widget/exchange-29
widget/exchange-30widget/exchange-33
widget/exchange-31

News / Guitar wizard to soundtrack silent film

RM Hubbert will perform at Mareel on Thursday.

AWARD-winning Scottish guitarist and songwriter RM Hubbert is heading to Shetland to host a unique show at Mareel later this week.

The musician will visit the isles for the first time to perform a live accompaniment to 1926 silent film By The Law at the Lerwick venue on Thursday as part of a wider tour.

The blurb for the Russian movie says there are three gold prospectors are stuck up in a cabin – “one driven to murder by greed, the others wrestling with whether to wait for the snow and ice to thaw and summon the authorities, or to take the law into their own hands”.

It is another notable piece of work for Hubbert, who won the Scottish Album of the Year prize in 2013 for his record Thirteen Lost & Found over mainstream acts like Calvin Harris and Emeli Sandé.

He originally played guitar in off-kilter rockers El Hombre Trajeado before going solo with a percussive acoustic sound which draws influence from flamenco, releasing his first record in 2011.

offset-carousel/post-mobile/0

The musician said the idea for the By The Law show came from the Hippodrome Silent Film Festival in Bo’ness, which commissioned him to compose a score.

“They actually suggested By The Law and after watching it, I fell in love with it. It mirrors a lot of themes in my own work so it made sense to me,” Hubbert said.

“The film is about a small group of gold prospectors in early 20th century America dealing with jealousy, isolation and the after effects of a particularly brutal murder.

“It’s a visceral experience, far more intense than I was expecting from a silent film made in the 1920s. My soundtrack tracks those themes, hopefully mirroring the slow descent into madness the main characters experience.”

With all eyes on the screen, the performance gives Hubbert a chance to truly focus on the intricacies of his music and extract all the emotions needed to soundtrack the film.

Become a member of Shetland News

 

“I normally talk a fair bit during my shows but I like being able to substitute that type of explanation with a purely visual one,” he said.

“The biggest difference is that the piece isn’t about me – it makes a pleasant change for me!”

Tickets for By The Law at Mareel’s screen two on Thursday 19 October are available now online or over the phone on 01595 745500.

Become a member of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its many readers to consider paying for membership to get additional features and services: -

  • Remove non-local ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.

 
Categories
widget/exchange-62widget/pd_widget-6widget/exchange-53widget/pd_widget-7widget/exchange-63widget/exchange-54widget/pd_widget-8widget/exchange-55widget/pd_widget-9widget/exchange-56

Newsletters

Subscribe to a selection of different newsletters from Shetland News, varying from breaking news delivered on the minute, to a weekly round-up of the opinion posts. All delivered straight to your inbox.

Daily Briefing Newsletter Weekly Highlights Newsletter Opinion Newsletter Life in Shetland Newsletter

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Your Privacy

We use cookies on our site to improve your experience.
By using our service, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

Browser is out-of-date

Shetland News isn't fully functional with this version of .
Head over to the help page for instructions on updating your browser for more security, improved speed and the best overall experience on this site.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Have you considered becoming a member of Shetland News?

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please consider paying for membership and get the following features and services: -

  • Remove non-local ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.