Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh, Saturday 4 December 2004

Old Blind Dogs

A STELLAR GATHERING of eminences from the Scots folk scene filled the Queen’s Hall for this annual awards ceremony, organised by Simon Thoumire’s Hands Up for Trad in association with BBC Scotland Interactive.

The Arts Journal was nominated for the Media Award (formerly the TV & Radio Award), but lost out to the venerable BBC Scotland show ‘Take the Floor’. As Archie Fisher, the master of ceremonies for a generally slickly run event, pointed out, though, to be nominated at all was already an achievement, and as a young whippersnapper in the game, we don’t feel too bad at losing out to an institution like Robbie Shepherd.

The Highlands and Islands fared very well when it came to handing out the trophies, supplied by sponsors McEwans Sessions. In the surprise of the night, the Hebridean Celtic Festival beat Celtic Connections to the Event of the Year Award, while Hootananny’s in Inverness won the Club of the Year.

Fiona MacKenzie, the Mairi Mhor Song Fellow based in Dingwall (and a regular contributor to the Journal), pipped Rita Hunter of Féis Rois to Personality of the Year, but Féis Rois were successful in picking up the Community/Education Award for the education programme.

Last year’s Live Act of the Year, Battlefield Band, both opened and closed the ceremony and also pledged to support a new International Award, given this year to American guitarist Doc Watson.

Their successors as best Live Act were Blazin’ Fiddles, prompting Aidan O’Rourke to point out that they are often nominated but seldom honoured, adding to their pleasure in receiving that coveted prize. The equally coveted Folk Band of the Year Award went to Old Blind Dogs, a band with strong roots in the North East even though they have a more widespread membership these days.

The Dogs’ lead singer, Jim Malcolm, was a two-time winner, since he also scooped Songwriter of the Year. Dick Gaughan was Scots Singer of the Year, and Maggie MacInnes took the Gaelic Singer award. The Instrumentalist of the Year award went to piper Fred Morrison, while Alasdair Fraser and Nathalie Haas took Album of the Year for ‘Fire and Grace’.

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“Ian McCalman later commented that he half-expected babies to be wheeled on next, probably singing in Gaelic”

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Dochas were Up and Coming Artist of the Year (they couldn’t have been too confident, since four of the five members were up in the gallery, and had to scrabble furiously down stairs when they were named winners). There was success for both sets of Northern Isles, with Shetland’s Da Fustra taking Scottish Dance Band of the Year, and Orkney’s Kirkwall City Band winning the Pipe Band Category.

Footstompin’ Records were named Retailer of the Year, and the Sunday Herald’s Sue Wilson took Journalist of the Year.

The presentations by a succession of sponsors and guests were punctuated by performances. As well as Battlefield Band, we heard short sets from Cliar, the Scottish Power Pipe Band, Sheena Wellington and the James Graham band, led by the current Young Scots Musician of the year.

Even younger generations of Scots were represented by Hadhirgaan, a large ensemble of teenagers from Orkney, and the St Roch Grupai Ceoil, and under-12 band from Glasgow coached by Frank McArdle in a combination of Scottish and Irish traditions (Ian McCalman later commented that he half-expected babies to be wheeled on next, probably singing in Gaelic).

Speakers included Phil Cunningham, now domiciled back in his native Edinburgh, who stood in admirably  for Patricia Ferguson when the Minister of Culture had to withdraw from delivering the opening address, and Brian McNeill, the head of traditional music at the RSAMD.

Brian made a passionate plea for folk music deserving – and demanding – ‘parity of esteem’ with other art forms, and revealed that the RSAMD was lending their support to a campaign to get a traditional music teacher into every Scottish school.

McNeill reminded the assembled company how far the traditional music scene had come since his interest was kindled as a teenager four decades ago (a point neatly underlined by RSAMD student Lauren McColl’s win in the BBC Young Folk Musician Award the previous night), but also sounded a warning that it could equally easily reverse unless the pressure was maintained.

The last award to be handed out, the Hamish Henderson Services to Traditional Music award, went to the McCalmans, who promptly stole the show with a rendition of their hilarious folk version of ‘The Twelve Nights of Christmas’. A suitably cheering note to – almost – conclude, with only another set from the Battlefield Band and Margaret Bennett’s rendition of Hamish Henderson’s ‘Freedom Come All Ye’ to wrap up a long evening. Through in the bar, it looked as though it might well be a long night as well ….
© Kenny Mathieson, 2004