Mhari P Posted February 9, 2010 Report Share Posted February 9, 2010 Hey aabody - with some fantastic additions since we announced the provisional line up in early January (including The WIYOS and BODEGA - woo hoo!!) then I've just updated the original press release (kinda targeted at a sooth audience but thought I would post it here all the same seeing as I forgot to announce the line up on here in January!) This year's Shetland Folk Festival, celebrating its 30th Anniversary, sees yet another eclectic and innovative line up of visiting artistes comprised of both first timers and festival favourites from the years gone by. Often regarded as the grandaddy of UK folk festivals, the Festival is regarded as a prestigious event for performers, locals and visitors alike – and is 100% organised by volunteers! The "sessions" in the Festival Club, Islesburgh are often regarded as the best and most unique in the world whilst visiting artistes are regularly dumbfounded by the quantity and quality of local musicians that these remote isles have to offer. The organisers are thrilled to have a line up of eighteen visiting bands whose musicians hail from Scotland, USA, India, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, France, Slovenia and England. Returning to the Festival are Sweden’s leading acoustic band, Väsen, whose members are already legendary among string players all over the world. Their nyckelharpa supremo Olov Johansson has already worked closely with Fiddlers’ Bid, global ambassadors for the Festival and leading exponents of Shetland’s rich fiddle tradition, who have also been invited home to participate. Ahimsa, a four-piece ensemble based in India and Germany will be making their debut apperance with their captivating fusion of Indian Carnatic music and jazz. Two newcomers from the United States will be The Wiyos, a band said to be “full of surprises†by Seasick Steve with their original yet vintage sounding country blues, swing, jugband, hillbilly and ragtime tunes as well as the Foghorn Stringband who are guaranteed to thrill audiences with their interpretation of old-time American stringband music. The 30th event will also see the long awaited return of Simon Thoumire and Ian Carr, the popular duo that were part of the 1991 line up filmed for the BBC’s Shetland Sessions series. There will also be a return appearance by The New Rope String Band whose hilarious and talented members have been firm favourites at Shetland Folk Festivals throughout the last fifteen years. Multi-award winning trio, Lau, currently one of the most sought-after acts on the folk music scene, will make their long awaited Shetland debut with further Scottish representation coming from the amazing festival band, Session A9. Orkney favourites, The Chair will perform for one night only at a special Inter-County gig on the Friday the 30th April whilst recent winners of the prestigious Scottish Folk Band of the year award at the Scots Trad Music Awards, Bodega, are also confirmed as appearing over the weekend. Also representing Scotland as a visiting session band is Feolta, Danny Kyle Award winners at 2008’s Celtic Connections. Other newcomers to Shetland will be Sweden’s Baskery, comprised of a sister trio who describe their music as “high voltage†and with expressions like “killbillyâ€, “banjo punk†and “mud-country.†Their stunning harmonies, original compositions, distinctive character and unafraid punk attitude will be a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Slightly mellower performances can be expected by Eva Hren & Sladcore whose music represents a contemporary take on Slovenian folk heritage with its jazzy undertones and influences of ethno-folk, pop and even heavy rock. Ireland is also well represented in the visiting artiste line up, but with three completely different musical outfits and genres. The Unwanted features three Sligo based musicans including Cathy Jordan, lead singer for acclaimed group Dervish. Along with Californian native, Rick Epping and Seamus O’Dowd, they combine traditions from Ireland to Appalachia and beyond. Fans of gypsy jazz are in for a treat with the Paradiso Jazz Quartet, a special assembly of fantastic musicians from France and Ireland including guitarists Youenn Derrien and Frank Kilkelly. Up and coming band Mórga, will also be a guaranteed hit with audiences as they take listeners back to the sounds of the great traditional Irish bands of the seventies. As is the established format, most visiting musicians will be in Shetland for the Festival's duration, playing at different venues throughout the isles alongside fantastic local acts such as Hom Bru, Fullsceilidh Spelemannslag, Maggie Adamson & Brian Nicholson, Sheila Henderson, Bryan Gear & Violet Tulloch and Inge Thomson. The Festival will conclude with the famous "Festival Foy" events on Sunday 2nd. These "Foy" concerts are unique to Shetland and give audiences an opportunity of seeing all visiting acts in one evening. Held over three venues in Shetland's capital, Lerwick, the visiting artistes are shuffled between halls by mini bus and perform in each venue for around 15 minutes. It sounds crazy but it works! With the Festival selling out completely in recent years, the organisers are expanding ticket availability in 2010 with the support of Event Scotland. Also, to help ensure that younger audience members are entertained during the four day event, The Singing Kettle have been booked to appear for a one-off performance. BAFTA Award winning and decorated with MBE’s for their services to children’s