SIRENS (lulling all ye doomed fishermannies)

[The Pepsi Challenge]

My girlfriend, Shona Mooney (BBC Scottish Traditional Musician of the Year 2006 - plug, plug!), and her band, Sirens, are touring the Highlands over the next week. If you find yourself in one of these towns (listed below), get along and check them out. It's folk, Jim, but not as we know it. www.shonamooney.co.uk

Check out their myspace site: www.myspace.com/sirensspace
I suggest starting with The Height Of Rudeness. Just wait until halfway through when those dual violins kick in. Rockin'.

There's also a piece on them in today's Daily Record: http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/enterta...name_page.html


Mar 23 2007
8:00P
Resolis Hall, Black Isle

Mar 24 2007
8:00P
Lochinver Village Hall

Mar 25 2007
8:00A
Woodwich House
Orkney

Mar 27 2007
8:00A
Ceildh Place, Ullapool

Mar 28 2007
8:00A
Poolewe Village Hall

Mar 29 2007
8:00A
Kingussie

Mar 30 2007
8:00P
Glenurquhart Hall, Drumnadrochit

Mar 31 2007
8:00A
Invergarry Village Hall

[cullbucket]

If shes your bird why's she not playing Thurso??? Eh?
And looking at the list of venues, it seems that Skerray Village Hall has also been cruelly snubbed.

[The Pepsi Challenge]

It's exclusively a village hall type of affair, cullick. I do recall them mentioning Thurso prior to booking dates, but, that, finding a (welcoming) venue was hard to come by. Shame really. I'll be sure to point them in Skerray's direction next time though. Played there myself once upon a time. Fine soup the wifeys made for us oot there, too.

[Jeemag_USA]

Wow thats a fair trek and hardly a break in between, Lochinver then orkney, she'll be knackered after that. Good Luck to them, I'll go have a listen!

[cullbucket]

Some of the best nights of my life out at Skerray Hall.... Jali Musa Jawara, Baileys Birthday and one time when we turned up a week late and went to the pub instead....

[The Pepsi Challenge]

As an aside (and as a heads up to the younger posters here who may have a slight interest in other genres of music other than just hard Rock) check out the song Jalla Jalla by Scandanavian folk band, Frigg (no jokes, please). It's a funky beast.

ww.myspace.com/friggtheband

[Jeemag_USA]

Had a listen, music is excellent! Reminds me of the time I spent living in Ireland and could sit in a pub in the middle of nowhere any night and listen to similar stuff. They should have more bands like this doing the pubs and clubs in the highlands, especially in the summer season. Great Stuff!

[The Pepsi Challenge]

Yer right, Jeemag. The Folkies they are-a-changin'. Been hanging out with them quite a lot recently. The first thing you notice is how young - and obviously talented they are. Nowadays, young folk-musicians like Sirens are doing a good job of defying the cliches and stereotypes surrounding folk. That's not to say they don't respect trad - they do. They're just pushing the envelope more. Another thing I really respect about them is their almost distinct lack of ego: virtually no pretentiousness. That's healthy, I think(?).

I rarely bore people with recommendations, but here's one more. Troka, a young Finnish folk lot. Go here - www.myspace.com/trokatheband - and try Folksiili on for size. Wild.