‘Livelier’ tour takes folk duo to backwater venues
Prog rock fans need to move fast to pick up the last few remaining tickets to see Soft Machine perform in Kinross.
A near complete line up of the musicians who recorded the acclaimed ‘Softs’ album in 1975 are offering a night in the Backstage Bar at the Green Hotel Kinross on Thursday, November 8.
There are fewer than 20 tickets left for the show, a must for Soft Machine followers.
The band has the addition of outstanding sax star, Theo Travis.
Soft Machine is a real draw because these are seasoned players still turning out quality music.
For Thursday’s show at the Green Hotel they will play material from the era (compositions by Hugh Hopper, Mike Ratledge and Karl Jenkins), as well as many contemporary works, as featured on their recent album, ‘Burden of Proof ’.
The four legendary musicians present a collection of songs that has something for everyone, challenging jazz-fusion, adventurous prog-rock, bits of chaotic free-jazz, atmospheric instrumental pop-jazz, and even a little hard rock.
The show starts at 8pm. Tickets £25 from www.mundellmusic.com Perth’s high profile folk duo players, Sandy Stirton and Chris Woods from Mad Ferret Band, are off on a village hall tour to share their sound in the more remote venues of Scotland.
They have a new album – ‘Getting Livelier’ – to promote and the road out of Perth is calling the hard-gigging pair.
The album was recorded live at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year and the sound of the crowd is featured, joyously egging them on.
“We’ve got a huge repertoire and it’s nice to hear the crowd screaming for more,” said Chris, guitarist, singer and mandolin player.
“We pack 15 tracks onto ‘Getting Livelier’, but because we do lots of jigs and reels, the whole thing lasts just under an hour,” added Sandy, who gives the duo the other guitar, Cajon and vocals.
Mad Ferret Band takes influences from classic folk acts such as The Corries and The Dubliners, as well as contemporary tunes from composers like Gordon Duncan and Ross Ainslie.
Sandy and Chris met in Perth and have been “gigging forever”. They admit to most of their songs “being about alcohol” and are proud to be on a seemly neverending tour of Scotland, with occasional jaunts off to the continent.
They’ve added an open mic opportunity to The Venue in Perth, with their weekly Sunday Social at 3pm.
They had a big night on Wednesday, celebrating Celtic Hallowe’en at the Crannog Centre on Loch Tay, looking the part as the entertainment for an end of year hooley at the Iron Age round house.
Next up is a gig close to home, at the Bridge Of Earn Institute tonight, November 2.
“We’re hoping to have CDs available at Bridge of Earn and other Mad Ferret merchandise, like t-shirts and our lovely flags,” said Sandy.
The Mad Ferret Band has previously been the warm-up act for renowned acts such as Dougie MacLean, Skerryvore, Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Mànran and Peatbog Faeries.
“We love playing the village and town halls because people come to engage with us. It’s a very special feeling, great craic,” said Sandy. Their next folk appointment after Bridge of Earn is at Dickson Hall in Laurencekirk.
The band then shifts to Blairgowrie Town Hall on Saturday 10 for a spot during the Hamish Matters Festival.
Mad Ferret heads to Edinburgh’s Stramash for a late session on 15, followed by Lockerbie Town Hall on 16 Machine Band Soft Mad Ferret then Glencoe on November 17. Then it’s back to Perth for November 18 when the band does a gig at Perth Concert Hall’s outdoor venue, a free gig in Horsecross Plaza.
They’re bound next to the Isle of Arran and finish their travels at Musselburgh on the 26.
See www.themadferretband.com