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emb123
31-Dec-06, 00:07
I'm planning on moving to Thurso/Wick area of Caithness if all goes to plan at the end of January/early Feb. This looks like a really active part of the forum and it would probably take forever to get to the nitty gritty, so hope you don't mind if I just ask for info....


What is the folk music scene like in the Thurso/Wick area ? (In terms of regular folk venues, festivals etc)

thanks for reading :)

Chobbersjnr
01-Jan-07, 19:58
folk huh

The Wildcat folk club hold regular gigs in the pentland hotel, Thurso, there is a traditional style folk "session" in the commercial bar in thurso on a wednesday night other than that there isn't much in the town

veekay
01-Jan-07, 20:20
A few of us gather on a Thursday to play and sing ( I use the term advisedly) anyone is welcome to come along

emb123
02-Jan-07, 00:04
thanks chaps - look foward to it very much - there is so little interest here in folk and the odd band that gets a halfway folk accreditation is usually a so-called folk-rock band playing Rolling Stones songs and the odd Bob Dylan number. People here don't seem to appreciate that there is a difference!


Will be excellent to hear some proper folk again - live like it should be!

Just need to get this move business over and done with - as fast as possible as far as I am concerned.
Happy New Year folks!

Jeemag_USA
02-Jan-07, 00:32
I remember after the time I spent in Ireland when I did an exchange program at college, coming back to Thurso and wishing the Folk scene was more like it was in Ireland. Its not for lack of trying because I know there are many folk musicians in Caithness, and very accomplished ones too. The problem is getting people to turn up. I remember when I stayed in the Dingle peninsula, almost every bar either had some kind of music going on each night or they had house instrument stashed around the bar on shelves and fireplaces where people could pick them up and start something, if you were good they served you free beer. I always thought that would be so great to have a scene like that in Caithness. I can remember being in bars in Dingle where no music was scheduled but by the end of the night a rip roaring gig was going on just through people who turned up for a beer and picked up an instrument from behind the bar. I often think in Scotland we have lost a lot of our traditional music and at one time the Highlands was very much like what I just described. Wish someone could bring it back.

futurelegends
02-Jan-07, 23:39
EMB123

Could you contact Frank at wildcatmusic2@aol.com for further information.

emb123
03-Jan-07, 17:54
EMB123

Could you contact Frank at wildcatmusic2@aol.com for further information.
thanks for the tip! I'll probably hold fire until I actually get there - the way things are going it looks like it may be as much as 6 weeks, mainly due to the holidays, but hopefully soon things will get moving :)

I'd like to say I can play myself, but that would be a serious overestimate of my abilities! Not a great demand for keyboards either. LOL

Chobbersjnr
03-Jan-07, 18:08
thanks for the tip! I'll probably hold fire until I actually get there - the way things are going it looks like it may be as much as 6 weeks, mainly due to the holidays, but hopefully soon things will get moving :)

I'd like to say I can play myself, but that would be a serious overestimate of my abilities! Not a great demand for keyboards either. LOL

Keyboards huh, don't be to sure about that sir

& abillities I am a self confessed professional chancer

who's your keyboard idle??

emb123
03-Jan-07, 18:31
Keyboards huh, don't be to sure about that sir

& abillities I am a self confessed professional chancer

who's your keyboard idle??
that would probably cover my abilities too :)

It's not too folk maybe, but probably John Lord of Deep Purple or Ray Manzarek of The Doors. On the solo, pure electronic stuff would probably be Klaus Schulze (early member of Tangerine Dream - but not for long).

emb123
07-Jan-07, 23:05
meant to mention - those guys are not a reflection of my musical taste - just guys whose keyboard playing I wish I were as good as. Haven't listened to Deep Purple in an awful long time :) Still listen to the Doors now and again tho'.

