um- Gathering
Dick Daughan returns, as ever, to Mayfest, but this year plays twice; you can have the undiluted political passion of his solo concert or the less obvious guitarist and singer in the ranks of his brainchild band, Clan Alba.
Since his years and handtul of albums with Five Hand Heel, Dick has always felt that the big, rock- infiuenced sound, using electric instruments and full drumkit, is a valid mode of expression for what is essentially folk music. With Clan Alba, he recruited players whom he had worked with, and pulled together a band that is a long way from the classic 70s pounding folk/rock a la Fairport Convention.
Central to their sound is the effect of two drummers; or to be precise Mike Travis, who plays the drum kit, and Dave Tulloch on timpani and percussion.
There has been a bit of critical stick thrown lately at the post-modern Scottish folk bands who perform with drummers. Let the carpers listen to the sheer technique, imagination and
dynamics of the top-tlight Scottish pipe bands, and perceive what a talent there is in this country for rhythm, and that a sensitive drummer/percussion player can add depth, space and excitement to any musical arrangement.
Mike Travis is a player of vast experience, having played with Stomu Yamashta, many of the jazz greats, straightahead rock groups and quite a few folk line-ups. He is very aware of the double drummer danger in Clan Alba but is delighted with the result.
‘Dave and I keep out of each other’s way. Dave’s timps are used instead ot a bass and we work at the arrangements to keep the overall sound trom becoming cluttered. It also frees us alternately from a timekeeping role, allowing the whole rhythm section much greater scope.’ Add Brian MacHeil’s fiddle, Sileas on harps, Gary West’s pipes, Davey Steele’s vocals and you have to have a big stage. (Norman Chalmers)
Dick Gaughan plays The Ferry on Tue 18 and Clan Alba play The Pavilion on Fri 30.
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by Roy MacGregor directed by Iain Reekie
ARCHES THEATRE Midland Street, Glasgow Tues 11 - Sun 16 May 9.00pm Tickets: £6.50 Concessions: £3.50 Box Office Tel: 041 227 5511
PREVIEW “VEST
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Classical music, it is generally agreed, has not always been Mayfest’s strongest point, but this year sees quite a change with a bold and innovative streak evident in the music programme. Contemporary repertoire, both Scottish and international, is well to the fore and among the many tempting performances is that of The Smith Duartet. Their dedication to challenging the accepted boundaries of the string quartet medium, and a desire to ‘declassity’ music while retaining their roots in classical technique, have led to numerous adulatory reviews in the press.
Formed in 1988, the quartet choose their programmes so that work by
composers not usually associated with the string quartet or chamber music generally is presented alongside that of more mainstream contemporary composers. It is intended that such a formula will appeal to a wide audience, bridging a perceived gap between what could be termed conventional classical music and other types of music.
The most familiar name in their Mayfest programme is probably that of Graham Fitkin, whose ‘Servant — String Duartet Ho 1’ is heard between Carl Vine’s second quartet and Steve Montague’s ‘Duartet In Memoriam Barry Anderson And Tomasz Sikorski’ for quartet and tape. In the second half they play ‘Hunting and Gathering’ by Kevin Holans, a composer they have already proved themselves with on two previous occasions. His first quartet ‘White Man Sleeps’ formed the basis of a music and dance collaboration subsequently filmed for Channel 4 and ‘The Man With The Wind At His Heels’ was a joint venture with English National Opera, now also planned for television. This is ground- breaking stuff, new to most Scottish audiences and could prove to be a stimulating and fascinating contribution to this year’s Mayfest. (Carol Main)
The Smith Duartet play the RSAMD on Sun 2.
frontiers
An exciting dramatic collaboration
between young people from Castlemilk and Berlin
ATron Theatre/Dundee Rep/MayfestCo-production
Macbeth
by William Shakespeare
with lain Glen Directed by Michael Boyd
"The brightest of Angels has fallen"
Tron Theatre
Sat 1 May - Sun 16 May
Mats. 5. 8. 12. 15 8. 16 May Box Office 041-552 4267
Dundee Rep Thur 20 May - Sat 5 J
Preview - 19 May Mats. 22 May & 5 June
Box Office 0382 23530
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