SITTING just two miles across the Border, Berwick-upon-Tweed has proved a source of contention and confusion for centuries, changing hands between England and Scotland on a remarkable 13 occasions.
Although it has been officially part of England since 1482, the Northumbrian town retains a sense of national ambiguity. Not only does its football team ply its trade in Scottish League Division Three, but the local accents are a unique Jock-Geordie
hybrid.
Earlier this year, Scottish Nationalist MSP Christine Grahame even tabled the extraordinary parliamentary motion of inviting Berwick's residents to "return to the fold".
But for The Briganties, one of the town's most promising indie bands, there are more pressing matters at hand. They want to make music, pure and simple.
And while they may have taken their name from an ancient Celtic tribe, the question of nationality isn't exactly high on their agenda.
"I don't think any of us really give a s***," says guitarist Mark Hope, whose band play The Ark tonight.
The band, which also includes singer Liam Smith, guitarist Graham McGow, bassist Brian Dytor and drummer Cameron Schmid, first got together, not by design, but as a happy result of tardiness on the part of fellow musicians.
"There were originally two separate bands, The Scheme and Das Boot, and we both used to practice in East Ord Village Hall, just outside Berwick," explains Hope.
"Some of us would be waiting for our other band members to show up – sometimes they didn't – and those that were there would end up having a bit of a jam together."
Two years on, the band are busy putting the finishing touches to their as-yet-untitled debut album, having already received glowing comments for their epic single, The Girl Heaven Sold To The World, in the music press.
Q magazine described them as "a band bursting with potential and definitely ones to watch in 2008, God bless the Briganties!" High praise indeed. But while Hope welcomes such recognition, he points out that success would be merely a happy by-product of doing something they all enjoy.
"It's nice to get recognised but I would still want to play whether it's in front of 10,000 people or ten people," says the 23-year-old, before adding, "although the cash would be all right, I suppose!"
Hope and his fellow band members appreciate that making music is a well-travelled and at times, difficult road – sometimes in a literal sense.
Back in March, the band embarked on a national tour, performing in cities such as London, Leeds, Sheffield and Manchester.
"We've got a van but it's a complete s***heap," laughs Hope. "On the first day of the tour it broke down on the Leeds ring road and we all had to get out and push it on to the roundabout. It cost £300 to fix. It wasn't exactly a good start to the tour but going on the road is what it's all about."
Just like their home town, The Briganties are somewhat unwilling to be pigeonholed.
"It's a question I always get asked but I can never answer," says Hope. "All of our songs are different, they all have different vibes. We're all into our own kind of music, but we all like bands like Radiohead. I think we all bring our own thing to the band."
As for the future, Hope is realistic. "It's difficult to find people who are willing to give you a hand and help you along," he says. "But you just have to go for it. You just have to make your own way.
"We've got a few record companies interested just now – they're waiting for the album to get finished. But a lot of success comes down to being in the right place at the right time."
As a native Berwicker, Hope and his band mates are in a good position to assess the relative merits – or otherwise - of audiences on both sides of the Border.
"Edinburgh's always a good place to play," says the guitarist. "You always seem to get the most feedback when you're playing gigs in Scotland. We've performed down in London and the audience all just stand there. Even if they did like you they wouldn't show it, whereas people in Scotland tend to be a lot more enthusiastic. We've not been to Edinburgh for a while, so it should be a really good night."
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The Briganties, The Ark, Waterloo Place, tonight, 7.30pm, £4, 0131-228-9393The full article contains 759 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
