Hootananny, Inverness,12-13 February 2010

IT WAS a chilly Valentine’s weekend that Edinburgh based band, North Sea Gas, graced the stage of Hootenanny. As ever, the cavernous venue drew a mixed crowd. After-work revellers, Valentine’s couples and dedicated fans crammed in to enjoy the winning combination of traditional music and local beer.

North Sea Gas

North Sea Gas took up residency in the downstairs bar and delivered a cracking set of well-known Celtic, Scottish folk and bluegrass tunes. The audience were roused by gutsy favourites like ‘Kishorn Commandos’, ‘Bonnie Lass O’ Fyvie’, ‘Yellow on the Broom’ and ‘I Wish They’d do it Now’. The four-piece also played instrumental slip jigs, jigs and reels, and the banjo-fuelled bluegrass romp, ‘Dixie Breakdown’.

A highlight of the session was a rendition of Dougie MacLean’s ‘Caledonia’. By this stage, the windows were steamed up, the candles were burning low and the crowd was getting merry. There was a collective intake of breath as singer, Dave Gilfillan, delivered the opening line and many people turned to gaze at loved ones or threw a drunken arm around a drinking buddy.

With thirteen albums, notable TV appearances, prestigious awards and international tours across the band’s 30 glittering year history, North Sea Gas are seasoned entertainers. Dave has a superb voice, bringing feeling to every song he performs. Accompanied by Grant Simpson and Ronnie MacDonald, the group produce powerful vocal harmonies.

North Sea Gas also employ a variety of traditional instruments to achieve their sound. Dave and Ronnie mainly play guitar, Grant is dexterous on fiddle and Gerry Mckenna is known for his “bluegrass banjo.” However, all four are talented musicians, who easily interchange between a string of instruments, including bodhran, bouzouki and mandolin.

The set was executed with confidence. Their music reverberated around Hootananny and drew in passers-by. A fair few danced, while the rest sang, clapped and stomped. The band happily responded to requests like ‘Ye Jacobites by Name’, and recounted stories to the crowd.

In one exchange at the start of the gig, Dave explained that the group had been on holiday for the last six weeks. The way North Sea Gas performed that night, I was temped to enthuse that the rest must have done them good. But then, as they finished to rowdy applause, I got the sneaky feeling that North Sea Gas have always been this lively, confident and passionate.

© Susan Szymborski, 2010

Links

• North Sea Gas
• Hootananny