³ÉÈËÂÛ̳

Here are the ceilidhs, classes and concerts taking place in Scotland over the next seven days...

FRIDAY 27TH April

Ceilidh
Crimond - Bancar Hotel - Wayne Robertson and Steven Carcary - 8pm

Concert
Glasgow - Glasgow Royal Concert Hall - The Glasgow Phoenix Choir - 7.30pm

SATURDAY 28th April

Accordion and Fiddle Club
Uist and Benbecula - Church of Scotland Hall, Benbecula - Ceildh Night - 7.30pm

Ceilidh
Coupar Angus - Coupar Angus Town Hall - James Coutts - 7.30pm

Garlogie - Garlogie Village Hall - Paul Anderson, Tracy Boyle and Shona Donaldson - 7.30pm

CLASS

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Gaelic Song Class with Wilma Kennedy - 10am

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Fiddle with Karen Hannah - improvers' class - 11am

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Whistle with Helen Forbes - 12:30pm

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Harp with Simon Chadwick - 2pm

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We go to the polls next week. You WILL go to the polls, won't you? I always think of it as an obligation and yet so many of us just don't see it that way anymore and when you read the lurid and at times nauseating stuff emanating from the Leveson Inquiry you can understand why.

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Shall we start with the mercy first?

Phil Madeira is a Nashville songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He has become one of Emmylou Harris's Red Dirt Boys these last few years. You can see him action with Emmylou on this week's NPR's Prairie Home Companion from The Ryman in Music City.

A couple of years back he found himself watching an American TV Evangelist so full of hatred and xenophobia (and no doubt a few other phobias) he wondered aloud, 'what if people actually discovered God was Love?' His wondering led to him creating Mercyland - Hymns For The Rest Of Us an album of songs with artists including Emmylou Harris, Buddy Miller, The Civil Wars and the Carolina Chocolate Drops. On Friday we'll play some of the music, find out how Phil got all these people involved and what he asked them to come up with in the first place. On Sunday I'll talk to Phil more about why he felt it so necessary to ask the question in the first place and, yes, I'll play you some more songs too.

Laura Veirs and Ricky Ross photographed in her dressing room, The Arches, Glasgow, January 2012

I'll also have a conversation with one of the AC's favourite artistes: Laura Veirs. (whatever happened to that 'i' before 'e' rule?) Laura is from Oregon and we loved her July Flame record a lot and since she and her husband Tucker Martine (our fave producer) have had their first baby we have also grown to love Laura's album of children's songs, 'Tumblebee.' We talk Tucker, tumbles and Carole Kay with her on Friday night.

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I'm a sucker for an older man. They don't come more charming than author Michael Bond. I wasn't even sitting in front of him but he had me at "hello", as they say... down a phone line. Not bad going for an 86 yr old.

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Here are today's Kitchen Café recipes for you to try at home:

Neil Forbes' Mushrooms and tarragon on toast

Tony Singh's Punjabi Choley

The Kitchen Café is on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Scotland, every Wednesday 1315-1400.

If you're thinking of entering the My Favourite Place in Scotland competition by writing a poem, have a listen to Mark Stephen in conversation with poet about how to put pen to paper and write verse about a place that means a lot to you...

³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Scotland's Out of Doors presenter Mark Stephen writes about his favourite place...

Sometimes I feel that if I were dusted down by a good forensics team they'd probably find God's fingerprints. Both in my personal life and professionally I've been incredibly lucky so if you were to ask me, "Where is my favourite place?"

Well, there's a list.

Firstly, lying with Jean, my beloved wife of 30 years, nestled like two spoons, enjoying the warmth and companionship of a rare Sunday morning long lie and listening to the rain rattling on the window outside. Long murmured conversations and longer comfortable silences. The Great Truth apparent - to be truly cosy inside it really has to be a miserable day outside.

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There is no better feeling than getting back to work at the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ after a week off. (I've just stopped for a minute to read that again and realised what a load of hogwash it is. I'd much rather still be in Perthshire chugging up Loch Tay with the outboard, shredding the fairways at Kenmore and taking the kids on a visit to the ). Still, needs must...unless you've become too accustomed to Ken Macdonald and want him to carry on. Frankly, he needs the work.

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Here are the latest ceilidhs, traditional music events and classes in Scotland...

