Showing posts with label festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label festival. Show all posts

Thursday 29 February 2024

Dick Gaughan’s appearance at Red Clydesides John Maclean concert

 

Billy Bragg & Dick Gaughan at concert Celtic Connections 2024

 
One aspect of folk music is its inclusive, open culture – its for everyone. Its not about a few musicians on stage. All can sing the choruses, dance or clap along. 

 

This year traditional Scots musician Dick Gaughan made a surprise appearance at the concert for Red Clydesider John MacLean to a standing ovation. Gaughan had a stroke a few years back and has been unable to perform or play his guitar. Gaughan has become something of a legend on the Scottish and world folk circuits for more than 40 years. He is an interpreter of Scotland’s traditional folk ballads with his distinctive style of guitar playing, with open chords and timing that he learnt from guitarist Davey Graham. 

John Maclean socialist reformer 1879 - 1923

 

I remember Dick Gaughan standing near the Celtic Connections press office. He was happy to chat, maybe he remembered me from the intimate Milngavie folk club concerts, where some musicians there said he was a living Scots legend. My younger son came to hear him and was impressed with his dramatic guitar playing, and the strength of his guttural voice on his highly memorable and meaningful folk songs. 

 

Dick Gaughan is a song collector, songwriter and traditional ballad singer and musician. I remember Gaughan singing telling his stories and songs -  The Yew Tree, What you do with what you’ve got, The Flowers of the Forrest, Westlin Winds,

 

In 2018, Celtic Connections held a tribute concert for Dick Gaughan at the Old Fruitmarket. With the Wilson Family, guitarists Tony McManus and Martin Simpson, Karine Polwart ,The Bevvy Sisters, Mary Macmaster, Patsy Seddon and Dougie MacLean, They performed songs with a social conscience – of Grenfell tower monument to greed and selfishness, Aberfan disaster, miners strikes, Jute mill songs, Neil Gow’s fiddle. Where are the young voices of protest today to stand up for people’s rights?  DickGaughan Tribute concert 2018

 

The first time I heard Robert Burns Parcel of Rogues was Gaughan’s interpretation at the festivals Auld Lang Syne concert in 2009. I had no idea before this that Burns was such a radical reformer and like many, I had thought he mostly wrote his love songs and poems. 


Certainly an Outlaw and Dreamer like no other! An inspiration.

I have taken photos at Dick Gaughan’s concerts over the past years since 2006 and here are some of them. 





Many of this generation of folk singers are now getting older and I wonder who among the younger musicians can replace them? In 20 we lost Dundonian character songwriter Michael Marra (more later), in 2012 the iconic Scots songwriter Gerry Rafferty (I took photos at a concert to his memory at Celtic Connections) and just last year the wonderful Rab Noakes, who I knew well from his concerts and taking his photos there. What an interesting gentleman and creative songwriter he was. I remember in my twenties in my folk days, we would often sing in harmonies his early songs – Branch, Clear Day, Eden’s Flow -  Happy Days indeed! Another massive Bob Dylan fan. Noakes started out playing with Gerry Rafferty in the Humblebums.

 

Saturday 10 February 2024

Scots Gaelic Kim Carnie Transatlantic Sessions, Celtic Connections 2024, #ccfest2024,

 

Scots Gaelic singer songwriter, Kim Carnie, lead singer with Manran, performed at the Transatlantic Sessions, Celtic Connections 2024, #ccfest2024,




Saturday 3 February 2024

Ciaran Ryan Celtic Connections 2024



   

Ciaran Ryan played at the Old Fruitmarket, as part of Celtic Connections 2024, when he supported Kinnaris. 

Ryan is a dynamic, high energy player. He is a Scottish tenor banjo player, one of the UKs top players and a founding member of folk band Dallahan, His second solo album, Occupational Hazards, was released 2024. 

 







Wednesday 31 January 2024

Roaming Roots Revue at Celtic Connections 2024

 


Brownbear

What a wealth of talent!

The Roaming Roots Revue celebrated its ever popular, sold out show, with its 12th year as part of Celtic Connections. This year honouring the modern Scots song, interpreted and chosen by some of Scotland’s top talent. The concert was hosted by the excellent talent of Roddy Hart and his band the Lonesome Fire and backed by the RCS Symphony Orchestra, conducted by John Logan, which created a rich and dynamic backdrop for the songs. 

 

The show was an eclectic and diverse look at the development of the modern Scots songs from well renowned Gerry Rafferty to more recent hits such a Frightened Rabbit.  New talent Brownbear aka Matthew Hickman, sang Spin Another Web and Aztec Camera’s Somewhere in my Heart. Eddi Reader performed King Creoste’s Something to Believe In. 80s artists Frank Reader and John Douglas impressed with Al Stewart’s Year of the Cat.

 

A highlight was Justin Currie of Del Amitri – who sang Be My Downfall and Nothing Ever Happens, plus a dramatic The Fight to be Human. After which the crowd cheered along to Franz Ferdinand’s Take ME Out, well performed by a dancing Hamish Hawk! The popular singer Simon Neil sang Biffy Clyro songs Space and Victory Over the Sun, plus Frightened Rabbit’s Keep Yourself Warm.


