We were treated to Sierra Hull’s energetic display on mandolin Celtic Connections music festival 2023
Showing posts with label concert. Show all posts
Showing posts with label concert. Show all posts
Tuesday 31 January 2023
Celtic Connections memories
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| Capercaillie 2008 |
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| Opening night 2008 |
Opening night 2023 at Glasgow concert hall. I see young Gaelic singer Kim Carnie walking past with her newly straightened hair, and Liz Clark who hosts the Danny Kyle stage deep in conversation. She has asked to use a photo of mine of the Celtic radio website. I enter the VIP room, normally the press office and chat with Hannah. I remember meeting Dick Gaughan waiting outside here when I asked him what songs he’d be singing for the concert. He’s so honest and down-to-earth.
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| Karen Matheson |
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The baton is being past now to the new generation of folk musicians, while popular festival stalwarts are still here – Karine Polwart, Anna Massie, Michael McGoldrick, Donald Shaw, drummer James Mackintosh – who reminisce on their very first Celtic Connections concert. My first cc was opening night 2008, Transatlantic Sessions and Capercaillie old Fruitmerket.
I grew up with radio, recorded music and also theatre and piano tunes. Later I first encountered the joy of live folk clubs and festivals – it offers a rich intimacy, joy, poignancy and immediacy, that I had not encountered before.
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| Nicola Benedetti |
Celtic has taken the intimacy of live folk to a bigger stage and broader audience. The festival explores quality musicianship and singers, diverse collaborations and the ever popular lively ceilidh bands.
The festival’s foundations and roots are Celtic folk and Gaelic, while at the same time they embrace other Celtic world roots music and look forwards.
As Noakes once wrote after my comment “the best music is timeless” – “No the best music is very much of its time.” And “a present with no past has no future.”
Our sad recent loss of folk legend Rab Noakes – his music lives on!
CELTIC CONNECTIONS archive 2008 – 2023. Photos Pauline Keightley - https://pkimage.co.uk
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| Karine Polwart |
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| Jerry Holland |
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Monday 30 January 2023
Opening concert Celtic Connections 2023
Opening night at Glasgow concert hall. I see young Gaelic singer Kim Carnie walking past with her newly straightened hair. I remember meeting Dick Gaughan waiting outside here when I asked him what songs he’d be singing for the concert. He’s so honest and down-to-earth. I’m also sad for the loss of the Scots legend songwriter Rab Noakes, who often performed and hosted major tribute concerts at the festival.
The baton is being past now to the new generation of folk musicians, while popular festival stalwarts are still here – Karine Polwart, Anna Massie, Michael McGoldrick, Donald Shaw, drummer James Mackintosh – who reminisce on their very first Celtic Connections concert. My first cc was opening night 2008, with Transatlantic Sessions and Capercaillie old Fruitmarket.
Tonight’s concert was a smorgasbord showcasing the range of talent on offer over one of the world’s largest winter music festival – with events at 24 venues across the city, from the Old Fruitmarket, City Halls, Oran Mor, Mackintosh Church, CCA to the concert hall; the centre hub with its Danny Kyle open stage and much more.
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| Peat & Diesel |
The opening concert celebrated its 30th year, and after two years of online events tonight’s packed crowd were more than ready to party again. The 35 strong big band are packed with quality strings, brass, fiddles, pipes and percussion did not disappoint.
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| Maeve Gilchrist |
Liam O Maonial's (of the band Hot House Flowers) dance to his melodic Celtic tunes; Rachel Sermanni's haunting lock down song ‘Lay my heart’; and Mercury nominated Fergus McCreadie played silky, subtly nuanced jazz piano – which won him
Scottish Album of the Year and a Mercury nomination for his 2022 album Forest Floor. There was high drama with the National Youth Pipe band and the Scottish dance theatre's contemporary joyful display, while the big band held sway with original and challenging compositions. A diverse joyful night of live music.
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| Rachel Sermanni |
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| Sierra Hull |
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| Liam O Maonial' |
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| Kim Carnie |
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| Basc |
The Opening concert Big Band - Duncan Lyall, Sorren Maclean, Fraser Fifield, Patsy Reid, Graham Mackenzie, Laura Wilkie, Michael McGoldrick, Hannah Fisher, Ross Ainslie, Anna Massie, Greg Lawson,Alice Allen, Alyn Cosker, James Mackintosh.
PHOTOS - https://pkimage.co.uk
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| Fergus McCreadie |
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| Karine Polwart |
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| Kathleen MacInnes |
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| National Youth Pipe band |
Wednesday 30 November 2022
Bob Dylan on Good Voice Ovo Armadillo Glasgow
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Dylan held us inspired with his voice, the master of his song craft, and the unforgettable storyteller. Our iconic bard held sway with his top-rated band – Bob Britt’s flying-V guitar solos, multi instrumentalist Donnie Herron on lapsteel, mandolin and fiddle, the dynamic, unconventional drummer Charlie Drayton, Tony Garnier on upright bass.
