The Hot 100 2014: 10-2
Rachel Maclean, Young Fathers and National Collective among Scotland's hottest cultural contributors
10 Golden Teacher
Trance-inducing, intoxicating stuff, fronted by Charlie Lavena and banana-legginged Cassie Oji. Utterly hype-deserving, this hi-energy sixsome’s frenzied disco / world / techno beats, paired with ludicrously good, improvised stage workouts confirm Golden Teacher hands-down as Glasgow, nope, Scotland’s best live band of 2014. (Claire Sawers)
9 King Creosote & Virginia Heath
The moving and glorious From Scotland with Love not only proved to be a highlight of Fife music guru Kenny Anderson’s already stellar career, the accompanying documentary film (directed by Heath) was a hit on both the small screen and as part of the Commonwealth Games cultural programme. (Brian Donaldson)
8 Billy Connolly
The year after he received some horrible health news, the Big Yin bounced back with a sell-out tour as he hopped across Scotland on his High Horse, as well as appearing alongside David Tennant in the warmly received What We Did on Our Holiday. (Brian Donaldson)
7 Rachel Maclean
Rachel Maclean’s self-performed films are mini-epics which conflate internet memes, political themes and striking set and costume design. Happy & Glorious (her GENERATION contribution about national identity) and new film The Weepers helped her burgeoning reputation. (David Pollock)
Educated at Edinburgh College of Art and based in Glasgow,6 Duncan Campbell
For his contribution to the Scottish Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2014, Duncan Campbell posed difficult questions about the meaning and morality of artefacts displaced from their original context. Presenting these questions through an artist film, Campbell deliberately exposes his practice to the same challenging critique he inspires. With a Turner Prize now to his name you could say he’s fared well. (Rachael Cloughton)
5 Rona Munro
Although Rona Munro has been an established playwright since the 1980s – she wrote episodes of Doctor Who before it became fashionable – her James Plays at the Edinburgh International Festival represented a major statement of intent for the Scottish stage. Taking on the politics of nationhood in the referendum run-up, she was acclaimed for balancing historical detail with relevant commentary. Alongside the frequent revivals of her earlier work, Munro has a strong claim to be one of Scotland’s most popular playwrights. (Gareth K Vile)
4 Young Fathers
How the supposed curse of the Mercury Prize will affect Edinburgh’s Young Fathers remains to be seen, but right now the trio are still basking in a truly different and innovative debut album, DEAD. Amusingly refusing to wave their thumbs aloft for the camera in the immediate aftermath of their win, they also had a pop at their home city’s contentious music scene, and are off to record the album’s follow-up in Berlin. They’ll be back for Hogmanay, though. (David Pollock)
3 Commonwealth Games
How could we avoid it? Why would we want to? Not just for the running and cycling and swimming, but for the general sense of positivity and good feeling which the event brought to Glasgow for a July fortnight, opening up the city’s public spaces and bringing people onto the streets. From this magazine’s perspective, there was also the packed Culture 2014 programme of arts events which happened alongside the Glasgow 2014 Games and an opening ceremony which bore much to recommend it. And John Barrowman. (David Pollock)
2 National Collective
There was an explosion of creativity surrounding the referendum campaign in the run up to 18 September, as people took to the streets and social media to make their diverse voices heard. The artist-run National Collective helped channel this energy, organising numerous events under the Yestival banner over the summer and making major contributions to the debate. By acting like they live in the early days of a better nation, they continue to inspire. (Stewart Smith)