Emma Pollock performed Gerry Rafferty’s classic Night Owl. Roddy Woomble shone along with the RCS Symphony Orchestra - after a wobble to get Rod Jones guitar plugged in – with Idlewild songs You Held the World in Your Arms and American English. Eddi Reader drew proceedings to a close with In a Big Country, followed with the entire ensemble's rousing The Whole of the Moon by the Waterboys. (An additional Roaming Roots Revue was performed on the Saturday at the famous Barrowlands venue.)

Roddy Hart


Roddy Woomble 

Simon Neil


It would have been impossible to include every quality song of the recent decades in one concert – while I might have enjoyed to hear Deacon Blue’s Dignity or a Michael Marra song, but we were certainly very happy to hear the popular Proclaimer's anthem Sunshine on Leith, ably performed by Admiral Fallow’s Sarah Hayes and Louis Abbott! 

Scotland has seen a resurgence of the Scots folk scene back in the 60s and 70s with folklorists and song collectors such as Margaret Bennett, Hamish Henderson, Dick Gaughan, plus the rock and pop successes over the 80s and 90s. Scots songwriters mix the ballad traditions and contemporary influences to great effect. We should be proud and happy to see the new generations take up the mantle that was first worked on to preserve Scots voices in the 1700s by poets Allan Ramsay, Robert Fergusson and Robert Burns.

Eddi Reader
Eddi Reader

Biffy Clyro’s Simon Neil

Idlewild’s Roddy Woomble and Rod Jones

Del Amitri’s Justin Currie

Camera Obscura’s Tracyanne Campbell

Admiral Fallow’s Sarah Hayes and Louis Abbott

Plus Emma Pollock,  Hamish Hawk, Brownbear, 



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

  

Sunday 14 January 2024

Celtic Connections 2024!

 

 

Folk music. What is folk music?

This festival is definitively NOT about only about folk music. Some might argue it should be more narrowly about Trad – while others want to hear experimental cross overs and colorations. 

Celtic Connections is definitely full of unexpected collaboration. One of its strengths is it diversity – crossing boundaries while drawing on Celtic heritage and traditions, 

 

There is always a wide variety of MUSIC at Celtic Connections – with its breadth of genres and cultures. The festival is known as Europe’s premier folk, roots and world music festival, and the home of  spectacular musical collaborations. Celtic Connections has continued to expand into a multitude of genres over its 30-year history. In 2024 the festival will stage an ambitious  genre-defying programme of acoustic, traditional, indie, Americana, Jazz, blues, orchestral, experimental and more. 

 

Americana – Bruce Hornsby, Bela Fleck, Molly Fleck. 

Pipes – Finlay MacDonald, Skerryvore (folk rock), Ross Ainslie and Ali Hutton. 

Gaelic – Julie Fowlis, Joy Dunlop, Breabach, Daimh

New composition, orchestral

Fusion, and rock bands, 

Trad music, jazz and blues

Ceilidh and dance, 

 

Some highlights - 

Concert for revolutionary John MacLean - Red Clydeside . 

Irish group, the Bothy Band -

Dougie MacLean anniversary concert. 

 

The festival includes a Showcase, education, open mic, late night sessions, new talent, multi-cultural. Plus the Scottish National Whisky festival


Celtic Connections of one of the world’s largest winter music and folk festivals, I always remember being in the Press office with a London reporter. I said you must have folk festivals like this in London – he replied, ’Oh nothing at all on this scale!”

“Celtic Connections stands as a testament to Glasgow’s status as the UK’s top cultural and creative city, honoured by the European commission. The festival embodies a global tapestry of music, welcoming diverse traditions from across the world. “

 

I’ve been covering Celtic Connections concerts from 2008-2024 (over 16 years) with both reviews and photos. I have so many highlights to recall – impressive opening concerts, old Fruitmarket buzz, the ABC venue (sadly no longer there due to the art school fire), the late sessions, Danny Kyle stage – and so much more.

TICKETS   at www.celticconnections.comCeltic Connections 2024

 





Wednesday 31 May 2023

Edinburgh festival returns for 2023!

To offer new horizons

 

Edinburgh International festival 2023 now with new director Nicola Benedetti – firsts women and first Scot – this August with 2,000 artists, from 48 countries. 

of theatre, music, dance and drama. How can our institutions embolden and make people’s lives better.’

 

This years theme of ‘IDENITITY, COMMUNITY AND RESILIENCE.”

 

Nicola wants the festival to offer something mystical, magical, community and resilience. 

 




This year the festival will host the BUDAPEST FESTIVAL ORCHESTRA – their motto  is “
To serve the people”

Nicola discussed concerns over recent cuts to the Arts. “We must work together to put arts as a must. We must go out to the community. Once you’ve felt it, you want to feel it again. How can we make progress in a different way? It’s a complete picture. The Arts are not an added extra. “





Nicola spoke of positive ways we can make the arts matter.

Where do We Go From Here?

