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A Kick Up The Arts
Episodes
Live Events
About
Contact
Subscribe
Episodes
Live Events
About
Contact
Subscribe

Latest Episodes

Featured
Man’s Best Friend: Jordan Young & Jemima Levick
Jun 26, 2025
Jun 26, 2025

Man’s Best Friend at The Tron

We’re at one of my old places of work for this episode - The Tron theatre in Glasgow, to celebrate a terrific one-man play called Man’s Best Friend - you might have seen the dogs who’re ostensibly at the heart of it all over social media - and it’s there until the 12th of July, before touring Aberdeen, Ayr, Dundee, Edinburgh, Greenock and Inverness in the Autumn.

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Jun 26, 2025
Glasgow Jazz Festival ‘25
Jun 18, 2025
Jun 18, 2025

Glasgow Jazz Festival

This week, we're at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, as this year's 39th Glasgow Jazz Festival kicks off..

With only a mere few hours till the opening events, I met up with Glasgow Jazz Festival director Jill Rodger, and rising jazz star Marianne McGregor, who won best vocalist at the Scottish Jazz Awards in 2023, and who'll launch her new album at the festival on Sunday…

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Jun 18, 2025
Bloody Scotland 2025: with Ian Rankin, Natalie Jayne Clark & Gordon Brown
Jun 12, 2025
Jun 12, 2025

Bloody Scotland with Ian Rankin, Natalie Jayne Clark & Gordon Brown

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We’re in my hometown of Stirling in this episode, for the launch of the brilliant Crime Writing Festival, Bloody Scotland, which started back in 2012… I’m joined by this year’s guest programmer, Sir Ian Rankin, festival co-founder and author Gordon Brown, and debut novelist Natalie Jayne Clark…

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Jun 12, 2025
Kathryn Joseph & Lomond Campbell
May 30, 2025
May 30, 2025

Kathryn Joseph and Lomond Campbell

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The Scottish Album of the Year Award-winner on her new LP, We Were Made Prey, in cahoots with Lomond Campbell.

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Recorded at Some Great Reward record cafe in Glasgow.

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May 30, 2025
KELI
May 22, 2025
May 22, 2025

KELI (The National Theatre of Scotland)

In this episode, we’re celebrating brass bands, activism, teenage angst and community spirit, thanks to the National Theatre of Scotland’s latest production - KELI, which is running at Dundee Rep this week, before marching on to Perth Theatre and Glasgow Tramway in June…

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May 22, 2025
David Keenan on Volcanic Tongue
May 13, 2025
May 13, 2025

David Keenan on Volcanic Tongue

The incendiary author of This Is Memorial Device, For The Good Times and more reflects on post-punk, art, magic, acid house, science fiction and his thrilling new collection of underground music writing, Volcanic Tongue.

Recorded live at Edinburgh’s Portobello Bookshop - thanks if you joined us!

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May 13, 2025
Restless Natives: The Musical
Apr 24, 2025
Apr 24, 2025

Restless Natives: The Musical

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Well I am thrilled to be hearing about a brand-new musical theatre production that’s based on one of my all-time favourite films…

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Recorded between rehearsals at Perth Theatre, with stars Kyle Gardiner, Finlay McKillop, Kirsty MacLaren and Alan McHugh, and producer Andy Paterson.

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Apr 24, 2025
Michael Pedersen: All Back To Mine
Apr 15, 2025
Apr 15, 2025

Michael Pedersen: All Back To Mine
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The award-winning author & poet discusses a favourite Scottish album, film & book, along with his wider life & work - & forthcoming novel, Muckle Flugga…
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Recorded live at the Glad Cafe, thanks if you joined us in the audience!

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Apr 15, 2025
More episodes here!

Live Events

Featured
Edinburgh Fringe 2025: Horse at The Stand (August 24th, 2-3pm)
Jun 23, 2025
Edinburgh Fringe 2025: Horse at The Stand (August 24th, 2-3pm)
Jun 23, 2025

In the first of a series of 'Scottish Album Social' events celebrating some of the country’s best-loved LPs, music icon Horse will join me to reflect on 35 years of the band's just-reissued debut, The Same Sky (which features timeless hits like Careful and The Speed of the Beat of My Heart) - and to perform a couple of stripped-back songs from the record.

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Jun 23, 2025
Edinburgh International Book Festival: 1995 - GRRRLS ALOUD (August 10th)
Jun 21, 2025
Edinburgh International Book Festival: 1995 - GRRRLS ALOUD (August 10th)
Jun 21, 2025

I’m thrilled to be chairing / hosting / introducing some really special events at this year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival, and tickets are on-sale now! Two Hamish Hawk via Ivor Cutler shows (both now SOLD OUT); a discussion with legendary producer Joe Boyd (Pink Floyd, Nick Drake, REM) AND - as a counter to the Murrayfield Oasis swagger (nothing against them, btw; but it is a fab excuse for another party / line of enquiry) - a femme-fuelled bash in The Spiegeltent on August 10th…

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Jun 21, 2025
Edinburgh Fringe 2025: Gordon Buchanan at The Stand (August 19, 2-3pm)
Jun 17, 2025
Edinburgh Fringe 2025: Gordon Buchanan at The Stand (August 19, 2-3pm)
Jun 17, 2025

On August 19th, 2-3pm, award-winning wildlife cameraman, film-maker, presenter, lion-tamer, and a man who's been hailed as "Scotland's David Attenborough", Gordon Buchanan reflects on his life and work, and discusses his remarkable memoir, In The Hide. He'll also chat about his choice of a favourite Scottish album, film and book - and tell us what they mean to him. There are no guarantees that he'll bring along lions, tigers and bears - let alone camels - but then again, you never know...

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Jun 17, 2025
Edinburgh Fringe 2025: Gavin Mitchell at The Stand (August 18, 2-3pm)
Jun 4, 2025
Edinburgh Fringe 2025: Gavin Mitchell at The Stand (August 18, 2-3pm)
Jun 4, 2025

On August 18th, actor, artist, comedian, and surely Scotland's most (in)famous barman - Still Game's Boabby, no less - Gavin Mitchell reflects on his life and work: from his early days at Glasgow's Citz Theatre through working with Robin Williams and John Byrne, not to mention his starring role in a David Shrigley opera, and his time on Monarch of the Glen. He'll also chat about his choice of a Scottish film, book and album, and he'll bring a very special guest: Bob, his legendary dog. I’ll get the pints in; he’s pulled enough of them (Gavin, that is; I can’t speak for Bob…)

Come hang out for lunch with us! Tickets here.

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Jun 4, 2025
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