The Blas Festival will feature nearly 40 different shows in 35 different locations throughout the Highlands and is concentrated into what promises to be a great week of music, conviviality and crack in September. The festival’s new website www.blas-festival.com, launched this week, details performers and performances, provides useful links for those intending to travel to concert locations and, most importantly, has a facility for ticket purchase online, through the new HI~Arts initiative www.thebooth.co.uk.

According to Brian O hEadhra, Artistic Director for Blas, the completion of the programme and the launch of the website are important and necessary steps in bringing to fruition the aims and aspirations for the Festival.

“From the outset Blas aimed to create a festival that celebrates traditional music in the Highlands and promotes interest in and the use of Gaelic.  With the programme for this year’s Festival now finalised it is clear that Blas is on course to achieve these objectives. With confirmed acts featuring among others Dòchas, Dàimh, The Barra MacNeils, Fergie MacDonald and the Glenuig MacDonalds together with singers and musicians representing the new generation of performers, the stage is set for an exciting and very Gàidhealach festival. Blas will also be innovative and while we aim to achieve the vibrancy of Cape Breton’s Celtic Colours Festival, there is no doubt that it will develop its own special character to reflect the cultural background of the Highlands.”

Full details of the Blas programme can be accessed though the Festival’s newly re-vamped website on www.blas-festival.co.uk

Blas a’ gluasad air adhart

  

'Se Fèis tur ùr a tha seo airson na Gaidhealtachd! Fèis anns a bheil an t-urram ‘s àirde ga thoirt do thraidisean, do dh’òigridh agus do cheòl na sgìre.  Bi ri fhaicinn cuid dhe nas fhèarr a th’ann, bhon dùthaich seo fhèin agus à dùthchannan eile, agus le a bhi a’ tachairt anns na h-àiteachan as iomallaiche, ruigidh e àiteachan na ruig Fèisean eile!

Bi faisg air dà fhichead taisbeanadh ann an Fhèis Bhlas, ann an coig deug thar fhichead àite air feadh na Gàidhealtachd agus sin uile ann an seachdain èibheasach de cheòl, fhearas-cuideachd agus craic san t-Sultaine.  Tha làrach-lìn ùr na Fèis www.blas-festival.com, a chuireadh air bhog air an t-seachdain-sa, a’ libhrigeadh luchd-ciùil, agus gach cleasachd, cho math ri a bhi gar stiùireadh gu àiteachan far am bi taisbeanaidhean sònraichte, agus ag innse dhiubh far an gabh tiocaidean a cheannach air-loidhne.

A-rèir Brian O hEadhra, Stiùiriche Ealain Blas, tha an clàr a-nise deiseil, agus an làrach-lìn ri fhaighinn gu furasta, riatanach ann a bhith a’ soillseachadh amasan na Fèise, agus na tha fainear dhan fhèis ùr seo.

“Bhon dol-a-mach”, thuirt e, “tha Blas air a bhith ag amas air fèis a chruthachadh a tha a’ moladh ceòl traidiseanta na Gàidhealtachd agus a’ brosnachadh ùidh anns a’ Ghàidhlig. Le clàr na bliadhna seo a-nise ann an òrdugh, tha e follaiseach gu bheil fèis na bliadhna seo air slighe chothromach gus na h-amasan sin a choilionadh. Le na h-uidhir a bhuidhnean a-niste dearbhte, nam measg Dòchas, Dàimh, The Barra MacNeils, Fergie Dòmhnallach, agus Dòmhnallaich Ghlinn Uige, cho math ri seinneadairean agus luchd-ciùil eile a’ riochdachadh a’ ghinealaich ùr de luchd-ciùil, tha sinn deiseil airson fìor fhèis Ghàidhealach.  Bidh Blas cuideachd ùr-ghnàthach, agus, ged a bhitheas sinn a’ feuchainn ri aithris air triobhualachas Fèis Celtic Colours ann an Alba Nuadh, chan eil teagamh nach èirich caractar sònraichte a bhitheas mar ìomhaigh air dualchas sònraichte na Gàidhealtachd againn fhèin”.