A little taster of footage from our first After Hours event (featuring a performance by Waystone co-founder @louisbarabbas.bsky.social). www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpxt...
Waystone Books Launch Party
YouTube video by Waystone Books
youtube.com
Louis Barabbas
@louisbarabbas.bsky.social
Musical theatre composer-lyricist (Coraline, Jocasta, Wildfire Season). Firefighter. Lives in Isle of Skye, rep’d by The Agency He/Him
Rock and roll credentials officially revoked but I don’t mind.
Waystone Books@waystonebooks.bsky.social · 7mo agoWe were joined by Dunvegan Primary School today as part of #worldbookday. They asked us lots of great questions about running a bookshop and explored our stock, then @louisbarabbas.bsky.social read them a story and discussed the ethical minefield of the traditional euro-centric fairy tale canon.
It’s nice when you own the venue and can swing off the beams!
Waystone Books@waystonebooks.bsky.social · 8mo agoGotta use what you can in the absence of a chandelier. Our first After Hours event was a lot of fun, thanks to everyone who joined us to celebrate our first week in business! Here's a photo of @louisbarabbas.bsky.social singing songs in the shop. #indiebookshop #bookshop #isleofskye #skye #booksky
Immediate thoughts after opening a bookshop in Dunvegan, Skye. @waystonebooks.bsky.social #booksky
I’m in the paper and it’s not because of Coraline!
Waystone Books@waystonebooks.bsky.social · 8mo agoFront page news!
I feel immensely fortunate to have a life where these three photos of three different jobs can be taken in the same week! 🎶 📚 🚒 #music #books #firefighter
Dress for the job you want to lose to AI, not for the job you’ve already lost to AI.
Such a lovely review by Flux magazine. I’d have killed for this kind of write-up in the Bedlam Six days! www.fluxmagazine.com/felix-hagan-...
Who’s coming to the best bookshop in Dunvegan on Saturday?
Waystone Books@waystonebooks.bsky.social · 8mo agoThe moment we’ve all been waiting for… is anyone ready to visit the bookshop? Waystone Books will be open from Saturday 21st February! We will be opening from 11am-6pm that weekend. Our opening hours/days (to start with anyway!) are 11am-6pm Wednesday-Sunday, closed on Monday and Tuesday.
I managed to go my entire rock career without performing in a tight black vest but it seemed apt to put one on when Felix dragged me out of retirement.
I know, I can’t believe there was no backstage mirror at a Felix Hagan gig either!
Such fun performing with Felix Hagan again. We hadn’t sung My Little Lusitania for at least twelve years! Photo (c) Stef Martin 2026
So, for those of you coming to the Felix Hagan show in Manchester, a question: do you just want me to play old stuff or should I do a few new things too? I could throw in some Coraline numbers if you’re interested in hearing a 43 year old man pretend to be an 11 year old girl?
Jack is the real deal, a great writer and lovely person. Do consider supporting if you can.
Jack MacGregor@jmacr.bsky.social · 8mo agoThrilled to announce my next play PROPHETS which we plan to debut at the Edinburgh Fringe 2026. Sadly it's really expensive to do the Fringe and we are a group of independent artists so we're launching a Crowdfunder to help get us there. Please share widely if you can support please do.
Yes, it’s true! I am briefly coming out of gig retirement to play with my treasured friend and former label-mate Felix Hagan at his album launch on 13th February at Star & Garter Manchester. It’s so nice to lend my enormous fame to support up and coming talent. He has a bright future ahead of him.
For some reason I trust even numbered years more than odd.
I was just sent this photo by a distant cousin (it's me). As you can see my taste in clothes hasn't changed!
One of the many perks of this job is we get our own lift in hotels.
I am one of the guest vocalists on Oğuz Kaplangi's RES!ST album (on the last track "Not Walking Away"). It was lovely being part of this collaborative project. The record is out now. oguzkaplangi.com/resist/
RESIST
oguzkaplangi.com
I think you can definitely tell that my choice is the middle line! I found it so hard picking just five books for our little bookshop’s first curated selection, going with Staying Alive, We Have Always Lived In The Castle, A Single Man, @carolinebirduk.bsky.social’s The Air Year and Treasure Island.
Waystone Books@waystonebooks.bsky.social · 10mo agoOur online shop is coming very soon! While we wait to finalise the purchase of the building we’ll be selling a limited number of the pictured books (5 chosen by each of the Waystone team), plus a free vinyl sticker of our logo with each purchase for any books ordered before the end of the year.
Of course a photoshoot of the Waystone directors is going to end up looking like an album cover. Of course it is.
Waystone Books@waystonebooks.bsky.social · 11mo agoWaystone directors behaving completely naturally wearing just whatever came to hand at the time.
Some friends and I are setting up a bookshop. It’ll sell books! And there will be events! And coffee! And exclamation marks! We’ll be opening soon so give us a follow!
Waystone Books@waystonebooks.bsky.social · 11mo agoWaystone Books is a brand new independent bookshop opening in Northwest Skye very soon! Follow this account for updates on our renovation of the premises, details of community events and the books we’ll stock. We can’t wait to see you in the shop!
A little write-up about the panel I was on recently in Paris. David and I didn't deliberately synchronise outfits but we leant into it! musiciansunion.org.uk/news/sustain...
Sustainable Careers for Artists in an Evolving Industry: Insights from the MU’s Panel at MaMA Festiv
The MU panel at MaMA festival in Paris this year brought together a diverse group of musicians and activists to explore how artists can build lasting careers beyond traditional recording and touring m...
musiciansunion.org.uk
Had a lovely time discussing sustainable careers in the arts with Linton Stephens, David from Field Music, Fiona Bevan and Kelly Wood at MAMA Conference in Paris. And I even met another songwriter/firefighter Lila Zik- I thought I was the only one!
