Concerts & dances

Norman Mackay’s Ceilidh Experience was originally formed in Edinburgh in 2002. Now the Ceilidh band of choice for Rock stars, soap stars and famous politicians, they have gone on to perform at ceilidhs all over Scotland as well as making regular trips to England, Ireland and Europe. The Ceilidh Experience are renowned for their rock style & high energy performances. They can be found performing anywhere from Scotland’s most desirable castles, stately homes and hotels, to local village halls and barn dances. In June 2005 they broke the world record for the biggest ever Eightsome Reel when they played for 5000 dancers on Edinburgh’s meadows!
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The Climax Ceilidh Band started when two trios, Meridian and Pesky, decided to play together in one big, exciting band. With a little help from the Folk Camp Society, the Stag’s Tuesday session in Hastings and some agency gigs, Climax was born. The band prides itself on its fine mixture of self-penned tunes with traditional material and playing ‘live’ is as exciting for them as for the dancers.

When together this band sounds like no other. It might seem easy when they play, but look behind the scenes and you will see that the Climax Ceilidh Band is a group of highly skilled musicians who are musically responsive to each other and are able to trust the spontaneity within each of them to take ceilidh music into new dimensions. The driving rhythm of the accordion and guitar, the sweet sound of the dancing fiddles, the swift trill of the flute and the power of the pipes makes the Climax Ceilidh Band Experience truly orgasmic!
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Chris has been calling for English Ceilidh (and French dance) since joining Rosbif in the late 1980s. In particular he has been calling and teaching English Ceilidh at Gennetines, Le Grand Bal de l’Europe, for 22 years, mostly with his own band GIG CB! (seen here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eBqvez7fJQ). He has been working with Climax Ceilidh Band since their early years and admits to being loud, but always hopes to get the dancing over to people in an easy and friendly style, particularly to new dancers. He is one of the few callers who can play at the same time!

Chris Shaw

The Night Before (Nicky Wood – fiddle, Alan Brunier – accordion, Adam Griffin – guitar) are a Coventry-based folk dance band who play an exciting range of energetic and fun tunes for ceilidhs, contra and Playford dances. Inspired by an eclectic range of folk music from North America and Europe, their energetic and vibrant sound combines the lyrical tune, delicious harmonies and driving rhythm of fiddle, accordion and guitar. Their love of folk dancing brings out the best in the tunes they love to play.
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The Muldrew is the solo project of Alastair Mackie, a multinational singer songwriter currently based in Edinburgh. He will perform songs from his upcoming debut EP, which are a mix of baroque pop, post-rock and melodic folk. Inspired by the landscape around him, he will take you on a musical journey across lochs and over mountains, but always ending in the warmth of a home. More info on  http://themuldrew.bandcamp.com

Eilidh Munro and Eilidh Steel originally met through Fèis Dhùn Eideann (Edinburgh Feis) when they were asked to perform in some local schools to promote the upcoming week long Feis which they were both teaching at. In doing so realised how much they enjoyed working together so decided to form a duo. Since then they have continued to work with schools and have performed many concerts including playing for the BBC at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. http://www.theeilidhs.co.uk

Charlotte is a singer-songwriter from South England, now living in Edinburgh. With influences including They Might Be Giants, Hank Green, Molly Lewis and Edinburgh Uni Folk Society, she likes to write irreverent songs about science, history, and very occasionally love. She also enjoys covering songs in wildly inappropriate genres and settings on her baritone ukulele. You can find her at http://charlotterepton.bandcamp.com or www.youtube.com/sherlotter

The temptation of a forbidden instrument was too great for four-year old Iain MacPhail, who sneaked his father’s button accordion out of its case in his mother’s absence, and was caught soon after… playing The Rowan Tree! Driven by the irresistible forces of music and subtle rebellion, Iain has become one of the great innovators on the Scottish music scene with his original approach to the orchestration, syncopation and chord formation of tunes, and his band’s cachet big sound created by the cream of Scotland’s dance musicians. Whilst their creativity and musicianship are of supreme importance, Iain MacPhail and his band are consummate performers of music for Scottish Country Dancing.

Probably the UK’s most high-energy contra dance band, Vertical Expression is what happens when you take two English ceilidh musicians on fiddle and melodeon and put them with a guitar and double bass rhythm section with a love of bluegrass and gypsy jazz, all of whom have backgrounds in playing for various kinds of dancing, throw in some old time music and foot percussion, a bit of French-Canadian one-row box, a few Irish fiddle tunes, some Django Reinhardt-style guitar, a bit of creativity and a lot of energy and fun…
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Guitar and fiddles trio Alastair Mackie, Lewis Hou and Lewis Williamson may be softly playful, but they don’t play soft. Edinburgh-based, they have played around Scotland and Europe, gleefully incorporating elements from balfolk, quebecois and nordic traditions into their playing. Seriously rhythmic, eclectic and ever-so-slightly ridiculous, this is Scottish tunage to ceilidh hard to.

The Climax Ceilidh Band started when two trios, Meridian and Pesky, decided to play together in one big, exciting band. With a little help from the Folk Camp Society, the Stag’s Tuesday session in Hastings and some agency gigs, Climax was born. The band prides itself on its fine mixture of self-penned tunes with traditional material and playing ‘live’ is as exciting for them as for the dancers.

When together this band sounds like no other. It might seem easy when they play, but look behind the scenes and you will see that the Climax Ceilidh Band is a group of highly skilled musicians who are musically responsive to each other and are able to trust the spontaneity within each of them to take ceilidh music into new dimensions. The driving rhythm of the accordion and guitar, the sweet sound of the dancing fiddles, the swift trill of the flute and the power of the pipes makes the Climax Ceilidh Band Experience truly orgasmic!

Website

With striking melodies and powerful riffs Angles mix haunting pipes, earthy gurdy rhythms and driving accordion bass lines to create their distinctive folk-trance groove tinged with blues and jazz. A new slant on ancient rhythms. Original and quirky music for concerts and dancing drawing on the diverse influences of three pedigree players: Steve Tyler on the hurdy gurdy, Chris Walshaw on pipes / whistles and Richard Jones on the accordion. Since forming in late 2009, Angles have built a fine reputation, playing at top UK festivals such as Sidmouth Folk Week, Towersey Village Festival and Bromyard Folk Festival, as well as in Belgium (Gooikoorts) and Holland (Festival Bourdon).
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Our guest Bal Folk band, all the way from France. Parasol is Gérard Godon, a dancer and self-taught accordionist, and Catherine Grimault, a classical violinist who one day discovered the folkie in her. A highly regarded and influential Bal Folk band, known by their smooth and delicate melodies and performance intensity make their first appearance in Scotland to spread the love.

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There will be a workshop to prepare some tunes on Sunday – check the programme.