FRIDAY 20TH April

ACCORDION AND FIDDLE CLUBS
Islesteps - Locharbriggs Community Centre, Dumfries - Glenelvan Scottish Dance Band

Ceilidh
Old Kirkpatrick - Napier Hall - Charity Ceilidh - 7.30pm

SATURDAY 21ST April

ACCORDION AND FIDDLE CLUBS
Lanark - Ravenstruther Hall, Ravenstuther- Scott Leslie Scottish Dance Band - 7.30pm

CLASS
Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Fiddle with Karen Hannah - improvers' class - 11am

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Whistle with Helen Forbes - 12:30pm

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Harp with Simon Chadwick - 2pm

Concert
Glasgow - Crawford Hall, Beith Street - John Rennie, Jennifer Campbell and Eildh Munro - 7.30pm

Fiddlers Rally
Glasgow - City Halls - Alastair MacDonald and Quattro MacJazz - 7.30pm

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These days, shopping for music couldn't be simpler. Fire up your laptop, nip onto your digital store of choice, listen to a clip, download to your MP3 player, and away you go. Easy.

Except...except...there's so much missing from that experience. It almost isn't an experience at all. A good record shop is curated by people who love music. You walk in, and you hear stuff you never would have selected yourself. Flicking through the racks, you see a piece of wonderful sleeve artwork - and you buy that record, just for the sleeve. It turns out to be one of your favourite records.

exists to remind us that great music is waiting to be discovered, if we'll just make that quick lunch hour trip to our local shop. The initiative been around since 2008 and gets bigger and better each year. With special limited edition releases, in-store performances, cake stalls, stuff for kids...get on down to and see what's happening.

Hear ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Scotland's Jazz House catch the mood thanks to , co-founder of Creation Records, vinyl enthusiast, music obsessive and boss of the RevOla and Poppydisc labels.

It's difficult to pin down what is; a poet, a writer,a philosopher? What's beyond debate is her ability to find the most inspired arrangement of words to describe the natural world around us. She appeared on The Book Café this week to talk about her latest collection of essays, SIGHTLINES, looking for all the world as if she wanted to be anywhere else. Kathleen Jamie is an under the radar kind of gal - contained, a shy person but when she reads her work aloud you couldn't find a more compelling voice to tune in to. I asked her about her uncanny ability to notice the extraordinary in the ordinary. Her book records a second set of journeys that have been gathered over six years (since the publication of her previous book, FINDINGS).

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On Friday night we will be joined by a man who knows a lot about America. He's a man who also knows a thing or two about America's greatest living song writer Bob Dylan. To tell that story Tom Russell went back to Bob's home state, Minnesota and thought about the vision and precocious talent that exploded onto the world in 1962. Tom will talk about immigration, art and his writing relationship with the great Gretchen Peters. He'll also sing some killer songs from his fine recent album too.

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Chef Steven Devlin is creating some contemporary tapas on today's Kitchen Café. If you fancy trying them at home, here are the recipes for you to download...

Morcilla with roast peppers and quails egg
Razor clams with chorizo and peas
Venison loin with spinach, pine nuts and sherry vinegar
Venison salami, pear, goats cheese and heather honey

The Kitchen Café is on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Scotland, every Wednesday 1315-1400.

Tonight we welcome back two friends of the show: Brenley and Lisa from Madison Violet. We first met them a couple of years ago when we discovered their album No fool For Trying. Then they were two Canadian women touring in the UK to a fairly new audience. Since then they've received some great reactions to their music and have toured extensively at home, in the USA, Australia and in Europe. Lots has happened and they've even found time to make that much-expected follow on album.

You can hear how all of that has effected them personally and how they separate the professional from the social as they sing songs of broken hearts and old loves night after night. It's a fascinating insight into life as a touring musician and should be a good listen for anyone who thinks they are cut out for a life on the road. As always they brought in their selection of banjos, mandolins, fiddle and guitars and performed a brilliant session for us. They are in a select group of artists who have visited us three times or more on Another Country and I think you will realise that makes them very special indeed.

Brenley and Lisa - Madison Violet - at ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Scotland, 2012

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On Monday April 16, Bryan Burnett presents a new one-off programme called 'So You Think You Can Run a Marathon?

In the programme, Bryan meets the Scots trying to make the Olympic marathon team and hears from some of the big names in the sport about what it really takes to run 26.2 miles.

He's also given us 3 excerpts to get us in the mood. You can listen to the first one below, and the other can be heard here.

