Showing posts with label old fruitmarket. Show all posts
Showing posts with label old fruitmarket. Show all posts

Saturday 4 February 2017

King Creosote Celtic Connections 2017

One of Scotlands highly respected songwriters, King Creosoteaka 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, 


Friday 5 February 2016

RURA rocked Old Fruitmarket Celtic Connections 2016

A rip roaring set by this fun young band with quality support

This evening concert at the Old Fruitmarket was a triple bill mix of American bluegrass and Scottish music traditions. This venue with it's balconies and rustic old world charm creates its own uniquely inviting atmosphere.

One of the most exciting new folk bands on the scene, Rura were the Danny Kyle stage winners a few years back when I was impressed with their set at the #ccfest festival club. (Photos are in my Celtic Connections galleries)


The packed crowd in the hall were really up for it all. The band had carefully arranged their light show, prepared their instruments and their folk indie rock and were ready for a night of engaging dynamic energy with their charged fiddle, guitar, bodhran, pipes and flute. Rura exploded their challenged music with their power reels, beats and rhythms.

The singer Adam Homes with his husky tones joined them for several songs. Album 2015 Despite the Dark. They are - Steven Blake (bagpipes, flute), Jack Smedley (fiddle), David Foley (Bodhran, flute), Adam Brown (guitar), Adam Homes (vocals, guitar). http://www.rura.co.uk


The Canadian roots band The East Pointers began the night with their lively and earthy American roots music.  http://eastpointers.ca/
The gentle singer Aoife O’Donovan was up next and she provided pure quality vocals and songs. She releases her second solo album The Magic Hour in 2016.  She was previously with the band Crooked Still.   http://www.aoifeodonovan.com/
With my photos I try to capture those moments of the escape and joy of the music.
Top marks for this Old Fruitmarket gig!


Monday 26 January 2015

Braebach at the Old Fruitmarket Celtic Connections 2015


Quality Celtic concert!
 To begin the night New Zealander Horomana Horo arrived in impressive full Maori gear and with his band Waoira started the show with an entertaining set of Moari traditional songs. Horo is a Maori musician with a powerful presence and expressive voice. Waiora's music blends the tradition and modern along with classical guitarist Joshua Rogers.

He played traditional instruments that were subdued and floating for such a big man!  He told of his songs being about the conversation between the elements. He also treated us to a Haki Moari dance. One song expressed admiration for female virtues, another for manly strengths.

Horo is a leading player of his culture's traditional taonga puro instruments. He spoke of the revitalization of Moari music, language and culture. Highly enjoyable set.  http://www.horomonahoro.com/
 After which we were treated to the Alan Kelly Band. Kelly is an innovative Irish piano accordionist and he brought an array of top rated folk musicians with him that included  - Alasdair White (Battlefield band) who was impressive and expressive on fiddle, Manus Lunny on double bass (Capercaillie), guitarist Tony Byrne and flutist and vocalist Steph Geremia. Their music combines Irish, Scottish, Breton and Asturian.  
They were joined for one song with Scottish songstress Eddi Reader - who sat near me enjoying their set! Their recent album The Last Bell is well worth checking out. http://alankellygang.com/band/

Tonight's headliners were Scottish band Braebach who have won several awards and the band mix traditions with their highly individual inventiveness. All multi talented musicians they consist of Calum MacCrimmon (Pipes and Whistles), Megan Henderson ((Fiddle), Ewan Robertson (Guitar,Cajon) and James Duncan Mackenzie (Pipes and Bazouki) and James Lindsay (Double Bass).

Breabach played fine tunes, ranging from jigs and reels, Gaelic songs and Scottish dancing along with uniquely inspired twin pipes. Keeping to their traditional roots the band also brings an inventiveness to their music. This old worldly venue is one of my Glasgow favourites and provides a perfect back drop for

Bagpipes meet taonga puoro when Horo joined the band on stage for their collaborative music together at the successful and ground-breaking 2014 Womad Boomerang Project,  to explore the links between Celtic, Aboriginal and Maori cultures, through language, contemporary music, and dance. http://womad.org/artists/boomerang-project

The concert marked the tenth anniversary since the band won Celtic Connections Danny Kyle stage. The busy Fruitmarket were truly given a high quality concert tonight and showed their enthusiastic appreciation! 

Songline named the band's album, Urlar, as one of the top ten Scottish albums of 2014. http://breabach.com/


Tuesday 4 February 2014

Imelda May Old Fruitmarket Celtic Connections 2014


May rocked the Old Fruitmarket.  
She sparkled on stage and moved and shimmied with a free energy as she bounced her mic, clapped and appeared to enjoy her set of upbeat dance tunes.
May has a fine set of vocal pipes, as well as loads of personality.   
She performed songs from her forthcoming new album due in 2014 and also older favourites - such as the songs Mayhem and Here Comes Johnny.  
For her encore she sang along to only a ukulele, a song Dreams Are Free, and then with full band she sang Breakdown.
 
 
 
There was lots of clapping along to the songs and the packed hall was full of both younger and aging rockers eager to relive fun times! 
Imelda Mary Higham, from Dublin has had amazing success and she clearly fills a niche for rockabilly and rock n roll nostalgia. 

