An embarrassment of riches - Celtic Connections '17 Preview

This is a preview piece for this year's Celtic Connections, that was printed in the Morning Star on Thursday (19 Jan). The link to the article on line doesn't seem to be working, so here (with a little updating) is the article as written. Updating as well, prompts me to mention that fact that the Lions of Lisbon, has not only had to have an extra performance scheduled, but both are now sold out! Never mind, it will appear later in the year. Watch - as they say - this space! 

Rab Noakes

Having an embarrassment of riches is sometimes a mixed blessing. Imagine being a concert scheduler with Celtic Connections – the very successful music festival that started in Glasgow on Thursday. With the acts attending, clashes must be a perennial concern. This year on one night (2 Feb) you could see Orchestre Baobab, Eliza Carthy, Rab Noakes and Martin Green’s impressive collaboration, Flit, except you couldn’t of course, because they’re all on at the same time.

Still, there are plenty of other shows that are worth seeing, in particular the re-emergence of Shirley

Shirley Collins (photo Eva Vermandel)

Collins (4 Feb), who has released her first new album for 38 years. She leads a strong female presence at this year’s festival. Highlights include Mary Chapin Carpenter (30 Jan), Martha Wainwright (3 Feb), Sharon Shannon (3 Feb), rising star Siobhan Miller (26 Jan) and the ubiquitous Karine Polwart - her Wind Resistance performance spreads over four days (24-28 Jan) at the Tron. Even the Roaming Roots Review this year concentrates on Women of Song (28 Jan).

This year also has a sense of ‘back to traditional folk’, not just the reappearance of Shirley Collins after 35 years, but a concert from Tom Paxton (25 Jan) and both Fairport Convention (24 Jan) and Rab Noakes (2 Feb) celebrating 50 years performing.

Having said that, there is also plenty of new talent performing at this year’s festival. CDuncan (26 Jan) has already created a stir, and I’m looking forward to seeing the Southern Tenant Folk Union (30 Jan). It is often the ‘outside’ venues that break these new acts, and this year brings a couple of new venues to Celtic Connections in South Glasgow’s Glad Café and the West End’s Hug and Pint.

Finally, if you are ‘all folked out’ and fancy something a little different, two important British composers feature this year. Eclectic composer, singer and clarinettist, Anna Meredith is on 4 Feb, and Craig Armstrong and Calum Martin present the outcome of their collaboration to write new music inspired by Hebridean psalm singing (3 Feb).

Too much music? How about a day at the footie? FairPley are reviving The Lions of Lisbon, the play by Willy Maley and Ian Auld about Celtic’s triumph in the European Cup 50 years ago! (29 Jan - two performances). Get tickets on line at www.celticconnections.com

Statue sculptor to be announced at Mary Barbour Concert

The five shortlisted statues

The name of the successful sculptor chosen to create the statue of Mary Barbour will be announced from the stage of the Gala Concert scheduled for this Sunday, 21 February in Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket, the Remember Mary Barbour Association (RMBA) said today.

Maria Fyfe, Chair of the Remember Mary Barbour Association said. “This concert is a part of raising the funds to commission the statue, so it seemed only right to announce the successful candidate here. At long last there will be a new statue of a woman of achievement - achievement not for herself but for the people of Glasgow. This concert will be both a celebration of the statues and of Mary’s life and work.”

In addition to the stars already announced, prominent Scottish actress Libby McArthur has joined the guest list to add drama to the variety of the concert. She will be delivering a speech from Julia Taudevin’s play, Mrs Barbour’s Daughters.

Compering the show is comedian and presenter, Susan Morrison, and the performers will include folk legends, Sheena Wellington, and Arthur Johnstone, rising singer and musician Siobhan Miller, Scottish legends The Whistlebinkies, Gaelic singing star, Maeve Mackinnon, harmonica supremo, Fraser Speirs, and folk-rock recording artists, The Wakes. A local Govan-based community choir – the Govan Allsorts, will bring Mary’s community centre stage!

