Music Folk Folk
Events are listed by date, then city. Submit listings at least 14 days before publication to henry@list.co.uk. Listings are compiled by Henry Northmore and Norman Chalmers. ✽✽ Indicates Hitlist entry Thursday 5
Glasgow FREE Stuntman Mike and The Bum Clocks MacSorleys Music Bar, Jamaica Street, 248 8581. 8pm. The Bum Clocks are powerful Scots actor Tam Dean Burn, his musical brother Russell and ex-Orange Juice man Malcolm Ross with their Iggy Pop- inspired take on the work of Burns. ■ Outside Track Star Folk Club, St Andrew’s in the Square, St Andrew’s Square, 559 5902. 8pm. £9 (£7). Four young women and one guy take harp, guitar and accordion, fiddle, flute and harmony vocals and whip up some tasty Scots/Canadian music.
Edinburgh ■ Homage to Hamish Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, 556 9579. 7.30pm. £8 (£6). Songwriter and melodeon player Nancy Nicolson hosts a night dedicated to the influence of the late Scottish folklorist, socialist, poet and songwriter Hamish Henderson. Gill Bowman presents her ‘Toasting the Lasses song-drama derived from Robert Burns’ love songs. There are traditional songs with melodeon from Jim Bainbridge and poetry from Tom Hubbard. Part of The Carrying Stream Festival. Ayr ■ Dick Gaughan Libertine, River Street, 7.30pm. £12. Gaughan remains one of the greatest singers from the great Scots traditional folk revival of the 60s and 70s, and a brilliant guitar player.
Peebles ■ June Tabor Eastgate Theatre & Arts Centre, Eastgate, 01721 725777. 7.30pm. £14 (£12). The great English folk song diva with the amazing dark chocolate vocals and tight, intense accompaniment on piano, sometimes viola and accordion. Songs ranging from traditional ballads to Sondheim to the Velvet Underground.
Falkirk ■ Broom Bezzums Falkirk Folk Club, The Polish Club, Arnot Street, 01324 613395. 7.30pm. Traditional songs and tunes, engaging banter, and nifty entertainment from North of England duo Andrew Cadie and Mark Bloomer.
Friday 6
Glasgow ■ Neil Wilson RSAMD, Renfrew Street, 332 5057. 8pm. £10. Top classical guitarist performs works by Bach, Rodrigo, Paganini, Piazzolla and music from Central and South America. ■ Sanday Fiddle Club and RSAMD MusicWorks Concert and Ceilidh The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 9.30pm. £5. A knees-up to celebrate the 75th birthday of MusicWorks patron and Orkney resident Sir Peter Maxwell Davies. Edinburgh ■ Jimmy Webb & The Webb Brothers The Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 353 8000. 7pm. £27.50. Like Burt Bacharach, songwriting ace Jimmy Webb is probably not now the best voice to render his songs, but he’s written ‘Wichita Lineman’ and ‘By the Time I Get to Phoenix’ among many others. See preview, page 62.
78 THE LIST 5–19 Nov 2009
■ Outside Track with John Carnie and Dave Moir Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, 556 9579. 7.30pm. £8 (£6). From Scotland, Ireland, Cape Breton and Vancouver, the young multi- instrumental band has already packed in 3 years of extensive touring in the UK, recently completed their first tours of France, Germany, Switzerland, and major Canadian festivals. Carnie is a fine guitarist and singer specialising in Scottish flat-picking and blues. Part of The Carrying Stream Festival. Denholm ■ Denholm Folk Festival Denholm Village Hall, Denholm Village Hall, Times vary. £tbc. Concerts, ceilidhs, workshops and sessions. This year’s line up includes veteran Vin Garbutt from England’s North East (a winner of the Radio 2 Folk Awards ‘Best Live Act’ award), Irish singer Colum Sands and border’s-based tradition from Real Time.