Saturday 21 April 2012

Emeli Sande Photos 2012


PHOTOS -  http://pkimage.co.uk/emelisande
 Emeli Sande BLOGS  -


*Emeli Sande Olympic Torch Relay http://www.musicfootnotes.com/2012/06/emeli-sande-olympic-torch-relay

*Emeli Sande Old Fruitmarket Glasgow 2012 http://www.musicfootnotes.com/2012/04/emeli-sande-oldfruitmarket


*Emeli Sande wins the Brits Critics' Choice award -  http://www.musicfootnotes.com/2011/12/emeli-sande-wins-brits-critics-choice.html

*Emeli Sande Old Fruitmarket Glasgow 2012



She sings with conviction and hope. What is so cool with Sande is that she keeps it real and old fashioned and about heart and the song. 
Emeli Sande held court at the old worldly Old Fruitmarket Glasgow in April. She is from Aberdeen and previously studied medicine at Glasgow university.

Emily Sande headlined her return gig to Glasgow and she performed songs from her Platinum number one selling debut album, Our Version of Events, which was released in February 2012. Sandé has had two number-one UK charts singles “Read All About It” and “Next To Me” and released her debut single “Heaven” in 2011 which made No 2 in the UK Singles Chart and was also a worldwide hit. Sande has been writing songs for other singers the past years and she has also performed as a guest singer on other artist's albums.
There appeared to be an agenda for big uplifted hairstyles at this gig – re the support acts Seye and Manchester singer Daley! 
Sande owned the stage and she moved around so much when she performed with her band it was hard going for the press photographers to keep up with her!  The excitement before the gig waiting in the pit was palpable and it is intense work at this kind of gig – I have to let my camera do the work....I hope.

She began the set with her forte the 'power ballad with a message' and the song Daddy, followed by dramatic thoughtful songs with Tiger, Suitcase and This Is Where I Sleep. After which Emeli took to piano where her journey began to take the set down for the moving song Clown, followed by Breaking The Law which was also acoustically performed with backing guitar and gave her the chance to express her voice clearly.  Before singing Mountains she said this song was written for her parents. She then took the pace up again with surging new single My Kind of Love.

Her new song Wonder struck many chords with one of those singable choruses she does so well, there were some shades of Coldplay in the chorus and this new songs is surely another hit for her. 'We are all wonderfulpeople/ Why are we so fearful/ Finally finding our voices' - she sang in her hit song with Professor Green. Sande states that her songs are about world peace and political issues.  Emeli finished her gig with a flourish and many in the lively crowd sang along to her songs Wonder, Heaven and Next To Me.  


The strongest parts of the concert were Read all About It, her latest single My Kind of Love and new song Wonder.  One tip - She has a band of excellent musicians with her and one might have wished for them to have been given more opportunities to add to the music.  She has a powerhouse emotional voice that smashes her memorable songs. All in all a most heartfelt, warm and enjoyable feel good gig.

She sings with conviction and hope. In a world full of shallow celebrities, here is a woman of some character and substance. There are not so many strong singers these days who can also write quality songs. What is so cool with Sande is that she keeps it real and old fashioned and about heart and the song.  


It was good to meet her very proud parents. I have met Sande too and she has a warm sincere smile and she spoke of her musical influences with great earnestness. She said she also missed her days in the library, and it cannot have been an easy decision for her to take the risks of pursuing music and to forsake the more regular career path of medicine.  Sande will again be supporting Coldplay on tour. Her next single My Kind of Love will have a tear jerker video. Her album is due for release in America in June and I’d expect her to get good vibes there. Emeli Sandé is a Scottish R and B and soul artist and songwriter.  Sande won the 'Brits Critics' Choice award 2012.

Set List -  Daddy/ Tiger/ Suitcase/ This Is Where I Sleep/ Clown(piano)/ Breaking The Law/ Mountains/ My Kind of love/ Read all About It (Professor Green)/ Maybe/ River(piano)/ Hope/ Wonder/ Heaven/ Next To Me.   
MORE PHOTOS - http://pkimage.co.uk/emelisande


Tuesday 29 December 2009

Richard Thompson Old Fruitmarket 2009

Richard Digs Deep
Richard Thompson @ Old Fruit market Glasgow 15th September 2007
I enjoyed seeing Richard, who recorded so many unforgettable folk/rock songs in the 70s, such as his well loved 'Bright Lights' album with Linda, back on form rocking with the songs from his new 'Sweet Warrior' Album. The Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow's Merchant City area, is a recently refurbished venue and strung with coloured fairy lights along it's wooden balcony, offered an old-worldly feel. Richard 'digs deep' and always keeps it real, with expressive guitar and voice and lyrics that draw colourful stories, characters and emotive melodies. He eschews the 'commercial' and has always sought his own musical path. He played with Fairport Convention in '67 and took folk into an edgier folk-rock sound. Richard explored religious themes in the 80s and eventually settled in LA, where he re-married and continued his furious output of outstanding songs.

Richard also enjoys to rock it up and started his set with the full band, then took it jazzier, and next offering his acoustic songs - Persuasion, I Still Dream, his expressive guitar accompanying. His guitar and voice ache and sweep, then charge with clear anger, hurt or compassion.