Folk Festival comes of age in style
Organisers unveil a record-breaking line-up for all music fans
by Alan Hodge
(Story dated: May 22, 2003)

Back again at this year's folk festival -the popular Lang Linken.

The Orkney Folk Festival comes of age this year when the 21st annual event is launched tonight with concerts in Stromness and Deerness.

Compared to the first festival, which saw only a handful of performers making the trip across the Pentland Firth, this year organisers expect to play host to some 100 guests as well as the hundreds more who travel to join in the fun year after year.

All those years ago the recognition that May was a quiet month led to the birth of the Folk Festival. It has proved a lusty babe.

Festival Director Johnny Mowat says that with 26 visiting acts booked and accommodation in the area now very difficult to find, he would not be surprised if this year’s event – which continues until Sunday – turned out to be a record breaker.

Following on from the successful themed concerts of last year, Friday sees the introduction of two showcase performances featuring the best talent from both Orkney and Shetland. Unfortunately, you will only be able to go to one of these as the Shetland concert starts at 7.30pm at Stromness Academy, while the Orkney performers are at the Arts Theatre, Kirkwall, at 8pm.

Taking part are our own Ivan Drever, Hadhirgaan, Lone Star Swing and the Orkney Traditional Music Project. Representing Shetland are the veteran band Hom Bru who are celebrating the release of their new CD ‘No Afore Time’, Catriona MacDonald, Square Da Mizzen and accordion players Darren Start and Brendon Scollay.

African music

Not to be missed is an evening fo African mujsic at Stromness Academy on Saturday starting at 7.30pm. Shikisha, an African band, will produce the captivating sounds of Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho and Shangaan chants, drumming and dancing.

Another international group, the Toe Tappin’ Fiddlers from Ontario, Canada, have a programme ranging from traditional Canadian Old Time Music to Scottish, Irish, Orkney and Country. They are taking part in the Fiddlers Rally at Stromness Town Hall on Sunday at 2pm along with Orkney Fiddle and Strathspey and Reel Society. The Canadians also perform at Festival Club One at the Stromness Hotel tonight (Thursday) at 10pm along with Back of the Moon and Claire Mann and Aaron Jones

Evening events

Late night events run throughout the festival with Festival Club One at the Stromness Hotel at 10pm each evening until Saturday, and Festival Club Two at Stromness Academy tomorrow and Saturday nights also at 10pm. Taking part are a variety of the performers with full details being given in the festival programme.

The lunchtime event tomorrow (Friday) at noon at Festival Club One stars local act Glass Frog, Ivan Drever returning for his very first solo festival gig, along with Glasgow-based Stramash. The following day at the same time London Irish (expect anything from Irish Celtic to American Bluegrass), Saltfishforty, and six-piece Dundee band Boogaloosa will entertain festival club visitors. Boogaloosa perform their own unique brand of rootsy, cajun and zydeco music.

Birthday bash

On Saturday and Sunday, pubs in Stromness will be hosting lunch-time music sessions, due to start at 1pm. Church-goers are catered for with a service at Stromness Church of Scotland on Sunday at 11.15am. This is followed by the ‘Birthday Bash’ at the Stromness Hotel at 1pm, celebrating 21 years helped by Shikisha -a five piece all -girl African band - Hom Bru, Ivan Drever, the Emily Smith Band, and Angus Lyon and Ruaridh Campbell.

Angus is six times British Accordion Champion and Ruaridh is the current winner of the prestigious Glenfiddich Fiddle Championship. Adam McNaughtan returns to host the customary talk on Saturday at 11am at the Pier Arts Centre in Stromness. The subject is Great Scottish Songwriters, and Adam will be joined by fellow group members of Stramash to showcase the songs of three leading Scots – Matt McGinn, Ewan MacColl and Hamish Henderson. An added attraction is local whisky together with oatcakes and cheese.

Venues

Country venues feature in the programme, starting with the 8pm concert tonight (Thursday) at Deerness Community Centre, listing Hom Bru, Alistair Anderson, Nø Boys, Hullion and Jenny Crook and Henry Sears.

Emily Smith and her band, who are among the artists performing at this year's festival

Killultagh from County Antrim, Angus Lyon and Ruaridh Campbell, Great Northern Roadshow, Tryst and Fiona Graeme are taking part in a ceilidh at Orphir Community School, starting at 8pm tomorrow, when dancing will be to Graham Edwardson’s Shetland Band. The Great Northern Roadshow comprises one of the country’s leading folk music duos, Tom McConville and Pauline Cato, who have teamed up with guitarist Terry Docherty making his first visit to Orkney. The following evening at 8pm at Harray Community Centre there is another ceilidh. Angus Lyon and Ruaridh Campbell are joined by Hom Bru, Ivan Drever, Montgomery Firth and Flaky Pastry. The Caithness-based Daniel McPhee Dance Band provide the music for dancing.

Holm Community Centre hosts a ceilidh also on Saturday, starting at 8pm. The line-up consists of Back of the Moon featuring Gillian Frame, Young Scottish Traditional Musician of the Year 2001, on fiddle and vocals, Stramash, Shoot the Piper, Jenny Crook and Henry Sears, and Hivida. Dancing is to Graham Edwardson’s Shetland Band.

Homemade Jam is the intriguing title of an event at Stromness Academy on Saturday when the Ortak Youth Concert takes place. There is no admission charge.

Sponsors

The organisers say that thanks to the sponsors the audience can come in free to see the cream of Orkney’s young talent. Fiddle tuition for the young players the day before the concert is being led by West Highlander Angus Grant with the high energy band Blazin’ Fiddles also involved. The band are taking part in tonight’s opening concert in Stromness with Ivan Drever, the Great Northern Roadshow and Claire Mann and Aaron Jones.

Homemade Jam is designed for a wide range of musicians including fiddlers, accordionists, bodhran players, keyboardists, guitarists and singers or as the organisers say: ”Anyone who can play a melody or vamp out the rhythm or chords is welcome to join in”.

Open workshops are a great opportunity to advance musical skills and this year on Saturday at Stromness Community Centre starting at 2pm (£3 payable at the door) performers taking part are Angus Grant (fiddle), Doris Rougvie and friends (singing) and Simon McKerrall of Back of the Moon (whistle). Doris is also holding a singers’ session at the centre on Sunday at 2pm.

Other local performers at the festival include Three Peace Sweet, Sarah Jane Grieve and the Paul Robertson Band who are sharing the Birthday Stomp billing at Stromness Academy on Saturday at 10pm with Boogaloosa. Finally, just in case you missed anything there are two farewell concerts on Sunday – one at Stromness Town Hall at 6.30pm and the other at 7pm at Stromness Academy. Both feature many of the visiting acts, the performers moving between the two venues.

Last year, one bleary-eyed visitor to the festival commented that the Orkney event was the only one he knew where you went to a session in daylight one day and came away when it was daylight the next day. After four days he was somewhat short of sleep but was booking up for next time.