Susan Morrison

Compere, Susan Morrison said “Too often we look at history and see the word hero linked only to men who did things in wars of dubious morality The women who stood with Mary fought for something greater. They fought for fairness, for justice and for their communities. They were kitchen table heroes and that is worth celebrating, to inspire a new generation of women to continue the fight.”

In addition to the maquettes of the statues, a new portrait has been painted of Mary Barbour, by Govan artist Daniel Fitzpatrick. He has donated the powerful and striking portrait to the RMBA. The portrait depicts her steely determination but also captures her warmth and compassion, and a series of limited edition signed prints are being created for sale - hopefully in time for the concert!! 

Mary Barbour by Daniel Fitzpatrick

Mary Barbour led the successful rent strike of 1915 and went on to play a leading role in the labour movement as a Glasgow Councillor and energetic social reformer. Following an extensive campaign to have her contribution recognised, five sculptors were shortlisted to create a statue of her to be placed in her community of Govan. So far each has created a maquette of a proposed statue . These were unveiled in November and have been toured across Glasgow for people to express their opinion. See them on the Facebook page here.

Details of the Gala Concert are as follows

Remember Mary Barbour Gala Concert , Sunday 21 February, Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, 7.30pm, Tickets: £25, from the Glasgow Concert Halls box office. http://www.glasgowconcerthalls.com/Pages/home.aspx#  0141 353 8000. For further information  - www. remembermarybarbour.wordpress.com/ and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RememberMaryBarbour/

Acts announced for Mary Barbour Gala Concert

This release was featured in the Evening Times on the 19 January. It updates earlier news with some of the artists who have signed up to play in the GalaConcert. Get your tickets NOW!!

A galaxy of stars will play at the Gala Concert to raise money for a statue to Govan Rent Strike leader, Mary Barbour, it was announced today. The concert, which is scheduled for 21 February in Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket, will feature a number of great performers for a night of entertainment, song and music. 

Compereing the show is comedian and presenter, Susan Morrison, and the guest

Arthur Johnstone

list will include folk legends, Sheena Wellington, and Arthur Johnstone, rising singer and musician Siobhan Miller, Scottish legends The Whistlebinkies, Gaelic singing star, Maeve Mackinnon, harmonica supremo, Fraser Speirs, and folk-rock recording artists, The Wakes.

A local Govan-based community choir – the Govan Allsorts, led by musician Lesley Robertson - have also been called in to bring Mary’s community centre stage! Further special guests are anticipated.

Susan Morrison

Compere, Susan Morrison said “It has long been the case that the role of women activists in the struggle for decent conditions has been overlooked. Its great that we are helping an important move to redress that, and that so many wonderful artists are keen to help.”

Maria Fyfe, Chair of the Remember Mary Barbour Association said. “This concert has taken off and looks like being a superb celebration of Mary’s life and work. Isn’t this a great way to raise much-needed funds, display the huge support for this project and have a great night out?”

Mary Barbour led the successful rent strike of 1915 and went on to play a leading role in the labour movement as a Glasgow Councillor and energetic social reformer. Following an extensive campaign to have her contribution recognised, five sculptors were shortlisted to create a statue of her to be placed in her community of Govan. So far each has created a maquette of a proposed statue . These were unveiled in November and are being toured across Glasgow from then until February. See them on the Facebook page here.

Details of the Gala Concert are as follows

Remember Mary Barbour – Gala Concert , Sunday 21 February, Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, 7.30pm, Tickets: £25, from the Glasgow Concert Halls box office. http://www.glasgowconcerthalls.com/Pages/home.aspx#  0141 353 8000. For further information  - www. remembermarybarbour.wordpress.com/ and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RememberMaryBarbour/

The Carrying Stream - Celtic Connections 1

This is the first of a series of reviews of Celtic Connections concerts. I'm doing a couple of summary reviews for the Morning Star (and indeed did a preview piece here.) but I thought some of these concerts deserve a full review to themselves. Here is the first, of the opening concert