Dylan was centre stage and he stood at times behind his wooden piano: he’s worked to get the sound just right and though he’s mostly in shadow, he appeared upbeat. Dylan digs deep into the American and the more distant European songbooks –and he states both the Scots and Irish folk ballads as influences, along with the classics. He mixes up with Chicago blues, blistering rock n roll, new Orleans flavoured knockabouts and stately melodic reflections.
*Tonight Dylan sang his new album, Rough and Rowdy Ways,
Bob is proud of his new album which has had top reviews, his first of new songs since Tempest in 2012. Dressed all in black, the band are silhouettes and as the songs begin they are illuminated by the brightly lit squares beneath them, backdropped by deep red velvet – as if floating to that promised land Dylan’s’ words and songs offer us. He’s the true prophet of our times, even though he asks not to be!
We’ve entered slower paced past times before mobile phones, before flashing lights, to inhabit the moment and be free of burdens. The band are strung as one, emphasising the rush and flow – asking, questioning, apologising, and quiet searching of our souls. Dylan’s been through many doorways, seen many distant shorelines. At 80 he’s given us another classic album.
Now at 80 he continues as the journeyman going strong – His band are on top form with surging guitars, to subtle, gentle, backing rhythms surrounding the deep power of Dylan’s words. He savours the live experience, that exchange of song and audience, sharing his voice with his long standing and admiring fans. He seems more at ease with himself, and certainly the new album is slower tempo, chilled and intimate: while still offering the questioning and grit we expect. His songs don’t come easy and they get under your skin.
**Dylan sang 17 songs tonight – 9 from his 2022 album Rough and Rowdy Ways
He began his show with Watching the River Flow (written 1971) about those creative urges so crucial to his life. And followed by the complex opening track from R & R, I Contain Multitudes.
The memorable and often quoted lyrics of False Prophet and When I Make my Masterpiece. The intimate stillness of a lovely love song I’ve made up my Mind to give Myself to You. He sang an impressive Black Rider, with unexpected key changes, ‘The road that you’re on, same road that you knew, just not the same as it was a minute ago.” My mind is at war, Hnag off your arm.
Followed by My Own Version of You, Mother of Muses.The haunting slow drumbeat of Crossing the Rubicon, a metaphor to take a leap into the unknown and commit to certain journeys - Take the big road, whatever road you can. Bob sang the chilled relaxed happy rituals of favourite track Key West. We were left in harmony. After which he said, “Hello everyone”. Dylan was centre stage and he stood at times behind his wooden piano: he’s worked to get the sound just right and though he’s mostly in shadow, he appeared upbeat
**Other than the album, Dylan performed Most Likely You’ll go your Way and I’ll go Mine from Blonde on Blonde album. Followed by one of his ultimate classics with surging guitars Gotta Serve Someone, from Slow Train Coming album – backed by Bob Britt’s surging guitar, Donnie Herron’s dynamic pedal steel guitar and the thundering drummer Charlie Drayton. And a very slow version of I’ll be Your Baby Tonight; a cheerful and an cheerful upbeat Be Alone with You, from 1969 album Nashville Skyline - Under the starlight sky; and a swinging cover version of That Old Black Magic.
Dylan performed a rousing rock blues Goodbye Jimmy Reid on which he plays harmonica – an upbeat tribute to the blues giant. To those having a free voice. When Dylan said, ”Thank you everybody, Hope you are all well.” For their final song the band performed Every Grain of Sand – and with band introductions.
After which the band and Dylan lined up centre stage, then exited and came back for a final bow, when there was a rush of applause when I thought how much Dylan’s songs and music have meant to so many, and especially for those musicians in his footsteps (and for me). Like the Scots bard Robert Burns, Dylan looks back to the great writers before him and also to what lies ahead.
I might have hoped, as in 2011, Dylan had encored two of his classics (Rolling stone, All Along the Watchtower), but this show was about new material mostly and we left grateful, satisfied and thankful. He sits at the turbulent crossroads. He continues being the journeyman bringing his messages of a better way. Hope of those journeys, Fear of time taking us all.
In my life by far, his long life of music and poet of our times. I’ll cross that Rubicon to the Promised land. Take me to the river – free me from sin. Will he still be touring at 80, still the journeyman, journey home. The Never ending Tour runs through 2024.