'So You Think You Can Run a Marathon? is on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Scotland, Monday 16 at 1405

SATURDAY 14th April
ACCORDION AND FIDDLE CLUBS
Benbecula - Church of Scotland Hall - Ceilidh Night - 8pm

CLASS
Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Fiddle with Karen Hannah - improvers' class - 11am

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Whistle with Helen Forbes - 12:30pm

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Harp with Simon Chadwick - 2pm

CONCERT
Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Judy Cook - 10.30am

Livingston - Howden Park Centre - Livingston Fiddlers - 7pm

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING
Elderslie - Elderslie Village Hall - Ian MacKinnon - 7.30pm

SUNDAY 15th April
ACCORDION AND FIDDLE CLUBS
Balloch - St Kessog's Hall - Mark Cummie Scottish Dance Band - 7.30pm

Newtongrange - Dean Tavern - Competitions

Standalane - St Andrew's Social Club - George Meikle and The Lothian CB

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Kenneth MacDonald is presenting Newsweek this week.

Derek will be back with his blog next Saturday.

Tune in at 8.

Lots of topics to get my panel going this week: the row over tax avoidance and charitable donations, the curious case of the murdered British businessman and the disgraced Chinese politician's wife accused of killing him, and the debate over whether the Bahrain Grand Prix should go ahead, to name a few. I may also get their views on whether is a step too far.

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...they're all over the place - on our tv screens, in the press, on billboards. Usually those two words elicit sighs from women who lust after Don Draper with his super stylish clothes, laconic delivery, devil may care way with martini cocktails and all the rest.

Mad Women. Mmmm...I see a problem. Yes, they're often attractive, perhaps they like a martini cocktail or two and they can dress well but frankly, they're a bit, well, MAD, aren't they. Unhinged, hysterical, crazy, bonkers - especially those birds in 19th century novels. St Andrew's Dr Sarah Dillon has picked up on this lazy caricature and run with the ball; she joined me for the Book Cafe to talk about an event being run at the Science Festival in Edinburgh called MADWOMEN IN THE ATTIC to discuss whether the likes of Flaubert's Madame Bovary, Wilkie Collins' Woman in White and Bertha Rochester from Bronte's Jane Eyre, were actually mad.... or misunderstood.

The very term MAD WOMEN is pejorative and provocative because it depends on WHO decides who is mad and how extreme their behavior is. Is it MAD to be feisty, difficult, demanding, self assured, self obsessed? What about sexually liberated? If we look through our 21st century goggles, many of the female figures of the 19th century literary look perfectly normal, almost homely. It's a fascinating area for debate and discussion so Dr Dillon looked sure to draw a crowd at her event. What I want to know is, will there be a sequel MADMEN IN THE ATTIC event next year? Plenty of candidates!

It's not my idea of fun but I know a few people who positively LOVE sharing their photos and thoughts with relative strangers digitally. Clearly I am in the minority. On I learnt that the President of the United States is hooked on a new craze called PINTEREST. It's a virtual pin board.. basically an online scrap book where postings of photos, recipes and other sundry items can be put up for everyone to admire. Mr Obama's keen on politically themed memorabilia (a surprise, eh?) and his dog. I was more surprised to see my own husband's postings on PINTEREST- didn't even know he had joined up! Our dog featured, and there was a fetching self portrait of said husband as well as a rather arbitrary (I thought) image of a huge Hawaiian wave. No images of our daughter. Or me. Or his mother. What is the point? Why are 10 million Americans hooked on this craze? How long before the 200,000 fans in Britain turn into millions? We needed answers and we got some from virtual pinner (as in pin board) Mark Johnstone. He was joined by an old style scrap book obsessive, Janine O'Rourke who'd never tried PINTEREST. Mark was positively evangelical, pointing out the fun to be had posting infinite funny, lovely, touching pictures on a site where you INVITED people to look at your display. That invitation was part of the problem for Janine who said she needed that before she could even try the thing out. Within seconds (it's live radio remember!) my production team were checking the veracity of that claim out and they came back to me with some show stopping news. YOU DONT HAVE TO BE INVITED onto the PINTEREST site. You can just wing it - type in your details...and the next day, Bob's your uncle and you can stick his mug shot on your new virtual pin board. I have one question...well, two actually. Why would you want to do this? And when do these people get the time to organize their photos let alone their lives??!!

