Leading Gaelic singer Karen Matheson’s fans have three chances to see and hear her at this year’s Blas festival, which is now just five weeks away.
 
In two of her appearances The Karen Matheson Band will be appearing on a joint bill with Iain Morrison and David Martin, bringing together an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary Gaelic and English song, music and poetry. And completing her hat-trick of appearances at Blas this year Karen will be joining the band of women coming together to stage “An Guth - The Voice.”
Karen’s first appearance will be at the Badenoch Centre in Kingussie on Tuesday evening, (September 13) along with Iain Morrison and David Martin. Then on the following evening (Wednesday 14), they will be heading west to the Village Hall in Lochcarron where they will be supported by the multi talented students of the Highland Music School National Centre of Excellence from nearby Plockton.

Thursday evening (September 15) will see Karen take a leading role in joining several top singers in Eden Court Inverness for a performance of “An Guth - The Voice”. The line-up comprises Karen Matheson and her band, Kathleen MacInnes and her band, Annie Grace, Karine Polwart & Corrina Hewat, and sensational young Gaelic singing group Canntaireachd, led by Eilidh Mackenzie, Scottish Trad Awards Gaelic Singer of the year.
 
Karen Matheson’s strong of appearances is testimony to the status of Blas as a leading music event and the way it can attract top performers on a regular basis, appearing in front of large, appreciative audiences, according to Blas 2011 Director Donna MacRae. She said: “There are very few singers who command such a loyal and appreciative following as Karen Matheson and with her own band, and the other supporting acts she is appearing with, her fans will get a chance to see her in a slightly different context from her regular and best known appearances with Capercaillie. The festival also represents a great opportunity for the Plockton students, some of whom will be taking their first steps in terms of major performances. And that is one of the many achievements of Blas, bringing on young talent and providing them with opportunities to appear with top performance. Who knows but that someday some of them will become as big attractions as Karen herself?”
 
This year’s Blas festival will deliver nearly 100 cultural events in venues across the Highlands ranging from community halls to Inverness Airport, The Jacobite Queen cruise boat and Eden Court Theatre and the Blas 2011 Grand Finale on Saturday 17th part of shinty’s big day in Inverness with the Scottish Hydro Camanachd Cup Final.