Transatlantic Sessions review classy concert review 2025

Always such a classy, sophisticated concert with the quality transatlantic band and top notch singers! Tonight celebrating their 30^th year! (since 1995). Transatlantic Sessions explores the musical connections between Scotland, Ireland and America. Tonight Ireland was represented by Niall McCabe and John Doyle. Scotland by Julie Fowlis, Aly Bain,Donald Shaw, John McCusker. James Mackintosh. America by Larry Campbell, Teresa Williams, Jerry Douglas, Daniel Kimbro, Tatiana Hargreaves and Allison de Groot. Transatlantic Sessions offers the familiar and the new and how music connects us. 

 

The show opened with Aly Bain’s ‘Federals’. Then Irish singer Niall McCabe impressed with an assured performance with his strong voice and songs, ‘Stonemason’ and ‘November Swell’. He sang a sublime version of his ‘Your Letter’, which invoked our Celtic bonds across the Atlantic, with only Shaw on piano and Douglas on lap steele.

 

Accomplished husband and wife duo, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams from Tennessee, performed their love songs, such as ‘Did you ever love me at all and ‘That’s the way you make me feel.' Teresa and Larry were also on top form with their bluesy gospel song ‘Midnight Highway.’ Teresa was in a billowing eye-catching yellow shirt. Campbell played with Bob Dylan’s band for seven years, as well as many other notable musicians.

Niall McCabe

From the States, Loudon Wainwright III, certainly commanded the stage with his story-telling songs and gritty character. He was at his best with his ‘Swimming Song’, when Loudon impressed with the full band behind him, (fiddles, dubro, mandolin, guitar, piano, bass). He had everyone singing on his show stopper, the bard of Dundee Michael Marra’s ‘Hermless’. He later observed with his song “Things are weird right now - “No its not the end of the world as we know it, its just the middle of the night.”

A highlight was Scots Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis, who charms with her faster tempo music on ‘Domhnall Binn’, and also with her poignant lament of loss and longing ‘Ge fada ma Thriall (Catullus)’. With the song ‘Gradh Geal Mo Chrid’ from her new album ‘Looking for the Thread’ she held the audiences in a hushed silence, backed solely by Shaw’s piano and strings. She also played the pipes and whistle. Fowlis, from north Uist is one of the leading lights keeping the Celtic and Gaelic traditions alive. She literally sparkles on stage and brings class to any stage. After Culloden, highland instruments were banned but the Gaelic singing traditions were kept alive.

 

Loudon Wainwright III

From the band we were treated to fine tunes, from bluegrass to Shetland – ‘Stormy Point/ 'Far from Home'/ 'Bonnie isle of Whalsay'/ 'High Road to Linton.’ When each band member does a solo part. This accomplished band perform bluegrass, Americana, Scots and Irish folk tunes. The climatic finale featured Julie Fowlis with her song ‘Hug Air a Bhonaid Mhoir.’ After she joined the band on pipes, finishing with their usual set of rousing and uplifting tunes which always sets the audience on their feet. A toast to the excellent musical directors!

 

Transatlantic Sessions offers us both established and emerging singers – the perfect platform for the artist and the perfect house band. Concerts such as TS proves the size of the audience for this kind of traditional, acoustic music. Celtic Connections music festival has taken the closed off live local pub sessions on to the bigger stage. And also taken Celtic music forward, while respecting the traditions. In particular certain folk musicians aim to keep carrying the stream. 

Julie Fowlis

 

Review and Photos Pauline Keightley - https://pkimage.co.uk/

 

**ALBUMS – 

Julie Fowlis, Mary chapman Carpenter, karine polwart – Looking for the Thread.  

Niall McCabe – Rituals