Skye & Lochalsh
Monday 7th September 2009
Portnalong Village Hall, Isle of Skye Venue Postcode: IV47 8SR
7.30pm
Uisge-Beatha
A Highlander's Celebration of Whisky
Produced by Iain MacFarlane
Welcome to the world of whisky! As part of Blas' celebration of the Year of Scottish Homecoming, the accomplished Glenfinnan musician Iain MacFarlane has produced a stunning show of music, song and visuals celebrating our national drink.
To make this an even more atmospheric event, these concerts are being performed in some of the Highland's most famous and iconic distilleries. Not only has Iain chosen music and song relating to whisky and its many influences for this show but he also gives his own personal take on uisge-beatha (the water of life) aka whisky.
Iain MacFarlane was born in Glenfinnan, a small village in Lochaber. Whilst being taught the fiddle from his father and also from Donald Riddell, he also started to receive tutelage on the bagpipes from pipe Major Evan MacRae at the age of 10. Since his teens Iain has played in many musical formations and projects such as Gaelic Drama, Contemporary Dance, Radio and Television, while still playing with local "greats" such as Fearchar MacRae, Angus Grant and Fergie MacDonald. You can also catch Iain performing at the festival with the acclaimed, award winning band Blazin' Fiddles.
Iain will be joined on stage by accomplished musicians/singers Ingrid Henderson and Ewan Robertson. Visuals and sound is by Allan Mackinnon.
Multi-instrumentalist Ingrid Henderson was born and brought up in Lochaber, and joined the Gaelic band Cliar in 1999 to play piano and clàrsach. She won the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Young Traditionalist Award in 1990 and is a graduate in Celtic Studies from Glasgow University. She has recorded on several albums and is now runs a recording studio in Glenfinnan.
24-year-old guitarist and singer Ewan Robertson hails from Carrbridge in Strathspey. Ewan attended the National Centre of Excellence for Traditional Music in Scotland in 2000 where he studied fiddle and pipes. He helped form the award winning band Breabach, who he still plays with. More recently Ewan became the first singer/guitarist to win the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year Award.
Allan Mackinnon lives in Inverness and has provided sound and lighting for most of the professional acts to come out of the Highlands. He currently works at Inverness' premier music venue The Ironworks.
Adult Earlybird Ticket (up to 31st July 2009) £10.00 and £12.00 (from 01.08.09)
Senior Citizen £10.00
Children (U16) and School Pupils £5.00
Family Ticket (2 adults with 2 children) £28.00
Book Tickets Venue Website
Wednesday 9th September 2009
Aros Centre, Portree, Isle of Skye Venue Postcode: IV51 9EU
7.30pm
Canadian Homecoming
The Barra MacNeils with Darren MacLean
Celebrating their Highland ancestry with this return trip to the Blas Festival for Homecoming Scotland 2009, The Barra MacNeils turn out for 3 very special shows in conjunction with some of our finest Gaelic singers, in this case Skye's own Darren MacLean.
The Barra MacNeils are one of the world’s premier Celtic groups. Multi-award winners, they have released eight recordings, a DVD titled Cape Breton Christmas, and various music videos. The Barra MacNeils continue to perform to sold out audiences throughout Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and the United Kingdom. We are indeed delighted to say to them “Welcome Home”
Darren MacLean is one of Scotland’s leading young Gaelic singers. Born into a family of singers – his great uncle Calum Kennedy was an internationally renowned doyen of Gaelic song – Darren began singing as a youngster at home in Roag, near Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye.
Adult Earlybird Ticket (up to 31st July 2009) £10.00 and £12.00 (from 01.08.09)
Senior Citizen £10.00
Children (U16) and School Pupils £5.00
Family Ticket (2 adults with 2 children) £28.00
Tickets available from the Aros box office on 01478 613750 or
book tickets Venue Website
Thursday 10 September 2009
Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Sleat, Isle of Skye Venue Postcode: IV44 8RQ
7.30pm
Blazin' Fiddles
with The Cherry on the Cream
We are delighted to welcome back the wonderful Blazin' Fiddles to the festival. All of the band members are from the Highlands & Islands and play an integral part of the Gaelic & Scottish music scene. The band have been delighting audiences at home and abroad for over 10 years with their fiery blend of tunes from the Highlands & Islands and further afield which never fails raise the roof.
Fiddlers Catriona Macdonald (Shetland), Bruce MacGregor (Inverness), Allan Henderson (Mallaig), Iain MacFarlane (Glenfinnan) are joined by Marc Clement (Inverness) on guitar and Andy Thorburn (Evanton) on piano to form one of the best live acts on the Celtic music scene.
