Nteworks end their year on a high – but last gig at Ironworks will be poignant
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Niteworks’ Allan MacDonald had already been wondering how emotional it will feel for the band when they take the stage on December 23 at the Ironworks, probably for the last time before it closes.
“I was reflecting on that exact question earlier,” said the band’s piper.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to fully answer that until we are there but I think it will be a bitter sweet moment.
“We’ve played the Ironworks a number of times before and it’s going to be by far the biggest show we have done there – and there are only a handful of tickets left.
“It’s good that we are going to be ending the year on a high for Christmas and it is a great time for going out and stuff and the night is looking to sell out, but equally it’s going to be sad.
“It’s one of the big places we have played and they have been very supportive of us and many other bands.
“So definitely bitter sweet will be how I describe it.”
The rise and rise of Niteworks and their ever-intensifying folk/traditional and electronic club dance sound has never stopped. The band, born in Skye and raised on traditional music and Gaelic, were called to club culture and electronic music while studying in Glasgow and, alongside jobs, they have juggled an international and successful critical career since the start in 2008, first album NW in 2015.
Latest album A’ Ghrian released in January was up for Scottish Album Of The Year, as was An Fair An La in 2019.
A’Ghrian was kickstarted after Niteworks were asked to write music for Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Fare Well film, that looked back over the lockdown times of 2020.
Allan explained: “Because of Covid they couldn’t do a street party and they wanted a video they could put up for the bells.
“When we were doing that we knew we couldn’t go full ‘club’, it needed to be a bit more – I guess, cinematic.
“But having done that then we thought ‘OK, there’s something here in terms of that sound’ and so it grew from there.
“Of course, we were writing during lockdown so that has probably brought its own flavour to the way everything sounds.”
The band – Innes Strachan (synth/keys), Allan MacDonald (pipes), Christopher Nicolson (bass) and Ruairidh Graham (drums) have built a dramatic stage show and their work showcases the best vocal talent around.
On the new album, that is guest vocals from long-time collaborators Sian (Eilidh Cormack, Ceitlin Lilidh and Ellen MacDonald) including a solo vocal from Ellen.
And the much-praised, unique tones of Kathleen MacInnes, Beth Malcolm, Hannah Rarity and Alasdair Whyte just add to the album’s jewels.
“We have a bit of a luxury in not having to release for the sake of it. At least for us it allows a bit of healthy reflection on what we are doing so we are not just releasing filler pieces musically,” Allan said, when asked about not being signed to a particular record label.
“Over the years we have used more and more Gaelic and that has been something that features probably more than maybe when we first started.
“When we started it was doing mostly instrumental stuff but over the years that has grown to be less and less, the pipes – less and less. I guess it’s evolved naturally that way.
“Even on the latest album there are only three tracks with pipes on them which is definitely a different balance than we had on previous ones. I think the key thing for us is that we are still trying to make club music essentially. But it has evolved.”
There will be a set across Niteworks’ career at the Ironworks’ gig.
Allan said: “We have The Islands playing to support the opening and we will have Ceitlin from Sian with us.”
Niteworks supported by The Islands play the Ironworks, Inverness on Friday, December 23.
