Capercailie

In the 80s Capercaillie were greatly influenced by Irish folk music of the 80s, and bands like Clannad and Planxty. Irish music was more advanced then and the Irish band Clannad proved the wider appeal that was possible with their chart success for the theme song Harry’s Song. 

For their albums Delirium (1991) and Secret People (1993) Capercaillie added bass lines, drum machines and synthesisers and this fusion sound let to chart success in the 1990s. Shaw said that some may feel they sold out from the folk traditions but he feels they would have sold out by making the same record over and over. The band preferred to move on and try new things. Their sound became contemporary traditional music. Capercaillie tour worldwide. 

Popular lead singer Karen Matheson is a beautiful Gaeilic singer. Donald Shaw has been the musical director for Glasgow’s highly successful Celtic Connections since 2007. I cover the festival each year and I am well aware of the diversity, quality and musicianship that Donald pulls together to make this highly successful event for the city of Glasgow.

The Stones Murrayfield

The skies stayed clear for the Stones to rock Murryafield stadium – with Keith Richards recognisable riffs and the energy vibes of Jagger’s rhythmic dancing and melodic voice. A band clearly at home on stage!

There is something widely exhilarating to see live a band you have enjoyed and admired for many, many years! 

For the first part of their set they pleased their devoted fans with a well chosen hit selection - Start Me Up/ Lets Spend the Night Together/ Only Rock n Roll/ Talkin in Time/ Under my Thumb.

After which they revisited their R & B based roots with a blues song, when Mick mentioned the Glasgow Barrowlands and with black and white clips behind them. Some songs become stories in themselves and take the songs wide. Other songs have the simple and memorable riffs such as Under My Thumb.

Keith Richard plays acoustic guitar in the style of Robert Johnson, in the key of G and some of the best known riffs ever and we know the songs instantly. Jagger has a soft voice with great range, but not a rock voice. The Stones guitarists leave space for each other with a clarity of sound. When many bands fill up every available space with noise. 

As the evening light faded there was lots of ‘’oh oh oh’ singing as on I Miss You!  

Followed by She’s a Rainbow with Mick on guitar. They then took the tempo up again for their final hit selections - You Cant’ Always Get What you Want/ Paint it Black/ Honky Tonk Woman (when Mick introduced band) and a Keith Richard song followed by Please to Meet You/ I Miss You/ Brown Sugar/ Midnight Rambler/ Jumpin jack Flash. 

And for their encore they performed Gimme Shelter and Satisfaction!

My favourites tonight were Miss You, You Can't Always Get What You Want, Gimme Shelter and Jumpin Jack Flash. I wondered about their stamina at 75! And the energy required for drumming over a two hour set every night. They must have at least two road teams to set up for the next night of their tour. 

Hats off to the Stones for being one of the top and longest lasting rock bands in the world! Fans left happy to have heard their favourite hits. 

The Rolling Stones were started by Brian Jones, one of the Uks top blues guitarists in. He gave it their name and more than that their 'electric blues' sound. He realised that the niche market for R & B could be taken to a mainstream audience. The lost boy, never satisfied. Sadly he became the first of the '27 Club'. He was the UK's first slide guitarist and one of the best blues guitarists in London at that time. Before he left home, Jones said - 'I'm gonna move to London, start a band and I'm going to become rich and famous.'     

Blue Rose Code at Celtic Connections 2018

A restless torn soul

Blue Rose Code, (aka Ross Wilson) Scottish singer-songwriter, performed a concert at Celtic Connections 2018 to support Beth Orton. Ross commanded the ABC stage as he sang with a full band line up. 

His band consisted of Lyle Watt on guitar, Ian Sloan on Pedal Steel, Angus Lyon on keys, Graham Coe on Cello, Nico Bruce on bass and with drums and brass, trumpet and sax. He played dynamic guitar and the kind of set to get lost in. He performed songs from his new 2017 album ‘Water of Leith’, as well as other fan favourites.

In some memorable songs he has connected to his Scottish roots (thankfully) – and brought in the lovely Gaelic voices of Kathleen McInnes and Julie Fowlis on some of his best songs – Sandaig, Passing Places, Where the Westlin Winds Do Carry Me, Edina - more of this please!  He also performed the soothing Nashville Blues (minus guitar), followed by the optimism of Grateful.

The drama of his voice and songs have soul and hope filled emotional surges. His voice is engaging and expressive alongside his pounding guitar. His sound mixes Celtic soul with smooth rhythms informed by the soul and blues of John Martyn and Motown .

I would have enjoyed to hear Ross on a couple of songs solo to take the tempo down a little. The ABC audience was here to hear the headliner - subtle songstress Beth Orton - and sometimes less can be more too. I first heard Ross on his previous sold out visit to the folk club for more intimate gigs and was highly impressed with both his strong performance and music and also with the enthusiasm of the fans.  

Ross is an exciting young talent and I look forward to his future songs. He was great fun to shoot, with the engrossed fun energy he puts into his set!   https://bluerosecode.com

He sang of the cries of freedom all along the west coast

Session A9 Celtic Connections

An entertaining night!

Session A9 are a multi-talented band led by fiddler Charlie Mckerron, who played striking music with four top fiddlers.

They played slow airs, songs, reel and jigs, with often times feet dancing rhythms and bows swinging with a powerhouse dynamism! They also played tunes with slow, melancholy, contemplative violin.

Fiddler Adam Sutherland spoke of his tune which was commissioned for New Voices in 2004. The band played a tune by Ross Ainslie, and also new tunes Charlie Mckerron. Meanwhile guitarist Marc Clement sang a couple country folk songs – ‘These Days’, and ‘Take away the Well So deep.’

