Rebel Cello is my spoken word + film set: Scots language performance accompanied by cello, whistles and looper. I make the films myself and if you’re a filmmaker, you might call it ‘expanded cinema’. I’ve played at Heart of Hawick, Borders Book Festival, Macarts, Stowed Out and as part of Book Week Scotland.
Unconformity 
The Stane Bairn 
Upper Circle Row A Seat 14
I play cello standing up, inspired by Mike Block and other alternative cellists who use non-classical techniques. Stringers of Edinburgh kindly kitted me with a new bridge. Online loop artist JohnPaul Cumberlidge helped with audio tech. Alchemy Film and Arts Walt Holland helped with projection and Raspberry Pis. Michael Scott helped shoot the films.
My spoken word is usually in Border Scots and is part storytelling, part comedy, covering less-known aspects of Border life, including the Gothic, science, Kraftwerk covers and textiles. My music is folky and robust and I tune the cello in different ways. I never go beyond fourth position, and if the tune needs to go fast, I switch to whistle.
I occasionally play with the international virtual band Out of View, which got going waaay before remote collaboration became trendy.
Upper Circle Row A Seat 14 image used with kind permission from Mike Hume, Historic Theatre Photos and Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh.
