Christmas songbook to help the homeless

Broken Records, Ballboy, and Meursault are among the bands contributing original seasonal music to a Christmas songbook in support of homeless charity Shelter Scotland.
Eagleowl are one of the bands contributing to Shelter Scotland's original songbook.Eagleowl are one of the bands contributing to Shelter Scotland's original songbook.
Eagleowl are one of the bands contributing to Shelter Scotland's original songbook.

‘Home for the Holidays: A Christmas Songbook’ will be launched at a mini festival at Edinburgh’s Summerhall on December 16 and 17 with live music across two stages. Withered Hand, Broken Records, Ballboy, Meursault and Spook School are among those on the bill with acoustic sets from artists including Savage Mansion, the Little Kicks and Book Group.

Supported by live music night Nothing Ever Happens Here, the charity has persuaded top acts to donate their talents to the songbook which will comprise lyrics and chords to a set of original songs, which comes with access to an exclusive download of all the tracks.

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The collection is also the first time that Frightened Rabbit’s track ‘Cheap Gold’ will be available for fans to buy.

Keith Bartholomew, Shelter Scotland’s senior digital officer, said: “The songbook provides a great opportunity for bands to help support our work – and the perfect Christmas gift for music fans that also helps raise vital funds to ensure no-one faces bad housing or homelessness alone.

“For the launch gig we’re working with Nothing Ever Happens Here at Summerhall, and Graeme Anderson of the band Book Group – building on the success of the Gimme Shelter festival shows that he organised a few years ago.”

Graeme Brown, Shelter Scotland director, added that celebrating Christmas can be difficult when many people in Scotland are suffering the misery of homelessness and bad housing.

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He continued: “However it does make me optimistic when we ask people to share their talents to help and they deliver. I want to thank the musicians who have contributed to the songbook and wish them all the best for the launch.”

Tickets for the launch are on sale now from Summerhall at summerhall.co.uk and the songbook will go on sale on the night and be available from the Shelter Scotland shop from thereafter.

Profits from the event and the sale of the book will go to the charity which provides advice and support to people affected by bad housing and homelessness through its website, free, national helpline and community hubs in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

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