Mareel - Cinema & Music Venue

[Talpa]

Infrastructure for sport and leisure is marvellous. I don't resent for a milli-second that Shetland's sportsfolk have such fine facilities. Indeed, I like a dip as much as the next man and woman. So why did our esteemed leader Cllr. Robinson use the word 'war' in relation to culture??!!! What the dickens? Why so hostile? Traumatic experience with a fiddle as a boy?

 

For a place (if we believe our own hype) that has a world-wide reputation for music and culture, it is fairly bonkers (IMHO) that some people (minority/ majority - who knows) don't have enough faith in music and culture to support Mareel. Of course, maybe the hype is pants. If so... can the last person to leave Shetland please turn off the lights - might save on the Recreation Trust's electricity bill.

[Girzie]

Is there not still a recording studio in Weathersta? And there used to be one in the North Isles as well. Have they both gone out of business? My friend's band used to hire the hall for bractice.

[Marooned in Maywick]

What happened to the cinema/bowling alley/iceskating rink idea that was proposed years ago?

 

http://evansb.home.comcast.net/~evansb/Pie%20in%20the%20Sky%2034x28in,%201978%20.jpg

[Talpa]

If I mind correctly there are a couple of exercise bikes in a shed in Yell. There are plenty big, breezeblock byres around, Squash courts? If you open the doors people can watch, almost as good as a glass front. Make sure the coos are not in there first though. You can construct quite a good rowing machine by attaching bungee ropes to a wall and sliding up and down your kitchen table. The Co-op and Tesco car parks are great to run round. Tesco car park may even be extended. Good surface, not that special stuff they use on the real ones but near enough. Obviously athletes can only use it when the cars aren’t but, make do. Tins of beans make great weights when tied on the ends of broom, remove broom head first of course.

 

Childrens’ sand pits are excellent for practising long jump. And high jump, we are hardly short on fences and dykes. Chairs can be lined up on quiet roads making for a great hurdle run. If you stand outside any local eateries with ventilation you get blast of hot air, good for a steam. If you ask the chefs nicely they might let you in the kitchens (after closing time), close the doors and windows and boil lots of industrial sized pots of water. Sauna? And come on, we’re an island, what’s all that wet stuff all around us? You want swimming pools too????

[Njugle]

So that's a yes then, there was a recording studio in Brae and one in the North Isles (Yell), there was rehearsal space available at every country hall and the garrison when i last had dealings with a band, a while ago admittedly. Not Rolls Royce scenarios but cheap and flexible. There is also, if i recall correctly, a variety of equipment available from Shetland Arts and what was that community PA idea? I'd guess it's not an exclusive item.

 

So, just re-treading a previous post, there are equipment, facilities and support available now, today, and they are of a reasonable standard. As Talpa said the new venue will enhance and develop the infrastructure and allow for formalised educational opportunities, which is a good thing. The various music festivals have been supported by the community and Shetland Arts up to now and are internationally renowned, i don't see that as second class treatment. The Mareel is not redressing a balance, it is developing a product and providing an outlet.

[Talpa]

The Mareel is not redressing a balance, it is developing a product and providing an outlet.

 

I'd agree to second half and almost agree to first:

 

Sport/ leisure has had very high infrastructure (specifically) investment compared to culture yet it is Shetland's music/ culture that is more commonly used to promote Shetland and which we are always told is world-class.

 

On the other hand - there is no obligation to provide infrastructure. But let's see what can be done when we do have comparable facilities.

 

And on another, other hand - why should they be compared? certainly it is not healthy for either that they be in competition. Both are good.

 

It is just a tad tricky to stomach some of the hostility to investment in culture that can be heard. Better to get on with it now - in a spirit of good humour - and support both, I'd say. Sportsfolk and musicians of the world unite....

[MuckleJoannie]

Is there not still a recording studio in Weathersta?

 

The last I heard of that one it closed because of water damage from a burst pipe. It changed hands after that. Did the new owner ever get it going again?

[peeriebryan]

There is also, if i recall correctly, a variety of equipment available from Shetland Arts and what was that community PA idea? I'd guess it's not an exclusive item

Shetland Arts does indeed have a range of equipment available for community use including a PA system, various 'backline' equipment (amplifiers for guitar/ bass/ keyboard/ acoustic instruments) and stage keyboards

 

Is there not still a recording studio in Weathersta

There is, but I'm not sure what recording facilities they have at the moment. Bands do rehearse there though

 

The Garrison Theatre and several country halls can be hired for rehearsals too. Bear in mind that most of these venues don't have the necessary equipment in situ so you'll need to take in and set up your own

 

There's also a small audio-visual editing setup in the Shetland Arts office available for community use

 

If you'd like more info contact me at bryan.peterson (at) shetlandarts.org or PM me

[sheepshagger]

Shetlands musical culture developed just fine without mareel, and if you want to improve it some more why spend millions of pounds on a white elephant that will never show a profit will most likely run at a loss and we will have to fork out year in year out untill the sea finaly washes it away.

