2006 press

Press - 2006

BY JESSALIN FRASER

SHETLAND'S third annual blues festival starts tonight and takes place all weekend to coincide with the opening of the Johnsmas Foy.

Acts from America, Norway, mainland Scotland and England, as well as some exceptional talent from Shetland and Orkney, all feature on the bill.

Shetland blues festival organiser, John Leitch is delighted the festival is to be included in the Johnsmas foy celebrations this year.

He is also pleased with a change in date which gives it prominence at the start of the Johnsmas celebration.

The blues festival was originally scheduled for the second week of the Johnsmas event but was brought forward seven days so it did not clash with the overall finale.

John said: "It made sense to move the festival back a week to avoid clashing with the Johnsmas finale weekend.

"This gives artists the opportunity to play in all outlets and will prevent the public from having to choose which event they would like to see, obviously people can't be in two places at once! The move will be beneficial for both celebrations."

Music plays an important part in the Johnsmas foy celebrations and blues festival organisers think the two will work well in harmony.

John said: "The outdoor entertainment will be fantastic and help to create a great atmosphere which will be beneficial to both celebrations. The blues music will be an asset to the Johnsmas Foy."

The blues festival's own timetable has also been adjusted this year to try to avoid acts clashing like they did last year.

John said: “We hope that by not having too many things on at the same time people will be able to see more concerts and have a greater selection.

“There were very few problems last year but we are learning from the few issues that did arise.

"We have got more committee members this year to ensure that things run even more smoothly than in previous years, this also works to provide us with more expertise as an organisation.”

The blues festival artistes include Edinburgh’s Lights Out By Nine, a seven-piece R&B outfit.

The band will be appearing in both Bressay and Lerwick during the weekend, as well as on Victoria Pier during Saturday afternoon, alongside another Scottish act Blues On Tap.

Nobody’s Business are one of western Norway’s most popular blues outfits. The five-piece band released their first live CD in 1994, followed by the release of Blue Shoe in 2001.

They are appearing in the Lerwick Royal British Legion, on Victoria Pier and in Da Mish.

Travelling up from England is Roy Mette, performing his solo acoustic set this year.

Jeanni Cioffi, an American singer/songwriter/violinist, is also making a welcome visit to this year’s festival. Usually part of a three piece called Shell, Jeanni has definite bluegrass and jazz influences, which will no doubt go down a storm in Shetland.

Leah Seator and SAS Blues arrive here from Orkney received rave reviews during for their appearance at last year’s Orkney Blues Festival. Also from Orkney are four-piece Mean Business.

As well as veterans of the Shetland music scene – No Sweat and the Rumshack Blues Band – the younger talents of Jamieson’s Big Pockets and Two Pot Screamers will also be making folk dance.

Other Shetland acts making their debut festival appearances include Firebird, The Donald Anderson Band, Bitumen River, CaveDwellers and BlueMelt.

John Leitch, one of the blues festival organisers, predicted his own expected highlights ahead of the three-day event.

He said: "Jeanni Cioffi, the American singer and violinist, has played with many highly acclaimed acts and comes with great pedigree. I find blues fiddle playing fascinating so I think that it will really be something special.

“I’m also really looking forward to the seven-piece band Lights out By Nine. I’m expecting a great sound from a band that size. But in saying that, often solo artists can provide the best entertainment and provide some spectacular grass roots blues."

He said: “The Shetland acts compare very favourably to the other acts and in many respects are on equal par.

“Often they do not get the chance to play to the large audiences that other artists enjoy but this is something that we are trying to put right. Some locals are world class and in this festival they can undoubtedly hold their own.”

Blues Festival 2006
BY JIMMY CARLYLE

THE SHETLAND Blues Festival came alive on Saturday night when Lights Out By Nine took the stage at the Lerwick Legion.

This was a blues, soul band who had the whole place jumping by the end of their first set. They wanted to play a show to remember and boy did we get it. As Steven MacLean from the committee said: “Like fog lights on a misty day in Shetland they shone bright and illuminated every stage they graced.” All the problems the committee had could be forgotten for two hours.

With problems with the weather causing two bands to be without their guitar players and Norwegian band Nobody’s Business to not even arrive due to the mist, problems just seemed to snowball on Friday night.

The Bressay concert was cancelled due to poor ticket sales, and a local band playing in the Lounge were playing Arctic Monkeys’ songs instead of the blues.

Saturday didn’t get any better with all music on Victoria Pier cancelled due to the weather and soundmen trying to fly in from Orkney.

It might have been enough to give the committee the blues but the bands all pulled together, providing those who went to the free pub concerts and the Legion concerts with some fine musical moments over the weekend.

Roy Mette started his residency at Baroc a day ahead of schedule by filling in for Leah Seator and the SAS band on Friday night who were without their guitar player.

Roy plays acoustic blues like his life depended on it. Playing a mixture of original material and interpreting cover material in his own way.

On the Sunday night he joined Orkney’s Mean Business on stage in the Legion and showed off his skills on an electric guitar, especially when he was trading licks with Rory Gillies of Shetland’s Rumshack Blues Band on harmonica.

Also appearing from Orkney were Mean Business and they played an excellent set on Sunday night. Their guitar player John Pettigrew played some mean blues licks and the rhythm section of Willie Eunson on bass and Dylan Pepper on drums were rock solid. With Steve Bacon adding light and shade on keyboards and Wattie Gorman belting out the vocals they played their best set of the weekend. For a band that has only been going a year they can only get better.

Leah Seator and the SAS band began what was a hectic day for them on Saturday, playing four hours of music in three different venues, starting in Da Noost then up to the Braewick Cafe in Eshaness and finishing at Da Mish in Graven to cover for the missing Nobody’s Business.

The effort had an effect on Leah’s voice but she managed to recover to sing again on the Sunday night at the Legion.

The SAS band play a mixture of covers and their strong original material which has a bluesy feel. My only reservation is that they could do with a bit more umph behind the songs and that Leah isn’t really letting go on some of the songs. Don’t get me wrong though. They are an excellent band and Leah is an exceptional vocalist.

Of the local bands I saw the Donald Anderson band was a revelation. Here was a band out to enjoy their music and that fed back on to the audience.

A mixture of covers and original tunes by Donald, this was an excellent set on Friday night and by all accounts they were just as good if not better on Sunday in Baroc.

Alan McKay played some excellent lead guitar backed by the rocking rhythm section of Duncan Kidson on drums and Rick Nickerson on bass. If you have heard Donald’s album of self-penned acoustic songs then the transformation by adding a band brings the songs to life.

The Rumshack Blues Band, appearing at their third blues festival, played a stormer of a set on Sunday night. The harp playing of Rory Gillies soars above the rest of the band and he is one of the best frontmen a band could have. It would be nice to see Mike Batty take some more guitar solos though and have a bit of trading licks between the guitar and harp.

So despite all the problems the bands pulled off a good festival and showed their professionalism throughout the weekend.

Maybe there could be criticism that the line-up was not very blues orientated enough. With news that the Orkney Blues Festival has gone under it is now imperative that the committee try and build on the work they have done over the past three years to keep the festival going. It can’t be easy and my thanks to them for a great weekend. Here’s to next year.