entertainment, they have turned children’s theatre into an art form. So, if you're tempted to make your way up to the most far-flung folk festival in the UK, you may be interested in knowing that advance Festival memberships are on sale until the 26th February and that its unofficial opening will actually be on Wednesday the 28th April, on an overnight ferry somewhere in the middle of the North Sea. An event in itself! For more information on this Festival, including all the visiting acts’ biographies with sound samples please visit: www.shetlandfolkfestival.com (*** Mod - stickied for visibility ***) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mhari P Posted April 2, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 2, 2010 Hello all, Just to let you know that ticket booking is open to general sales as from today. Membership sales have also re-opened. The combined ticket booking/membership form is being distributed in the Shetland Times but please note that the most up to date version is available on our website. i.e. the form in the paper was printed weeks ago and therefore does not highlight that 7 concerts are completely sold out on the basis of advance members ticket requests. The following are completely SOLD OUT Thursday BigtonThursday ScallowayThursday LegionFriday Whiteness and WeisdaleSaturday CLICKIMINShetland Hotel FoyLegion Foy As of yesterday, there were literally only a handful of tickets for the Clickimin Foy - to the extent that I may as well say it is already sold out! I think the press release that went out on Wednesday gave some advance members who had forgotten to return their form a good reminder and so quite a few of the already limited availability Clickimin Foy tickets would have gone yesterday. The Folk Festival Committee wish to apologise in advance for anybody who is unable to get a ticket for a concert in their local hall or for their first preference concert choices. As always, demand for our concerts is extremely high - especially the Foys. However, there are brilliant concerts the length and breadth of Shetland with remaining ticket availability. Details can be found at this link: http://www.shetlandfolkfestival.com/concerts.php But be quick in returning your forms - either by Fax or to Burns Lane. Forms are processed on a first come first serve basis. Cheers fur noo Mhari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mhari P Posted April 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 11, 2010 Noo Den Just to let you know that the Festival Box Office is open at 5 Burns Lane from this Thursday (15th) April for face to face sales for the tickets that are remaining and for memberships. Opening Times are as follows Thursday 15th - 6pm to 8pmSaturday 17th - 12noon to 3pmThursday 22nd - 6pm - 8pmSaturday 24th - 12noon to 3pm You can also still fill in and return the booking form that is available on our website (which is updated as concerts sell out) If you're looking to purchase Inter-Tunety tickets (The Chair v Fullsceilidh Spelemannslag) I'd STRONGLY recommend that you get your skates on this week. You have been warned. All the other concerts with remaining ticket availability are selling extremely well too. These are Thursday Clickimin, North Roe, Aith, Brae, Symbister, Sat Legion, Singing Concert and all three Islesburghs (open for Festival members only). Sat Legion and Brae have both sold more than 75% of their capacity. Cheers eenoo Mhari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirvaluk Posted May 3, 2010 Report Share Posted May 3, 2010 FANTASTIC weekend, the whole thing was great, thanks tae da committee for all the hard work, roll on next year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GypsyScy Posted May 3, 2010 Report Share Posted May 3, 2010 Absolutely agree ^^ Had a super weekend, heard some brilliant music and met fantastic folk and caught up wi old friends. Well done all involved Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveh Posted July 26, 2010 Report Share Posted July 26, 2010 In case folks didn't see my thread regarding BBC Alba, they are showing a one-hour Shetland Folk Festival highlights programme this coming Saturday at 9-00am. It is from the Saturday night show at the Clickimin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveh Posted July 31, 2010 Report Share Posted July 31, 2010 Don't forget 9-00pm tonight on BBC Alba ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeriebryan Posted August 1, 2010 Report Share Posted August 1, 2010 Great programme on Fiddlers' Bid last night. It's available on iPlayer for those of you that missed it - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00t9sq1/Fiddlers_Bid_aig_Fichead_%28Fiddlers_Bid_at_Twenty%29/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anorthernsoul Posted August 1, 2010 Report Share Posted August 1, 2010 Fantastic programme, really makes you appreciate what an amazing group of musicians Fiddler's Bid are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wullie m. Posted August 1, 2010 Report Share Posted August 1, 2010 Absolutely Superb! wullie m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Polson Posted August 24, 2010 Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 I think Seth Lakeman wid be a fantastic artist to hae up some year for the Folk Festival. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tirvaluk Posted August 24, 2010 Report Share Posted August 24, 2010 Totally agree!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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