Old Fruitmarket, Glasgow, 2 February 2008

Charlie McKerron and Donald Shaw

CELTIC supergroup Capercaillie’s debut gig at the Old Fruitmarket for Celtic Connections was a crowd pleaser by any standards. Filled to near capacity, the hall is an atmospheric and interesting venue for a gig such as that performed by a group who continue to excite and grow their audience base after more than 25 years.

A large screen hanging from the roof to enable better visibility was a welcome addition for the audience members at the back of the venue. Appropriate enough that some of the original signs with merchants names on the gallery allude to Glasgow’s intrinsic Gaelic past (and present) – Mr McComish would have once been a Mgr MacThomais.

In preparation for the release of their new album, eagerly anticipated since their last album, Choice Language in 2003, the band showcased several of their new tracks alongside fan favourites such as the luadh (waulking song) ‘Coisich a Ruin’, beloved of Capercaillie audiences everywhere, and the ever popular lament from Scalpay, ‘Ailein Duinn’ (Brown Haired Alan), made popular by Karen Matheson’s singing of it in the film Rob Roy.

One of the new tracks was ‘Se mo run am fear ur’ (My love is the young man), a lovely song found in the School of Scottish Studies by Donald Shaw and collected from the source by John Macinnes in the 1950’s, and given the Capercaillie treatment, turning it from a rough work song into something of intense emotional meaning.

Several puirt sets livened up the vocal sets, old and new, including favourites such as ‘Cha tèid Fionnlagh a dh’ Eige’, ‘Tha mi sgìth’ and ‘Crathadh d’aodaich’. Other songs included the wistful ‘Ille dhuinn, chaidh tu’m dhith’, the funky treatment of ‘Turas an airidh and the beautiful and thought provoking John Martyn song ‘Don’t You Go’.

Of course, it could not be a Capercaillie gig without the essential instrumental sets such as ‘Rose Cottage’ and ‘The Wedding’, featuring their top front line musicians, including Mike McGoldrick, Charlie McKerron, Manus Lunny and Ewan Vernal, who somehow manage to create that sound that is the Essential Capercaillie sound.

They were joined on this occasion by the Black Isle’s all-things-stringy suprema Anna Massie. Donald Shaw must himself have relished the chance to swap Festival administration for a night and take instead to the accordion and keyboard.

Karen Matheson is a lucky vocalist to have such a fabulous group behind her but they by no means play second fiddle to the vocals and all take their place in the closely interwoven musical texture that is the Capercaillie sound. Despite struggling with some feedback and sound problems, inevitable in such an open space, Karen’s vocals were beautiful and unshakeable as ever, filled with the pure emotion that is the hallmark of the Gael.

The new Capercaillie album is eagerly anticipated and it was good to have a preview of some of the tracks which we will hear on it. New songs are always welcomed and we know they will have that Capercaillie stamp on them, but of course its also always good to hear the old songs, and as there were plenty of Gaels in the audience, they relished the chance to join in with the final song, Gael anthem, ‘Fear a Bhata’. There cannot be many ‘English’ gigs at Celtic, where the audience can join in to the same extent……

Fiona MacKenzie is the Màiri Mhòr Gaelic Song Fellow for Highland Council.

© Fiona MacKenzie, 2008

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