Ullapool, 9-11 October 2009

Clive Carroll

AS THE very last chord of the 10th Ullapool Guitar Festival reverberated, a question as to the future of this phenomenal event hung in the air. It’s not the aging audience which worries festival organiser Richard Lindsay – he refers affectionately to his loyal returning crowd as ‘silver backs’. Rather it is financial insecurity which lies at the root of the challenge he faces when booking world class acoustic guitar players without the backing of a major sponsor.

Wizz Jones used to play with, and indeed influenced, Eric Clapton. He also has the dubious privilege of being able to say that another fellow musician, Rod Stewart, stole his first girlfriend. Whizz played on Saturday lunchtime and filled his one hour slot with, acrobatic fret work and fascinating anecdotes. When this man sings he does so with a resonance and melodic accuracy which belies his age (he has just turned 70)

Young people were represented throughout the weekend. 21-year-old Gareth Pearson flirted impishly with the audience throughout his set. He proved that it is possible to execute a series of jumps and writhe around on the floor while maintaining a reputation as a wunderkind. Sheer skill and exuberance are his hallmarks.

Wizz Jones says: “Each generation of players is getting better and better because they are growing up around the music. Some like Gareth are really dedicated. They are unusual amongst their peers because they don’t mind hanging out in folk clubs with older musicians.”

A group of primary school children from Achiltibuie took to the stage on Saturday and demonstrated how the educational strand of the festival has inspired musical initiative. Nine children – out of a school of 27- strummed their way competently through a handful of tunes. This was made possible by a gift of six guitars to the school and the dedication of a parent tutor.

Five concerts, each about 4 hours in length, filled the afternoons and evenings of the three day event. Mornings were taken up with workshops and night fall saw spontaneous jamming amongst the top musicians in the festival club at the Arch Inn in West Shore Street, where front stage and back stage melded together in egalitarian fashion.

Guitarist John Goldie put it this way. He said: “At the festival club musicians get together, jamming and having fun. It’s a great vibe. Ullapool attracts some of the best players in the world. We play all over the world but we tell everybody about Ullapool.”

The Sunday afternoon concert – arguably the main event – kicked off with some classical guitar from Allan Neave. Then two of his students at the RSAMD, 17-year-old Sean Shibe and 28-year-old Sofia Pyrounaki, took to the stage. Sean is in second year, while Sofia is studying for her masters.

This was the classical component of the proceedings. Sean played a Sequenza, which is a piece a tutor writes specially for a student in order to showcase that student’s talents. There may not have been much melody or harmony but the work’s complexity confirmed Sean’s status as a virtuoso.

A major highlight was the appearance on stage of Hugh Burns, John Goldie and Clive Carroll. They all joined forces to play each other’s specially commissioned works, pieces which reflect the atmosphere in Ullapool.

Clive Carroll swept the audience along with a full bodied, rolling melody, underpinned by a strong regular tempo. John Goldie raised a laugh when he spontaneously christened his contribution ‘Ullapool Shorts’ in reference to both backstage imbibing and Richard Lindsay’s signature sartorial style.

The accounts have yet to throw light on whether this year’s event drew even. Given his previous form, it is a fairly sure bet that the big man in shorts will make it happen all over again in 2010. Those who want to support the event can sign up via the website and buy weekend tickets in advance.

© Jenny McBain, 2009

Link

• Ullapool Guitar Festival