Glasgow Letter
Gathering concert
It’s that time of year again where the West End of Glasgow (and one particular corner of the Park Bar!) will be full of Tirisdich down to celebrate their annual gathering concert and dance.
The annual gathering concert will be tonight, Thursday November 14, at a new venue for the association: Kingsborough Gardens Sanctuary, Broomhill Hyndland Church, 81 Hyndland Road, G12 9JE.
The association wrote on Facebook: 'Please note the change of venue for this year, meaning the half-time dram will be back!' I knew there must have been an appropriate reason for the move. In all seriousness, the line-up is impressive indeed: Ellen MacDonald, Ruairidh Cormack, Kirsty MacKinnon, Sean MacCallum and Kirsteen Grant. Donald Iain Brown is this year's chairperson who I’m sure will have many good stories to tell including of the recent success of Mòd Ghlaschu.
Tickets for the concert are £10 and available at the door.
Tiree dance
The following evening, Friday November 15, the gathering dance will return to its usual venue in Glasgow University
Union.
Gunna Sound (led by Tiree’s own Campbell Brown on accordion) will be getting everyone on the floor and making sure it is as good a cèilidh dance as it always is year on year.
Tickets are available from the the Park Bar or by contacting the committee via Facebook.
Margaret Fay Shaw
On Saturday November 16, the CCA in Sauchiehall Street will host an interesting Gaelic evening with a slight twist.
This third collaboration of Ocaidich Improvise! between Cèol is Craic and Glasgow Improvisers Orchestra (GIO) explores themes arising from the work of Margaret Fay Shaw with specially invited guests.
Nerea Bello, Gillebride MacMillan, and Mairi MacMillian will present Basque and Gaelic song inspired by Margaret Fay Shaw’s free-spirited journey from America to Canna; finding new connections between two traditions.
Poet Rona MacDonald will perform her own work inspired by the musical content, together with GIO which also explores migration, transfer and transformation.
Dan Shay will provide live visuals combining Margaret Fay Shaw’s photographic art with film. The separate art forms will cross over in many ways – finding new interpretations and ways of thinking about ancient songs and traditions.
This unique concert celebrates freedom of movement symbolised by birds and how distinct cultures can enrich each other. Tickets are £14, £10 for concessions, and £5 for students. Doors open at 7.30pm.
Skye reminder
On the subject of the kindred associations, here is another reminder to put Saturday December 7 in your diary as the slightly unusual night for the Glasgow Skye Association which has traditionally been held on the Friday.
The Glasgow University Union is the venue as normal and the line up includes singers such as Wilma Kennedy, Rachel Walker, James Graham and Arthur Cormack. Tickets are £10 (£8 for students) and it begins at 7.30pm. After the concert, the dance will begin to the music of Robert Nairn and his band.