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hebceltfest



Last Updated: 12/7/2009

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Status: Single
City: Stornoway
State: Scotland
Country: UK
Signup Date: 4/24/2007

Blog Archive
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Friday, November 20, 2009 
If you are struggling for ideas for the perfect Christmas gift then worry no longer! We are delighted to bring you some special offers for next year’s 15th anniversary festival.

Check them out at http://www.hebceltfest.com/booking/
4:03 PM 
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Monday, November 02, 2009 
The Hebridean Celtic Festival has been announced as one of four nominees in the prestigious ‘Event of the Year’ category at this year’s MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards.

 


A past winner in 2004 this is further recognition of the Celtic music festival based in Stornoway, the Outer Hebrides. Next year will see the event’s 15th anniversary and it is credited with attracting visitors from around the world. It was named as one of the top five festivals of its kind and is renowned throughout Europe.

Festival Director Caroline MacLennan said: “This is excellent news. To be nominated for such a sought after award which is voted on by the public is a notable honour. We are very grateful for the support our festival-goers give us so hopefully they will be able to vote us to success on the night.”

The awards will be announced on Saturday 28th November at DG One, Dumfries, and voting can be done online at www.handsupfortrad.co.uk.

Full List of categories for the 2009 Awards:

·         Album of the Year sponsored by Birnam CD
·         Club of the Year sponsored by Coda Music
·         Community Project of the Year sponsored by Royal Scottish Country Dance Society
·         Composer of the Year sponsored by PRS for Music
·         Event of the Year sponsored by VisitScotland
·         Gaelic Singer of the Year sponsored by Macmeanmna
·         Trad Music in the Media Award sponsored by Hegri Music
·         Instrumentalist of the Year sponsored by Temple Records
·         Live Act of the Year sponsored by Greentrax Recordings
·         Citty Finlayson Scots Singer of the Year sponsored by Traditional Music and Song Association
·         Scottish Dance Band of the Year sponsored by National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs
·         Scottish Folk Band of the Year sponsored by Foot Stompin' Scottish Music
·         Scottish Pipe Band of the Year sponsored by The National Piping Centre
·         Up and Coming Artist of the Year sponsored by Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
·         Music Tutor of the Year sponsored by Scottish Arts Council's Youth Music Initiative
·         Venue of the Year Award sponsored by Scottish Arts Council
1:25 PM 
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Friday, September 25, 2009 
Here are some of the highlights of this year's Hebridean Celtic Festival coming up on bbcalba: sky 168 or freesat 110 as follows and all in iplayer too of course.

Programme 1
Sat, 26th Sept @ 22.00
Fri, 2nd Oct @ 22.00

Programme 2
Sat 3rd Oct @ 22.00
Sun 4th Oct @ 17.30
Fri 9th Oct @ 22.00

La Bottine Souriante, The Wilders, Michael McGoldrick with special guest Karen Matheson, The Chair, The Ploughboys and more.  Hope you get the opportunity to enjoy.

These programmes were brought to you by HCF Productions in association with MGAlba/BBCAlba.
10:04 AM 
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Saturday, July 18, 2009 
Ah well you know what they say, the best laid plans....the blogger got sucked into the whirlwind and wasn't spat out till this morning.

Day 2 went swimmingly well thanks to the monsoon conditions that hit not so sunny Stornoway on thursday afternoon.  Shame really as the Norweigan dancers and street arts planned had to be foregone.  Fortunately come 6pm the skies cleared and the sun came out drying out the tents at Laxdale. 

Gary and Ewan's concert in the afternoon went down just a treat for those desperate to get out of the rain, what a truly lovely pair of young men.  Just don't take anything they say too seriously.

The blogger had taken in Fred in Breasclete the night before so tripped out to the mainstage to catch The Wilders who were simply stunning.  Amazing how these four classy musicians filled that tent with beautiful noise, and a special mention must be made of Betse's solo John Henry which allowed a quick restring. 

Blair's set equally had the audience screaming for more, Kathleen Macinnes's stunning vocals soaring over a selection from his most recent album along with Kate Martin's waltz and Angels from Ashes.  Sublime.

La Bottine are tagged as the 'Best Live Band in the World', and well they're no bad.  What a fab show, can't wait to see that on TV.

I'm going to leave Friday to the experts and if you want to read more reviews then check out http://www.hebceltfest.com/festival/reviews/ with pics. The blogger knows his limitations.
6:46 AM 
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Thursday, July 16, 2009 
Wednesday's opening day was the usual scurrying around and went by without too much of a hitch with the exception of some folks who got left behind in Paris and suffered the usual baggage nightmares, here's hoping we can find them today!

This blogger headed over to Breasclete to catch up with Fred Morrison with Ed Boyd and Martin o'Neill.  A great crowd turned out to see Fred and co who took us through some blistering sets culminating in his final set as arranged by Jimi Hendrix which left is all exhausted.  Fabulous stuff! 

The young one had been talking to a couple of 'ex-pats' who are home on holiday last night in Uig and persuaded them to come along tonight, they were deeply grateful.

After that I jumped in the car and went back to An Lanntair to see how it all went.  Alex was happy so I knew it had been a great night and a good crowd stayed on for the dance which was just hotting up when I left.  Blair Douglas was out and about, looking relaxed and raring to go tomorrow night.

Kind of surreal journey back home with all sorts of night creatures jumping out of ditches at the car en route ranging from hedgehogs, who admittedly didn't exactly look animated, to rabbits, birds, bugs and a deer hind.  Close one that!

