Review: Perthshire Amber Festival

Oct 31 2008 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

BY the time this review appears in print, the fourth annual Perthshire Amber – The Dougie MacLean Festival will be entering its final three days, and hopefully the festival lynchpin, Dougie, will still be standing, singing, strumming and fiddling.

Certainly the enthusiasm shown by the packed audiences over the first few concerts of festival would in itself be enough to inspire the singer-songwriter to draw upon all his reserves and be the last one standing at the end of this 10-day Dougie-fest.

Not that Dougie has had the Perthshire Amber stage to himself, with the festival organisers enticing an impressive list of guest musicians to Highland Perthshire.

Solas were headliners of a highly enjoyable concert in Pitlochry Festival Theatre last Saturday.

This five-piece would certainly be new to many in Scotland, but they left no one in any doubt why, since forming in 1996, they have been loudly proclaimed as the most popular, influential, and exciting Celtic band to ever emerge from the United States.

The Solas sound is anchored by founders Seamus Egan, a genial Irishman who plays flute, tenor banjo, mandolin, whistle, guitar and bodhran, and fiddler Winifred Horan from New York, two of the most respected musicians in acoustic music.

They are joined by Mick McAuley from Kilkenny on accordion and whistle, and Eamon McElholm from Tyrone on guitar and keyboards. The newest is member is Mairead Phelan on vocals, who joined the band earlier this year.

It was certainly a revelation to hear a US-based Irish band perform in an excellent Scottish venue, and this entertaining, up-lifting concert passed in an agreeable mix of folk and country melodies and songs, bluesy, sometimes jazz-inspired improvisations season with some entertaining chat.

The concert’s opener was up-coming singer/songwriter Don Nicolson, who came on stage a more polished and confident performer than the nervous young man who had done a brief Perthshire Amber stint 12 months ago.

This year Don, who lives in Perthshire, sang three of his own compositions, the middle of which, Hard Luck Destiny, impressed the most.

Sandwiched been Don and Solas in this gig brim full of talent was a convivial five song set with The Dougie MacLean Trio. This outfit is very much about the successful blend of the generations, the evergreen Dougie being joined by his son Jamie on percussion and multi-talented Ross Ainslie on whistles and cittern.

The remaining two major concerts of this year’s Perthshire Amber are tonight when the legendary Benny Gallagher headlines and tomorrow featuring Dougie MacLean with Friends, both in Pitlochry Festival Theatre.

There are also workshops, sessions and other fringe events – full details and ticket availability on www.perthshireamber.com or telephone the Pitlochry Festival Theatre box office on 01796 484626.

Alison Anderson