Skerryvore to light up Celtic Connections opening weekend
THE FIRST weekend of Celtic Connections gets off to a rip-roaring start this Friday, with Skerryvore blasting The Old Fruitmarket with their trademark Tiree/ Livingstone/ Nashville/ Falkirk fusion. The band have just emerged from an incredible year. During 2015 they collaborated with Irish accordion legend Sharon Shannon to record their feel- good summer single Happy to be Home, they celebrated their 10th birthday and to top it off they did this by attracting over 6,000 fans to Oban for a phenomenally good birthday party.
In celebrating their Decade in such style, they have laid the foundations for an annual event to be called Oban Live. Indeed, one of the highlights of this Friday’s gig will be the keenly anticipated announcement of the first acts to have been booked.
Readers will be astounded by the calibre of some of the artists rumoured to be revealed this weekend.
I have a long connection with Skerryvore and, in fact, can claim the honour of having given the band their name.
I have known Martin and Daniel Gillespie since they were toddlers and it is an interesting observation on how success adversely affects only certain people that in all the years I have known them their character has not changed.
From coming round to our house as children to eat Turkish Delight and watch the Chronicles of Narnia, to misbehaving our way through the wild summers on Tiree of 2004 and 2005, to Skerryvore having just organised and
headlined at one of the biggest events ever to be held in the West Highlands, it is testimony to the type of people they are that they are just the same. Other founders Fraser West and Alec Dalglish, and all subsequent members who have joined Skerryvore are similarly grounded and of sound character.
From their beginnings playing as four young friends in the Scarinish Hotel, they very soon, with additional members, became one of the biggest names on the Scottish music scene.
They are a band who have never stopped growing and their decade year saw a considerable acceleration in that growth. I predict that the next 10 years will bring them huge success and that their double decade party will need the whole of Mossfield stadium and half of Glencruitten Golf Course to accommodate the revellers!
Tickets at www.celticconnections.com
Limerick reply to The Glasgow Letter of 07/01/16
There once was a man from Torlundy Who goes AWOL from Friday till Sunday. Rampaging round Glasgow On a stag-like fiasco With no clue where his clothes are on Monday.
And as January days just get wetter We lament the once great Glasgow Letter. With a now urgent hurry We must bring back Neil Murray – His writing and looks were much better.
To the dogs the O.T. Rab is bringing With his poor rhymes of literary mud slinging. I don’t have a quibble With his dull weekly dribble But I think he should stick to the singing!