In June 2006, Angus J. Nicolson of Kilmore and Coll G. M. MacDonald of Peinchorran joined forces and The Cherry on the Cream was born. A strong, yet mature blend of pipes and fiddle forever distilled in the gaelic tradition sums up the recipe, and these young Skye men will leave you feeling refreshed, excited and with a smile on your face! The music is straight off the croft and without a doubt from the West Coast.
Adult Earlybird Ticket (up to 31st July 2009) £10.00 and £12.00 (from 01.08.09)
Senior Citizen £10.00
Children (U16) and School Pupils £5.00
Family Ticket (2 adults with 2 children) £28.00
book tickets Venue Website
Friday 11th September 2009
Aros Centre, Portree, Isle of Skye Venue Postcode: IV51 9EU
7.30pm
Gaelic Voices
Guthan nan Gàidheal
Mary Ann Kennedy & Na Seòid and The MacCollective
The beautiful Gaelic language, song and airs lie at the heart of the Blas festival. Mary Ann Kennedy & Na Seòid first got together as a group at Blas 2007 where, as you would expect, they made quite an impact in the world of Gaelic music. We have teamed this super group up with some the most exciting young Highland musicians to bring you a show which will demonstrate the power and dexterity of the traditional music and song of the Highlands of Scotland.
Mary Ann Kennedy & Na Seóid (the heroes) have quickly established themselves as a captivating, vocal tour-de-force within the current Gaelic and Scottish music scene. Seven formidable young male voices of great depth, maturity and variety, wonderfully wrapped around a single female voice, augmented by sympathetic, multi-instrumental support.
The cast is indeed a powerful one, with the group comprising Mary Ann Kennedy, James Graham, Norrie MacIver, Tormod MacArthur, Gillebride MacMillan, Angus MacPhail and Griogair Labhruidh, award winning artists to a man - and of course woman. So prepare yourselves for a veritable melting pot of stunning voices, harmonies, songs and arrangements as Mary Ann Kennedy & Na Seóid take Gaelic music to places where it’s rarely ventured before.
The MacCollective
Since winning the prestigious BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award in 2005, Lauren MacColl has gone from strength to strength fronting "The MacCollective" with Barry Reid (Croft No. 5) and Mhairi Hall. Fiddle led, with the driving combination of piano and guitar, they take you on a musical journey from rousing Highland strathspeys and reels, to emotive Gaelic airs, and their debut record was voted one of Celtic Connections 'Classic Albums' in 2008. Their current set focuses on old and new tunes specifically from the Highlands.
Adult Earlybird Ticket (up to 31st July 2009) £10.00 and £12.00 (from 01.08.09)
Senior Citizen £10.00
Children (U16) and School Pupils £5.00
Family Ticket (2 adults with 2 children) £28.00
Tickets available from the Aros box office on 01478 613750 or
book tickets Venue Website
Saturday 12th September 2009
Glenelg Village Hall, Glenelg Venue Postcode: IV40 8JU
7.30pm
Blas Classic Cèilidh & Dance
with Fergie Macdonald and Friends
How do you like your cèilidhs? If you are anything like us then you’ll want the inimitable Fergie Macdonald leading the show. Fergie knows the cèilidh scene better that anyone else and has been drawing crowds out to dances for decades. Before this revered musician and his family band play for dancing you will be entertained by bright, talented young artistes from Skye & Lochalsh and the Isle of Lewis. Glenelg village hall is set within stunning scenery and well worth the visit if you want a real Highland Ceilidh experience.
Fergie Macdonald is a button accordion player and an extraordinary cèilidh band leader for over 40 years. He is at the top of the cèilidh band music scene and has recorded over 23 albums.
Playing the button box, Fergie is a regular performer on B.B.C. Scottish dance music programmes and was the first Scottish band leader to broadcast ceildih music. He is a legend in the Scottish Highlands where he and his band are always in demand for ceilidhs and wherever there's a need for great dancing music. Fergie's current dance band is: Fergie, MacDonald, Hugh MacCallum, John MacDonald, Morven MacDonald.
James Mackenzie and Friends is a collaboration of highly enthused young traditional musicians. They bring together the vibrancy of James’ highland bagpipe, the dynamic of Robert Nairn’s button box and the energy of Matheu Watson’s driving guitar accompaniment. They are influenced by the music of the West coast and together produce a unique live sound.
The evening's proceedings are kicked off in fine style with a set from the Fèis an Earraich Cèilidh Trail.
Adult Earlybird Ticket (up to 31st July 2009) £8.00 and £10.00 (from 01.08.09)
Senior Citizen £8.00
Children (U16) and School Pupils £5.00
Family Ticket (2 adults with 2 children) £22.00
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