Dundee ■ Chris Stout and Catriona McKay Caird Hall, City Square, 01382 434940. 7.30pm. £12 (£10). Superb musicians both, Chris Stout and Catriona McKay are a driving fiddle and harp/keyboard part of Shetland’s Fiddlers Bid. Here they perform old, traditional Shetland tunes and their own modern compositions, as heard on their powerful joint album, Laebrack. Rutherglen ■ Live Folk at the Town Hall Rutherglen Town Hall, Main Street, 613 5700. 7.30pm. £8 (£7). A showcase of local talent in folk, blues, original songs and more, from a variety of young artists – including the winner of the Glasgow Songwriters 2009 competition, Jamie Marshall.
Saturday 7
Glasgow ■ Findlay Napier City Halls, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £10. Idiosyncratic country, funk and pop folk from the band fronted by the Scots guitarist who writes songs from his experience and wild imagination. Edinburgh FREE Annual Hamish Henderson Lecture Edinburgh City Chambers, High Street, 529 4003. 12.30pm. Scottish Culture Minister Mike Russell presents the annual lecture on tradition and culture, plus superb traditional Scots song from Alison McMorland and Geordie McIntyre. Part of the Carrying Stream Festival. ■ Habbadam, The Lost Brothers and Marian Bradfield The Pleasance Cabaret Bar, Pleasance, 650 2458. 8pm. £10 (£8). The two girls/one guy of Danish/Swedish trio Habbadam play traditional music rooted in the Baltic island of Bornholm. The Lost Brothers are Irishmen Mark McCausland and Oisin Leech (ex-The Basement/747s), who sing pan-Atlantic songs in close vocal harmony over twin acoustic guitars, and are highly rated. Joni Mitchell covers can be part of the repertoire of Bradfield, the highly popular and successful Irish singer. Part of the Carrying Stream Festival.
Denholm ■ Denholm Folk Festival Denholm Village Hall, Denholm Village Hall, Times vary. £tbc. See Fri 6.
Falkirk ■ Festival of Remembrance Falkirk Town Hall, West Bridge Street, 01324 506850. 7pm. £5. Featuring the Bo’ness and Carriden Brass Band with special guests.
Scots, wielding lambegs, fifes and a,’ Willie Drennan and Nae Goat’s Toe give a subtle performance of traditional music, song, dance and storytelling, focussing on the reception and influence of Burns’ work in 18th century Ulster.
Sunday 8
Glasgow ■ Buttons, Keys & Bellows Café Cossachok, Trongate, 553 0733. 9pm. £6. Eastern European and Russian instrumental pieces from accordionist Georgie Gaijic.
Edinburgh ■ Danish Music Workshop with Habbadam The Pleasance Cabaret Bar, Pleasance, 650 2458. 2pm. £5. Fiddle workshop led by Habbadam musician Ditte Mortensen. Part of the Carrying Stream Festival. FREE TMSA Annual Carrying Stream Singaround Royal Oak, Infirmary Street, 557 2976. 3pm. Singaround in tribute to poet, songwriter and academic Hamish Henderson. Part of the Carrying Stream Festival. ■ Scott Matthews The Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 668 2019. 7.30pm. £13. Gentle solo guitarist/songwriter from Wolverhampton whose retro introspective folk/blues sound can be heard on albums Passing Stranger and Elsewhere. ■ Tich Frier and Jimmy Hutchison The Pleasance Cabaret Bar, Pleasance, 650 2458. 8pm. £8 (£7). Two weel-kent faces. Frier brings skiffle, Scots tradition, ballads and comedy songwriting – and all with a powerful voice and skill. Hutchison is a great traditional, unaccompanied singer, born in the Uists, but singing in Scots. The evening is hosted by folklorist and singer Margaret Bennett. Part of the Carrying Stream Festival.
Denholm ■ Denholm Folk Festival Denholm Village Hall, Denholm Village Hall, Times vary. £tbc. See Fri 6. Hawick FREE Homecoming Sessions with Shona Mooney and Friends Beanscene, Tower Mill, Kirkstile, 01450 376 228. 4pm. 2006 BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year, fiddler Shona Mooney began playing music with her parents in the Jedburgh band O’er the Border.
Monday 9
Glasgow FREE Traditional Session Trader Joe’s, Hope Street, 332 4017. 8pm. Ruairidh Mcmillan and Suzanne Houston host these roots instrumental sessions.
