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Staff Benda Bilili It’s certainly a unique proposition: Kinshasa collective Staff Benda Bilili are made up of
paraplegic, formerly homeless musicians in makeshift wheelchairs constructed from cannibalised bikes backed by an all-acoustic rhythm section. They produce a mesmerising and honest mix of folk, blues and soul on improvised instruments all grounded in African street music. ■ Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Tue 17 Nov.
Thursday 12
Glasgow ■ Broom Bezzums St Andrew’s in the Square, St Andrew’s Square, 559 5902. 8pm. £8 (£6). Soulful scallywags Mark Bloomer and Andrew Cadie perform their own compositions, northern English folksongs and instrumentals on guitar, mandolin, fiddle and occasional pipes. Falkirk ■ Seth Lakeman and 6dayriot The HMV Picture House, 31 Lothian Road, 0844 847 1740. 7pm. £16. A haunting original take on folk rock from the former Mercury Music Prize nominee, who was last seen in Equation with Kate Rusby and Cara Dillon. ■ Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers Falkirk Town Hall, West Bridge Street, 01324 506850. 7.30pm. £14 (£12). Powerful drumming in the Japanese ritual tradition by Europe’s foremost Taiko drum group.
Friday 13
Glasgow ■ The Proclaimers SECC, Finnieston Quay, 0870 040 4000. 7.30pm. £25. See Tue 10. ■ Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers Tramway, Albert Drive, 0845 330 3501. 8pm. £16 (£12). See Thu 12. ■ Big Guitar Weekend RSAMD, Renfrew Street, 332 5057. £165 weekend pass; concerts individually priced. Three days of concerts, tutorials and workshops in various styles, centred on the highly versatile instrument, featuring Pavel Steidl, Yvonne Lyon, the Scottish Guitar Quartet, The Paul McKenna Band and jazz legend Martin Taylor. Edinburgh ■ Fiddle 2009 Assembly Rooms, George Street, 228 1155. All weekend: sessions, workshops, talks, recitals, instrument and record stalls. Bars. Food. Day ticket £12 (£8). At 8pm, £18 (£13); family ticket £38. Heat the Hoose with top fiddle-driven Scots bands plus flying
footwork from Beolach, Dannsa and Session A9. At 10pm, £8 (£6) Cabaret with Session A9, Maggie Adamson, Brian Nicholson, Tyskie. ■ The Boyan Ensemble of Kiev Canongate Kirk, Canongate, 473 2000. 7.30pm. £18 (£16). The acclaimed Ukrainian choir brings a mix of Eastern Orthodox chants and Ukrainian folksong to Edinburgh as part of its 2009 UK tour. Yuriy and Volodymyr Kuratch conduct. East Kilbride ■ Eilidh Grant East Kilbride Arts Centre, Old Coach Road, 01355 261000. 8pm. £8.50 (£6.50). Award-winning Scottish singer plays material from her debut album Masks & Smiles.
Isle of Mull ■ Mairi Campbell, Abby Newton and Kim Robertson An Tobar, Argyll Terrace, Tobermory, 01688 302211. 8.30pm. £10 (£8). Fiddle, cello and harp join forces to bring you a taste of the folk music of Scotland, and Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island, where Scottish Highland music has continued in a living tradition.
Saturday 14
Glasgow ■ The Ceilidh 7 St Andrew’s in the Square, St Andrew’s Square, 559 5902. 8pm. £10. Live music from Face the West with all proceeds going to Action for Children. ■ Big Guitar Weekend RSAMD, Renfrew Street, 332 5057. £165 weekend pass; concerts individually priced. See Fri 13. Edinburgh ■ Fiddle 2009 2Assembly Rooms, George Street, 228 1155. All weekend: sessions, workshops, talks, recitals, instrument and record stalls. Bars. Food. Day ticket £12 (£8). At 7.30pm, £18 (£13); family ticket £38. *3Grand Concert *2 with Aly Bain & Ale Möller, Iain MacFarlane & the Henderson Family, and Maggie Adamson & Brian
Nicholson. At 10pm. £8 (£6) Ceilidh Dance with the Highfield Band, also at 10pm (included in one ticket price) Cabaret with Paul Anderson, Caoimhín ó Raghallaigh, Skelpaig. See Fri 13. ■ Autumn Ceilidh Dance Rudolf Steiner Hall, Spylaw Road, 337 3410. 7pm. £9–£10 (£5–£6.50; under 12s 3–£3.50). Charity ceilidh featuring live music from Belle Star Band. A fundraiser for the Pregnancy and Parents Centre. ■ Norman Silver & The Gold, Confusion, KeNoDeKe Collective and Chandra Tollcross Community Centre, Fountainbridge, 7pm. £5. Ex- members of Oi Polloi, Eastern Block, Sandals of Majesty, Newtown Grunts and Rockaragnarock, the ironic sub- country/rock band play this benefit for Columbian Working Children’s Project. ■ Ladysmith Black Mambazo Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 7.30pm. £21.50–£24.50. African vocal harmony and dance from Paul Simon’s famous backing band. See Tue 10. ■ Lothians Conservation Volunteers Ceilidh Dance Southside Community Centre, Nicolson Street, 667 0484. 8pm. £8 (£6). Charity ceilidh with Crowdie House providing live music. ■ The Yiddish Song Project The Lot, Grassmarket, 225 9922. 8pm. £8 (£6). Klezmer, songs, and instrumental music from music theatre to tango from Stephanie Brickman on vocals, Phil Alexander’s piano/accordion and Jo Nicholson, clarinet.
