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(clockwise from left) Eliza Carthy, Croft No 5, Bazar Bla and La Bottine Souriante united in not giving a folk
In the ghetto
Too cool for folk? Too hip for Celtic Connections? Think again . . .
Words: Louisa Pearson
once tried to order a pint at a folk club.
Sounds innocent enough. but I committed
the heinous crime of doing it while the hand were playing. (‘ue glares from the bearded ones. the jumper wearers. the people with strangely lilting accents. 'l‘lzefu/kies. It took about ten seconds to realise that my kind weren‘t welcome round these parts so I got my coat and made my exit.
Sounds like an urban myth but it‘s the (iod’s honest truth. So what‘s the deal with folk music'.’ This month (‘eltic (‘onncctions will put on well over a hundred concerts which can be loosely categorised under the folk banner. And thousands of people will have a great time going to these concerts. But are any ol‘ them under the age ot‘ thirty'.’ ()n
the evidence ol‘ the performers. the answer
must be yes. l’lick through the programme and you‘ll see young. and dare we say it.
quite t’unky musicians like Kate Rusby. lili/a ‘arthy. liinlay l\/lacl)onald. (‘rolt .\'o 5 and
Bazar Bla leaping out from the sea ol’ knitwear. liven more startling than their
modern attire is the fact that they don‘t seem ashamed ot‘ their chosen genre.
Most young people in central Scotland grow tip listening to rock and pop and there aren‘t too many who dream ol’ being a bodhran or accordion player. Similarly. you don‘t see many pictures ot‘ the [)ubliners covered with lipstick marks on teenage bedroom walls. So how do people get into folk music. as l'ans or players'.’ The most likely argument is that it‘s a geographical thing. or a generational one. liliza (‘arthy is the most obvious example. with l‘olk stalwarts Martin (‘arthy and Norma Waterson as mum and dad.
There's no denying the talent: the performers at (‘eltic (‘onnections are all accomplished musicians and maybe that‘s one ol‘ the big dil‘l‘erences between l'olk and pop. You can be the daddy ol' the l‘olk scene based on talent. but to succeed in the pop
You wouldn't catch a folkie letting Pete Waterman tell them how to sing or dress.
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herniated disc Ill my back. a tzcondrtron may require surgery and l Wlll he re evaluated lll eight weeks. At that time. we'll be able to make plans for the future' Fans have been advrsed to hang onto tickets and watch The List for details of the rescheduled date.
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Mindless propheteering
world it’s more important that you wear your hair the right way. You wouldn‘t catch a l'olkie letting Pete Waterman tell them how to sing or dress. And for such an easily maligned music form. you get the l‘eeling that the l‘olkies don‘t give a hoot what anyone else thinks.
As underground movements go. l‘olk music is a behemoth. thriving in pubs and concert halls across the land regardless ol what popular opinion deems cool. They even get to sing about politics and get away with it for chrissakes. When Robbie and Kylie are reduced to guest appearances on I
Lure 200/ and Hot much else. (‘apercaillie. Kepa
Junkera and La Bottine
Souriante will still be
doing their l'olkadelic [hang and loving it. So leave your hipness radar at the door and go and see what all the fuss is about. Just remember not to talk at the bar.
See the Rock & Pop and Folk & World listings starting on page 47 for full details of all Celtic Connections shows.
Carling have given us four pairs of tickets for the stupendous NME Carling Awards Tour to give away. The show, at Glasgow’s QMU on Sun 27 Jan is all but sold out and showcases the skills of Andrew W.K., The Coral, Lostprophets (left) and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. All you have to do is send in your name, address and a contact number by Thursday 24 January to music@|ist.co.uk or by post to: Carling Tour freebies? Yes please!, The List, 14 High Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1TE.
t'." .llir‘ THE LIST 39