Sunday 19 February 2023

Celtic Connections Review 2023

 


2023 marked a welcome return. with long queues at the Danny Kyle open mic stage, packed venues and an excitement to have the popular festival back, after the restricted lockdown years of the Covid. (2021, 2022): and showcasing performances from some of the world’s most celebrated artists  Europe’s premier folk, roots and world music festival Celtic Connections drew to a close after 18 days of spectacular concerts, unique and powerful collaborations and captivating screenings. 

Celtic Connections, one of the world’s largest winter music festivals and this year saw its 30th year, celebrated with an exciting line-up for its Opening concert – The Big Band plus -  Sierra Hull’s mandolin, Hebridean Peat and Diesel folk rock; Maeve Gilchrist harp melodies; Mali’s duo Dre CaliLiam O Maonial’s band Hot House Flowers, singers Karine Polwart, Kim Carnie, Rachel Sermann, and Fergus McCreadie’s jazz piano.  

 

The concert included musicians who have been involve since its beginning, as well as providing a platform for future talent, everything from contemporary dance to punk-inspired folk rock.

The world-renowned festival,19th January to 5th February, was held without restrictions for the first time since 2020, staging more than 300 events with more than 100,000 attendances at 25 venues across Glasgow, from the famous Glasgow Royal Concert Hall to the Mackintosh Church in the west end and Tramway in the southside.(There was also over 10,000 attendances at free events). 

Irish Celtic Music. Róisín Reimagined with award-winning Irish singer Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and Irish Chamber Orchestra teamed up for a new project that combined exceptional vocals with fresh orchestral arrangements of sean nós songs, breathing new life into the noble, classical music of 16th-19th century Gaelic Ireland. 




Another notable performance was Rise Kagona, lead guitarist and only remaining member of the mega-successful Zimbabwean rock band The Bhundu Boys. One of the most successful contemporary folk musicians from Finland, Maija Kauhanen, combined her expressive voice with Finnish kantele when she performed with composer Andrew WaiteRozi Plain performed tracks from her upcoming fifth LP, Prize and local musician Terra Kin presented their debut EP Too Far Gone.

Other highlights - Malian duo Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia, with their rich and radiant blend of desert blues, Afro-pop, rock and hip-hop. Hen Hoose, a songwriting collective, brought together artists with ground-breaking music. Man of the Minch, at the forefront of Scottish folk music performed tracks from his debut album, The Tide is at the Turning. One of Mali’s most dynamic artists Rokia Koné  gave her first live performance in the UK of her debut album Bamanan, which was named one of the New York Times Best Albums of 2022.

The popular Cherish the Ladies, all-female American supergroup, champions of Celtic music, captivated with soulful singing, uplifting traditional Irish tunes and energetic dancing, as they celebrated 38 years. 

The sold out Transatlantic sessions brought together accomplished musicians and talented solo performers and went on tour to six UK venues. My personal highlights were Danny Kyle open stage, Vent du Nord, Duncan Chisholm, Kim Carnie and TS concerts


**Showcase Scotland, highlighted international partners Brittany and Wales during the six-day programme. The music industry event, which returned for the first time in two years, introduced delegates from across the world to the Scottish music sector, featuring this year’s partners Spectacle vivant en Bretagne - EPCC, and Wales Arts International - Celfyddydau Rhyngwladol Cymru.

Donald Shaw, Creative Producer for Celtic Connections, said: “It has been incredible to celebrate the 30th edition of Celtic Connections and showcase folk, roots and world music, bringing communities from across the globe together in Glasgow. This year’s festival was a huge success and the calibre of the artists was incredible.

“We are honoured to have brought Europe's largest winter music festival to audiences from all over the world for the last 30 years. This year, we paid homage to all the musicians and artists who have contributed to Celtic Connections over the past three decades. We can’t wait to return in 2024 and once again bring music from around the world to the heart of Glasgow.”

Vent du Nord
Fergus McCreadie
Sierra Hull


**New Talent at Celtic Connections -  Lewis McLaughlin, who won the Glastonbury emerging talent

Kim Carnie, award winning Gaelic singer and composer, Mercury nominated Fergus McCreadie jazz pianist, 


*Danny Kyle Stage, 24th year – Binky Blue – Carnan – Chloe Matharu – Falasgair – Tem and Will Boyd-Wallis



*Winner Young Trad Musician 2023
 – pianist Amy Laurence, who mixes traditions from Shetland

This year’s winner of the prestigious award joins a list which recently has included amongst others the 2022 winner fiddler Eryn Rae, pianist Michael Biggins, piper Ali Levack, fiddler Benedict Morris and singer Hannah Rarity.  Amy said: “I am stunned and delighted to be the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician for 2023 and to follow in the footsteps of past winners, who are such an inspiration.”

Originally from Shetland, Amy began her journey through traditional music at the age of 16 when she began attending lessons from Violet Tulloch, who she still considers a large influence.   In 2017 she made the move to Glasgow to study Classical Piano at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland before making the switch, in 2019, to the traditional department where she was awarded a first-class honours degree in traditional music.  As part of the 2023 award, Amy wins a recording session with BBC Scotland, an opportunity to perform at the Scots Trad Music Awards later in the year, plus a one-year membership to the Musicians Union.