Runrig: The Last Dance at Stirling Castle
I was at the Runrig show in Stirling on Saturday night. I was there. Along with my husband and eight-year-old son, I was among the crowd of 25,000 at The Last Dance. I’m feeling a bit lost now but I’m […]
Sun Days and Squad Goals (hope springs eternal)
“I enjoy the spring more than the autumn now. One does, I think, as one gets older.” Virginia Woolf had it right. The rising temperatures, the brighter sun and the longer days are so, so welcome. I feel that spring has begun […]
First gigs and the tonic that was Tidelines
Gigs – most specifically, ‘your first gig’ and the Tidelines show in the Lanntair last night – are the subject of this week’s blether. I took Michael, my oldest, to it. Both my boys are big Tidelines fans actually. They […]
Anyone up for a Stramash?
Stornoway music fans rejoice. If you’re suffering from a touch of the post-festival blues, Stramash is on this weekend — and it’s free entry too, which is also nice if you’re feeling a bit skint after HebCelt. The white tent […]
Colin Macleod: A decidedly unstarry music star
It’s hard to believe it’s been more than a week since HebCelt — but there was one person I made a point of catching up with, in the days after the festival, to hear how it had been for him. […]
Possibly the best HebCelt day ever
How good was the Saturday at this year’s HebCelt?! The line-up was great, the weather was incredible and with all that going on everyone was just in the best mood. It was superb. For me, the Waterboys absolutely smashed it. […]
What turns us on and leaves us cold as an audience
My highlight from Friday night at HebCelt 2017 was a woman I didn’t even see. My low point was the woman I had been looking forward to seeing more than any other. I didn’t get to the festival site until […]
Dougie and the Peatbog Faeries are the reel deal
Authenticity was absolutely the order of the night on the HebCelt main stage on Thursday — traditionally the quietest night of the festival and you can’t get much quieter than one man and his guitar. But when that man is […]
Fiddle traditions showcase is perfect start to HebCelt
Could there be a better choice of tune to open HebCelt 2017 than Crossing the Minch? If there is, I can’t think of it, and it was also the perfect choice of tune to open the Between Islands show in […]
Blue skies and Big Blue mean summer is here!
Hello sunshine… and hello HebCelt 2017! After some soggy conditions at first, festival organisers have had a good few days to set up for one of the highlights of our year. We all cheer up when the sun comes out […]