Bob Dylan 'Forever Young Tribute concert' at Celtic Connections festival January 2011

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Cast of singers: Thea Gilmore, Josh Rouse, Gemma Hayes, James Grant, Justin Townes Earle, Kris Drever, Rab Noakes, Laura Cantrell,  Hart and his band the Lonesome Fire.  One aspect that draws me to Celtic each year is the interesting collaborations - and this night was certainly one of them. A concert packed with not only talent but the genius that is Mr Bob Dylan.

The Show was introduced by mellow-toned Bob Harris. First up was organiser of this concert Roddy Hart and his band the Lonesome Fire with 'Homesick Blues.'  With thirteen songs each set the concert was certainly pushing the boat out.  (Full set list below, which I hope I got right)  The artists performed songs from several of Dylan's' albums - 'Blood on the Tracks.'  'Nashville Skyline' 'Time Out Of Mind' 'Blonde On Blonde' - with Roddy's band provided a tight backing unit.

*There were several stand out performances -  Scot James Grant's vibrant finale of the first half with a rousing Hendrix version of 'All Along The Watchtower; Scot's veteran Rab Noake's with his character depth and challenging selections of songs -  'Absolutely Sweet Marie' and ' Mississippi;'  American singer Nell Bryden performed a song from Dylan's romantic side, 'Just Like A Woman'; while Thea Gilmore's sang his darker side with 'Masters' Of War' and 'Lay Down your Weary Bones'  - songs that are still as relevant today.

Bryden spoke of how she admired that Dylan's writing often followed this fine line between innocent, fresh, naive and sweet with lilting arpeggios and lyrics that can be so vulnerable - yet at the same time lyrics that were often ironic, strong and dark. 

'I was so much older then I'm younger than that now.'

O'Brien spoke of Alison Krauss asking Dylan to sign his large book of Lyrics - he said that it came in handy for him!  Gilmore spoke of how Dylan often took old folk tunes, and Scottish ones too, and wrote new songs around them (amateurs imitate, professionals steal!)  Some few get the 'heart' of a song and it is not something that can be taught.

Dylan is 'deep' - an often over-used word!  It is not easy to explain in mere words, and only truly though the emotions of art. I guess what it is NOT is about being thin, superficial or fake, and Dylan sees through all that!  That is not what Dylan is about - more than any other artist Dylan is about 'individual voices' and how those voices might work together to create beauty and sometimes miracles.  I only discovered Dylan in recent years after watching Scorcese's illuminating Dylan documentary 'No Direction Home' - and also reading Dylan's brilliant autobiography 'Chronicles'.  I saw Dylan perform with his Highwaymen band at the Glasgow SECC in 2006 - he takes no time to introduce himslef, but simply plays his songs with the band - and I guess he doesn't need to!  His audience was all ages, and all walks of life, and he may be turning 70 this year but he is still on that artistic road.... Words to describe Dylan - substance, elusive, questioning - a true troubadour is one who lives through music and art. Some of his albums (of which there are many and not all are great) are now like old friends of mine. If I need sustenance - he provides; if I need answers - his lyrics inspire and take me home. 

 

Noakes said that 'Dylan's creative longevity was one of the wonders of the 20th century.'  A concert packed with not only talent but the genius that is Mr Bob Dylan.

'Time is an Ocean it isn't the Show'

Order of Performance - Set List

Roddy Hart - Subterranean homesick Blues

Rab Noakes - 'Absolutely Sweet Marie'

Tim O'Brien (and band) -  'I Ain't Gonna Work on Maggie's Farm no More'

Eddi Reader -  'Buckets of Rain'

Thea Gilmore - 'Lay Down Your Weary Tune' 

Thea Gilmore - 'Masters of War'

Gemma Hayes - 'Times They are a Changing'

Gemma Hayes - 'Most of the Time'

Kris Drever - 'Hard Rain Gonna Fall'

Nell Bryden - 'Just Like a Woman' 

James Grant - All Along The Watchtower'

II Roddy Hart - 'It's Not Dark Yet but It's Getting There'

Josh Rouse - 'The Man in Me'

Josh Rouse - 'Lay Lady Lay '

James Grant - 'Simple Twist of Fate'

Laura Cantrell - 'I Threw it All Away'

Laura Cantrell - 'Mr Tambourine Man' 

Tommy Reilly - 'It Ain't Me Babe'

Gemma Hayes and Roddy Hart - 'Oh Sister'

Rab Noakes - 'Mississippi'

Rab noakes and Thea Gilmore - 'Blowin In the Wind'

Rosanne Cash - 'Licence To Kill' 

Rosanne Cash - 'Girl From The North Country'

Rab Noakes, Tommy Reilly, Gemma Hayes - 'My Back Pages'

Assembled Cast on stage Finale - 'Forever Young'

ENCORE:

Roddy Hart- 'Baby Blue'

Assembled Cast on stage - 'I Shall Be Released'

'Like A Rolling Stone'

(This is as accurate a list as I could make without asking for the set list!)   

