Artyness columnist Liza Mulholland plays two restored venerable venues, and asks for support for two Ukraine fundraising gigs
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Along with so many others, my plans for the Easter break were upended by Covid but thankfully I got out of isolation just in time to tutor at Fèis a’ Bhaile, which was tremendous fun as always. It was lovely to have so many youngsters taking part and clearly enjoying themselves with music, song, art, and dance.
Although I managed to get some work done online while housebound, I was desperate to make up for lost time on release and squeezed in a flying visit over to Lewis.
My intended four days researching in the Stornoway archives had to be condensed down to two, in order to get back to Inverness for a mid-week gig, but I saw the documents I wanted, so was thoroughly delighted.
The project I’m working on will hopefully see the light of day next year but there’s a lot to be done before then.
As it was, I had a nice calm crossing on the ferry and beautiful weather, stayed with a lovely old friend from student days, and, before I knew it, was back in Inverness.
Dorec-a-belle’s gig in the Rose Street Foundry bar was our first in that venue and what a great venue!
The Foundry is of course that historic listed building on Academy Street, so important to the story of the town’s industrial heritage and which some readers may remember from the days of AI Welders.
Having undergone several previous incarnations as a pub, it was recently renovated with its exterior mosaics depicting foundry men at work once again restored to vivid beautiful colour.
Now managed by the dynamic and resourceful Billy, who entertained visitors on the pipes before popping back behind the bar, it’s clearly in good hands.
This Saturday we will cross the road for a gig in another historic Inverness hostelry, Blackfriars, which is likewise under new management and enticing in the crowds with lots of live music.
It’s great to see these venerable venues, both brimful of character, bringing so much life and atmosphere back to that end of Academy Street.
Next weekend there’s lots of great music happening, with Hootananny and the Market Bar both hosting multiple bands and acts across two nights of fundraising for Ukraine (Lional, pictured).
The Market’s big-hearted Shirley Wyness has held numerous successful fundraisers for great causes in the past, and, along with Steve Robertson of Hoots, has initiated this musical extravaganza.
So, if you are out and about on Saturday, do drop in to say hello to us in Blackfriars, and, if you can, please support these events for Ukraine April 29 and 30.
With each passing day, the horrors inflicted on the Ukrainian people get ever worse – let’s, via the universal language of music, reach out our hands in support and into our wallets to help those impacted by this devastating war.
