Director says last night at the Ironworks 'couldn't have been more special'
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After the music had stopped at the Ironworks and people were still standing in front of the stage chatting with friends and reluctant to move out of a space they would never be in again, director Caroline gave her verdict on a night that had so much to live up to.
“Perfect!” she said, wearing a glamorous outfit with sparkles for the occasion – staff had also been dressed up for a photo of them all taken before the doors had opened at the start of the night.
“It was a fitting end,” Caroline said.
“And it couldn’t have been more special,” she smiled.
Elephant Sessions had reminded the Ironworks’ crowd how they can tear the place up, raise the roof – use your own description, for an experience that conjures music, lights and emotions to bring a crowd to a state of quivering euphoria.
And the tunes aren’t bad either!
The set opened with an intro whose ambition is borrowed from the club dance culture, an extended warm-up fast-forwarding the crowd to a late-night festival tent or a superclub where the experience is all around you and the rhythm is coming from inside as much as outside – responding to beats that won’t be denied.
Playing Gala’s Eurodance hit Freed From Desire liberated the crowd and smiles came free with the singalong “nanananananananana” chorus.
And then it was straight into the title track of their Trad Awards’ album of the year For The Night which has taken the band to a new level along their road towards a unique fusion of their own of folk and dance electronica.
The mysterious appearance of the inflatable elephant may not have been expected for the last big night of the Ironworks.
Raising the roof with Elephant Sessions definitely was.
But the emotional heart of this rainy Saturday night came at the centre of the show when up on the big screen at the back of the stage, director Caroline Campbell shared a tearful farewell speech thanking everyone, saying: "This is it, this is where the story of 122b Academy Street comes to an end. So many thank yous, so let me try ..."
The director, sometimes taking a moment, went on to thank staff, the acts and the audience, and in her thanks she also named last night's headliners Twin Atlantic and Elephant Sessions who were about to play.
"Particularly Elephant Sessions," she said of the Inverness band. "For me, they are what the Ironworks has been all about, supporting and developing local talent. And it's been a real privilege to be part of their journey."
Then a slide show of bands, local faces and crowds brought a huge cheer, before the screen went dark and the last band to light up that stage began their unstoppable intro.
The crowd fed off the great washes of stage colour and the band's power centre in the middle of the stage, firing out from Euan Smillie's bow and Alasdair Taylor's flying fingers.
Pyros blasting white smoke into the air and Euan hosting up his bow throughout the night and ordering the crowd to clap or jump like a health-conscious fitness instructor kept energy levels high.
Earlier, Project Smok with Dingwall's Ali Levack had looked like the young pretenders to the headliners. The older band's accolades, awards they have attained – and continents they have explored – glittering ahead of Project Smok.
And twice Alasdair spoke to the audience about the meaning the Ironworks had to the band and their career – and the inspiration it had had on their dreams to be a band in the first place.
He looked a little emotional – we all were. But FM danced us to the end.
“Support venues, support music!” was one of Alasdair’s ringing phrases.
And the last night soaking up the music in the Ironworks, the feeling of sharing that unique experience of a gig that brings people together and celebrates the achievement of young bands like Project Smok and Elephant Sessions, is not an experience that is easily forgotten. Or should be.
We lose it at our peril.
And to our shame ...
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HOW WAS THE GIG?
Sarah Long, 28
Q Have you been to the Ironworks a lot before?
Sarah: This is my first time!
Q Who was playing on your first visit?
Elephant Sessions!
Q What do you think about the Ironworks closing?
I don't know much about it, but I don't know of any other live venues close by
Q What did you think of Elephant Sessions tonight?
They're great. I saw them in December in Edinburgh and I'm only here in Inverness for them.
Cheryl Kennedy and TJ Rattray
Q Have you been to the Ironworks a lot before
Cheryl: It's my third time.
TJ: Millions of times!
Q Who was playing on your first visit?
Cheryl: Elephant Sessions.
TJ: The Lush Rollers.
One of the times, we came to see a band we'd heard of before, Rooster, from the US, but we came in and wee girls crushed us. We felt so old! [It was a different Rooster!].
Q What do you think about the Ironworks closing?
TJ: It's a travesty. We don't need another hotel. This place was purpose-built and put us on the map and attracted so many bands. The Ironworks took music to the heart of Inverness.
Antoni Goodwin, 25
[venue security staff]
Q Have you been to the Ironworks a lot before?
Yes.
Q Who have you seen here?
Machinehead – one of the best gigs I've ever seen. Livewire as well, the Tina Turner Tribute and the charity boxing matches.
Q What do you think about the Ironworks closing?
It's an absolute disaster that a venue like this is getting pulled down. For all the young people, it's not fair and it's taking a big part of Inverness. It's something that should be reconsidered.
Q What did you think of Elephant Sessions tonight?
I've always enjoyed Elephant Sessions. I've seen them at Tiree and Butefest.
Q Did you have to deal with the blow-up elephant in the pit?
Yes! That was a first! I've never had to wrestle an elephant before.
