'Question Time' debate held in Kirkcaldy

School and college students put local politicians in the hot seat today in a ‘Question Time’ style debate hosted at St Andrews High School.

The panel consisted of Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie, Labour’s education spokesperson Claire Baker, Kirkcaldy constituency MSP David Torrance and editor of the Fife Free Press Alan Crow. The event – dubbed the ‘Fife Youth Initiative’ – was chaired by journalism lecturer Marie Penman and was the first to be held in Kirkcaldy.

Students from Adam Smith College, as well as Kirkcaldy and St Andrews High School pupils put the panelists through their paces with questions on a range of current issues, from independence to emergency contraception.

The ‘Fife Youth Initiative’ was recently created by Adam Smith College and has been designed to get young people more involved in politics.

From left to right: Marie Penman, Willie Rennie, Claire Baker, David Torrance, Alan Crow

David Torrance is delighted that the scheme has been introduced and hopes that it breaks down barriers between politicians and young people.

“Today’s experience gave the students a chance to become more in touch with politics and to really make their voice heard on the issues that matter most to them. I can’t wait to see more events like this set up in the future.”

As blows were traded between party members on stage, 15-year-old Kirkcaldy High School student Hollie Higgins took the chance to reflect on how watching a live debate differs to watching on tv.

“It’s much better to see it with your own eyes because you pick up on much more. You get much more engaged because it’s exciting to watch them argue!”

After the debate, Patrick Callaghan, headteacher of St Andrews High School, congratulated the students and the panel and expressed his hopes for the future.

“Holding debates like these are an excellent way to encourage pupils to take an interest in politics which is fantastic. It’s also a tribute to our growing links with Adam Smith College, so, I’m very happy.”

Brit Awards 2013: The stars gather!

THE biggest names in music from Britain are gathering in London tonight as they gear up for the Brit Awards 2013.

Singer Emeli Sande will be waving the flag for Scotland as she is nominated for four awards, and is also performing.

Sande is up for four awards

The star, who had the best-selling album in the UK last year, is up for best female, best album and has two tracks in the best single category.

Sande's appearance on the shortlist comes 12 months after she was tipped as a rising star with the Brit Awards' Critics' Choice prize.

Her debut album, Our Version of Events, went on to sell 1.4 million copies in the UK last year and she performed at both the opening and closing ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Winehouse's dad will attend

Amy Winehouse has received a nomination for best British female after an album of material was released posthumously.

Singer Rita Ora also has three nominations, including two in the best single list, while Muse, Paloma Faith, Plan B and Olly Murs are up for two prizes each.

Adele is the bookmakers' favourite to win the best British single prize for her Bond theme Skyfall, but she is rumoured to be in the US rehearsing for an appearance at the Oscars on Sunday.

The Rolling Stones are up for best live act, 35 years after they were shortlisted for the first ever Brit Awards. 

Singer-songwriter Ben Howard is tipped to take home best British male, while pop star Rita Ora leads the contenders in the British breakthrough category. The winners all receive a trophy designed by controversial British artist Damien Hirst.

One Direction will give the first live performance of their Comic Relief single, a medley of Blondie's One Way Or Another and The Undertones' Teenage Kicks. 

US country star Taylor Swift is said to be putting together a fire and ice-themed set, while Timberlake is bringing along the big band that accompanied him at the Grammy Awards.

For the third year running, comedian James Cordan will host the event.

Certain Death interview

Kirkcaldy band Certain Death has been packing local venues for over 10 years. Since forming in 2001 they have been playing their unique style, known as rap, thrash and roll.

They released debut album Bring the Pain in 2009 along with an announcement that shocked their legions of fans who had been used to the name Certain Death. After splitting from their record label they reverted back to the original name

Jeem (Vocals): When we first started out we were known as Certain Death, and it was just a bit of fun. Gradually we became more successful and more serious, so we changed the name to Drive by Audio. When it all went tits up we decided to change back to Certain Death.

 

Steed (Guitar): A lot of our old school fans weren’t happy about the name change to DBA so we went back to Certain Death for them.

 

Mainstream artists are putting out an album every couple of years, but this isn’t the way Certain Death do things. For them it’s all about the live show.

 

Steed (Guitar): Our recordings just don’t compare to the energy of our gigs. The main reason we started out was so we could play live and give people the chance to go mental.

