Latest chapter for NessBookFest brings fun free events to Inverness venues
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This year’s NessBookFest ended on Saturday with a big audience at the Junction Church for the final event – an interview with writer and podcaster Robin Ince.
Earlier in the week, one of the committee members had referred to this year’s “smaller than usual but perfectly-formed” event.
But the spread of subjects, guests and venues across the three days was as varied as ever, mainly showcasing local talent. Events are still free which was one of the main aims the festival has had since it was set up in 2016.
And for people going along, there were chances to broaden their horizons – from ‘meeting the books’ in Inverness Library to making the sound of seals at Thursday event Queer As Folklore at the Beaufort Hotel.
There Annie Gilfillan and Jenny Johnstone looked at Highland folklore through a queer lens. Acting out the stories, the two varied the sad stories that Annie loved with the happier ones Jenny preferred. There wasn't a happy ending in the first one where a girl called bracken-cutter Flora fell for a helpful female fairy but was kept from being with her by Flora’s brothers, Jenny’s plaintive pheasant noise adding atmosphere.
A whole room of people attempting to sound like seals was pretty full-on. But the story of a pernickity fisherman who ended up falling for a male selkie was enhanced by the audience’s enthusiasm.
After a longer story in the second half about two male fiddlers finding each other while playing at a fairy ceilidh under the hill at Tomnahurich, all the previous ones were brought together as a bannock raced from the setting of each story – from Orkney to Badenoch – trying not to be eaten.
Each story with its LGBTQ+ twist, got you thinking about gender, history and even our future – and you could only admire the energy the Stories of Scotland duo brought to a fun night.
That was also true for the Poetry Slam at the Bike Shed, where 10 talented poets produced two pieces each over two rounds before a final three were judged by the audience in the final round. The winner Lynsey Gilmour – embracing Gaelic into her poems now goes through to Glasgow next year to represent Inverness.
All 10 poets offered fast delivery, smart wordplay and often dramatic performances with subjects taking in everything from admin to “the Demon Drink”. Mulbert’s rhymes were something else – “psychopaths” and “cyclepaths” one favourite. Conor’s performance was the most dramatic. And there was a camaraderie among the 10 putting their words and performances on the line. Conor said after his second piece: “Every performer tonight has made me smile.”
The night’s MC Timski introduced the final three with a generous reminder that from all 10 ... “the standard has been absolute genius”.
And for anyone new to the entertaining battle of wit and words, Timski reminded the crowd that The Bike Shed hosts a poetry slam every Friday from 7-9pm.
By the start time on Saturday for Robin Ince’s event rounding off the festival, the Junction Church was almost full.
Based on his latest book Bibliomaniac which someone has aptly described as "a love letter to books and bookshops” his journey round 100 UK bookshops in 100 days is in there along with stories, along with descriptions of special books, the odd piece of advice on life as well as books – plus stories weaved through the night about Robin's late dad who also loved books and sparked his son's love from childhood days.
Adding the odd voice impression – and for late eccentric Scottish poet and musician Ivor Cutler also including a vivid description of one of his gigs – Robin talked about Mick, one of the people he met coming along to his events over the years, and talked about his death. The writer and broadcaster said that lots of people will suffer the loss of friends and family, but if we can share stories about them, the physical person may be gone "... but the life of them is still living on".
“People have said I wish you could do a reading list!” Robin laughed, and there were plenty suggestions from those he had highlighted in his QnA.
Robin treated the Inverness audience to a first in over 120 events, actually reading from his own book as he shared the introduction.
Questions came thick and fast.
"How do you plan what you should do with your books for after you've gone?" someone asked. Maybe unexpectedly, Robin doesn't care very much and thinks a lot of his books might not mean much to his family, others will, after he's gone. But it's a question on his mind. He and his sisters are currently sorting out his dad's books, he told us. Coming across one called Angeline And The King, it didn't seem important till he read the dedication inside celebrating "the best 365 days of my life" – his dad's gift to Robin's mum on their first anniversary. It was just one of a hundred nuggets, wise and funny, Roin left his audience with from this NBF highlight.
After the festival, the NBF chair Emma Hamilton said: "We thoroughly enjoyed this year’s festival – everything was really well attended and we’ve had some really positive feedback from event-goers. We are already planning NBF 2024!"
