Strathclyde Suite, Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, 3 February 2008

Na Seòid

STANDING AT the rear of the Festival club on the final night of the Festival, I was asked by the man next to me “So what is it with all this Gaelic stuff then? Surely it’s dying, there’s no young folk ‘do’ it, is there?” All I had to do was point at the line up of seven young, strapping, male Gaels taking to the stage and say ‘Look, that says it all’.

The brainchild of Gaelic musician and broadcaster, Mary Ann Kennedy, ‘Na Seòid’ (heroes – pronounced shaw-tch and not sewage as the lads good humouredly announced) were conceived originally for the Blas festival 2007 and have since gone on to release their debut CD, launched in the Strathclyde suite on the final night of the Festival.

Comprising the astonishing vocal and instrumental talents of seven of the finest young musicians in Scotland today, it would be deprecating to describe Na Seòid as being a Gaelic boy-band. Each of these singers is equally at home on a solo stage or competition platform – there are four Mod Gold Medallists in their number in James Graham, Tormod Macarthur, Gillebride Macmillan and Calum Alex Macmillan, while Norrie Maciver is a member of award wining group Bodega. Griogair Lawrie released his debut album Dail Riata last year and Angus Macphail is one half of the popular Skipinnish duo.

Whilst possessing talented instrumentalists amongst them, the real strength of this group is their astounding vocal strength, sometimes delivering unison lines, sometimes in multiple harmony – singing is so often the forte of the female of the species, and it is intensely heartening to hear the range and breadth of the group’s vocal material, both traditional and self penned.

What is even more heartening is the fact that each and every one of these young Gaels is a Gaelic speaker and uses Gaelic in their daily work and social lives – this is not ‘just’ an entertainment vehicle.

The opening song of the slightly tentative first half was the well known song ‘An Tèid thu leam a rìbhinn mhaiseach’, and confidence grew as the set continued. Amidst stories of the sheep sales in Lairg, we were given other songs including the beautiful ‘Mo Nighean Dubh’ from Gillebride from South Uist, together with Griogair Lawrie.

James Graham performed one of the songs from the major commission for 2007, ‘Eadar an Saoghal s a Bhiothbhuan’, celebrating the life and work of Sorley Maclean. Sparkling and very tight puirt sets were delivered impeccably as would be expected from a group headed up by Mary Ann Kennedy of the Campbell Clan – the ‘Puirt’ Royal Family.

New slants were given to more traditional songs such as ‘Gu math slàn a chi mi’ from Ullapool and sung by Norrie Maciver, and also to the achingly tender ‘A Pheigi a Ghràidh’ by Gillebride. The not-heard-often-enough ‘Oran Manitoba’ was given the bass Macphail treatment, and ‘Piobaire an Aona Phuirt ‘was a haunting song penned by Macarthur, on watching the Black Watch heading for the war in Iraq.

Utilising the talents of the instrumentalists amongst them meant that the sets were never in danger of becoming dry or boring but rather complemented the lyrical line of the vocalists – Calum Alex Macmillan on pipes and whistle, Norrie Maciver on the djembe, Griogar Lawrie on guitar, Macarthur on the tromb or jaws harp and Macphail on the accordion made up for an accomplished and textured instrumental line up. Kennedy also accompanied on clàrsach and added an attractive extra texture on the vocal harmony lines.

Having come from the Main auditorium of the Concert Hall where the exciting Transatlantic Sessions were in full fling with an all star sparkling cast of musicians and singers from across the world, all on stage at the same time, delivering an incredibly diverse programme of International material, Na Seòid was almost like an oasis of peace and calm, delivered with humour and warmth.

The highlight of the concert for this listener was the stunning translation of the well known spiritual song ‘Lets go down to the river and pray’ – Rachamaid sios dhan an abhainn delivered in full blown haunting harmony lines which brought shivers to the backs of many necks.

Hopefully, this new line up of male singers will go from strength to strength and be the starting point for many more young men to become involved in singing activities in Scotland today. How long before we have a Scots equivalent?

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

© Fiona MacKenzie, 2008

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