LIZA MULHOLLAND: Under Canvas gigs beckon as part of the feast of music we’re enjoying right now – including recent concerts at Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC’s stadium, Belldarum, and Fèis Rois’s Cèilidh Trail

What a feast of music we’re enjoying right now.

Two fantastic recent concerts at Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC’s stadium, a truly brilliant Belldarum, Fèis Rois’s Cèilidh Trail youngsters playing their way beautifully across the Highlands until August 13.

The city centre venues buzzing with bands and artists, (including new music bar The Highlander, in Asher’s old premises on Church Street) and it just keeps going.

Likewise, a busy time of gigs continues for the two bands I play in – indie-folk Dorec-a-belle and country line-up Wounded Moose – and that means a busy time of rehearsals.

Adding new songs to a set means working out arrangements, harmonies, getting those beginnings and endings clean, creating good instrumental solos, and basically learning and getting them gig ready.

In Dorec-a-belle, we’re so looking forward to playing Under Canvas at Eden Court Theatre on Sunday, August 21. We last played UC three years ago and I recall the engineer did a fantastic job of our sound, both on stage and out front (not easy with accordion, saxophone, double bass, guitar and drums – plus five vocals) and it was a lovely relaxed experience.

This year we’re doing two concerts, at 2pm and then again at 5.30pm, with support from singer-songwriter Hannah Taylor. With Eden Court offering a Pay What You Can policy during Under Canvas, the concerts are accessible to all (an inspired approach in these straightened times) and unreserved seating means you can also mix with friends as you wish.

My most recent visit to Under Canvas was to hear a stunning line-up of traditional and Gaelic artistes, including local composer and clarsach player Gillian Fleetwood, Gaelic singer Mischa MacPherson, excellent singer-songwriter Man of the Minch, with a plethora of other musicians of absolute top quality.

As Mischa pointed out, it already seems like such a long time ago that audiences were not allowed to sing along because of Covid, and it’s so nice to be able to sing freely again. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon, and with fresh pizza delivered to your table and the bar right there, what’s not to like?

Meanwhile, a group of friends and I will be at the Amy MacDonald concert tonight, and I know it will be just brilliant. I’ve seen this incredible singer-songwriter perform live a couple of times before, including at Belladrum, and she is one stunning performer.

Writing the catchiest pop songs with lyrics that seem to get right to the core of experiences we can relate to, she and her top-class band belt them out with such energy and verve. It’s going to be a great fun evening, with lots of singing along, in the Northern Meeting Park.

If you haven’t been to Under Canvas yet, it runs until August 27. I look forward to seeing you there.

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