Tune Up 2008/09 @ Various Venues Across Scotland, Oct-Jan

With the four major cities in Scotland blessed with vibrant music scenes, it's easy to assume that the quadrant that exists between The Lemontree, The Barrowlands, The Doghouse and The Liquid Room represents the nation-state for all that is currently interesting in local music.

Peeking beyond the horizon of this microcosm quickly reveals that the Highlands and Islands have always had their progressive edges, cross-pollinating with Scandinavia, Canada, Central Europe, and even further afield. Reflecting this, the Scottish Arts Council has, since 2003, funded the Tune-Up initiative to support bands touring around areas that are not normally on the beaten track.

Commencing this month, the 2008/09 touring line-up includes Skye-based folksters Injuns out on the road with Denmark's trad-pop Claes Clem, Latin Jazz outfit Rumba Caliente, Afro Latin Soul Orchestra Tour, fiddler Catriona Macdonald, the Scottish/Norwegian jazz-folk trio Arild Andersen, Paolo Vinaccia and Tommy Smith, and the folk-supergroup Under One Sky (featuring Teenage Fanclub's Norman Blake, Idlewild's Roddy Woomble, and Battlefield Band's John McClusker). If you fancy broadening your musical horizons, further information (including full tour dates as they develop) can be found at http://www.tuneup.org.uk/section/tours/