NEW festival The Reeling

 

                                                  Glasgow gets major new festival with launch of The Reeling

Summertime celebration of Scottish music to come to Rouken Glen Park this June

The prayers of Glasgow audiences with an appetite for Scottish music have been answered, with the launch of a major new summertime festival in the city, The Reeling.

 

Rouken Glen Park will burst to life with traditional Scottish and roots music from some of the country’s most exciting artists on Saturday 10th andSunday 11th June 2023, for what will be the biggest single weekend of traditional music in the Central Belt. The Reeling is the brainchild of Glasgow-based music promoter Michael Pellegrotti, who is one of the co-directors behind the incredibly successful Skye Live Festival.

 

This new 5,000-capacity festival in Glasgow’s south side, which will be a celebration of Scottish culture, creativity and community, has made a strong commitment to deliver a first-class, professionally-run visitor experience for audiences from the get go, as well as putting a laser focus on sustainability, championing a fair working environment for event staff, and committing to a gender-balanced line up from its first year.

Skerryvore

With the word ‘reeling’ derived from much-loved Scottish dances and tunes, the aptly named festival is guaranteed to be an almighty knees-up, both on and off the stage, thanks to the likes of Scottish favourites Skerryvore, who will close the festival on Sunday night, and inimitable party starters Peatbog Fairies, who will close The Reeling on Saturday.

Braebach

Talisk

Iona Fyfe

Sian

The opening day also sees a raft of thriving Scottish talent grace the outdoor stage including Folk Band of the Year Breabach, Gaelic supergroup Dàimh, trad four-piece Fras, highly sought-after folk act RURA, Gaelic vocal harmony trio Sian, the groundbreaking and genre-defying trio Talisk and electro-trad duo Valtos.

On Sunday Skerryvore will be joined by a cast of much-loved acts in the form of Scotland’s most celebrated fiddle band Blazin' Fiddles, Hebrides powerhouse Eabhal, Stornoway electro-Celtic band Face The West, energetic trad act Heron Valley, festival favourites Hò-Rò, Scots singer Iona Fyfe and beloved folk singer Siobhan Miller.  

As well as a performance-packed outdoor main stage, the tree-lined Rouken Glen Park site will be home to some unique dining experiences and other activities that will make The Reeling a truly memorable summer day out for music fans of all ages.

 

 

Weekend tickets will be available at an exclusive price until 9 March. Sign up at

 

 thereeling.com. 

 

Kim Carnie at Celtic Connections 202

 Charmed with her soft, mesmerising voice

 

Carnie was the support artist for Duncan Chisholm, tonight and was backed by the strings and piano, and with Megan Henderson on vocals and violin and with Innes White on guitar. For tonight’s concert she performed Gaelic heritage songs. 

The song Chan Eil A’ Chuis was based on the work of a female bard, a hymn of the morning light and was backed with only piano, beautiful. Carnie has written new compositions for her album and with the festivals artistic director Donald Shaw producing – And So We Gather and She Moves Me. She has a bubble personality and it would be good to hear more of her upbeat and infectious final song – Nighearn sin Thall. The Gaelic song is ever popular with cc audiences and she performed with her clear tones and poignant songs. More please!

Duncan Chisholm at Celtic Connections 2023

Transported us with his engaging playing

 Chisholm has performed at every Celtic Connections since 1993. Duncan Chisholm engaged us with beautiful videos of his violin during the isolation of Covid, often shot on perfect locations on the Western Isles. His music has range of tone and atmosphere, transcends time and space. He has composed music of the Western Isles – of the swift-changing skies of Scotland’s western coastlines and dramatic mountain ranges; often foreboding but illuminating and hopeful as light breaks through.