The Carrying Stream ****  Royal Concert Hall

The 50th anniversary of an association formed to promote and preserve Scottish Traditional music sounds a bit 'worthy', conjuring up images of bearded men in Aran jumpers! But the difference between the image and the reality of traditional music in Scotland is soon exposed. Celtic Connections' opening concert for 2016 was directed by young singer Siobhan Miller - Radio 2 Young

Siobhan Miller

folk singer of the year a few years back, and twice winner of the Scots Singer of The Year award at the Scottish Trad music Awards. And the TMSA is at least as concerned with nurturing new talent as preserving old. That is immediately obvious from the impressive opening from he National Youth Pipe Band, backed up by the amplified guitars of the house band!

The concert also varies between standards from the Scottish traditional music scene, like Shepheard, Speirs and Watson, and Adam MacNaughon and more recent innovators like Kris Drever, sparky Gaelic singer Mischa Macpherson and - youngest of the lot! - the Ceilidh Trail Band, just back from a tour 'to see how professional musicians can survive' as MC Mark Stevens put it. Any illusion that only Scots from the Highlands are part of the 'carrying stream' was also put to rest with slots from US singer Rayna Gellart and - even further out - Londoner Sam Lee!

Sheena Wellington

Stalwarts of the Scottish folk scene there were in plenty - Arthur Johnstone and Brian Miller, Sheena Wellington (reprising her Scottish Parliament-opening A Man's a Man), Barbara Dickson, Malinky and surprise (and welcome) guests, Aly Bain and Phil Cunninghame, but the real strength of the TMSA is its willingness to absorb and protect traditional acts while nurturing and developing new talent. It is that which enabled Siobhan Miller to get away with bringing Barbara Dickson on for only one song. It is that which led the packed stalls of the Royal Concert Hall to welcome every act with warmth and affection, and it is that which meant the packed stage could sign off with Freedom Come All Ye and The Parting Glass without a false start.

Reasons to be MayDay - part 2

....The main event of the holiday period is the March and Rally today (3 May). From 11.00 people will gather in George Square and then march to the O2 Academy in Bridge Street. The March is being lead by young people and will rally in the O2. A range of speakers is headed by Seumas Milne, the Guardian correspondent. Also speaking will be Rosa Salih of the Glasgow Girls, a representative of the U.S. Fast Food Forward campaign for TU rights. Entertaining the masses while they wander round the stalls, will be Glasgow's own The Wakes.

A variety of political groupings will have their own events following the rally, but the evening delivers the second performance of From the Calton to Catalonia. Martin McCardie's successful and packed revival in the Calton last night is followed by this performance in Glasgow's Oran Mor. Maureen Carr leads an ensemble cast in Willy and John Maley's story of their dad's experiences in the International Brigade. Tickets £12, from the bar in Oran Mor, or via TicketWeb (including a booking fee).

Arthur Johnstone

On the Monday holiday, the now well-known Great MayDay Cabaret fills the venue at Oran Mor. Tommy Sands, the Irish singer and activist leads a star-studded cast that includes performance poet, Elvis McGonagall, actress Juliet Cadzow comedians Bruce Morton and Susie McCabe, and singer Siobhan Miller. They are joined by regulars Arthur Johnstone, Fraser Speirs and Stephen Wright, in what promises to be a cracking night. Again tickets available over the bar and via the online supplier This time at £14.

Then there is a gap during the week (is something happening next week?) although you can get another chance to see From the Calton to Catalonia if you're prepared to travel to Bo'ness on the 8 May (Barony Theatre), or Greenock on the 10 (Beacon Arts Centre). If you're staying in Glasgow next week, another great way to wind up the MayDay celebrations would be to see the Love Music, Hate Racism screening of Clash:Westway to the World on May 10 in the CCA (at 8.00pm). Free but ticketed from the CCA website.

All in all, Glasgow’s significant contribution to the International Workers' Day's festivities!

