Chance to get in on the act

Mar 31 2009 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

PERTHSHIRE pupils are to be given a rare opportunity to see behind the scenes at a major gig next month.

Fast-rising talents The Days and Pearl & The Puppets will be playing live when the Sound Science initiative arrives in the Fair City.

And budding musicians are being offered a unique chance to work behind the scenes at the event in a variety of exciting roles.

Devon four-piece The Days are rapidly building a following across Scotland and the guitar-based popsters’ recent single, No Ties, was a firm favourite with radio listeners.

The release of their debut album Atlantic Skies in early summer is expected to bring them even more fans.

Meanwhile, Pearl & The Puppets is the alter-ego of 21-year-old Katie Sutherland from Kirkintilloch, by Glasgow.

A multi-instrumental singer-songwriter, Katie left college last year to embark on a full-time career in music.

She has since signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell and, as well as writing songs for herself, she has also co-written with Deacon Blue frontman Ricky Ross.

Pearl / Katie has recently been recording tracks with producer Stephen Street, who’s best known for his work with The Smiths, Blur, The Cranberries, Morrissey and Kaiser Chiefs.

Supported by Bauer Radio Events and the Scottish Government, Sound Science is exclusively aimed at 16 to 18 year olds across Scotland.

Five lucky fifth and sixth-year students are being sought to fill five crucial backstage posts at the event, which takes place on Sunday, April 26 at Perth’s City nightclub.

The positions up for grabs are: front-of-house sound assistant, assistant lighting technician, assistant radio engineer, junior event photographer and assistant monitor engineer.

Teenagers from all across the country are being invited to attend the free show, with tickets available through competitions running in Music Scene and on Bauer Media’s eight Scottish radio stations – Clyde 1, Forth One, Tay FM, MFR, West FM, West Sound FM, Northsound 1 and Radio Borders.

Music fans can also go online at www.sound-science.co.uk to secure their places at the bash or to find information on how to win one of the jobs.

The website also carries video interviews with the top professionals who will be mentoring the youngsters on the day.

Siobhán Crampsey of Bauer Radio Events yesterday described Sound Science as “a unique project”.

“We get enquiries on a daily basis from young people asking how they can be part of our events team,” she told Music Scene.

“We always tell them to stay on at school and get qualifications in a range of subjects including science.

“Sound Science is a real life, live demonstration of science in action.

“We’ve got two amazing acts and the cream of audio visual technicians in Scotland working on this gig and giving the teenagers the benefit of their vast experience.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity for them.”

Scottish education secretary Fiona Hyslop said she believed the campaign would challenge misconceptions about learning.

“Science is not all about lab coats and pipettes,” she said.

“It’s about finding out how life works and how we can make it better. That’s what we want Scotland’s young people to realise.”

Professor Anne Glover, the Government’s chief scientific adviser, said a science-based career could provide “huge creative opportunities”.