PKIMAGE Photography -  http://pkimage.co.uk/

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'Jerry Douglas' at Celtic Connections ABC Glasgow 23 Jan 2011

Jerry Douglas - who is considered one of the world’s most renowned Dobro or resonator guitar players - performed at Celtic Connections Festival Glasgow 2011.  

For this concert he had two highly accomplished musicians with him - Viktor Krauss and Omar Hakim.  Douglas performed mainly bluegrass and American style instrumental tunes, and also some original material by movie score composer and bassist Viktor Krauss (brother of Allison Krauss) plus one of the most acclaimed drummers Omar Hakim  - and alongside Douglas's brilliant and expressive guitar they provided a creative and dynamic rhythm section. 

I first heard Jerry Douglas on YouTube, playing with Union Station who were backing beautiful bluegrass singer Allison Krauss. His playing was of a high quality, accomplished and melodic. Later I saw Douglas at the collaborations of the TransAtlantic sessions at Celtic 2008 - where he is the musical director for the Americans, alongside Ali Bain with the Scottish musicians on the left of the stage. In 2009 I attended Douglas's Old Fruitmarket gig where he had a full band with him - and we were treated to a fun night of charged upbeat tunes.  While Douglas normally plays a brown Dobro resonator guitar, he also played a white dobro electric guitar which had a higher register and resonance.  Well worth hearing Douglas play.

GIGS in Glasgow February 2011

Here are a few gigs highlights.

8th - Bright Eyes - Oran Mor
15th - Adele - ABC
19th - Dubliners - Concert Hall
28th - Ray Lamontagne - Concert Hall

'Steele The Show' Tribute concert to Davy Steele @ Old Fruitmarket Celtic Connections 20th Jan 2011

Davy Steele:  "Passion for life and Laughter"
Davy's friends gathered for the tenth anniversary of his tragic early death - not simply to honour him but to relive his spirit through his songs. Davy Steele was a member of several bands including Drinker's Drouth, Ceolbeg, and Battlefield.  He started out writing mostly rocking soul songs, then work songs - and later Scottish folk songs and intimate love ballads.  He died from a brain tumour at the age of 51 - and to celebrate his work his wife Patsy Sedon invited several Scottish artists to record some of Davy's best loved songs for a CD entitled - 'Steele The Show'.

In between each performance the artists told stories of Davy. It was abundantly clear from these and from their performance of his songs, the great affection they felt for him - and
the man that emerged was one with a big heart and a huge grin.  It's hard to explain the joy of this concert -  it was at once about Steele's warm and generous heart, but mostly about his warm and generous songs.  I hope my photos express the sincere feelings of the different performances of his songs.

The Performers. The show was hosted by Ian McCalman and Phil Cunningham. Performances were by Dick Gaughan, Karine Polwart, Andy M Stewart, Sally Barker, Kath Stewart, Siobhan Miller - backed by a band that featured Andy Throburn, Donald Hay, Mary Macmaster, Karen Tweed, Eilidh Shaw and Mairearad Green.

Davy's Songs.
Karine Polwart -  'Scotland Yet'
Dick Gauaghan - 'The Ballad of Jimmy Steele'
Kath Stewart - 'Friends'
Andy M. Stewart - 'Here's A Health of the Seuter'
Patsy Sedon - 'Rose of Summerlea'
Siobhan Miller - 'Eye of A Child'
Dick Gaughan - 'The Last Trip Home'
Patsy Sedon ( and the Steelettos!) - 'Sliding'
Siobhan Miller - 'Chasing Shadows'
Sally Barker - 'Quietly Song You To Sleep'
Jamie Steele - 'Just One More Chorus'

The heartfelt moments of the concert were - Jamie Steele's singing 'Just One More Chorus;'   Sally Barker singing 'Quietly Song You To Sleep', and Patsy Sedon - 'Rose of Summerlea.'
There were the fun dancing songs also and one sung by Patsy Sedon and the Steelettos! called 'Sliding.'
Poignant traditional songs from Dick Gaughan - 'The Ballad of Jimmy Steele' and 'The Last Trip Home.'   And for the last 2 songs, Davey's friends and family were invited on to the stage, and his widow Patsy Seddon was given a bouquet from her son Jamie.
There were some great characters at this concert. After the concert I spoke with Alex Reid ( lead singer of Battlefield band) who spoke of Davy's time with the band. Alan now has a duo called Robran Sante.  He said that one of Davy's biggest ambitions was to tour the world with a band - a dream he realised when he became the front man for the Battlefield band in the 90s.  A moving and heart-warming concert.