July 1985

Rock Around the Word - Weekend TV Scene

OvergateBob Geldof introduces LIVE Aid, the world's biggest rock show, at 12 noon this Saturday. B.B.C. Television, with Radio 1, will broadcast the entire 16 hour Trans-Atlantic "super gig" - an event likely to command a greater audience than the Olympics.Artistes appearing on stage in London include: Status Quo, Style Council, Ultravox, Boomtown Rats, Adam Ant, Spandau Ballet, Elvis Costello, Nik Kershaw, Sade, Sting, Phil Collins, Julian Lennon, Howard Jones, Bryan Ferry, Paul Young and Alison Moyet.

At five o'clock the action alternates via satellite between Wembley and JFK Stadium Philadelphia. This later line-up will include: Bryan Adams, U2, The Beach Boys, Dire Straits, Tears for Fears, Queen, Simple Minds, David Bowie, The Pretenders, The Who, Santana, Pat Metheny, Elton John, Wham, Madonna and Paul McCartney. Noel Edmonds and Billy Connolly will also be dropping in.

The BBC takes over at 10pm and runs through until 4am. Artistes appearing then are - Tom Petty, The Cars, Neil Young, The Thompson Twins and Nile Rodgers, Duran Duran, Power Station, Hall and Oates, The Temptations, Mick Jagger, Tina Turner, Patti Labelle with Bob Dylan bringing the epic charity event to a close.

It is hoped to raise £10 million for famine relief in Africa, viewers will be asked to pledge donations.

Discovery for Dundee?

Efforts are being made to Bring Captain Scott's ship Discovery, back to Dundee, where she was built. The Discovery is berthed at St Katherine's Dock in London, but the Dundee Project want to bring her back as the centre piece of the city's waterfront development.

Negotiations have been going on for several months between the project team - funded by the Scottish Development Agency, Tayside Region and Dundee District Council - and the ships owners, the Maritime Trust, but financial details have still to be finalised.

The Maritime Trust have already spent £500,000 on restoration work to the Discovery but as much again will be needed for further repairs.

Go-ahead for Dundee's Live Aid

Dundee's Live Aid concert was finally given the go-ahead yesterday (Thursday) after a week of uncertainty. It will take place in the Caird Hall next Saturday (August 3) and will last up to seven hours.

Only on Thursday morning did Dundee District Council finally agree to grant free let of the hall to the concert organisers, four young unemployed Dundee men. Rory Beaton, Philip Gibson, Mark Blyth and Derek Bennet had hoped to hold the event in the City Square tomorrow (Saturday) but the plan was vetoed at the last minute by Councillor Charles Farquhar, chairman of the licensing committee.

The organisers have already secured the free services of several local bands, and it seems that other artists will also be taking part. Names being mentioned at the moment are Jess Rae, The Bluebell and the Crucial Xylophones.

Elvis is in Town!

Local Elvis fans had a rousing start to the Dundee Trade's Fortnight last weekend with the city's first ever Elvis Convention. The event attracted folk from as far afield as London and the Isle of Lewis whilst special guest Vince Everett travelled from his home in America with exhibits from his Elvis museum.

Apart from allowing fans of the "King" to indulge in two days of Elvis films, music, mimes, etc, the weekend helped raise money for the scanner appeal. The exact amount hasn't yet been calculated, but Elvis impressionist Wayne Reid, who had cause to use the whole-body scanner in Aberdeen recently, hopes it will help bring closer the day when Tayside has one of its own.

School for Sale

Tayside Regional Council have announced plans to sell the former Butterburn Primary School in Dundee. The school on a one-acre site in Strathmartine Road is, according to a regional spokesman, "surplus to educational department requirements".

Will McKinlay be Staying at Dens?

Will Tosh McKinlay still be wearing Dundee's colours next season? The Scotland Under-21 international will have a meeting with manager Archie Knox this weekend to see where his future lies. It is understood the defender would be prepared to remain at Dens for at least another season if the terms were right.

Celtic and Leicester City are just two of the clubs who have been linked with McKinlay, but there has not been one positive bid for his transfer. Dundee fans will hope the lad stays at Dens, as players with his qualities are premium.

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See What They Have Done to the Old Library

Dundonians will have to get used to two facts from now on - that the Albert Institute is now known as The McManus Galleries and that it's a whole new world in outlook and appearance.

This has been partly brought home by the emergence of new galleries for painting and other displays much more in keeping with the modern age. And it was emphasised when a gallery featuring the history of Dundee's trade and industry was opened.

If you thought that the institute at Albert Square used to be a bit fusty the emerging image is surely one of vitality, especially when you see what they have done inside to what used to be our central lending library. This is the location of the trade and industry display and the open-style lay-out now gives citizens the change to see the crafts in which Dundee's industrial strength was founded.

Jute, of course, plays a central and prominent part, with a hand loom from the 1820's, now fully restored given pride of place. Much expertise, indeed affection has been lavished on this piece. Retired engineer Bill Downie, who served his time in the jute trade in Monifieth before going into turbines, is a man especially keen to see the city preserve its heritage. Bill has played a significant part in the team, which has seen the old loom, largely of wood construction, restored to working order. "All it needs now is for someone to commission the machine and we could see it work." Said Mr Downie at the Gallery Opening. "We know a man in Laurencekirk who could do it, too, and it's just that old question of finding the money". Mr Downie, today a consultant engineer, is pleased with the gallery and its role of preserving for the city much of a great industrial past.

Engineers and indeed anyone who loves tools will be delighted by other displays. On show are the bench and tools used by Dundee coopers of long ago and also the artefacts of the farrier.

The city's tradition of shipbuilding is well reflected, eye-catchingly by ship models which were formerly housed at Barrack Street Museum. A scale model of a wooden lifeboat built locally be D.B. Livie is also on display, along with the gold medal it won at a Paris exhibition in 1878.

Also in the shipping display is that priceless Portuguese mariner's astrolabe, possible the glittering star of Dundee's maritime collection - even if it does originate from a foreign land!

Models featured include the scale version of the Tay Ferry B.L. Nairn, created by museums' staff  Jim Mann. This piece alone is most evocative for so many Dundonians and Fifers. A ships compass in its impressive bass casing will also make a smile cross the face of Dundee's many former merchantmen.

Director of Museums, Adam Ritchie, assured guests at the opening that the trade and industry gallery wouldn't be static in future years. New displays would be introduced as opportunity arose, he said.

Victoria Cinema

Roger Moore as "007" (PG)
"View to a Kill"
Filmed in the Panorama of Cinemascope
Twice daily at 2.30 and 7.15.