Have you guys come across a (really excellent) Scottish folk band called Ossian ? They're superb musicians and in their own right as well. That's probably a daft question as you're probably perfectly familiar with them but you never know :)

Jeemag_USA
07-Jan-07, 23:14
meant to mention - those guys are not a reflection of my musical taste - just guys whose keyboard playing I wish I were as good as. Haven't listened to Deep Purple in an awful long time :) Still listen to the Doors now and again tho'.

Have you guys come across a (really excellent) Scottish folk band called Ossian ? They're superb musicians and in their own right as well. That's probably a daft question as you're probably perfectly familiar with them but you never know :)

I have heard of Ossian, though my favorite scottish folk band are "Shooglenifty" I think they are the best going for soe years now. New album coming out pretty soon called "The Troots"

emb123
07-Jan-07, 23:21
Thanks for the tip Jeemag_USA - I'll look them out for sure.

Jeemag_USA
07-Jan-07, 23:56
Thanks for the tip Jeemag_USA - I'll look them out for sure.

http://www.shoogle.com/ if you haven't heard of them your missing out, get your fix now, they are awesome. I saw them in their Caithness debut, backing Wolfstone at the Waterfront way back in the day, they stole the show that night, blew Wolfstone away! (now they play all over the world, including here in Indiana) And of course if you haven't heard Wolfstone, check them out too ;)

emb123
10-Jan-07, 00:27
http://www.shoogle.com/ if you haven't heard of them your missing out, get your fix now, they are awesome. I saw them in their Caithness debut, backing Wolfstone at the Waterfront way back in the day, they stole the show that night, blew Wolfstone away! (now they play all over the world, including here in Indiana) And of course if you haven't heard Wolfstone, check them out too ;)
They are an interesting mix of blues and folk. Very professional sound to them so not at all surprised they're regulars in Canada from looking at the gig lists past and present. They do get around don't they :)

Jeemag_USA
10-Jan-07, 04:07
They are an interesting mix of blues and folk. Very professional sound to them so not at all surprised they're regulars in Canada from looking at the gig lists past and present. They do get around don't they :)

Yip they are in big demand all over the globe. Which song were you listening to when you though of 'blues', I have never associated them with the blues nor heard any influence in their music?

emb123
10-Jan-07, 10:16
Yip they are in big demand all over the globe. Which song were you listening to when you though of 'blues', I have never associated them with the blues nor heard any influence in their music?
I listened to their Myspace recordings, McConnells rant has a very bluesy start and bassline, although it has a bit of a funky rhythm.

Carboni's farewell has a very latin bossa-nova sound to it and reminds me of the Harry Lime theme (film 'The Third Man' apparently although I'm not sure I've ever seen it). Somewhat greek and arabic too, but that would be the use of phrygian mode. (One of my favourite tonalities actually - was a bassist friend who pointed it out to me - I'd walked around in ignorance until that point.).

She's in the attic has a really bluesy riff at the start although it also goes very rapidly into funk.

More I listen I would say blues was wrong, I can hear a hint of blues but only at times. They've more of a funk and folk blend to them. They certainly do cover a broad range of musical styles. Will have to give them a closer listen!

Jeemag_USA
10-Jan-07, 14:14
I listened to their Myspace recordings, McConnells rant has a very bluesy start and bassline, although it has a bit of a funky rhythm.

Carboni's farewell has a very latin bossa-nova sound to it and reminds me of the Harry Lime theme (film 'The Third Man' apparently although I'm not sure I've ever seen it). Somewhat greek and arabic too, but that would be the use of phrygian mode. (One of my favourite tonalities actually - was a bassist friend who pointed it out to me - I'd walked around in ignorance until that point.).

She's in the attic has a really bluesy riff at the start although it also goes very rapidly into funk.

More I listen I would say blues was wrong, I can hear a hint of blues but only at times. They've more of a funk and folk blend to them. They certainly do cover a broad range of musical styles. Will have to give them a closer listen!

Oooh thanks, I didn't know they were on myspace, got to go check them out there now ;)

I listend to She's In The Attic again, your kind of right, there is a little bit of blues style in there, the guitar riff is a little bit claptonesque.