 

**Tonight he played compositions from his new 2022 album Black Cullins –  the ragged range of jagged rocky mountains on the Isle of Skye. He was backed by an impressive line-up of award-winning Trad musicians - Jalath Henderson on uilleann pipes, Ross Ainslie on low whistle, Hamish Napier on keyboards and piano, Innes Watson on rhythm guitar, and Ross Hamilton on electric bass and guitar. Along with a string section led by Greg Lawson.

 

He began with the tender and forlorn Black Cuillin Theme with accompanying strings; Born on the Wind of Chaos soared with the full band, bass and electric guitar. The band took the energy and vibe up further with piano, pipes, whistle, percussion and rhythm guitar for the tune, To the High Mountain. Beneath the Fortress about the Skye bridge was majestic, as was the intimacy of Donald Shaw’s A Precious Place, who played piano on this tune, and the drama of pipes on Islands on the Edge.

The tune The Blue Cuillins of the Islands was Inspired by a poem of Sorley McLean’s. Followed by a touching performance of Donald Shaw’s Constellations. Chisholm played Phil Cunningham’s subdued, haunting When the Snow Melts, with only piano for his finale. Heart-warming.    https://www.duncanchisholm.com

 

Music of Resolutions.

Chisholm was supported by the excellent Gaelic singer Kim Carnie - Review and Photos here - 

 

Black Cuillin’ tells of a dream journey through this landscape over a day and a night.” 

Duncan Chisholm, Scottish fiddle player and composer, has released six solo albums. He tours with the Scots Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis and has toured with the folk rock band Wolfstone and the band Runrig.

 

 

Le Vent du Nord Joie de Vivre Old Fruitmarket Glasgow!

 

Le Vent du Nord brought their Joie de Vivre to the Old Fruitmarket Glasgow!

Le Vent du Nord, Canadian folk group from Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu Quebec. performed at the Old Fruitmarket Glasgow, at Celtic Connections music festival 2023. This award-winning band collect French folk songs of Quebec and they celebrated their 20^th year with their 11^th  album ‘20 Printemps.’ 

 

They are regular visitors to the festival, and embrace its cross-cultural ethos. Vent du Nord play truly their own blend of world folk and mix the music of the Balkans, traditional French song and northern American traditions. Their influences come from Brittany, Ireland, the songs of Appalachia and the beats of the American south. 

 

**Vent du Nord means “wind of the north” certainly blew our minds with their joyous energy and fun and love of music – and with humorous banter between songs! The band brought their infectious party atmosphere to the sold out Fruitmarket crowd, 

 

The band play both original and traditional music. They performed tunes from their most recent album - “Marianne” with a harmony that builds over the hurdy gurdy and dynamic fiddle. The high impact of beautifully controlled a cappella singing for the song “L’Auberge” with the band centre stage. The Irish rhythms of the instrumental “La Centaurée”, was then followed by the get up and dance beats of “Tour du Monde” and guitar and bouzouki counterpoint on “Petit Rêve IV.” 

 a cappella singing for the song “L’Auberge” 

This band use ‘foot-tapping’, bass and traditional instruments rather than drums; along with the swirls of hurdy gurdy, bouzouki, and accordion. The crowd were ready to party.

Later in the show, to increase the impact, the band were joined by Scots band Breabach, and Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis. The group play with many threads interconnecting – the band truly connect with many Celtic traditions in their unique brand of melting pot.  A genuinely joyous show!

Celtic concerts always makes me think of warm reds and browns, and this show very much encapsulated all this warmth, joy and passion for live music, and for our traditions and connections.

 

View from the pit

*Le Vent du Nord are Simon Beaudry on guitar, bouzouki and vocals; Nicolas Boulerice on hurdy-gurdy, piano and vocals; André Brunet on fiddle, foot tapping and vocals; Réjean Brunet on button accordion, bass guitar and vocals; and Olivier Demers on fiddle, foot tapping and vocals. 

Dallahan provided a suitably upbeat and strong support band for tonight show. They play trad music of the Balkans and North America. They’ve had success with their unique style of world folk, which they mix with contemporary influences