 

Jeem (Vocals): It’s important to let new people hear our music, and the best way to get that raw energy is at a live performance.

 

Over the years the band have played hundreds if of gigs but are loyal to their home town of Kirkcaldy and name Bevyfest (an annual festival held in Beveridge Park) as one of their favourite places to play.

 

Steed (Guitar): That show was a shock, we were tuning up and the tent was empty, then the next thing there was literally hundreds of people packed in. The band had their big break when they appeared on successful game, Grand Theft Auto 4: The Lost and Damned, their song “Jailbait” featured on the soundtrack for the game.

 

The band hope to release a celebration of their long careers this year in the form of a dvd filled with footage form the past decade.

 

Steed (Guitar): We are working on a DVD covering the 10 years since we formed which will be out later this year, it will include outtakes, and making the videos, and basically a whole lot of us dicking around for the last 10 years. A lot of our friends who have had bands over the years have all split up. It’s good to still be together after all this time

Snars(Drums): We are hoping to be back in the studio by the end of the year to work on another EP, not another album yet. In the meantime, here is the video for our latest release - Fight for your right (to party)

 

 

 

The band will be playing PJ Malloys, Dunfermline on 19/2/13

Local pool hero gets grannied by relative unknown

Notorious pool shark Andrew McArthur goes back to school after suffering an embarrassing defeat to unsung hero "Kev".

McArthur (27), had his ass handed to him on a platter when the indomitable "Kev" potted every single yellow, denying McArthur the chance to make his presence known on the table.



The dejected loser is struggling with the shame of defeat

The beaten McArthur was gracious in defeat, and wished his opponent every success in his career:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. I felt like I had it but it slipped through my fingers. I tip my hat to him; I can see him one day lifting Olympic gold."

The victor accepted the win modestly, and took the opportunity to extend his commiserations to his competitor:

"HE WAS SHITE."

An impartial spectator was gob smacked by the extent of Kev's talent:

"It was humiliating to watch. Andrew might as well have been playing with no hands. He was so shocking that the second coming of Christ would've been a mere triviality compared to this abomination."

Andrew went on to lose his following four games in succession, securing his reputation as "worst pool player in the world".

Line-up revealed for T in the Park anniversary festival

The line up for this year’s T in the Park has been revealed today. The 20^th anniversary of the festival is set to be a very special occasion with a massive collection of different acts and music’s most loved acts all descending in the park of Balado.

The festivals organisers launched this year’s event earlier today and the most anticipated attractions include Mumford & Sons, Rihanna, The Killers, Kraftwerk, Stereophonics, Jake Bugg, Miles Kane, Frank Turner and The Script.

This year there will be a strong Scottish line-up with Emeli Sandé, Twin Atlantic, Frightened Rabbit, Deacon Blue, The View, The Proclainers and The Fratellis.

It is estimated that over 85,000 music fans per day will cascade to the fields outside Kinross to experience the 20^th year of T in the Park, during the 12^th-14^th of July.

The festival was crowned Pollstar’s International Music Festival of the Year at a fancy LA awards ceremony last week.

The list of talent is ever growing with: Adam Beyer, Bastille, Ben Klock & Marcel Dettmann (b2b), British Sea Power, Chase and Status, CHVRCHES, Claude VonStroke, The Courteeners, Deacon Blue, Disclosure, Dizzee Rascal, DJ Sneak, Derrick Carter & Mark Farina (b2b), Eats Everything, Editors, Emeli Sandé, Everything Everything, Frank Turner, The Fratellis, Frightened Rabbit, The Heavy, Hot Natured, Imagine Dragons, Jackmaster, Jake Bugg, Joy Orbison, Labrinth, The Lumineers and Miles Kane.

Also coming are: Modest Mouse, Modestep, Nina Kraviz, Nina Nesbitt, Noah and the Whale, Ocean Colour Scene, Of Monsters and Men, The Original Rudeboys, Palma Violets, Paloma Faith, Peace, The Proclaimers, Rudimental, Seth Troxler, Silicone Soul, Slam, Stereophonics, The Strypes, Tom Odell, Twin Atlantic, Two Door Cinema Club, The View, Villagers, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The 1975, and many, many more still yet to be announced.