Sunday 15
Glasgow ■ Laura Marling The Arches, Argyle Street, 565 1000. 7pm. £12.50. Engaging alt.folk from the waif-like teenager whose Alas I Cannot Swim album was Mercury-nominated last year. ■ The Yiddish Song Project Eastwood Park Theatre, Eastwood Park, Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock, 577 4970. 7.30pm. £8 (£6). See Sat 14. ■ From Russia with Song Café Cossachok, Trongate, 553 0733. 9pm. £6. Traditional Russian music, arias and romances by students of the RSAMD Opera School. ■ Big Guitar Weekend RSAMD, Renfrew Street, 332 5057. £165 weekend pass; concerts individually priced. See Fri 13. Edinburgh ■ Fiddle 2009 2Assembly Rooms, George Street, 228 1155. Last day: sessions, workshops, talks, recitals, instrument and record stalls. Bars. Food. Day ticket £12 (£8). Recitals: Aonghas & Angus Grant, Noon; Mike Vass, 1pm; Boreas, 2pm; Caoimhín ó Raghallaigh, 3pm; Finale from the Hungarian/Scottish Jani Lang Band. FREE Singaround Royal Oak Lounge, Infirmary Street. 3pm. Organised by Edinburgh and Lothians Branch of the
Folk Music
TMSA. An afternoon of traditional songs and ballads. All welcome. Motherwell ■ Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers Motherwell Concert Hall, Civic Centre, Windmillhill Street, 01698 302999. 7.30pm. £14 (£12). See Thu 12.
Monday 16 Glasgow FREE Traditional Session Trader Joe’s, Hope Street, 332 4017. 8pm. See Mon 9.
Tuesday 17
Edinburgh ✽✽ Staff Benda Bilili Usher Hall, Lothian Road, 228 1155. 8pm. £18.50 (£15). Rumba-rooted grooves with a Cuban influence by these street- musicians who live in the grounds of Kinshasa Zoo in the Democratic Republic of Congo (and have already performed alongside Damon Albarn and Massive Attack).
Wednesday 18
Edinburgh ■ Steve Tilston Edinburgh Folk Club, Pleasance Cabaret Bar. 8pm. £8 (£7). Songs new and old from the veteran Midlands guitar/songwriting master plus special guest musicians Dave Bowie, Chris Parkinson, Richard Curran, Fin McArdle and Maggie Boyle. ■ Melody Gardot The Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 668 2019. 7pm. £15. Mellow blues, electric roots and more than a touch of jazz from this American chanteuse. ■ Ceilidh Dance Classes Bruntsfield Primary School, Montpelier, Bruntsfield, 555 7688. 7pm. £6 (£3). See Wed 11. Ayr ■ Boo Hewerdine Libertine, River Street, 7.30pm. £10. Admired pop/blues guitarist and songsmith – founder of cult band The Bible and frequent collaborator with Eddi Reader.
Thursday 19 Glasgow ■ Marian Bradfield St Andrew’s in the Square, St Andrew’s Square, 559 5902. 8pm. £8 (£6). Ireland’s popular female singer and guitarist.
Edinburgh ■ Barnardo’s Ceilidh Dance Counting House, West Nicolson Street, 667 7533. 8pm. £8–£10. The John Struart Ceilidh Band provides the music at this fundraising dance (followed by a DJ, raffle and a Guitar Hero tournament). ■ Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers The Queen’s Hall, Clerk Street, 668 2019. 8pm. £16 (£12). See Thu 12.
5–19 Nov 2009 THE LIST 79