It has been quite a few weeks since I last wrote anything in this blog. The usual end of the year things at work, Christmas planning, Christmas rest and so on…. No time really to listen to new music; The Outside Track’s and Còig’s great new Christmas albums notwithstanding, of course.
And, surprise surprise, I will not be reviewing new music for a few weeks from now either for a very good reason: we are going to attend Celtic Connections 2020 for practically the entire duration of that fab festival.
I will be writing something like a festival diary from Celtic Connections; I will try to do it on a daily basis but perhaps will end up writing only every few days. In any case, I will try to come up with a fairly detailed account of the acts we have seen during the festival.
But before we leave Finland for Glasgow, it’s finally time to look back about half a year to the Hebridean Celtic Festival we went to in the summer. I did write postings from that festival to my Facebook but not to this blog. So I thought before another great festival begins, it might be fun to look back and recollect a little bit because HebCelt 2019 was definitely something to remember.
The first thing that needs to be said about HebCelt are the very well functioning arrangements and the super nice grounds where the festival is held. Everything worked at the festival area and in the town of Stornoway all the necessary services and facilities are close.
As for the music, the three summer days could not have been more enjoyable. So many amazing artists and bands, we just smiled and danced and occasionally sang alone as much as possible. If one needs to mention specific acts that made a special impression I would pick out the stunning funk blast by Elephant Sessions, the high energy trad session by Benedict Morris, the insanely intense gig by Talisk, the joyous gigs by Manran, Face The West and Tide Lines, the Gaelic magic of SIAN, and the warm, bright and grooving gigs by Kim Carnie, Fara and Beinn Lee.
And, believe me, we enjoyed all the rest as well 😊❤️🎶
The very special thing we love about Scottish folk music festivals is the way people of all ages come together and enjoy the music and the atmosphere in the best of spirits. HebCelt and Celtic Connections we have attended now once and have been impressed by the attendance and the sheer positive atmosphere all over the place. So we are now looking very much forward to this year’s Celtic Connections, all the music to be heard there, all the new people we may meet and all that… I promise to write my reports as soon as possible , procrastinating for another six months 😄
FolkNotes 