Big Gig 2008

[SixToOne]

so initially, i am asking what YOU, the music community what you want to hear at this years big gig.

i.e. what bands you want to hear and see.

thank you.

As I always like to see young talent being given the opportunity to get a bit of exposure, I'd like to recommend a young lad I met in Thurso a little while ago, he's a cracking guitarist and goes by the name of Lyle Watt.
At just fifteen years of age he has skills that can embarrass many a man twice his age, so if you want the audience transfixed by incredible young talent then vote Lyle Watt... a star in the making!

[Jeid]

As I always like to see young talent being given the opportunity to get a bit of exposure, I'd like to recommend a young lad I met in Thurso a little while ago, he's a cracking guitarist and goes by the name of Lyle Watt.
At just fifteen years of age he has skills that can embarrass many a man twice his age, so if you want the audience transfixed by incredible young talent then vote Lyle Watt... a star in the making!

So we can have someone twiddling around on his guitar to backing tracks for half an hour? You're having a larf! If he had a band however... then why not.

[Stew]

So we can have someone twiddling around on his guitar to backing tracks for half an hour? You're having a larf! If he had a band however... then why not.

"You're having a larf" is a bit unkind to the young lads talent and I would not describe Lyle's talent as "twiddling" around. i totally agree with Six that if you want entertainment then Lyle is your best bet. I am sure he would have a bass and drummer for a full band to belt out crowd pleasers.

[daveyravey]

So we can have someone twiddling around on his guitar to backing tracks for half an hour? You're having a larf! If he had a band however... then why not.

You've obviously not heard him before, have you ?
Would you prefer Steve Vai or Satch twiddling around to backers ???
Lyle Watt has an incredible talent & with the right openings, will go all the way !!!!
Ok, he's only 15, but plays like he's had 25 years of experience & already has quite a following throughout the country and beyond.
Can the organisers afford NOT to have him play, cos then when he hits the top, they can say " Lyle played here when he was 15" !!!!
Instead of having a dig jeid, why not check some of his stuff on You tube !!!

I'm not having a go at anyone, just adding my tuppence worth.

[Jeid]

Oh I've heard him.. and for the first 3minutes... it's interesting. I never denied his talent. I find guitar noodling a bit dull. Where's the fun (for the crowd) in that? Unless you're a musician... and let's face it, most of us who post here are... then you cannot fully appreciate or connect with 45minutes(that's the time they're looking to fill) of him noodling around to backing tracks/a backing band. He's good, but I'd much rather see him showing off his talent in a proper rock band, which would include a vocalist.

No offence, but any band with the right openings can go all the way. It's all about right place at the right time.

I'd rather not have Satch or Vai... I don't get the fascination with either.

I wasn't having a dig, I was voicing my opinion, just like you're doing yours. You seem to have taken offence to my opinion... I'm just clearing things up for you biy.

[The Pepsi Challenge]

Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton used to play a lot of festivals. They were prone to lots of noodling, too. Get the lad on the stage and let him sink or swim.
How's Caithness Glasstonbury coming on anyway?

[daveyravey]

No offence, but any band with the right openings can go all the way. It's all about right place at the right time.

I wasn't having a dig, I was voicing my opinion, just like you're doing yours. You seem to have taken offence to my opinion... I'm just clearing things up for you biy.

No offence taken dude.

I have to disagree with you tho', you gotta have talent to make it big. Take a look at the state of the music industry these days...... 99% is rubbish. Money talks !

[slightly_funked]

Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton used to play a lot of festivals. They were prone to lots of noodling, too. Get the lad on the stage and let him sink or swim.
How's Caithness Glasstonbury coming on anyway?

got to agree the kid should get given some stage play,
no harm in it really.

[daveyravey]

Why not check some of his work

http://www.youtube.com/user/kirkhetfieldtrujillo

[moncur]

hmmm iv been reading the recent posts. Lyle is AMAZING on guitar and think he would go down well at the big gig, but NOT as a solo artist for 45 minutes. The only solution i could suggest is have him on for 20 minutes solo then him and band play for the remaining 25, or get a young band on for 25 minutes as a lot of young bands struggle to get 45 minutes with of songs. Or.......... GUITAR BATTLES!!!!! lol

[SixToOne]

So we can have someone twiddling around on his guitar to backing tracks for half an hour? You're having a larf! If he had a band however... then why not.

Well I was thinking more along the lines of having some real talent on stage. Instead, there will probably be a bunch of mediocre bands playing... yeah, much better to have five average musicians on stage than one exceptional musician!
I do agree, however, that an exceptional musician such as Lyle at the head of a band would be better still but for me it's about exposing talent to the world, not about filling the books with five piece acts.
I made a suggestion anyway, which is more than most on here have done so far and I don't think that accusing me of 'having a larf' is a reasonable and appropriate way to respond.

[Mystical Potato Head]

Hey guys, Lyle here

First of all, thanks for all the praise - I think i'm going to have to get the doorframes in my house widened so i can fit my head through them !

