Ardersier International Folk Festival ready for blast off - bigger and better than ever!
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ARDERSIER International Folk Club’s Folk Festival is set to return in grand style.
The festival, which runs from September 16-18, will open with a concert headlined by four-piece band Gnoss, supported by local duo Corralach who sing songs from Scotland, Ireland and America along with self-penned offerings, both accompanied and a cappella.
Saturday afternoon will see a young people’s concert with a selection of young people performing, all from the local area, while the Saturday night will see the staging of the traditional Ardersier Ceilidh.
It will be opened by The Slim Panatellas, who formed in 2012 when Cigarbox Don (Donald Jack) teamed up with tea chest bass player Rob Ellen at the legendary TeaCosy sessions in Dingwall.
Playing hokum, skiffle and original comic songs, the duo welcomed international touring artists and local maestros to temporary line-ups as they toured England, Belgium and France.
Main music for the night will come from The Andy Ross Band, Andy having been raised in Ardersier.
He will be accompanied by Fiona Cameron-Anderson on fiddle, Ian Anderson on drums and Ranald McConnachie on keyboard.
The closing concert on Sunday will be headlined by The Barry Nisbet band, Barry being a songwriter and musician from Cullivoe in Shetland.
He plays a unique regional style of Shetland fiddle music and has performed at numerous festivals and events in Shetland, Scotland and Europe.
He will be supported by Sylvia McGowan – a singer-songwriter and song leader from Edinburgh who performs regularly on the capital folk scene in and beyond – and Kenn Clarke, a regular on the local folk scene in Aberdeenshire since moving there from Edinburgh in 2005.
There will also be the final of The Paul Tonberg Shield competition, with four individuals performing their entries.
The weekend will also see a number of song workshops led by Sylvia McGowan and more informal sessions for musicians to join.
George Livingstone, a member of the organising committee, said: “It is great to be back running live music events – we have all missed them over the last two years.
“The festival, which is underwritten by the folk club and funded by ticket sales, is a flagship event for the village.
“We use the local hall for formal events and local cafés and hotels for informal sessions and get tremendous assistance from local people to help us run this exciting weekend musical extravaganza.”
Tickets can be bought at www.ardersierfolkclub.org.uk
