Last weekend I played my first few gigs with Las, an all female band which explore the cultural links between Scotland and Ireland through dance, music, language and song. Las are Joy Dunlop (vocals), Suzanne Houston (piano), Catherine Ní Shuilleabháin (guitar, vocals) and Edel Ní Churraoin (button accordion). Our set includes Irish and Scottish tunes from myself, Edel and Suzanne, Scottish Gaelic songs from Joy, Irish Gaelic songs from Catherine and also Scottish stepdance and Irish sean-nòs dancing, from Joy, Suzanne, Edel and Catherine.
I have known Joy and Suzanne for a few years now, and regularly play music with Suzanne. Edel and Catherine arrived from Ireland on Wednesday and we all played a couple of informal session gigs on St. Patrick's day in Glasgow in Waxy O'Conner's (city centre) and also in the Òran Mór (west end). Although I had never met the two Irish girls, we became fast friends almost immediately! I thoroughly enjoyed the tunes and craic with the band on Paddy's day.
I have known Joy and Suzanne for a few years now, and regularly play music with Suzanne. Edel and Catherine arrived from Ireland on Wednesday and we all played a couple of informal session gigs on St. Patrick's day in Glasgow in Waxy O'Conner's (city centre) and also in the Òran Mór (west end). Although I had never met the two Irish girls, we became fast friends almost immediately! I thoroughly enjoyed the tunes and craic with the band on Paddy's day.
| Next up was the Niel Gow Festival in Dunkeld and Birnam. This is a festival in its 13th year which celebrates the life and work of renowned Perthshire fiddler Niel Gow (1727 - 1807). Organiser Pete Clark, a great fiddler himself, established the festival in 2004, and it has since blossomed into fantastic annual event, a "must visit" on the Scottish folk music calendar. Among the line-up for this years festival were Gordon Gunn, Marie Fielding, Ryan Young, along with a host of fantastic Scottish fiddlers and musicians. |  Chatting with Pete |
We arrived on the Friday night where the late concert was in full swing in the Royal Dunkeld Hotel, with a session taking place afterwards in the Argyll Hotel. Saturday was a pretty busy day for us with rehearsals and sound checks but we managed to fit in a wee photoshoot with Ken, Suzanne's dad!
Also performing on the Saturday night were the Alistair Savage band and Gordan Gunn with Brian McAlpine and Marc Clement. Las was the final act, and we played a 45 minute set. I really enjoyed the whole weekend and we got fantastic feedback from Saturday's audience who particularly enjoyed all the dancing! Looking forward to future concerts with these girls!
Also performing on the Saturday night were the Alistair Savage band and Gordan Gunn with Brian McAlpine and Marc Clement. Las was the final act, and we played a 45 minute set. I really enjoyed the whole weekend and we got fantastic feedback from Saturday's audience who particularly enjoyed all the dancing! Looking forward to future concerts with these girls!
Photo by Ken Houston
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