Oh I've heard him.. and for the first 3minutes... it's interesting. I never denied his talent. I find guitar noodling a bit dull. Where's the fun (for the crowd) in that? Unless you're a musician... and let's face it, most of us who post here are... then you cannot fully appreciate or connect with 45minutes(that's the time they're looking to fill) of him noodling around to backing tracks/a backing band. He's good, but I'd much rather see him showing off his talent in a proper rock band, which would include a vocalist.

Jeid, I never thought I'd say this, but I can see your point - although you could have made it a bit more politely! But I'm not gonna bother arguing because I know that instrumental stuff isn't your thing - I'm never going to go down well in your book.

But if I can sort out a band - you wouldn't have a problem with me playing then, would you?

[K dragon]

"Well I was thinking more along the lines of having some real talent on stage. Instead, there will probably be a bunch of mediocre bands playing... yeah, much better to have five average musicians on stage than one exceptional musician!
I do agree, however, that an exceptional musician such as Lyle at the head of a band would be better still but for me it's about exposing talent to the world, not about filling the books with five piece acts.
I made a suggestion anyway, which is more than most on here have done so far and I don't think that accusing me of 'having a larf' is a reasonable and appropriate way to respond."


now now six to one, i would like to see you gather as many bands as I did last year, thats a very rude and hurtful comment. it was a COMMUNITY gig, just because people are having an opinion on lyle watt does not merit ill will, or slanderish comments. the bands that played last year where young and inexperienced, I gave them the oppertunity to play in that enviroment to gain some more. yes lyle is a fantastic and well talented young man. but thats no reason to sell short every other young musician.

and in the end, im the one who books the bands, i will CONSIDER lyle, he is very talented, and he does need exposure, but arguing your case in such a manner wont pass over any musician on this org believe me i know lol.

like i said i will put some SERIOUS thought into this, but some people do have a point, his style for forty minutes straight is something that will struggle to keep the punters dancing and drinking and having a laugh.

but.... a guitar battle sounded interesting, something we could build on possibly?

[moncur]

but.... a guitar battle sounded interesting, something we could build on possibly?

Easily, at least three of the best guitarists around doing a Guitar Hero style battle. Best crowd response judges the winner, gets the crowd involved, makes em feel part of the day. Winner gets a prize, a sweaty hairy kiss from Reev perhaps?

[moncur]

Oh and once again wanna suggest these guys

http://arts.caithness.org/article.php?id=446

[K dragon]

exactly what i was thinking.

be good switching from the early bands to the late bands. an interval event.

i think it would be fun

[Jeid]

No offence taken dude.

I have to disagree with you tho', you gotta have talent to make it big. Take a look at the state of the music industry these days...... 99% is rubbish. Money talks !

Which proves my point... you don't have to be talented to make it big

Well I was thinking more along the lines of having some real talent on stage. Instead, there will probably be a bunch of mediocre bands playing... yeah, much better to have five average musicians on stage than one exceptional musician!
I do agree, however, that an exceptional musician such as Lyle at the head of a band would be better still but for me it's about exposing talent to the world, not about filling the books with five piece acts.
I made a suggestion anyway, which is more than most on here have done so far and I don't think that accusing me of 'having a larf' is a reasonable and appropriate way to respond.

Fair enough, but what do I care? I don't think you implying that most of last year's bands were "mediocre" is a reasonable and appropriate way to respond... but, you have an opinion... I ain't gonna start greetin' about it.

Jeid, I never thought I'd say this, but I can see your point - although you could have made it a bit more politely! But I'm not gonna bother arguing because I know that instrumental stuff isn't your thing - I'm never going to go down well in your book.

But if I can sort out a band - you wouldn't have a problem with me playing then, would you?

I thought I made my point quite politely, I never put your talent down, I never slagged you off. I quite simply and plainly said it as it is... even you yourself agree that you'd be better off with a band.

Get a group together... more people will appreciate the talent.

A guitar battle? Interesting idea... could end up boring a lot of people though. In Crossroads it worked... this isn't Crossroads though

[K dragon]

oh the battle wouldnt be long, plan at the mo is to start off with two on stage,

one plays their piece, then the other plays their piece.

announcer asks for a roar for artist one, then two, biggest roar wins, then winning artist stays on, then next artist comes on, same idea again, repeat process until we have a winner.

[Mystical Potato Head]

I thought I made my point quite politely

I don't think that calling it "twiddling around", and "dull" is a very polite way to go about making your point. You may find guitar "noodling" a bit dull, but I find thrashing out chords pretty boring as well.

[K dragon]

guys seriously.

music is all opinionated, im sure jeid meant, that the particular style and genre is not to his tastes.

steve vai and satriani (spelling) are not to my personal tastes either, but he didnt say you were rubbish or had no talent, nobody has insulted your personal being or talent.

so everybody put the knives down lol