Congratulations to David Clifford, Jiggers ceilidh band guitarist who will be getting married in the Atholl Palace, Pitlochry tomorrow. We wish a special good luck to Kate, who will be married to him.
Clifford (right) in his polkadot jumpsuit phase.
The Jiggers, (Bigdaymusic's main Scottish Ceilidh Band) is really busy at the moment, playing upwards of twenty ceilidhs a month around Scotland. Most of those ceilidhs are Scottish weddings. I guess summer is popular for weddings because of the fact that you have more daylight, nice weather for the wedding photographer, the possibility of maybe an outdoor drinks reception… But sometimes the Scottish weather has other plans…
Big Day Music, the live music agency, has musicians playing at a wedding in Arran today. Reports suggest that Ayrshire is getting thunderstorms right now.Eek! (While I write this, the rain here in Glasgow has just started. Big-time.) There's a saying that if you can see Arran from Ayr, then it's about to rain. And if you can't see Arran from Ayr, then it IS raining.
Meanwhile, I'll be playing at a Gleneagles Hotel event this evening, possibly in an outdoor marquee. If you don't hear from me soon, presume I was struck by lightning.
"If it wisnae for yer wellies, where would ye be?"
HT for the photo Elizabeth Anne Designs
Last night I attended a free concert at Wellington Church on University Avenue (as part of the West End Festival) to hear various works including Vivaldi's Gloria (not Gloria's "Vivaldi".) We heard an organ piece which attempted to emulate a thunderstorm as it interrupts a typical church service. It was a brave attempt (the thunder was more convincing than the lightning, it has to be said).
Coincidentally in my email this morning is a link from the Innocent Smoothies newsletter of Perpetuum Jazzile Choir.
It's hard to get traditional choirs to do this kind of thing well, because the disciplines are so different for pop music than they are for classical, particularly with respect to groove/feel.
But I think these guys do it very well indeed.
Looking forward to the JS Bach Mass in B Minor tomorrow performed by the Dunedin Consort in the same venue. Tickets are still available for this work, sometimes described as the humanity's most eloquent argument for the existence of God…
Tickets are £10 on the door (contrary to what the festival website says), or £5 for students. 7.30 start.
