Bringing Americana Music to the West Highlands!
The first Arisaig Americana Music Festival will take place on Saturday 23rd June 2018 at the Astley Hall, Arisaig and will feature afternoon instrument workshops and an evening concert of 4 bands, finishing the weekend with an afternoon-to-evening bluegrass music session at The Crofter’s Bar, Arisaig Hotel on Sunday 24th June.
There are a number of venues throughout the Highlands which feature top acoustic roots acts and our aim is to become an annual fixture in the West Highlands as a quality small festival specialising in Americana music, where renowned musicians want to come and perform.
Americana Music
Music derived from the Carolinas, Kentucky and Tennessee can trace its roots to the early settlers from the British Isles, Europe and Africa. In particular, Old Time music is directly linked to the traditional music of Scotland, England and Ireland where settlers in the Appalachian Mountains fused folk music traditions with European and African traditions, bringing about a rich variety in musical styles. Bluegrass is a newer style that evolved from the traditional ‘mountain’ music and Country music is associated with the rural Southern and Central States. Today in Americana music there is everything in between those traditional styles as well as modern interpretations and progressive forms.
As a growing genre in Scotland, Americana music currently has four dedicated festivals, namely the Southern Fried Festival in Perth, Glasgow Americana Festival, BlueGrassmarket Festival in Edinburgh and The Moniaive Bluegrass Festival in Dumfries & Galloway. In addition, Glasgow’s Celtic Connections festival regularly features world-renowned Americana artists. We aim to add The Arisaig Americana Music Festival to that established list of sell-out festivals.
Line-up
The 2018 festival features a choice pick of established Scots-based Americana artists:
Edinburgh band The Wynntown Marshals recently marked a decade together with their fourth release ‘After All These Years’ and have been championed by BBC broadcasters Bob Harris, Ricky Ross, Iain Anderson and Roddy Hart. They’ll appear in Arisaig exclusively as an acoustic trio featuring Keith Benzie on lead vocals and guitar, Iain Sloan on pedal steel and David McKee on bass.
Glasgow based The Daddy Naggins are one of the busiest, most energetic bands on the Scottish scene delivering traditional bluegrass classics, folk songs and well known modern covers, all with that traditional high lonesome bluegrass harmony. The 4-piece line-up is Darren Young on guitar, Garry McFadden on banjo, Laura-Beth Salter on mandolin and Hazel Mairs on bass.
Scottish duo The Jellyman’s Daughter lands squarely in the middle of a strange crossroads between bluegrass, post-rock, folk and soul. Emily Kelly and Graham Coe have played extensively in the UK and toured Europe and Canada. Hot on the heels of their second album release tour, they’ll be performing in Arisaig as a 3-piece with Herbie Loening on double bass.
From the Highlands, Glasgow and Midlothian Crow County Pickers is a new collaboration of old friends who blend effortlessly with their natural empathy and shared passion for Americana music. Having carved their names individually in the UK Americana music scene, the band features singer- songwriter Mairi Orr, dobro player Dave Currie, mandolinist Craig McKinney and guest bassist Alan Finn.
Programme
Saturday 23rd June:
Free Bluegrass taster workshops open to music students and adult learners.
Bluegrass guitar at the Land, Sea & Islands Centre 1pm – 2pm
Bluegrass double bass at Astley Hall Clubroom 1pm – 2pm
Bluegrass mandolin at the Land, Sea & Islands Centre 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Bluegrass 5-string banjo at Astley Hall Clubroom 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Early evening concert at Astley Hall:
The Jellyman’s Daughter & Crow County Pickers, 7pm - 9pm, £12
Late evening concert at Astley Hall:
The Wynntown Marshalls Trio & The Daddy Naggins, 10pm - 12am, £12
(Full evening concert ticket available at £24)
Sunday 24th June:
‘The Big Bluegrass Session’ at The Crofters Bar, Arisaig Hotel from 2pm onwards.