Joyous Johnstone Jamboree!

I've just realised that I promised to put my review of Arthur Johnstone and Friends at The Mitchell Theatre, Glasgow up once it had been published in the Morning Star, and I've forgotten to do this! (although I did tweet a link to it). Here it is -

THIS turned out to be a memorable night of song and celebration with and for Arthur Johnstone at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections festival.

Celebrating 50 years of song and protest by the veteran, the packed hall lapped up a great bill in an evening ably compered by singer and actor Dave Anderson.

Luminaries abounded. Tommy Sands delivered a beautiful There Were Roses, matched by Rab Noakes’s Jackson Greyhound and 16 Tons, while Danny Couper and Martin McDonald joined rising talents Siobhan Miller and Paul Sheridan, actor David Hayman and Gaelic singer Maeve McKinnon to pay tribute to Johnstone’s talent and commitment to the labour movement.

The emotive heart of the concert was the return of the Patton brothers to reform The Laggan for the night. The band’s John McDermott, who had died since the group disbanded, was represented by his banjo, played by Billy Patton.

The Laggan reunite! l-r Tony and Billy Patton (with John McDermott's banjo), Arthur Johnstone, ably assisted by Brian Miller.

Awards and tributes showered down. From the STUC’s lifetime achievement award — invented, said deputy general secretary Dave Moxham specifically for Johnstone because “he is in a group of one” — and Brian Filling, consul for South Africa. And there was a tribute from the Morning Star’s Scottish Campaign Committee because, as its secretary Keith Stoddart said: “This concert is a sell-out but Arthur has never sold out!”

Johnstone, performing solo or with old or new band mates, took centre stage. Songs not heard for some time, such as Four Green Fields and Doomsday in the Afternoon, were interspersed with old favourites It’s My Union and The John Maclean March and the concert wound up all too soon with Hamish Henderson’s rousing Freedom Come All Ye.

Top talent, top evening.

Far, far from Ypres, and not yet close to a target

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If producing a show that deals with a cataclysmic event, such as a war. especially a war that consumed so many lives for so little purpose, it is useful to have an aim in view. What was the impact of it? Did people die in vain, or for a purpose? If there were disasters, why did they happen? Unfortunately the lack of such an aim or target in Friday's (17) First World War concert at Glasgow's Celtic Connections (Far, far from Ypres) in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall ultimately meant that it lost its way.

The material itself was often excellent, and the artists - including Barbara Dickson, Dick Gaughan and rising folk star, Siobhan Miller - more than did it justice. But the confusion about what the show set out to do, ultimately meant that it failed.

Billed as the music, songs and poetry of World War One from a Scottish perspective, the show used contemporary songs - music hall and troops own - in a similar vein to (and using much the same material from) theatre workshop's 'Oh, What a lovely War!'. However lacking the clear political perspective of that show, meant that we were also subjected to trite jingoistic material with no sense of irony or sarcasm. And of course, troops' songs in a major conflict such as the First World War don’t tend to fit into a Scottish, or any national perspective.

Ian McCalman, who directed the musical show, also mixed in some later material such as Eric Bogle's The Band played 'Waltzing Matilda' which, while a superb song, is about ANZAC troops in Gallipoli. I’m not sure Bogle’s Scottish birth was sufficient link.

The device of using ‘Jimmy McDonald’, an ‘everyman’ figure, could also have worked, if he hadn’t been introduced and then forgotten about for most of the show! Even when he had to be dispatched, he went via the Spanish ‘flu outbreak of 1919, rather than in the war itself. Ian Anderson’s narration, while clear, reinforced the view that this was intended to be a journey. But not knowing whether we were tracking the impact on the squaddies, history, the battles, or Scotland meant that we didn't really know where we were going.

It was a disappointment, that after such a successful opening venture as McCalman’s Spanish Civil War songs last year, this one didn’t gel. It wouldn’t take much to get it right. Perhaps it should be regarded as a ‘work in progress’?