Glasgow Letter
I was sorry to hear that last weekend’s Gig in the Goil (renamed Live at Drimsynie) is possibly the last hurrah for the festival.
I played there with Tide Lines a number of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the craic.
It is a small festival but an incredibly lively one and the accommodation on site was second to none in the Argyll Holiday Park with caravans and hot tub lodges galore.
Its geographical situation, on the banks of Loch Goil, is ideal for punters travelling from either Glasgow or Argyll so it always felt like a good meeting point for music lovers from the West Coast.
Ross Coutts who organised it year upon year is a dedicated young promoter and a pal of mine who has a genuine love of all sorts of music. You always get the feeling he put the hours in not for the money but for the enjoyment it brings both himself and many other people, and he is an actual fan of the bands he invites.
This year, the chosen headliners were Trail West, Heron Valley, Face the West, Clann an Druma, Rollin Drones, and Ted Christopher and Bannockburn.
My abiding memory of the festival was the year we played and saw Lewis Capaldi perform live. At that point, he was just an up-and-coming singer/ songwriter and his name appeared in tiny writing at the bottom of the poster, below the likes of ourselves, Skerryvore and Gunna Sound.
Fast forward a few years and it’s fair to say he has just about surpassed us all! I dare say there was a good party afterwards to give a unique wee festival a good send off.
On a brighter note, the Glasgow Ceilidhs announced last week that regular ceilidhs are due to start back at the The Tall Ship Glenlee (down by the Transport Museum), with their first date organised for Thursday June 30. These nights will be led by Deoch ’n’ Dorus and are known affectionately as Jiggin’ in the Riggin’! More details, and a link for tickets, are available on the Glasgow Ceilidhs Facebook page.
These evenings throughout the summer will be busy with locals and tourists alike.
Before then, the 36th annual Glasgow Jazz Festival will take place between June 16-19 and tickets are now on sale.
The jazz festival has had some virtual events over the last couple of years but are looking forward, like everyone else, to returning to live music events. Some of the best jazz acts in the country will take part in multiple concerts and late night sessions throughout the city in venues such as The Blue Arrow, the Drygate, the Recital Room, the Scottish Music Centre, the Hug and Pint, and St Luke’s.
Head over to jazzfest.co.uk to find out more and get your tickets.