Various venues, Orkney, 25-28 May 2006

Lau at the 2006 Orkney Folk Festival. © Kenny Pirnie

A TALL SHIP had docked at the pier in Stromness, and the sun was shining, as the 24th Orkney Folk Festival got underway.

It was clear that this would be one heck of a weekend, and surely one of the finest, most successful festivals that the committee has ever produced. The opening concert was held in the Stromness Lecture Theatre, and with a line up including Old Blind Dogs and Lau, we were in for a show which would more than whet the tastebuds of the audience.

Old Blind Dogs are no strangers to Orkney, having played at the festival in the past, and Lau, although not previosuly here as a group, certainly have a tie with the islands, considering one of the trio is Orkney singer/songwriter Kris Drever.

We passed the Kirkwall City Pipe Band tuning up on the way into our seats in the balcony, and they gave us a couple of tunes to warm us up for what was to come.

Festival chairman Johnny Mowat introduced our compere, Bob Sharp, who is a regular visitor to the festival, and Bob subsequently introduced the Kirkwall City Pipe Band (juvenile section) as the opening act.

It was a very fitting way to start the proceedings, as the band played a grand set of tunes. Their young drummers were exceptional, performing a solo at one point — a highlight of the night for sure. It is easy to see why this band is among the best in Scotland.

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There is a certain magic about Hadhirgaan, partly due to the excellent musicianship possessed by its young members, but also because of the amazing presence they have as a group on stage

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The next act was Tania Opland and Mike Freeman, who had never played in Orkney before. They were described as an “Anglo-Alaskan” duo, so we weren’t sure what to expect, but it was soon clear that we’d get a bit of everything. A hammered dulcimer is not the most conventional instrument, and I had to admit I’d never seen one before. Played by Tania, she described it as a “big box with lots of strings,” and it sounded like a cross between a harpsichord and a harp.

They played music from all over the world, and I got the feeling they had a million stories to tell. By the end of their set, they had the audience singing and clapping, and got a great response.

The next act on the bill was one that everyone was waiting for. I had heard that Lau was one of the most exciting live bands on the scene at the moment, and that their performances were very special.

The trio comprises fiddling sensation Aidan O’Rourke, Orkney’s Kris Drever on guitar and voice, and Cambridge-bred, Edinburgh-based accordionist Martin Green. Could they live up to their fast-growing reputation? Oh yes.

This is a classic example of what can be done with traditional music, by breaking the mould and spicing it up a little. I think for some in the audience, it was too much of a break from the trad style, but for most, me included, it was a breath of fresh air, and a very exciting performance.

They chose to be seated, rather than to stand and perform, and I don’t think this was like any other seated performance I’d ever seen. Clearly out of enjoyment, and just through the joy of being part of this exciting new band, the lads moved uncontrollably to the infectious music they were creating.

They were great to watch, great to listen to, and the possibility that one might fall off their chair by accident only added to the excitement. A band full of talent and amazing energy, they received huge applause.

They were followed up by one of Scotland’s most respected acts, Old Blind Dogs, who were just the icing on the cake. They involved the audience right away, getting all to sing along and clap their hands.

To be honest, it would be hard not to with Old Blind Dogs. They have a killer rhythm section, and an amazing frontman, Jim Malcolm, whose stunning voice was backed up by the vocal talents of all the other band members. Jim is also an accomplished guitarist, and harmonica player, and at times he was making use of all three of his instruments.

A slow song, ‘The Battle of Waterloo’, was one of the most charming songs I heard throughout the whole weekend, showing off Jim’s beautiful voice, and Robbie Burns’ ‘A Man’s A Man For A’ That’ had the audience singing along too.

The band members, who stay true to Scotland’s roots, include some of the country’s most accomplished musicians, including bouzouki player Aaron Jones, Rory Campbell on pipes and whistles, Jonny Hardie on fiddle, mandolin and guitar, and Fraser Stone on drums. It was an excellent concert, and we were more than in the mood for the rest of the weekend.

This year’s Folk Festival Workshops were hosted by the Wrigley Sisters and their Centre of Music, as well as the Orkney Traditional Music Project’s Ceilidh Band, and there was something for everyone.

Members of Old Blind Dogs gave up their time to lead the workshops with Hazel Wrigley, which attracted reasonable numbers throughout the course of the Saturday.

Meanwhile, a brand new event was the talk of the town over the weekend, and it produced some of the most exciting performances.

The Open Stage Event was the brainchild of festival committee member, Graham Morris, who admitted at the end that it had been one of his better ideas. Graham said the open stage event at Celtic Connections was such a success the Orkney festival selected some of its acts from the finalists there, such as Heeriegoleerie and the White Hare Band.

With 22 acts signed up to have a go in Orkney, the talent on offer was tremendous.

A performance by singer/songwriter Frank Keenan was a hit with the audience in the Town Hall, and a Russian journalist, ‘Daria,’ who had been spotted following the various events impressed us all with a tune or two.

