4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Review: 7000 at Floors Castle for Skerryvore's 20-year epic show
The band who has produced seven studio albums, toured four continent tours, won Scotland's Live Act of the Year three times and spread their unique fusion of folk, trad, pop and rock to a global audience did not disappoint with their celebrations.
This wasn't a regular concert, however, with several of the attendees I spoke to comparing it to Tiree Music Festival. My sister and I left from Edinburgh on one of five coaches arranged by the organisers. The castle is relatively isolated and does not have the infrastructure to support an influx of 7000 fans and so coaches also left and returned to Newcastle, Berwick-Upon-Tweed, Hawick and Galashiels.
Built by architect William Adam in 1721, Floors Castle is Scotland's largest inhabited castle and home to the 11th Duke of Roxburghe. I had never been but will be sure to be back for the grounds that we did see were beautiful and the mansion itself played its on role as the backdrop for the artists.
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Hawick band Western End opened the day at around 4pm while fans arrived, wandered around the grounds, and eyed up the array food vans offering paella, steak on fries, burgers, katsu chicken, haggis, neeps and tatties, fish and chips, flatbread wraps, ice cream, and more!
I list them to try and communicate the scale of the operation here. This wasn't just your average concert. This was a one-day festival in the grounds of an 18th century castle.
Local pop duo The Eves – who previously opened for Belinda Carlise and The Shires – were next, bringing a pop factor to the stage.
As we listened, enjoying the energy of the growing crowd, children chased bubbles with glitter on their faces, and I noticed the wide age-range of the crowd. Young groups of friends together, as well as older folk being looked after and shown to the seated area.
More and more fans arrived at the grounds, The Laurette's came on and told us: 'Let's get this party started'.
The mood completely changed, with the standing room at the front of the stage filling out, and fans really starting to dance. Next up was Skye band Valtos with singer Eilidh NicCarmaig kept the energy going. NicCarmaig also joined Trail West, as well as eventually Skerryvore.
Scotland, England, Japan, Ireland, USA (from as far as Alaska!), Norway, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia and so many more were all represented in the crowd at Floors Castle.
Ahead of Trail West, a glass was raised to the international fan base for being at the core of Skerryvore's 20-year journey.
Of course, Martyn Bennett – the late artist and composer often referred to as the father of fusion trad music – and the Vatersay Boys – the internationally-recognised trad band from Vatersay, Barra - were also among those mentioned as integral to where the genre is today in its evolutionary sound and global recognition.
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In between stage set-ups, heartfelt tributes from fellow musicians and fans from across the world were played on the screens either side of the stage. Each, 30 seconds or so long, thanked, congratulated and wished – always referred to as – 'the boys' a very happy anniversary.
Sentiments included 'it's not just a band to us, it's a family', 'you've grown to be so accomplished, diligent, and professional', 'the respect on stage you all have for each other comes through', 'thank you for being such an inspiration for our children, so much so we have another piper to add to the collection'.
A woman we stood next to had travelled from The Netherlands to be in Kelso for the day. She said she had seen them dozens of times, and said they were playing in in November.
'But I'll probably fly over and see them before that,' she said, quite sure of that. Skerryvore, for her, had opened up Scottish trad music and introduced her to Manran, Tidelines, Skippinish, and so many others on the scene.
The energy and hype was building and building until, at 8pm, Skerryvore came on to an immense reaction. Saltire flags with their logo and 'No Skerryvore, No party' emblazed on them were waved, cheers echoed off the castle walls, children on shoulders waved as the ones holding them were just as excited.
The boys started right away with Alec Dalglish front and centre, piper and whistle players Martin Gillespie and Scott Wood on either side, fiddler Craig Espie to the left, Daniel Gillespie on accordion to the right, bass Jodie Bremaneson back left, Fraser West on drums, and Alan Scobie on the keys, back right.
The boys were joined by special guests all throughout the set. Nathan Carter performed a duet with Dalglish, members of the Red Hot Chilli Pipers joined for a tune, and for the closing song, just as the heavens opened, Edinburgh's Royal Military Tattoo Pipes and Drums came to the stage.
The feeling of the rain falling, the pipes and drums blasting out, the electric energy in the air and the sheer size of the crowd, was supremely epic.
More than innovative sound, intricate lyrical compositions, or breaking barriers for Gaelic culture, as fiddler Espie told me the week before, the band are ambassadors for Scotland when they travel the world and share our sound.
Watching the eight members on stage, you could still very much see 'the boys' from 20 years ago in the men sharing that sound. With a refined professionality and showmanship, the lads from Tiree, Irvine, South Ayrshire, Livingston, Ellon, and Erskine were still just having a pub sesh with friends.
The only difference? They had 7000 friends joining, and millions around the world rooting for them.