Edinburgh ■ Bob Cheevers Royal Oak, Infirmary Street, 557 2976. 8pm. £6 (£5). Americana, tall stories, Delta guitar blues and heaven knows what else from Nashville veteran and southern gentleman Cheevers, who cites Elvis, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis among his many influences. He’s accompanied by Dominic Finlay. Part of the Carrying Stream Festival. Stirling ■ The Dapper McDans and Redwing Stirling Folk Club, Stirling County Rugby Football Club, Bridgehaugh Park, Causewayhead Road, 01259 218521. 7.30pm. £tbc. A Bluegrass double bill.
Tuesday 10
Kilmarnock ■ Irish Folk Orchestra Palace Theatre, Green Street, 01563 554900. 7.30pm. £8 (£5). Champions of Ulster Glasgow FREE Bob Cheevers, Dominic Finley, Alex Gardner and Jim Byrne The Liquid Ship, 171–175 Great
Western Road, 331 1901. 8pm. Americana and Delta blues from Nashville’s Bob Cheevers, who cites Elvis, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis among his influences, plus support from Cutting Crew’s Dominic Finley and the touted Alex Gardner. ■ Ladysmith Black Mambazo Royal Concert Hall, Sauchiehall Street, 353 8000. 7.30pm. £21–£26. The a cappella ensemble who first came to international prominence on Paul Simon’s Graceland album and have remained ambassadors for South African music for more than 30 years. ■ Lisa Mitchell and Blueflint Brel, Ashton Lane, 342 4966. 7.30pm. £7. Aussie singer-songwriter (she’s just supported Newton Faulkner) with support from the fine banjo and acoustic roots female duo from Edinburgh, releasing their first album. Edinburgh ■ Cheyenne Brown & Seylan Baxter and Trina Nestibo Leith Folk Club, The Village, South Fort Street, 07502 024852. 7.30pm. £6. Alaskan harp and acoustic/electric cello in innovative arrangements of traditional songs and tunes. ■ The Proclaimers Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 7.30pm. £22.50–£25. Scotland’s rootsy pop music twins return to the stage. FREE Hamish Henderson’s Biography Launch Scottish Storytelling Centre, High Street, 556 9579. 8pm. Tim Neat launches the second and final part of his biography of the late folklorist and polymath, followed by a panel discussing Henderson’s relevance for our times, chaired by the director of the Centre, Donald Smith, with Margaret Bennett, Alec Finlay, Raymond Ross and Steve Byrne. Music from Scotland and Ireland played by Cathal McConnell, Duncan Wood and Allan Macdonald. Part of the Carrying Stream Festival.
Wednesday 11
Glasgow ■ Shooglenifty The Old Fruitmarket, Candleriggs, 353 8000. 8pm. £15. The internationally renowned, Edinburgh- based progenitors of all acid croft/acoustic roots/pan Celtic groovery are back on the airways touring their latest (2 CD) album Murmichan. ■ The Macrazy Vaudeville Orchestra The Victorian Bar, Tron Theatre, Trongate, 552 4267. 9.30pm. £8 (£6). Young Ayrshire singer Aly Macrae with his surreal songs and alt.folk and roots as MVO perform their debut album Popstardombeckons. Edinburgh ■ Ceilidh Dance Classes Bruntsfield Primary School, Montpelier, Bruntsfield, 555 7688. 7pm. £6 (£3). Informal dance traditional Scottish dance classes, no experience necessary (over 16s). ■ Bob Cheevers Guilty Lily, Bonnington Road, 554 5825. 7.30pm. £tbc. See Mon 9. ■ The Proclaimers Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 7.30pm. £22.50–£25. See Tue 10. ■ Simon Thacker and Nava Rasa Ensemble: Inner Octaves The Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 668 2019. 7.45pm. £10 (£7; schoolchildren free). Virtuoso guitarist Simon Thacker leads a voyage through the confluence of Asian and Western musical cultures, focusing on the work of two leading composers whose works have masterfully juxtaposed the two: Nigel Osborne and Shirish Korde. ■ Malinky Edinburgh Folk Club, Cabaret Bar, The Pleasance, 650 2458. 8pm. £8 (£7). The Scots/Irish/English band, in its latest configuration, remains one of the most popular outfits on the folk scene.