I DO get Zombies; they appeal to me at some deep, dark, adolescent level. Ever since taking my two nephews to Glasgow's Arches in the late 80's for a reality game called Alien World, I've loved the idea of being chased about from room to room by people in costumes.( Is this wrong??) The nephews are still traumatized by the experience but what's not to love about this kind of activity? You sweat like a race horse (burnt calories = more cake capacity ), get terrified and mainline on pure adrenalin (like live broadcast but with more security) and, in the process you get to have a brilliant laugh watching how everyone around you is losing it. Well, imagine my joy when I was told about an event in Glasgow called 2.8 Hours Later- based on an online game but transferred literally onto the streets of Glasgow. The first session in March went v well and another is planned for April. Herald journo and broadcaster Graeme Virtue agreed to check it out for us; his mission was simple. Avoid being attacked by zombies marauding around the city centre. Contestants were supplied with a map and told to run like hell if they spotted the undead approaching. Cue chaos, fear and a fair bit of giggling. Graeme told us how one female gamer ran into the middle of a gaggle of lady shoppers, seeking sanctuary. She begged these sisters of mercy to hide her and they stood around her for a moment or two. But as soon as the zombie showed up, they broke apart and turned her over! Never interrupt a group of grannies on a shopping trip.

Jenna Betts knows the thrill of the chase- she's a self-confessed "double identity" craze addict. This means you'll frequently find her going out incognito (wigs are a necessity!) She told us she hadn't been able to try out 2.8 yet but had vast experience of a variety of reality games played throughout Britain. For a woman on the run most of the time, she sounded well chilled but, evidently she is armed with quick wits and nerves of steel. Zombies are easy to spot but since most reality games assailants aren't giving away any sartorial clues, you have to have a sixth sense about these things. Jenna admitted that she had become quite paranoid on occasion- eyeing people suspiciously on trains and hot tailing it to the loos to fill up the AK47 water gun she relied on for "protection". It all sounds a bit bonkers but you have to admit, it's better than sitting at home, alone, in your pants at a games console or behind a desk, pretending you are in real peril. As for the paranoia...haven't you heard? Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you!

FRIDAY 6th April
ACCORDION AND FIDDLE CLUB
Cupar - Abdie Hall - Johnny Duncan

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING
Invermoriston - Invermoriston Village Hall - David Oswald Scottish Dance Band - 8pm

SATURDAY 7th April
ACCORDION AND FIDDLE CLUB
Sutherland - Rogart Village Hall - Club member and Friends - 7.30pm

CEILIDH
Arbroath - Community Centre - Family Ceilidh - 6.15pm - Tickets £8 adult/£6 Concession/Children £3

CLASS
Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Fiddle with Karen Hannah - improvers' class - 11am

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Whistle with Helen Forbes - 12:30pm

Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Harp with Simon Chadwick - 2pm

CONCERT
Fife - Largo Ward Village Hall - Live Music - 8-11pm - *Tickets £5*

Glasgow - Whitecraigs Tennis Club - Hot Jazz with Alastair McDonald - 7:30pm

Stirling - MacRobert Arts Centre - Alexander Brothers and Alistair MacDonald

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING
Invermoriston - Invermoriston Village Hall - David Oswald Scottish Dance Band - 8pm

SUNDAY 8th April
ACCORDION AND FIDDLE CLUBS
Biggar - Biggar Bowling club - KODA - 7pm

Montrose - Park Hotel - Ewan Galloway Scottish Dance Band - 2pm

CEILIDH
Fife - Old Parish Church Hall - Kirk Wynd - Ceilidh, Old Time & Social Dance Club - 2-5pm - *Tickets £3*

East Kilbride - Girl Guide Hall - Ceilidh, Old Time & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £2*

MONDAY 9th April
CEILDH
Dumbarton - St Patrick's Hall - Strathleven Place - Ceilidh & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm

CLASS
Carnoustie - British Legion - RSCDS Class - 7.30pm

St Andrews, SCD Club - live music from Dierdre Adamson on Accordion (learners welcome) - 7:30pm

HIGHLAND NIGHT
Pitlochry, Recreational Grounds (Town Hall if wet) - Highland Nights

TUESDAY 10th April
ACCORDION AND FIDDLE CLUBS
Blairgowrie - Red House Hotel, Coupar Angus - Marian Anderson Scottish Dance Band - 7.45pm

