FORMED in St Andrews and now based in Edinburgh, indie-pop veterans Kid Canaveral will on December 16 host Christmas Baubles, an all-day music extravaganza in the capital. Frontman David MacGregor tells us about the event, which will offer a yuletide feast of acts including Teen Canteen’s Carla J Easton, lo-fi folksters eagleowl and Kid Canaveral’s Lost Map Records labelmates Pictish Trail and Monoganon.
What’s the idea behind Christmas Baubles?
We started it in 2010 to celebrate the best six months we’d had as a band. Our debut record had all but sold out of its initial pressing and we’d just been invited to South By Southwest in Texas and were in the process of booking our first US tour. I suggested we have a Christmas party/gig because I wanted something to make me look forward to Christmas, something to keep me busy through the horrors of a Scottish November and December, and something to top off a great period for us. Kate [Lazda, Kid Canaveral bandmate] is a meticulous organiser, I’m good at pestering folk, and it’s just grown from there.
Who will be appearing?
We can’t announce everyone yet due to contractual reasons (yes, really) but I can tell you that ticket holders will have the pleasure of seeing Girl Ray, HQFU, The Surfing Magazines, Emma Kupa, Carla J Easton (Teen Canteen/Ette), eagleowl, Monoganon, Pictish Trail, and, unsurprisingly, Kid Canaveral.
What’s the structure of the event?
We try and do things a wee bit differently every year. The general idea is that it’s an all-day festive hoolie with bands, occasionally some comedians, and a well-stocked bar. We have stalls where the acts can sell their records etc, the same for some local artists and craft makers, and we have a food bank collection for the local one to our venue that year. We’ve got two rooms this year: the main live room for the loud full-band fun; and a smaller hall which will have stalls from Scottish indie labels, crafty folk, Amnesty International, and a whole host of acoustic acts.
This is Christmas Baubles number eight. What highlights from previous years come to mind?
Our label, Lost Map Records, joined in with the organising from Baubles Five, which meant we could be more ambitious with the scale of it with Kate, Johnny Lynch, Laura Doherty and me all working away at it. That year we had Edwyn Collins at the top of our Christmas Tree charming 600 hundred delighted revellers in Portobello Town Hall. That was a definite highlight. Ibibio Sound Machine the following year were absolutely mindblowing an’ aw.
You had your album Faulty Inner Dialogue out last year. Is there new music in the KC world?
We finished up touring that album in the autumn there. I’m working on a record on my own at the minute, which will be out at some point next year. Kate’s working away on non-KC stuff too. Once we’ve got that out of our systems we’ll re-group to start another Kid Canaveral record around the end of the summer.
Does Kid Canaveral enjoy Christmas? What does it mean to you?
I can’t speak for the whole band, but I cannae abide Christmas. I like the fact that you can put up a load of lights in the middle of winter and spend time with your nearest and dearest, but the fact it starts in October really rips my knitting. I’m not religious at all, I just absolutely hate the pressure it puts on folk to spend spend spend.
December 16, Summerhall, Edinburgh, 2pm to 1am, £15, £12 concs. Tickets: bit.ly/XmasBaubles8
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