This band have funny craic and banter with each other. Brian spoke of the 25 years of Celtic tradition and culture, to sell our culture on and how its amazing what the festival has achieved. He offered a big thanks to all involved with putting on the festival and all the work behind the scenes. He spoke of the scope and breadth of the festival and he wondered where the festival might be in another 25 years time!

For their encore the band performed the fitting song ‘One for the Road’ 

The players consisted of – Charlie Mckerron (fiddle), Gordon Gunn (fiddle & Mandolin), Adam Sutherland (fiddle), Kevin Henderson (fiddle), Brian McAlpine (piano), David Robertson (percussion), Marc Clement (guitar & vocals)

Session A9 played a residency at Epcot and celebrated their first decade with the  album Paths That Wind. They were voted 'Best Live Act 2012' at the Scottish Trad Awards

King Creosote Celtic Connections 2017

One of Scotlands highly respected songwriters, King Creosote, aka Kenny Anderson, from Fife and his nine piece band brightened up the Old Fruitmarket stage on Friday. The top quality band, who were made up with sparkly space age gear, included harp, cello, bass, keys, drums, violin, pipes and guitars - with Lomond Campbell (Ziggy) on vocals, Peter Harvey (cello) and Andy Robertson (drums).   

This was to set the mood for the lush cinematic travelling soundscapes of Anderson’s 2016 album, ‘Astronaut Meets Appleman.’  The album explores the challenges between traditional and the new technologies. 

 

The gig included the catchy tunes ‘Love Life’ and other memorable songs, from his recent album -  ‘Surface’, ‘Wake Up to This’ and the momentum of ‘You Just Want.’ Kenny mixes colourful subtle soundscapes with his indie folk rock music. At one point Anderson wandered the stage and interacted with all the members of his band and it appeared they were having much fun! They performed hypnotic immersive music and the packed Fruitmarket audience knew they were in for a good night! 

Charlie Cunningham

English singer songwriter, Charlie Cunningham, was the support and played some dynamic guitar and songs. 

In 2014, King Creosote composed songs for a award winning theatre show with archived black and white footage of Scotland, entitle ‘Scotland With Love’. He is also a Mercury prize nominated artist for his collaborative ‘Diamond Mine ‘album recorded with Jon Hopkins.    

He is is a one-man cottage industry based in the Fife fishing town of Anstruther, Kenny “King Creosote” Anderson has released more than 40 albums since the late Nineties, 

Celtic Late Sessions 2016

Celtic Connections also runs over its weekends The Festival Club and the Late Sessions at the Drygate. Here photos of the top Scottish band Braebach at the Late Sessions. 

ALSO the excellent Elephant Sessions who supported Blazin Fiddles

Idlewild O2 ABC

I enjoyed a band on top form with the return of the celtic and soul-filled Edinburgh indie rockers Idlewild, who played two sold-out return shows for their fans at the O2 ABC Glasgow. 

The room was full of palpable nostalgia and love from the fans ready to rock!  Their dramatic melodic rock offers hopes - as Woomble put it 'For all you lovely people come to see us.' 

The strength of memories lost forgotten hopes and dreams –

The crowd waited eagerly for those songs replayed and also for the new material and sound of this refreshed re-energized band with their new members - bassist Andrew Mitchell, keyboard player Luciano Rossi and Hannah Fisher on electric fiddle.

The set was a good mix of both the old and new, which kept fans more than happy. Their music was at times understated and subtle and then with full-on throttle and energy on other tracks, such as A Modern Way of Letting Go.

Lead singer Roddy, displayed assured warm confidence, while guitarist Jones played his guitar like an energy wand and their older songs were reworked and energized. There were strong five-part harmonies on 'Roseability' and 'Little Discourage' and their sing-able choruses were enjoyed by the audience on familiar songs such as 'Love Steals Us From Loneliness.' They played melodic catchy riffs on  'So Many Things to Decide' and 'American English'.

The new album songs from their Everything Ever Written album - ‘Come Along Ghost' and 'Collect Yourself' were well received. Their sound is a blend of rock and folk with the emphasis at times on the rock - with impressive high-wire guitars and soulful melody from Rossi's keys and Fisher's electric fiddle.  

It was good to see new member, guitarist and bass player Andrew, up front for several songs. I saw him perform solo at Edinburgh festival last year and was impressed with his music there. On the new track (Use it) If You Can Use It, he and Jones rocked the sound up a few notches with a full on bluesy guitar duel.

Their influences are broad from Americana, folk earnestness and 90s full on rock. During the band's hiatus Woomble has written for Ballads of the Book and worked with folk musicians - I have seen him solo with John McCusker and Kris Drever.     

They are part of the forerunners of today's melodic pop rock bands (notably Scottish bands such as Biffy Clyro)  while there was also edges of REM here - Night Swimming came to mind.

All in all a winning formula. Hope the tour goes great for you!

Idlewild are a Scottish indie rock band, from Edinburgh Scotland formed in 1995. They are now a seven piece band with guitar, keys and electric fiddle - previous members are Roddy Woomble (lead vocals), Rod Jones (guitar), Colin Newton (drums) and now with new members - Andrew Mitchell (bass), Hannah Fisher (electric fiddle) and Luciano Rossi (keys). They have released seven full-length studio albums, with recent album Everything Ever Written released in 2015.  http://idlewild.co.uk

I was pleased to be the only photographer at this fun gig but would also have enjoyed to be creative and have shot the whole set too. My gig photos here - http://pkimage.co.uk/idlewild