Lights... Action

Your music expert Lisa-Marie Ferla previews new releases and the festivals that will brighten dark winter nights

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SPECTRA, Aberdeen’s annual festival of light, was born of a desire to brighten up the north-east winter with specially-commissioned installations, exhibitions and events. Last year, the festival incorporated a live music element for the first time; 2018 sees this expanded into a full music programme across the weekend, February 8-11.

The idea, says Aberdeen City Council culture spokesperson Marie Boulton, is to develop the festival’s cultural strand and attract a diverse audience, on top of the family-focused events that characterise SPECTRA.

The line-up of UK and Nordic musicians with a strong electronic/experimental bent does so beautifully, while reflecting the unique cultural position of the north-east.