HIGHLAND CAPITAL (AND THE WORLD) SET TO BE ROCKED BY CELTIC & SCOTS ACTS

This weekend Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, will be a hive of Celtic and Scots language activity with a number of events celebrating new song-writing and developments in these ancient tongues.

The main event is Nòs Ùr on Saturday night which is a new song competition for all the Celtic and Scots languages. There are ten selected acts travelling to Inverness who will perform a diverse range of music from rock, rap, pop and folk. The local Gaelic youth group Canntaireachd will perform before the competition and Michael Russell MSP, Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution, will be present to officially launch the competition. The MC's for the evening are acclaimed singer-songwriter Karine Polwart (who will also perform with Kim Edgar after the intermission) and television star Tony Kearney.

For those who are not lucky enough to be able to be present at the competition, Nòs Ùr will be broadcast live over the internet from 7:30pm British Summer Time. www.nos-ur.eu. The audience will be able to vote in the hall and the public will be able to vote online. These results will be combined to select the public winners of Nòs Ùr. An international jury will select the jury winners of the competition who, along with the public winners, will perform at the pan-European minority language song competition – Liet International, in Friesland in October. Entry to Nòs Ùr is free for under 16's.

On Friday night three teenage bands have been chosen to play at Nòs Òg which showcases young up-and-coming acts. They are Fionnar from the Highlands of Scotland singing in Scots Gaelic, The Stilletoes from North Wales singing in Welsh and The Temporary from the west of Ireland singing in Irish Gaelic. This event starts at 7:30pm is free entry.

To augment the Nòs Òg and Nòs Ùr events on Saturday morning there will be a music industry panel discussion controversially titled: “Do you have to sing in English to be successful?” Start time 11:30am at Eden Court.

Event organiser Brian Ó hEadhra says: “We are very excited about this second year of Nòs Ùr. We have added the Nòs Òg event as well as the industry discussion and there has been a lot of interest from home and abroad. There really is something for all the family at this hugely entertaining event.”

Finally, on Saturday (daytime) in Eden Court, UHI Millennium Institute is hosting a conference called Voices of the West with the theme “Politicising Minority Languages”. This will draw senior academics and language enthusiasts from far and wide. The keynote speakers are: Michael Russell MSP, Minister for Culture, External Affairs, and the Constitution; Lesley Riddoch, presenter on BBC Radio Scotland; Dr Mike Cormack, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig UHI; Prof. Kenneth MacKinnon, University of Aberdeen.

Ends.

Entry into Nòs Òg and the panel discussion is free of charge. Under 16's get free entry to Nòs Ùr; over 16's entry is £8.00. Tickets can be booked from Eden Court Box Office 01463 234234 or online at www.eden-court.co.uk

The acts performing at Nòs Ùr are: Àdhamh MacLeòid. Language: Scots. Song: Jist The Graith Fiach. Language: Irish. Song: Sea Táim Iwan B. Language: Breton. Song: Fulenn Malachy Duffin. Language: Ulster Scots. Song: I Dinnay Gie a Hoot Mary Ann Kennedy. Language: Scots Gaelic. Song: Mise Fhuair Na Gathan. Language: Scots Gaelic. Song: Claigeann Damien Hirst Phil Innes & Josie Boucharde. Language: Cornish. Song: Kernewek Ov Vy Sunrise Not Secular. Language: Scots Gaelic. Song: Lasair An t-Oidhche Masters in France. Language: Welsh. Song: Y Rhai Gwyllt Enda Reilly. Language: Irish. Song: Mol an Aimsir

For more information visit the Nos Ur Website