Gillian is coming home to headline folk festival line-up
It is time to dust down those sweaters for the 22nd Arran Folk Festival. This year’s event boasts an impressive line-up that is sure to attract big audiences from the mainland and across the island.
As usual there will be the hugely popular free afternoon sessions in the newly refurbished Douglas Hotel bar, today (Friday), Saturday and Sunday hosted by ‘Uncle Keith’.
As always, feel free to bring an instrument, or a song, and show just what you’ve got! Or just turn up and be a spectator, everyone is welcome.
Friday night’s concert in Brodick Hall features one of the fastest rising bands on the British Folk scene Talisk, Dumfries folk singer Claire Hastings and island singer and poet Tim Pomeroy.
On Saturday there is a welcome return to the island for festival headliner Arran’s own Gillian Frame to launch her new album. She is joined on the bill by double BBC folk awards winner Tim Edey with Mary Ann Kennedy with Finlay Wells completing the line-up.
The evening concerts will be licensed by the Isle of Arran Distillery and the MC on both nights will be Jamie McGeechan (aka Little Fire) and tickets are available to buy online from www.arranevents.com or from Brodick Post Office.
Organiser Jon Hollingworth added: ‘We are delighted to introduce a couple of workshops to this year’s events: a Saturday afternoon singing session in Brodick Hall starting at 1pm with this year’s festival headliner, Gillian Frame
‘The second session on offer this year is a guitar masterclass and will take place on Sunday afternoon, again in Brodick Hall at 1pm. This is being hosted by the incredible Tim Edey.’
Artists Friday, June 3 Talisk
Winners of the 2015 BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award, Talisk is one of the fastest rising bands on the British folk scene. Mohsen Amini (concertina), Hayley Keenan (fiddle) and Craig Irving (guitar) come together to create an energetic and dynamic sound.
Claire Hastings
Claire Hastings is a folksinger originally from Dumfries. Since graduating in 2011 from the RSAMD with a first class honours degree in Scottish Music, Claire has enjoyed carving out a successful career in singing, songwriting and teaching.
This year sees Claire release her highly anticipated debut album Between River and Railway.
Tim Pomeroy
Tonight’s opening act, Tim hails from Hamilton but has lived on Arran for nearly 20 years. Tim plays guitar and sings with an uncommon intensity of feeling. Ably assisted in backing guitar and vocals by Andy McCallum and Robin Fisher on percussion, this ensemble might better be called the Tim Pomeroy band? Look out for the odd rogue poem!
Artists Saturday, June 4 Gillian Frame
It is a big night for local lass Gillian Frame as she returns to the folk festival to launch her new album Pendulum.
The album, produced by Mike Vass, features outstanding performances by Anna Massie, Euan Burton, Phil Hague and Adam Holmes.
It is her first solo album since 2001, Gillian Frame and Back of the Moon. Gillian is a professional Scottish fiddle player and educator based in Glasgow, Scotland.
Tim Edey
Double BBC Folk Awards winner including ‘Musician of the year 2012’. A virtuoso on over 10 instruments and an international touring professional musician since the age of 15 and current guest of The Chieftains touring lineup for the last four years.
Mary Ann Kennedy and Finlay Wells
Mary Ann Kennedy has spent her life surrounded by music – from earliest memories of her family rehearsing in the front room at nights, through a hothouse classical musical training to her world today as musician, singer, broadcaster, writer, choral director, composer and producer.
Mary Ann will be joined on stage by virtuoso guitarist Finlay Wells.