Musician and Artyness columnist Liza Mulholland finds music to dance to and enjoys an Unexpected Garden where music is playing
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Friends will vouch that among my favourite things, as well as playing music, is dancing to some great (in the parlance of those much younger than me!) banging tunes, and have I got a recommendation for you this week!
I’ve often written here about the rich diversity of musical talent in the Highlands, and local musician and songwriter Andrew Still is a splendid example of this. Best known as lead singer of superb rootsy indie-folk band, the Galipaygos, Andrew has many more strings to his bow.
He recently formed Algorithm, combining indie, pop and dance elements, and released several successful singles. Mining a rich creative seam, they’ve produced many more songs, with their self-titled debut album released on Friday, August 26.
Opening track, If You Feel Like You Wanna Dance, draws you in immediately and I defy anyone to sit still – you absolutely want to dance! The album is bursting with dance belters, Amy Mullen’s vocals soaring over crisp guitars, funky bass, smooth saxophone, atmospheric synths and great beats. I hope we see these guys playing live soon because they’re fabulous!
Diversity of work is a great part of being a freelance musician; varied projects, a challenging range of genres and material, and a wonderful ‘family’ of musician friends and colleagues to share it all with.
Recently I gigged with our new country band Wounded Moose, fronted by singer and writer Ali Dooner, and backed by Ben Hesling, Robin Abbot and Dickie Bills. These guys are so great to make music with.
Next day I was in Alness with Fèis Rois’s Lullaby Project, for the sharing of lullabies, written by mums for their tots, from the first project in 2020.
The venue was literally an Unexpected Garden, and what a surprise!
In the middle of Teaninich Industrial Estate, a beautiful green space has stretch tent and polytunnels, for learning, growing food, playing and hearing music, storytelling and more.
Part of the Scottish Government-funded Dandelion project, this Unexpected Garden was created by Fèis Rois and The Place in Alness, with ‘Sow, Grow, Share’ as its ethos; not just food, but ideas, knowledge, music and community.
It’s truly wonderful. The Garden’s Festival In The Field summer programme has a terrific variety of activities, music and fun stuff for kids, with Saturday, August 27 offering a great line-up, including top fiddler Duncan Chisholm.
Then it was on to two shows with Dorec-a-belle at Eden Court’s Under Canvas, and we had a ball.
The sun shone, and it felt so good to perform there again, old songs and new, including one of my ‘pandemic compositions’, Dancing Shoes – celebrating, yes, you’ve guessed, the sheer joy of being able to dance again after lockdown!