Father and son duo Jimmy and Callum Carlisle paid tribute to one of Kris Drever’s first bands, The Lapels, playing ‘A Place to Hide’.

Other performers included Sheila Cameron, and The Drivers, but the most amazing performance of the day came from a young man from Yorkshire, Sam Hurt, who was so nervous, that he visibly shook going on and off stage. Sam made a quick exit, but went on to win a prize at the end, and was subsequently invited to perform at the Rising Stars Concert later that night.

It was at this event that local up and coming stars got a chance to strutt their stuff, with the exception of young Sam who had more than earned his slot.

His two songs, ‘Tokyo’ and ‘Coming Round the Mountain’ were fantastically written, heartfelt, and beautifully sung. If this lad can get over his nerves, he will go places, following in the footsteps of Damien Rice, James Blunt and David Gray. It was exciting stuff.

The concert was opened by the Orkney Traditional Music Project’s Ceilidh Band who were absolutely fantastic. The band was started to encourage younger musicians to keep playing traditional dance music and, led by accordionist Ian Lowthian, was a real highlight of the show.

Led by local musician, Diane Kelday on guitar, the Shoramere fiddlers performed Stewart Shearer’s ‘Crossing Warness’, and went down a storm with the audience. Later on in the set they were joined by Orkney’s well-loved young group of all-stars, Hadhirgaan.

The fourth generation of “Hadhirgaaners” took to the stage, and performed ‘Orcadia’, ‘The Stronsay Weaver’ and ‘Trip to Herve’s’.

These teens are no strangers to the folk world, taking Glasgow and Edinburgh music fans by storm in the recent past. They have become as much a sought-after act as any gigging band, and performed several of their own tunes, or ones written by Hadhirgaaners of the past, including Catriona Price’s ‘Twa Daft Lasses’, and Jeana Leslie’s ‘Hot Salsa’.

There is a certain magic about Hadhirgaan, partly due to the excellent musicianship possessed by its young members, but also because of the amazing presence they have as a group on stage.

The Drivers appeared on stage after Hadhirgaan, and this brother/sister duo played with style. Fiona and Peter have a special spark in their playing, something that could possibly be unique to family members who play together. This kind of connection isn’t always present between musicians, but is usually natural to family groupings.

Last, but far from least, was a performance from Kris Drever, who played two of his own songs before inviting his fellow members of Lau onto the stage, as well as Orkney bodhran player Amy Leonard. Kris’ unique voice always stuns an audience, and it was easy to see why his career has started to take off.

By the end of the concert, the audience still wanted more, but it was time for the second of the two stomps.

The night before, I had seen Croft No. 5 in Orkney’s number one nightclub, Fusion. Sadly, numbers weren’t as high as they’ve been in the past, but the band stood out as a contemporary collaboration, making folk and trad as hip with the kids as any dance act in the modern music world.

Tipped to fuse trad with techno, it would surely be a bizarre combination, but I really enjoyed this band — primarily a drum and bass act who would be equally as comfortable at an all-night rave, as they were at this Folk Festival Stomp.

They were supported by local duo, Saltfishforty, who performed their usual set of blistering tunes, bound to warm any audience up for a good time. In fact the lads, Brian Cromarty and Douglas Montgomery, were just back from Cannes, and still on good form. By the end of their set, the dancefloor was full — not bad for two blokes with a fiddle and a guitar.

Needless to say getting up to do it all over again was not my idea of fun when I opened my eyes the next morning. Thankfully, several glasses of water and a cup of coffee later, I was ready for action, and before I knew it, it was time to stomp again.

The second Stomp was held in the Stromness Academy Dining Hall. The bands at this event were both local, and certainly stood out as an example of the talent that Orkney has produced. The Lone Star Swing Band, and Lazy Boy Chair were on the bill, and the stomp was a sell out on the night.

The Lone Star Swing Band includes Fiona Driver, Ian Tait, Dick Levens, Duncan MacLean, and stand-in drummer Graham Simpson. Kitted out in formal dress, their blend of blues and jazz music, tinged with a Scottish influence went down a storm with the audience, who were keen to dance right at the start.

The main act, Lazy Boy Chair, were right at home on the very stage where they debuted just a couple of years ago at the Orkney Folk Festival. Now headliners, they have since become one of the county’s finest live bands, guaranteeing a great night of music wherever they play.

Joined on stage at one point by all members of Lau, this was another superb performance, and I defy anyone who claims they were able to stand still.

Several other fantastic acts appeared at the festival — too many to rave about, but special mention must go to Danny award winners Heeriegoleerie — a young up and coming trio with bags of talent, and the White Hare Band, not to mention the Zamiskovci brothers all the way from Slovakia.

It really was a fantastic weekend, and I would imagine that there will be a bit of a splash next year at the 25th Orkney Folk Festival, as chairman Johnny Mowat plans to make it his last year on the committee. Next year’s anniversary festival will surely be a special one.

© Leah Seator, 2006

Link

• Orkney Folk Festival