This is Bob at his classic and contemporary best! This is my third Dylan concert. First was with my son at the SECC Glasgow, when Dylan was hunched over his keyboards. The second gig, 2011, was a much livelier Dylan performance at the Braehead arena, where Dylan even danced! And we stood alongside his long-standing disciples at the front. The fan beside me was my age and also with his son and he had been to every Dylan concert here since his first one in Scotland – at the age of 18. It was a humbling experience and Dylan performed several of his classic songs (set lists are online)
Dylan clearly much prefers the smaller venues and this concert in 2022 at the Armadillo was more intimate and old worldly, took us back in time, before mobile phones, before internet and before flashing lights, glitz and glamour- when we could simply be in the moment to listen clearly to the quality, aged instruments, to the changes in tempo, clarity, depth, resonance and range of voice. We’ve forgotten today how to be in the moment, how to look or listen, as we disappear into our virtual realities.
I hope Dylan continues on his ever ending world tour and continues to write and perform such memorable and hard hitting words and music. And that I get to hear him some more live – it’s a surreal and uplifting experience.
**SET LIST
*Watching the River Flow
*Most Likely You’ll go your way and I’ll go Mine
I Contain multitudes
False Prophet
When I make my Masterpiece
Black Rider
My Own Version of you
*I’ll be our Baby Tonight
Crossing the Rubicon
*Be Alone with you
Key West
*Gotta Serve Someone
I’ve made up my mind to give myself to You
*That Old Black Magic
Mother of Muses
**REVIEWS
Neil McCormick on the Telegraph, as “one long magnificent ride for his most loyal fans and “The wise old poet has stirred up a cryptic cauldron of truths and clues, philosophy, myths and magic.”
“Breath of its cultural references and the depth of Dylan’s lyrics ‘ Mikal Wood Los Angeles Times.
“old blues songs, Shakespeare, classical mythology, the bible and pop culture” Kenny Doole Exclaim
“why are intellectual references so rare in contemporary music.”
Rolling Stone ranked Key West as second best songs of 2020 and 7th in a list of 25 best Bob Dylan songs 20th century.
“ a poetic balm for a world in profound turmoil.”
Bob Dylan, All the Songs, Philippe Margolin and Jean Michel Guesdon, claim R & R is placed between Highway 61 Revisited, Blond on Blonde and Blood on the Tracks, and in other words on the same level as his master works. Several stand out tracks are singled out for mention – Key West, I Contain Multitudes, Black Rider.
Rough and Rowdy Ways album - is the 39th studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan released on June 2020, through Columbia Records.It is Dylan's first album of original songs since his 2012 album Tempest following three releases, one a triple album a triple album that covered traditional pop standards. The album was recorded at Sound City Studios in January and February 2020. The session musicians included all of the then-current members of Dylan's Never Ending tour band alongside other musicians, such as Blake Mills and Fiona Apple. The album's sound was described by critics as Americana, folk, blues and R & B.
Rough and Rowdy Ways was preceded by the singles "Murder Most Foul", "I Contain Multitudes" and "False Prophet", "Murder Most Foul" became Dylan's first song to top any US Billboard chart. The album was universally praised by critics, described as being one of Dylan's best works and placing highly in many year-end album lists, including the top spot on four lists. It peaked at No. 1 in more than ten countries and No. 2 in the United States and Australia.
Surrounding Dylan, leaning in like heliotropes, are three guitarists playing electric, acoustic, lap steel, mandolin and fiddle (the latter three are by Donnie Herron, and not all at the same time). Longtime electric upright bassist Tony Garnier plucks away next to newbie Charley Drayton, a loose and bouncy drummer who seems to make contact with his kit via anything but wooden sticks. The transitions between the songs are jazzy and fantasia-like, as though each cut played is conjured afresh out of a shimmering ether.
Crucially, there’s an air of playfulness here – testament to Dylan actually being in a very good mood
Friday 30 September 2022
Finland Awakes, Art & Culture shape our Destiny
Music crosses borders but also expresses our souls
"Finland doesn’t have a history of kings and castles. We have always been occupied. When we finally became free it was built on language, literature, painting and music. Jean Sibelius created the idea of what Finland sounds like. You can hear his enthusiasm for discovering the Finnish sagas – folklore that’s ours alone, even as he was becoming a universal composer.”
writes Dalen Stasevska (BBC Symphony Orchestra principle guest conductor)
who returned as principle conductor to Lahiti – home to Jean Sibelius.
Sibelius (1865 – 1957) helped force Finland’s independence in 1917. He was a violinist who found inspiration in Finland’s myths, sagas and folklore, particularly in the poetry of Kalevala.
Jean married Aino Janefelt, whose family was artistic and activist – her three brothers were a painter, composer and writer. Their mother was determined to fight for Finnish independence and she gathered a Finnish-speaking, pro-independence circle around her, including Sibelius.
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| Aino Janefelt & Jean Sibelius |
“we fought a 100 years for our freedom and I am part of the generation that achieved it. This is the song of our battle – our hymn of Victory. “
But after a civil war, Russia again attacked during the WW1.
