TRAIL WEST TO HEADLINE COWAL CEILIDH TENT 2012
Written by Archie Fergusson on 01/08/2012
TRAIL WEST AT THE GATHERING 2011
This year another fantastic line up in the ceilidh tent which is sure to have you whirling and wheeching around the dance floor all day with Trail West who will top the bill at this year’s gathering after a blistering performance at last year’s event. Comprising of Ian Smith on accordion/midi bass, Andrew Findlater on drums and vocals and Alain Campbell on guitars and bagpipes, the group offer a refreshing, yet traditional, west coast ceilidh band sound. Guest musicians for live performances enrich this unmistakable sound.
Since forming in 2008, Trail West have been in high demand throughout the UK and their reputation has continued to grow.
Trail West have toured the west coast of Scotland, performing in places such as Barra, Mull, Islay and Stornoway and at festivals such as the Mull Music Festival, the first ever Tiree Music Festival and Barrafest, enthralling audiences with their entertaining style of music. Their progress was rewarded when the band was nominated for the ’Scottish Dance Band of the Year’ category at the MG Alba Scots Traditional Music Awards in 2010
The Ceilidh tent will kick off at 12.15pm by the multi-talented Strachur based ……………………………………………………….
STRACHUR'S FINEST HERON VALLEY
Heron Valley Ceilidh Band who recently visited us here in the Dunoon Studio Heron Valley are a young group that have recently emerged on the Argyll based ceilidh band circuit. Despite being aged only 13 to 18, the group are well experienced, having been playing and performing from a young age. They comprise brother and sister Alex and Arlene McKechnie and Iain Wilson and Euan McNab.
Between them they perform on piano, accordion, fiddle, small pipes, box drum, guitar and banjo. Both Iain and Euan are accomplished solo pipers, as well as playing in grade 1 Inveraray Pipe Band.
At 1.30pm will be The Midden, who have again visited the Argyll Street Studio and will be back with us 16th August with a Midden Special. The band are Kate, (the bossy one) Meggan and Hazel Reid, three singer/songwriter sisters who grew up in Alford in the North East of Scotland. They perform on guitar, fiddle, whistles, piano, bass and vocals. Each sister composes and arranges her own songs and tunes, which include traditional and contemporary material. The band has now expanded to include Grant Anderson on drums and Chris Rodger on bass.
THE MIDDEN
The Midden formed officially in 2001 at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections festival. They went on to win best newcomer at the Danny Kyle Open Stage at the same festival in the following year.
Over the last eleven years, The Midden have played countless folk clubs and festivals across Scotland and in Europe. Their main overseas touring base is German, where they played a two week sold out tour in 2011. This included the Bardentreffen Festival in Nuremburg, where they have been booked every year since 2004. A Scottish highlight was playing to over 23,000 people at Glasgow’s Hogmanay celebration in George Square in 2004, supporting Snow Patrol and Donny Munroe….
The Midden CD
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The Band released and Launched their Fourth studio Album named In The End at the Bardentreffen Festival at the end of July and will release it in the UK later in the year. Dunoon Community Radio’s LLLVLBS with Victor presented the Album as Cd Of the Week 6th August 2012
The penultimate band, starting at 2.45pm will be Hell for Leather which comprises Drew Crockett on highland bagpipes and vocals, Angus Battison on mandolin, electric guitar, banjo and vocals, Peter Archibald on acoustic guitar and lead vocal, Iain Anderson on accordion and caller for ceilidh dances and Helen Campbell on bodhran and vocals.
HELL FOR LEATHER
The band has strong highland and island connections, as members were brought up throughout the region. Helen was born in Dunoon.
The band has played together for over 12 years and performs a mixture of folk, ceilidh, and rock. They have played widely throughout Scotland. Some band members have also performed abroad. helen and Drew played at the International Folklore Festival in Taiwan in July 2010, representing Scotland. Helen also playes in Hawaii in March 2010 with the local ceilidh band, as part of the Hawaii Scottish Festival and Highland Games. The band was accompanied by sixteen Scottish highland dancers.