Tickets are available now online via the website www.arisaigamericana.com
The first Arisaig Americana Music Festival will take place on Saturday 23rd June 2018 at the Astley Hall, Arisaig and will feature afternoon instrument workshops and an evening concert of 4 bands, finishing the weekend with an afternoon-to-evening bluegrass music session at The Crofter’s Bar, Arisaig Hotel on Sunday 24th June.
There are a number of venues throughout the Highlands which feature top acoustic roots acts and our aim is to become an annual fixture in the West Highlands as a quality small festival specialising in Americana music, where renowned musicians want to come and perform.
Americana Music
Music derived from the Carolinas, Kentucky and Tennessee can trace its roots to the early settlers from the British Isles, Europe and Africa. In particular, Old Time music is directly linked to the traditional music of Scotland, England and Ireland where settlers in the Appalachian Mountains fused folk music traditions with European and African traditions, bringing about a rich variety in musical styles. Bluegrass is a newer style that evolved from the traditional ‘mountain’ music and Country music is associated with the rural Southern and Central States. Today in Americana music there is everything in between those traditional styles as well as modern interpretations and progressive forms.
As a growing genre in Scotland, Americana music currently has four dedicated festivals, namely the Southern Fried Festival in Perth, Glasgow Americana Festival, BlueGrassmarket Festival in Edinburgh and The Moniaive Bluegrass Festival in Dumfries & Galloway. In addition, Glasgow’s Celtic Connections festival regularly features world-renowned Americana artists. We aim to add The Arisaig Americana Music Festival to that established list of sell-out festivals.
Line-up
The 2018 festival features a choice pick of established Scots-based Americana artists:
Edinburgh band The Wynntown Marshals recently marked a decade together with their fourth release ‘After All These Years’ and have been championed by BBC broadcasters Bob Harris, Ricky Ross, Iain Anderson and Roddy Hart. They’ll appear in Arisaig exclusively as an acoustic trio featuring Keith Benzie on lead vocals and guitar, Iain Sloan on pedal steel and David McKee on bass.
Glasgow based The Daddy Naggins are one of the busiest, most energetic bands on the Scottish scene delivering traditional bluegrass classics, folk songs and well known modern covers, all with that traditional high lonesome bluegrass harmony. The 4-piece line-up is Darren Young on guitar, Garry McFadden on banjo, Laura-Beth Salter on mandolin and Hazel Mairs on bass.
Scottish duo The Jellyman’s Daughter lands squarely in the middle of a strange crossroads between bluegrass, post-rock, folk and soul. Emily Kelly and Graham Coe have played extensively in the UK and toured Europe and Canada. Hot on the heels of their second album release tour, they’ll be performing in Arisaig as a 3-piece with Herbie Loening on double bass.
From the Highlands, Glasgow and Midlothian Crow County Pickers is a new collaboration of old friends who blend effortlessly with their natural empathy and shared passion for Americana music. Having carved their names individually in the UK Americana music scene, the band features singer- songwriter Mairi Orr, dobro player Dave Currie, mandolinist Craig McKinney and guest bassist Alan Finn.
Programme
Saturday 23rd June:
Free Bluegrass taster workshops open to music students and adult learners.
Bluegrass guitar at the Land, Sea & Islands Centre 1pm – 2pm
Bluegrass double bass at Astley Hall Clubroom 1pm – 2pm
Bluegrass mandolin at the Land, Sea & Islands Centre 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Bluegrass 5-string banjo at Astley Hall Clubroom 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Early evening concert at Astley Hall:
The Jellyman’s Daughter & Crow County Pickers, 7pm - 9pm, £12
Late evening concert at Astley Hall:
The Wynntown Marshalls Trio & The Daddy Naggins, 10pm - 12am, £12
(Full evening concert ticket available at £24)
Sunday 24th June:
‘The Big Bluegrass Session’ at The Crofters Bar, Arisaig Hotel from 2pm onwards.
Tickets are available now online via the website www.arisaigamericana.com