic >> Michael Marra
        
(Message started by: colin_boag on Today at 17:27)

Title: Michael Marra
Post by colin_boag on Today at 17:27

Can I commend Michael Marra's gigs at the Edinburgh Festival to anyone who has been intrigued by my persistent championing of his cause? He's doing a solo gig on 29 August at the lovely Reid Hall, and has an earlier show with Liz Lochead. Also, his new operetta is being 'premiered' at Dundee Rep in August. It will be performed by a 75-strong a capella women's choir called 'Loadsaweeminsingin' - I think it probably will be as weird as that makes it sound.

Title: Re: Michael Marra
Post by colin_boag on 10.11.04 at 13:48

I'll continue with my one-man Marra campaign - honest, if you love PA you'd find that MM would appeal to you...trust me! He's doing slots at the Tower in Winchester tomorrow (Thurs) and Friday, opening for Richard Digance (who's OK although hardly in the same league as MM). He also has a new album on the way...be assured that I'll be letting you know about it when it appears.

Colin

Title: more Michael Marra
Post by colin_boag on 01.12.04 at 08:15

There's a new official Marra website....http://www.marra.me.uk/

If you haven't heard the man before there's a chance to hear the famous Gaels Blue Orchestra (sadly it's poor quality recording), or The Mill Lavvies which is the album of the songs he wrote for the theatre production of the same name (it's set in a Jute Mill in Dundee and the lavvies are...well, they're the lavvies!). If you listen to 'If Dundee was Africa' or 'Big wide world beyond the Seedlies' (Siddlaw Hills), you might get an idea of what he's all about.

Incidentally, he's agreed to a Christmas Special where, for about a fortnight, lots of his archive material - recordings, video clips, unreleased material, etc - is put up on the web. Great idea....worth a thought for PA?

Title: Re: Michael Marra
Post by colin_boag on 16.12.04 at 16:11

To continue my one-man Marra campaign (only because I'm convinced that people who like PA/CJ's offerings must surely see what MM's all about!), there's a one-hour profile of the man on BBC Radio Scotland on 31 December at 13:05 (but then available for the next seven days on Listen Again) called 'Hermless - A portrait of Michael Marra', with contributions from, amongst others, the excellent Liz Lochead.

Title: Re: Michael Marra
Post by colin_boag on 10.04.05 at 10:49

More Marra news (I saw him play to a full house of about 300 at Glasgow's Tron theatre a week ago and he was superb) for any southern -ased MVs. He plays the Ashcroft Arts Centre in Fareham next Thursday and there are seats still available.

Title: Re: Michael Marra
Post by colin_boag on 23.10.05 at 19:06

Friday next, 28/10, MM is at The Tower in Winchester - only £5 so if you are close by he's worth a visit

Title: Re: Michael Marra
Post by Secret Drinker on 27.04.06 at 14:21

At last, someone other than Colin mentioning Michael Marra! :)

I saw MM do a brief set (about 35 mins) last weekend at my local folk club (Hitchin). He was pretty good from what I saw of him, although I felt the set wasn't long enough for me to properly 'get into' him. But he was interesting and I'd happily go and see him again.

I thought his work on the keyboard (on which he did most of the set) was somewhat similar in style to PA's, although his guitar work seemed fairly basic on this showing - not that it matters if the songs are good. But his lyrics were thoughtful and/or witty (perhaps another similarity with PA/CJ), and he demonstrated a good sense of humour between songs. His gritty vocal delivery reminded me a little of Randy Newman, albeit with a strong Scottish accent.

So Colin, maybe I'm not a full convert yet, but at least I know what you're talking about now.

I'd like to have had a chat with him but he seemed to disappear after his set was over. He did say he hadn't brought his CDs with him, so maybe he didn't think it was worth hanging around. (I chatted instead to Chris Newman - no relation to Randy of course! -who I hadn't seen since the Fred Wedlock era 20+ years ago.)

Cheers

Paul