If you want improve or expand our musical culture cut the ariel that goes into the back of your kids telly, take away their playstation and give them a guitar or fiddle. not only is this method proven to work it is very cost effective. with £90grand a day heading south via tesco's it won't be long before we can't even afford the knife to cut the damn ariel.

[Spinner72]

If you'd like more info contact me at bryan.peterson (at) shetlandarts.org or PM me

 

Ta for the info, i might just do dat

 

 

Well, i'm been a supporter o Mareel right fae da start, but never mentioned why on this thread, however noo seems appropriate.

 

I was very lucky to be brought up in a close knit north isles community where the local hall was very close, fully equipped, and let us reherse there (still does) as much as we liked.

 

This did no end of good to develop the talents and creativity of a range of musicians, many of whom went on to record at the Old Haa in Burravoe, and a few of whom have indeed posted here, also in support of Mareel

 

The fact is that not all communitys, and halls, have the resources or ability, for many varied and valid reasons, to offer such facilities.

 

I have now moved to the mainland and settled down, but i really miss the freedom of being able to give a couple of the boys a shout, and go for a tune/practice, without having to wait for the neighbours to go on holiday!

 

Mareel will give the young, and old, musicians from all over the isles the same chance some of us lucky ones have had, and i for one think thats only fair, and therefore well worth fighting for.

[Heimdal]

I was very lucky to be brought up in a close knit north isles community where the local hall was very close, fully equipped, and let us reherse there (still does) as much as we liked.

 

This activity, I assume was free, i.e. you did not pay for the use of the hall ?

If Mareel is to just break even, never mind make a profit, this will have to be paid for, so how much is it worth ?

A tenner each would not be enough to cover the costs. Everyone entering Mareel will have to pay an admission fee, how much would you be willing to pay ?

 

When it all goes feet up, what will happen ? all the lovies will b***er off south again, and add a line to their CV's.

It's a white elephant in the making.

[Ichorus]

 

This activity, I assume was free, i.e. you did not pay for the use of the hall ?

If Mareel is to just break even, never mind make a profit, this will have to be paid for, so how much is it worth ?

A tenner each would not be enough to cover the costs. Everyone entering Mareel will have to pay an admission fee, how much would you be willing to pay ?

 

When it all goes feet up, what will happen ? all the lovies will b***er off south again, and add a line to their CV's.

It's a white elephant in the making.

 

Well here is some figures of our local Studio/rehearsal place.

 

Room prices:

 

Monday - Friday £18 for 3 hours

Saturday - Sunday £24 for 3 hours

 

you can also get rooms for 1 hour at £5.

 

If you are just drumming it's £4.

 

 

I think any band in shetland would be willing to pay this money for an excellent service. Especially if you think a cinema ticket costs around £5-7 per person on the mainland.

 

The Practice Pad may be a dedicated practice place but it is massively profitable and yet is not busy during the week. Equipment storage and Recording studio and Lessons all help. There is no reason why Mareel can't be as profitable. The College's use of Mareel for courses and any work shops that head north being held there will all be great for Shetland.

[Spinner72]

 

This activity, I assume was free, i.e. you did not pay for the use of the hall ?

 

Yes, and no!

 

We did not pay a set fee, however there was a mutual understanding that we would provide entertainment for fundraising events in exchange.

 

With Mareel, this process would simply be formalised - pay for rehersal, hire venue for gig, sell tickets, make some money, pay for rehersal.. and so on.

 

Thus introducing the business aspect at an early stage, which is something we could definitely have benefitted from

 

 

The prices quoted above seem very reasonable if a similar level were applied, i would actually have expected them to be quite a bit higher, especially at weekends.

[Baron Farkoff]

What about Shetlands' own crop of "luvvies", Heimdal dahling?

You assume that it is a load of "soothmoothers" bringing their creative nonsense here and distracting the hard working locals from their peat banks, I presume?

There's more to this business than a couple of guys having a boozy jam in a hall and thinking that they're gonna be the next big thing because they're having a good time,so

this talk of "in days of old... we used to..." doesn't stand anymore.

Times have changed mareel will help Shetlands' music to get even better.

[WiiMan]

I've asked before, and I'm asking again! Does anybody really know if Mareel is going ahead? Glum Gibberins said on Radio Shetland over a week ago that the project was out to tender. Where is it advertised? As I stated previously, it has to be advertised for 52 days according to the EU web-site. Have the wheels come off?