FOLK FESTIVALS FEATURE

Dougie Maclean

Always a big draw at festivals and concert halls around Scotland and internationally, Dougie Maclean is a highly talented iiddler as well as a songwriter, singer, guitar player and band leader. lie plays the Glasgow Folk Festival, but why not try to see him at the Arran week, definitely one of the most enjoyable oi the season’s festive tiings.

Festival Traditional Music Weekend, Auchtermuchty. Fife. Fri i2v-Sun l4. information 0337 828220. Camp and caravan site within a short walk. Half a dozen pubs and hotels are full with sessions and organised ceilidh/concerts. Competitions organised by the TMSA (see Keith Festival. June). in the little town square a stage is set up. and. weather permitting. there is a mix of live music all aftemoon. An evening barn dance on a neighbourhood farm is another attraction ofthis very traditionally-orientated weekend which carries the torch for the late lamented festival at Kinross.

SEPTEMBER

I Kirriemuir Kirriemuir Traditional Music Festival, Kirriemuir. Angus. Fri Z—Sun 4. information 0575 540261. Camp on the outskirts of this wee town. as there's little accommodation free otherwise. Authentic traditional music. local musicians. dances. ceilidhs. sessions and pubs that never seem to close. The usual TMSA competitions on the Saturday.

I Beauly Beauly MUsic Festival. Beauly. lnverness. 30 Sept—2 Oct. lnforrnation 0463 782278. Glasgow‘s anarchic roots band the Humpti Family are one of the folk—related acts in Beauly‘s first weekend of music making. Classical. jazz and rock fans also catered for.

OCTOBER

I Aberdeen Aberdeen Alternative Festival Traditional Arts Weekend. The Lemon Tree and City Arts Centre, Aberdeen. Programme and details Aberdeen Alternative Festival. 10 Belmont Street. Aberdeen AB] lJE. First Traditional Arts Weekend celebrates the rich heritage of North- East music with competitions for accordion. melodeon. diddling and fiddling. and concerts. dances and pub events.

I Penicuik Penicuik Folk Festival, Penicuik. Midlothian. Fri 7—Sun 9. information 0968 678153/678610. Modest little festival outside

Edinburgh has Friday night ceilidh

dance; Saturday TMSA singing competitions and fiddle workshop with the major concert in the evening. informal pub wind-down on Sunday.

NOVEMBER

I Glasgow Tryst. Various Venues. Glasgow, Mon Ill—Wed 30. information 041 552 858i. Last ofthe year‘s Scottish festivals with a week or so of schools workshops and community events plus ceilidhs in the Wintergardens on Glasgow Green. a Craftfayre. TMSA competitions. Celtic wrestling and a St Andrew's Night Concert. Also organised sessions in the main ‘folk' pubs like the Scotia. Babbity Bowster. Park Bar and the Riverside.

JANUARY

I Glasgow Celtic Connections. Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. 1 Sauchiehall Street. The year starts again with three weeks of folk. traditional and roots music from the Celtic countries and beyond. which last year brought leading bands like The Chieftains, Altan and Boys ofthe Lough, together with talents such as French Canadian singer-songwriters the McGarrigle Sisters. The series also includes lectures, live radio, lunchtime events, even a fashion show. Using both the Main Auditorium and the Strathclyde Suite allows multiple programming. Only in its second year, this is already the major Scottish showcase for mainstream commercial ‘Folk'.

Rock, Salt and iialis

This young Shetland band have very quickly made a name lor themselves on mainland Britain. It you haven’t heard their enthusiastically wayward way with traditional music, played with great eian, then catch them at Bute or the Highland Music Festival at Strathpefier and Dingwall.

“‘ STONEHAVEN O O m 1311135821! 15, 16 5 17 th JULY MARTIN CARTHY & DAVE SWARBRICK McCALMANS, OIGE, MAKVIRAG, SMALL TALK, BILLY JACKSON & TONY CUFFE, RAY MOORE, GREEN, VITAL SPARK, DANNY KYLE, CROOKED JACK CEIUDH, WORKSHOPSSESSIONS

gym?! ARGO MEMORIAL congk'r

MARTIN CAR’THY & NORMA WATERSON. JOCK DUNCAN, CARA DlLlDN. JANE TURRlFF, PETER HALL

WEEKEND TICKET £18.00}: TlCKE’i‘S/lNi—‘O- Pet Tavcndele - (0569)763Sl9

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Castle Leod, Strathpeffer Mgrggge Events

Fri 1 l - D r n m Rock, Salt & Nails Michael Marra Taylor and Hewat Fire in the Glen

2n l-Dr n.m

THE HUMPFF FAMILY

Shooglenifty Greenways Plus Pipers Beer Tent

CAMPING AVAILABLE on SITE. FREE PARKING. BARBECUE. Tickets: Friday £7.00 Saturday £8.00

Plus Events and sessions In Dingwall

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Tulloch Castle, Dingwall Grand Hall

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Iron Horse Michael Marra

Eat the Donkey lshbel MacAskiii Valerie Goodman (pipes) + Feis Ros Singers

un a r l 7. m Shooglenifty Gavin Marwick Davy Cattannach Jonny Hardie (of Iron Horse and Old Blind Dogs)

Corrina Hewat and Friends lain Hamilton Shona and Lorna Leitch

Tickets: Saturday £6 and Sunday £6 plus concession

Tulloch Castle Festival Club & Late Night Cabaret on Saturday 2nd

plus: Sessions, Workshops and Events at Castle Leod, Strathpeffer

Tickets available from: Maitland Music 0349 63191 For information contact: Betty Mae (0997) 421620 or Christine Stewart (0463) 703509

Sponsors include: Ross and Cromarty District Council Development Service. Highland Regional Council, Ross 3. Cromarty Tourist Board. Tulloch Castie

Subsidiised by the Scottish Arts Council

The List 3-16 June 1994 28