Renfrew - Moorpark Masonic Halls - Ewan Galloway Trio - 7.30pm

Thornhill - Thornhill Bowling Club - Iain Cathcart Trio - 7.30pm

CEILIDH
Humbie - Village Hall - Ceilidh, Old Time Club & Social Dance Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £3*

CLASS
Dundee, Wighton Centre, Dundee Central Library - Scots Song - suitable for beginners - 2pm

CONCERT
Dumfries - Kirkton Village Hall - Live Music - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £3/£1.50*

SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING
Westerton Summer Dancing - Bearsden, Westerton Village Hall, Maxwell Avenue, Westerton - Musicians John Renton and Rickie Francie - 7:30-10:30pm

Edinburgh - Inverleith Church hall - Atholl Scottish Country Dance Club - 7.30pm

WEDNESDAY 11th April
ACCORDION AND FIDDLE CLUBS
Alnwick - Farriers Arms, Shilbottle - AGM - 7.30pm

Forres - Victoria Hall - Scott band Scottish Dance Band

CEILIDH
Carnoustie Scottish Country Dance Club - Carnoustie, Beach Hall, Links Parade - Various Bands - 8-11pm

Newtongrange - Dean Tavern - Live Music - Ceilidh & Old Time Club - 7:30-10pm - *Tickets £3*

Glasgow - St Andrews In The Square - Live Music - Ceilidh & Old Time Club - 8-9:30pm - *Tickets £5*

CLASS
Midlem - Village Hall - Live Music - Old Time Class (GB Scott) - 8-10pm - *Tickets £2*

Fife - Kenoway Community School - Accordion Class - George Lawrie - 7-9pm - *Tickets £5.60/half price first lesson*

FOLK CLUB
Edinburgh - The Pleasance Cabaret Bar - Damien O'Kane - 8pm

THURSDAY 12th April
ACCORDION AND FIDDLE CLUBS
Selkirk - Selkirk cricket Club - Gary Forrest - 7.30pm

Windygates - Windygates Institute - Ernie Gordon - 7pm

CLASS
Penicuick - Town Hall - Ceilidh Class - 8-9:30pm - *Tickets £2.90/£1.50*

It's my delight to be on the airwaves over Easter weekend. On Easter Sunday morning we'll celebrate the most optimistic days in the Christian calendar with Chris Foxon. Chris is a Methodist Minister in Partick, Glasgow. In perhaps one of the most moving and life affirming stories Chris will share his own Easter story which took him from despair to hope and made him re-evaluate the basis of his Christian Faith.

We'll also hear the voices of some young people who would like the miracle of hope to break into their lives. Unfortunately for them the reality of unemployment looms large and we'll ask them how they find hope in these very hard times.

Ricky's Country Jukebox

On Good Friday I'll bring you a 2 hour celebration of all that I love in country music. Starting with some of the key records that made me first love country, I'll try to share with you my love of the records which still make me stop the car, sit down or inflict Hank, Patsy or Carrie on my family. I hope you'll love some and I'm sure you'll tell me what I've missed out. Either way it will be a fun ride.

Kenneth MacDonald is sitting in for Derek Bateman this week.

Newsweek will be on air as usual at 8 o'clock on Saturday morning, come snow, hail or sunshine.

Here are the latest recipes from The Kitchen Café, to be downloaded, kept and printed.

Download Mary Contini's Classic homemade pizza.

Download Pennie Latin's Thai Mussels.

The Kitchen Café is on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Scotland, every Wednesday 1315-1400.

Brian Taylor

Brian Taylor's Big Debate is hosting a special hustings debate programme this Friday as part of our coverage of the Scottish Local Government Elections. A panel of local councillors will be ready to answer your questions live in the Studio on ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ Radio Scotland.

This week we're giving our live audience a break but we still need our listeners across Scotland to submit their questions to the panel. If you would like to hear what the candidates have to say about what matters most to you then send your question to Brian@bbc.co.uk.

Wednesday at 14:05 sees the start of a brand new six-part comedy panel show called The Guessing Game. Clive Anderson presents the programme and he's joined with some great guests like Rory Bremner, Phill Jupitus and Zoe Lyons.

Lauren Mackay, who worked on the programme, has made a collection of the outtakes from the recording and thought it would good to share them!

The Guessing Game is on every Wednesday for six weeks, starting April 4.