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

Karine Polwart & Dick Gaughan

One of the special moments at Celtic Connections is when some of our top musicians collaborate together. At ‘Blood and Roses: Concert for the Songs of Ewan MacColl’ at Celtic Connections 2015  we were treated to two of my favourite Scottish folk artists and top Scottish folk musicians  -  folk legend Dick Gaughan and Karine Polwart, who began the concert with a strong interpretation of Ewan's song Ballad of Accounting. 

Gaughan also sang a dramtic Father’s Song, whil Karine sang a truy felt interpretation of MacColl’s song Nobody Knew She was There.

I first heard many years back in Edinburgh and was taken on with the power of his very individual guitar playing and the moving expression and strength of his voice. He sings questioining songs of social commentary with a poignant honesty. Karine was moved when she first heard his album, A Handful of Earth.

 I first heard Karine perform at an initmate wonderful gig at The Tall Ship Glasgow where I enjoyed her memorable htoughtful songs and subtle insightful voice. She has a lovely quality to her voice.

Karine has a warm, sincere personality and a huge smile! Polwart is a Scottish singer song writer. She writes and performs music with a strong folk and roots feel.  She has been recognised for her solo career, winning three awards at the BBC Folk Awards in 2005, and was previously a member of Malinky and Battlefield

King Tuts 25 YEARS!

Last night Glasgow's iconic King Tuts venue celebrated their 25^th anniversary. The venue is known as the best small venue. (holds around 300).

I have enjoyed some of my favorite gigs ever there. – many fun bands and singer songwriters over the years.  

Pearl and the Puppets

Emeli Sande played at King Tuts in 2010, where I met her and had a nice chat at her sound check, it was such an honour to chat about her music then. She was very petite and focused on her music. I never imagined one day she would play the Royal Albert hall though I knew expectations were high for her even then.

Many now famous bands over these years have played here – such as The Killers, Oasis, Poalo Nutini and many others.

Emeli Sande 2011

Another thrill also in 2013 was when my son's band, Viking Galaxy, played here!

Congratulations to King Tuts!   - http://www.kingtuts.co.uk/kingtuts25th/

Celtic Connections music 2015!

Every year at Celtic I am astonished by the musical talent in Scotland and beyond. I wish the festival might not end (!) while I know it must!  It is intense, challenging, rewarding, varied, colourful with packed out halls and venues all over Glasgow.

Some GREAT Celtic Connections concerts this year and even better than last year!  How can they top things year on year!  The high quality of the sound, lighting, great audiences, quality musicianship, exciting new younger musicians, the collaborations, beautiful singing. The festival is so enriching and obvious the care and thought  that goes into bringing it all together.  

Transatlantic Sessions

The opening concert this year was just epic and a premier one off!  The Concert hall concerts are at 7.30 and if I'm doing photos I need to be there before 7, so I go into the open mic for some nice live music beforehand. There are also very fun ceilidh bands at the wonderful Old Fruitmarket venue, which are usually later on and start about 9.30 or 10pm - I sat beside Eddi Reader at one!  It is fun to pass all the familiar faces each year - Donald Shaw, Rab Noakes, Phil Cunningham, Roddy Hart and others.  

-Thankfully I did not miss the awesome Opening Concert Nae Regrets - We were treated to an outstanding opening concert!  Highly innovative. Multi-talented, multi-layered orchestra. Put a smile on my face. -The Martin Bennett epic one off opening concert - so worth watching in BBC iplayer.  Martyn Bennett's 2003 GRIT was given its live premier with a colourful score by composer Greg Lawson and the concert proved one of the best events I've been to at Celtic Connections music festival.

Bennett was a Scottish musician and composer and the concert marked the tenth anniversary of his untimely death at the age of thirty-three - poignantly he wrote the album while he was dying of cancer. The album offers a musical journey - producing pounding bass rhythms, hesitant strings, gradual and also unexpected crescendos, brass epic grandeur, haunting Gaelic voices, thematic stirring pipes and also humour. The Grit album is about pushing the boundaries and limitations. The orchestra of over 80 musicians on the Glasgow concert hall stage tonight consisted of mostly younger folk, jazz and classical musicians. I expect they enjoyed playing a new piece that felt contemporary yet drawing strongly on past traditions. Conductor Greg appeared overcome as he reached the summit tonight, after years in the planning and he commented that he needed a crash helmet as it felt like his head might explode!

ALSO...The festival always ensures such a high standard of concerts. When the brochure arrives it is always a challenge to select which concerts to attend - especially over the busy weekends when there are often several events on on the same evenings. Also this year there was such a heavy snowfall on the first Friday that I missed my first Old Fruitmarket gig, Horizons, with Kate Rusby and Karine Polwart and others. I made up for it though by enjoying the wonderful Fruitmarket venue on the Thursday for the fun ceilidh bands - the highly accomplished and entertaining Alan Kelly Gang and Braebach,  alongside the soothing New Zealand sounds of Horomana Horo.

Punch Brothers

Top events for me this year included  -  The Craig Armstrong concert of his film music with full orchestra was incredible - he wrote music for Romeo and Juliet and the Great Gatsby and more. New album out, wrote this -  https://www.youtube.com/romeoandjuliet

The Punch Brothers were delightful with their high tempo banjos, quality acapella vocal harmonies. They are a contemporary American bluegrass band and they sang on the Coen Brothers 2013 film Inside LLewyn Davis (cool movie). The concert for the life-affirming songs of folk revivalist Ewan MacColl, with Martin Carthy, Jarvis Cocker and Paul Buchanan. On top of all this it was a huge treat to hear live the powerhouse voice and music of legend Van Morrison. Mind-blowing. And not to forget the perfect concert with the Transatlantic band. 

Concert for Ewan MacColls songs

Celtic Connections 2016! will be announced in October 2015 when the popular concert hall concerts sell out quite fast. Much depends what kind of concert you prefer - dancing ceilidh, singer songwriters, traditional, indie, world music, Americana or other... Karine Polwart, Eddi Reader and Julie Fowlis are all great singers.

There are pure traditionalist who believe in keeping traditions alive (such as Ewan MacColl, Dick Gaughan). There are folk musicians who believe the genre needs to be taken forward - such as the incomparable Martyn Bennett (what a loss of talent). I believe there is a need for both strands to run side by side, for the roots and traditions to build on but also the need for creativity and inspirations. This festival is for those who don't want their music brought to them by big media outlets or by Radio One. 

Sara Watkins

A massive thanks to all the welcoming media and artists who come together to make this such a vibrant festival. Back a couple of decades ago it would have been unthinkable and only a dream that folk musicians might one day play to packed out concert halls. In no small part all this is thanks to those who worked for the folk revival both here and in the US - including Ewan MacColl, Pete Seeger, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Dick Gaughan and others. 

This is my eight year (where does time go!) covering Celtic and the festival gets better year on year. it's culturally a great boost for Glasgow.

All in all yet another wonderful 18 days of Celtic music to warm the days and the soul..

http://www.celticconnections.com/Pages/default.aspx

Carthy Family

McCrary Sisters

Patty Griffith

*Another note. Celtic Connections festival is also run by a Scot, Donald Shaw, who is from south of Oban, which is unusual (or rather unique!) in itself, as most major creative arts post in Scotland are held by non-Scots.  No Scot has been head of the Scottish National theatre or Creative Scotland.