Celtic Connections 2010 – Cèol is Craic

25 Jan 2010 in Music

CCA, Glasgow, 22-23 January 2010

Catriona Watt

Catriona Watt

IT’S NOT always the all-singing, all-dancing large scale events at Celtic Connections that capture the imaginations – and wallets – of festival-goers. Sometimes the smaller, more intimate venues can throw up gems of culture which on the whole may well fit the title of a ‘Celtic’ connection better than most of the big affairs.

This is nowhere more true than at the CCA on Sauchiehall Street, which was the venue for the series of three Scottish and Irish Gaelic events, coming under the banner of ‘Cèol is Craic’- music and chat – the Glasgow-based organisation which exists to promote the Gaelic cultural calendar in the city.

The Friday and Saturday events were jointly hosted by the Colm Cille organisation, and showcased new and more established artists with a variety of traditional and more contemporary styles. Friday saw established singer Rachel Walker launch her new CD Air Chall, a mix of traditional and more contemporary Gaelic and English songs.

She was preceded by a lengthy set of Irish ‘seann nos’ (old style) singing from Lorcan Mac Mathuna, with occasional support from whistles and pipes. We might have appreciated this fine style (and fine voice) of traditional singing had we been given more succinct – and distinct – introductions.

Glasgow University’s Gaelic Language Development officer, Fiona Dunn, delivered a set of new arrangements of well-known Gaelic songs, supported by Hamish Napier on keys and James Lindsey on bass. Sparsely arranged, ‘Nochd gun Chadal’ (Night without Sleep), a Skye song beloved of Mod music committees, was particularly effective, and a world away from the competition platform style.

Irish born, but Edinburgh adoptee – and recent Burnsong winner – Nuala Kennedy and her band also delivered fresh and upbeat sets, and left the audience wanting more – and no doubt heading for one of the two Celtic Connections Festival Clubs.

Saturday’s set began with more Irish seann nos – this time from Noleen Ni Cholla, accompanied by fellow countryman Brian Ó hEadhra for some of her songs. Brian himself then delivered his own set of engaging and audience-interactive songs, both traditional and self penned, inviting Noleen to duet on several items. Interesting that Brian, now living in Inverness, admitted that he now finds himself almost more at home writing and singing in Scots Gaelic as opposed to his more native Gaelige.

Catriona Watt, the Young Trad Musician of the Year in 2007, showcased some of the well-known songs from her recent album Cadal Chuain, together with her band of Fiona Macaskill, Gillian Chalmers and Lauren Tait. This rather lengthy evening concluded with a set exhibiting the multi-faceted musicianship of Griogair Labhraidh.

A dynamic and charismatic performer, Griogair possesses a voice of no great classical beauty but with an immense ability to communicate passion and story to the audience, Gaelic speakers and non-speakers alike.

The diverse variety of styles and performers was testament to the policy of Cèol is Craic to showcase the talents of singers and bands who might not perhaps get a platform at other Celtic Connections gigs.

The CCA is a good venue for such events, although these evenings were marred for many by the layout of the stage area, which effectively meant that at least one-third of the audience could see nothing of the performers, blocked as they were by the PA stacks.

This was an intimate programme of genuine, pleasant sets, largely presenting familiar material, celebrating the true ‘Celtic’ connections of Celtic Connections.

© Fiona MacKenzie, 2010

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