South Lanarkshire Leisure and Culture

By Lori Delaney.

A Waiting Game is a verbatim play that foregrounds overlooked experiences of breast cancer beyond dominant “pink ribbon” narratives. Using an intersectional lens, it centres marginalised voices and personal testimonies often absent from mainstream discourse. The play explores cultural disparities through a South Asian perspective, LGBTQ+ identities, infertility, mental health, and addiction, as well as the impacts of medication. It also addresses cancer during COVID-19, male experiences of a feminised illness, relationship breakdown, financial hardship, and ageing.

Performed by professional actors alongside participants with lived experience gathered over a four-year research project, the work powerfully reflects the complexity of living with cancer.

Available to book online or by calling East Kilbride Arts Centre on 01355 261000.

Cost: £10.00 (subject to £1.50 transaction fee)

 

The JSD Band emerged in the late 1960s as innovative pioneers who helped reshape Scottish traditional music. Initially forming in Rutherglen as a trio in 1969, they quickly expanded their line-up and their musical horizons, bringing together diverse influences from Scottish tradition to contemporary folk-rock. Their breakthrough came in 1970 when they won the Scottish Folk Group Championship, earning £500 and a recording contract with Regal Zonophone. Their debut album, “Country of the Blind”, opened numerous doors for the band and established their distinctive sound, which drew inspiration from an eclectic range of sources including The Dubliners, Pentangle, Fairport Convention, and The Chieftains.

From there they were invited to London to play the legendary Marquee Club. John Peel was in the audience and subsequently became one of there biggest supporters, even writing the sleeve notes for their second and third albums. Another major celebrity contributor was David Bowie, who invited the band to join him on his Ziggy Stardust tour in 1972 where the band gained a wider following and enjoyed a fruitful period playing the vibrant University circuit across the UK. About this time the band also played across Europe, performing in France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.

In 1973 they toured in the USA, playing New York, Washington, Boston, Cleveland, Providence Road Island and Colorado. The band’s core line-up featured Jim Divers, Seàn O’Rourke, Des Coffield, and Colin Finn, with Chuck Fleming and Lindsay Scott taking turns as the band’s fiddler at different points. Each member brought their own musical influences and expertise, creating a rich blend of traditional and contemporary sounds. Their music demonstrated that Scottish traditional songs could be successfully married with modern instruments and arrangements while maintaining their essential character.

Throughout their active years, the JSD Band performed extensively, helping to popularise traditional music among younger audiences who might not have otherwise encountered it. Their final album, “Pastures of Plenty”, recorded in 1998 with the addition of Rob Mairs, showed their enduring commitment to musical innovation. The band’s legacy lives on in their recordings and in the paths they helped forge for future generations of Scottish musicians. Sadly, the band has recently lost two members – Des Coffield in 2023 and Lindsay Scott (grandson of traditional Border singer Willie Scott) in early 2024.

The band are delighted to come back together again with the help of two new members, Nicola Coffield (the daughter of Des Coffield) and the fine guitarist and vocalist Kenny Robertson to celebrate Rutherglen 900 with a concert in the Town Hall.

The band will appear along with support from Raging Twilight.

Available to book online or by calling Rutherglen Town Hall on 0141 613 5700.

Cost: £20.00 (subject to £1.50 transaction fee)

 

Hosted by Gavin Paterson.

Join us for an afternoon of live music as our Open Stage invites anyone with a song or a tune to share to step into the spotlight. Hosted by the ever-popular radio presenter and performer Gavin Paterson, the session promises a warm welcome for performers of all styles and abilities.

Whether you’re an aspiring folk star or simply fancy giving us a tune, the stage is yours. A full P.A. system will be in place - just bring along your voice and instrument of choice (voice optional!).

To book a slot in advance, please contact the Town Hall on 0141 613 5700. Otherwise, feel free to turn up on the day and speak to Gavin.

Cost: Free admission

 

This isn’t a video – it’s the real deal!

Take your seats for LIVE!  A sparkling stage performance by Artie, co-founder of The Singing Kettle. This lively family show is full of musical numbers, audience interaction, and on-stage surprises – perfect for little ones taking their first trip to the theatre. Kids join in every step of the way – some even help on stage!

With clues from the original Kettles it’s a standing ovation in the making for this wonderful LIVE show!

“Spout! Handle! Lid of Metal!”

Dress up in something sparkly – it’s showtime.

Available to book online or by calling Rutherglen Town Hall on 0141 613 5700.

Cost: £12.00 / £11.00 (subject to £1.50 transaction fee)

 

And many more songs written by Adam McNaughtan.

Adam McNaughtan was a school teacher at Rutherglen Academy but he was also a very well established writer and performer of folk songs. Following the departure of Norman Buchan, Adam took over the running of the famous Rutherglen Academy Ballads Club.

As well as being an extremely skilled song writer, Adam had a great, booming singing voice. As such, he appeared at Folk Clubs and Festivals throughout Scotland.

He had a wicked sense of humour and this is often displayed in his song writing. However, he also had a very serious side and politics often crept in to his writing.

His song titles included the following:
The Jeely Piece Song, The Glasgow that I used to know, The Yellow on the Broom, They're Pulling Doon the Building Next to Oors, Erchie Cathcart, The Dear Green Place, Thomas Muir of Huntershill, Oor Hamlet

Sadly, Adam passed away only last year (2025) and we hope this show will be a suitable tribute to such a great man who will be greatly missed around the folk scene.

Performing his songs will be two ex-Rutherglen Academy pupils who have both firmly established themselves on the Scottish Folk Scene plus elsewhere throughout the world. The brothers, Fraser and Ian Bruce, sang as a duo during the 1980s recording three albums during that time as ‘Mrs Bruce's Boys’, although that wasn’t their stage name, it was more a nickname created by their fans as Mrs Bruce, their mother, often travelled with the boys and established herself as quite a character.

Ian Bruce established himself as one of Scotland's finest solo artistes following the decision in 1986 to terminate the duo. Ian has recorded more than 30 Albums with Fraser lagging well behind with only 8 to his name.

Available to book online or by calling Rutherglen Town Hall on 0141 613 5700.

Cost: £6.00 (subject to £1.50 transaction fee)