None of your fancy guests booked for this festival, apart from the ceilidh bands.
Instead, there are lots of great sessions in various venues for those of us who are not actually taking part in the many competitions there.
Previous winners read like a "who's who" of today's traditional music scene in Scotland. How about Simon Thoumire, Claire Mann, Shona Mooney, Jenn Butterworth, Innes Watson to name but a few?
My favourite part of this festival is the sessions, of course, and there's something for everyone here. Generally, the best place for Irish and Scottish instrumental sessions is The Liddesdale. In past years, singers frequented "the Grapes" but it's not as great a pub these days so upstairs in The Liddesdale is quite a good possibilty for them also. There's also a variety of different types of session to be found in The British Legion but beware of the (mostly harmless) nutters to be found therein especially the drunken melodeon player who playes everything very badly in the key of "C".
We also have The Trap(formerly the Dormouse) which tends to feature live Scottish Dance Band music and is not always ideal for sessions. Still, it helps to keep the local youngsters "out of the road". There is a possibilty of sessions there too, at other times.
For all those people who, for some reason, seem to prefer American music to our own, there has been a long tradition of bluegrass etc sessions at the rear of The Grapes with banjos and midges in equal numbers!
Finally, don't forget the late night sessions in The Village Hall and Buccleuch Centre(formerly The Unionist Club until such things went out of fashion). These can go on until 07.00 in the morning!
I hope nothing I've said above will put you off.
As I said, there's something there for everyone. You'll not regret it.
Start and end times are very approximate.
None of your fancy guests booked for this festival, apart from the ceilidh bands.
Instead, there are lots of great sessions in various venues for those of us who are not actually taking part in the many competitions there.
Previous winners read like a "who's who" of today's traditional music scene in Scotland. How about Simon Thoumire, Claire Mann, Shona Mooney, Jenn Butterworth, Innes Watson to name but a few?
My favourite part of this festival is the sessions, of course, and there's something for everyone here. Generally, the best place for Irish and Scottish instrumental sessions is The Liddesdale. In past years, singers frequented "the Grapes" but it's not as great a pub these days so upstairs in The Liddesdale is quite a good possibilty for them also. There's also a variety of different types of session to be found in The British Legion but beware of the (mostly harmless) nutters to be found therein especially the drunken melodeon player who playes everything very badly in the key of "C".
We also have The Trap(formerly the Dormouse) which tends to feature live Scottish Dance Band music and is not always ideal for sessions. Still, it helps to keep the local youngsters "out of the road". There is a possibilty of sessions there too, at other times.
For all those people who, for some reason, seem to prefer American music to our own, there has been a long tradition of bluegrass etc sessions at the rear of The Grapes with banjos and midges in equal numbers!
Finally, don't forget the late night sessions in The Village Hall and Buccleuch Centre(formerly The Unionist Club until such things went out of fashion). These can go on until 07.00 in the morning!
I hope nothing I've said above will put you off.
As I said, there's something there for everyone. You'll not regret it.
# Posted on July 1st 2007 by Johannes J
Anyone going to Copshie?
Usually, lots of tunes at this one.
See
http://www.thesession.org/events/display/409
Most Irish players frequent The Liddesdale.
# Posted on July 1st 2007 by Johannes J