Lahiti built Sibelius hall from wood in 1996. At this time there was 28% unemployment, so it was hard to justify a new concert hall. But the government was keen for a prestigious building as part of the Year of Wood, Plus they had the backing of businesses – Metsa and UMP.
The concert hall now hosts a Sibelius festival and is rated in the top ten for acoustics. The area was rejuvenated around the site with restaurants, and a new marina developed.
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| Jean Sibelius |
(extracted from Lesley Riddoch article - Finnish composer and the lessons we can learn from Nordic neighbours
Edinburgh festivals 2022
Its good to see tradition and history given due regard – with the new to challenge and move things forward. We need both. Freedom to move, to express. Its important to notice the ancient history we pass, under the gawdy and tacky. So many tourists walk past so fast – but it’s the auld stories, historic buildings, that give us the authentic character. and sense of our past stories.
And no better place to do so than historic, cobbled Edinburgh, with its steep closes and wynds, atmospheric high street, around its Mercat Cross, Signet Library, Scottish Parliament, St Giles – publishing, Reformation, enlightenment, Stewarts, and Georgian new town.
Sunday at Biblos after my high street walk. Good to see that the buzz has returned this year. Talk Fintan OToole at EIBF, who spoke of the known and the unknown, the Ireland he’s known since 1958. Later I entered the atmospheric musical realm of Sandy Bells. I used to be here in my twenties and enjoyed fun folk nights here.
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| St Giles |
High street trails were once again packed with several shows and tourists.
**St Giles There was a lovely choral choir singing which lent an ethereal and spiritual air.
The Writers corner – Margaret Oliphant, Robert Fergusson, Robert Louis Stephenson,
Robert Lorimer, Elsie Inglis,
St Giles cathedral was cleaned up in the 1980s and is considered the home of the Scots Presbyterian religion, and its famous minister John Knox. They were against having the Bishops hierarchy and believed everyone had their right to access the Bible and God for themselves, which all led to the War of the Three Kingdoms and education for all.
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| Burns memorial window |
I later discover there is now a Burns Memorial window in St Giles. In 1985 it was felt there was no central memorial to our great national bard – the window illustrates the natural world Burns loved, the middle section human unity and with a vibrant red sun of love at the top. Its easy though to walk past the window, as I did without realising. With the service for the Queen taking place here September.
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| Sandy Bells |
**SHOWS
*Bloody Difficult Woman – about Theresa May and her clash with Gina Miller over her lack of consulting parliament over her hasty Brexit. Tim Walker’s debut drama which received good reviews and sold out performances in Edinburgh – but lacked attention in England as the extreme right seeks to suppress any Brexit negatives. Debut drama
Tim Walker - writes that in England people are starting to give up on national political discourse - and even the idea of democracy itself. He feels regarded as an enemy of the people. He write show grateful he is for the positive recognition of his play in Scotland. “ My gratitude to the people of Scotland is heartfelt. You still have something very valuable – please don’t loose it.”
*BURN with Allan Cumming – on the darker more controversial side of our national bard with an emotional interpretation of the man behind the shortbread tin myths.
*Comedy- Frankie Boyle, Kevin Bridges
*Music - Edinburgh hosted several world class orchestras.
Scottish Sessions, Surgeons hall; Queens halls concerts, Princes street gardens gigs.
*Edinburgh Art festival
A Taste of Impressionism at the National Galleries, explores the rich collections by Scots collectors
Michele Roberts Three women and the artist Matisse
Barbara Hepworth Exhibition
Edinburgh film festival
Children festival – Sold out Peppa Pig orchestra, and much more.
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| Ocean Vuong |
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| Omar Musa |
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| Art college |
Music. PJ Harvey, Martha Wainwright, Stuart Cosgrove,
Bigger names – Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Maggie O’Farrell
EIBF encourages us to debate, question, and look for truths, via a wide range of writers from to academics, novelists, historians, journalists, politicians, artists, poets and more.
Some might claim Edinburgh festivals are not radical enough,
There are questions over whether Edinburgh festivals have become too big. Edinburgh festivals started in 1947 with 8 companies – by 1980 at 380, 1985 to 1,091 companies and 3,841 companies in 2019. Ticket sales down and it will be four or five year journey back
Edinburgh festivals have also suffered from overkill and overload of tourists, Sometimes quantity rather than quality. Perhaps the pandemic will mean a reset, and rethink. To streamline and reset.
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| Sunshine at the Edinburgh art galleries |
1973 – 184
1976 – 426
1985 – 1,091
2015 – 3,314
2019 – 3,841
Ticket sales
\1973 – 128,900
1985 – 523,000
2014 – 2,183,591
2019 – 3,012,490
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