Berwick's 'most dangerous' band are to set to take to the stage for the first time in a decade.
At the turn of the millennium, The Scheme were one of the most highly regarded young bands on the circuit, sharing stages with the likes of Elbow, The Coral and Starsailor.

In 2003, the band were voted in the Top 10 unsigned bands in the UK in a Channel 4 end of year poll. However, self destruction and questionable decisions let the Berwick rockers down at vital times.

On one particularly eventful tour which began in Glasgow with a television set exiting a fourth floor hotel room via a window, landing on a Mercedes-Benz parked below, and was followed on the next date by a bar-room brawl after confronting a heckler at a sellout show in Edinburgh.

After impressing at an audience of record label executives at the final date - a music industry invite only showcase in London - the band seemed to be all set to be snapped up by a major label. Unfortunately, the lads were unable to make a meeting at the label the following day as they were assisting police with enquiries when a box of fireworks accidentally went off in their hotel room causing armed police to storm the hotel.

Label bosses ultimately concluded that the band were "too dangerous" to deal with and no deal materialised.

After frontman Mark Reid, left for Australia in early 2004, The Scheme battled on gamely without him for a short time but never managed to recapture the magic that gripped audiences and industry alike. 

The Scheme's classic lineup of Mark Reid, Brian Dytor, Steven Laidlaw, Graham McGow and Cameron Schmid will reunite for one night only for the long awaited final farewell at The Red Lion on 27th December. Support comes from Shoot the Honeys and DJ Ben Grieve.


Colin Dingwall is following