Blue skies up above, all looking good for later....
5:24 AM 
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Wednesday, July 15, 2009 
Busy day all round starting with tweaking schedules, ironing wrinkles in the accommodation listings and briefings on media.  We had our volunteers meeting at 6pm and what a team turned out for that, thanks to all.

Me and the little one headed over to Calum Martin's show in Uig and well I'm no reviewer but what a treat.  Stunningly great musicians individually, Fraser's Slipstream, Graeme's piece with Scott Neubert and Isobel Anne's Fal i Oro just a flavour of an outstanding second half which followed the story of the Megantic Outlaw.

Driving over to Uig couldn't help thinking that we are truly blessed to stay in such a beautiful place which was certainly appreciated by the visitors both on stage and in the audience.

So thats the camera cabling and set up started in An Lanntair in advance of the Megantic's outing in Stornoway, all going to plan on site, off to get set for a brilliant festival.  Hope to blog again . . .
5:43 AM 
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Monday, July 13, 2009 
BBC ALBA has announced that it will be broadcasting two special programmes from this year’s Hebridean Celtic Festival.

This year’s festival taking place in Stornoway from 15 – 18 July, is being billed as the ‘original homecoming party’ and will be the first time, in the festival’s 14 year history, that it will be broadcast on television.

The two, one hour music specials which will include performances from the tent main stage, the An Lanntair stage and from fringe activities, will be broadcast on BBC ALBA on Saturday 18 and Saturday 25 July at 9pm. BBC ALBA is available on Sky channel 168 and on Freesat channel 110. The programmes will also be repeated on Sunday 19 July at 3.30pm and on Sunday 26 July at 5.30pm and will be available to view via the BBC iPlayer.

The programmes will be produced by the festival’s dedicated team, supported by Mike Newman of MikeNewman Productions and production director, John Smith from the BBC. 

Margaret Mary Murray, Head of Service for BBC ALBA, said: “The HebCeltFest will be providing music from top Scottish and international acts to thousands of festival-goers, and we are delighted to be opening up this year’s festival to many more music-fans across the country who can participate in the festival through our television coverage. It will also give festival-goers a chance to relive the event when they view it on television”.

“BBC ALBA’s music programming is one of the most popular services on the channel and it is important that we offer our audience a range of the best performances and home-grown talent that Scotland has to offer.” 
Murdo MacLennan, Chairman of HebCeltFest said: “Since the first festival in 1996, we have felt quite strongly that visitors should come to the festival to experience the ambience of the HebCeltFest for themselves as well as encourage people to come to the beautiful Hebrides and to learn about our Gaelic culture and heritage. However, now we believe the festival has matured and we feel the time is right for us to be on television alongside all the other major events and to share our entertainment with a new audience via BBC ALBA.

“We want to share the quality of musicianship with a wider audience and want to make sure that the television programmes are as true to life as the real thing. This will give us an opportunity to showcase the bands who perform on stage for us and introduce them to a potential new audience.”

6:05 AM 
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Friday, June 19, 2009 

Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping
In what is thought to be a world first, a special Harris Tweed has been created for a top music festival. It represents a new development in the production of the internationally known material and marks the formation of a co-operative which aims to take a variety of Harris Tweed products into new international markets.

The Harris Tweed Artisans Cooperative was formed in February when 10 businesses joined together with the aim of working as a collective to promote and market the unique and diverse Harris Tweed products that they each design and produce.
They have now created a specific Harris Tweed for the Hebridean Celtic Festival (July 15th-18th) in Stornoway, the Outer Hebrides, one of the UK’s leading festivals.
Rhoda MacDonald of Harris Tweed Artisans said: “We approached the Hebridean Celtic Festival organisers with the idea of producing a unique HCF Tweed. They loved the concept and Cooperative weaver, John Maclean of Garynahine Harris Tweed, created the tweed. Individual artisans will use this unique cloth to make a variety of products which will be for sale exclusively over the festival period.

“Ours is an entirely new approach for the marketing and sale of Harris Tweed products. We are the first cooperative that brings together people who work with tweed regardless of what type of products they are producing. We are interested in maintaining and developing a high level of craftsmanship. As the months progress, we want to establish national and international interest.”

Caroline MacLennan, the Festival Director said: “We are thrilled to have our own Harris Tweed and it looks superb. We think it is an excellent idea to create this tweed and it is a perfect example of how the festival works with other businesses and the community to showcase the many attributes of the islands.

“With Harris Tweed Artisans producing so many different types of products as well as a festival tweed, we believe that our local festival-goers and international visitors will be able to take home a very special memento of their 2009 homecoming Hebridean Celtic Festival. We also think this could be a timely boost to the industry.”

 


Councillor Archie Campbell, Chair of Sustainable Development Committee at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar said:“I most certainly welcome this initiative between the recently established Artisan’s Co-operative and the Hebridean Celtic Festival. The Festival continues to draw people from across the globe and it is the very place where we could be promoting a wealth of products the islands have to offer. Harris Tweed is now a product of enormous versatility on a world wide platform and I wish the Co-operative every success in their venture.”

9:05 AM 
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Thursday, May 21, 2009 
Well, we're nearly there, just a bit of tweed tarting arriving on Saturday and at least the public part of the office will be fit for opening this weekend.  If you are around drop in and say hello.  Check out the new season merchandise, buy an eco bag for your shopping.

Open this Saturday and following four Saturdays between 11am and 4pm.

See you!
10:09 AM 
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Thursday, May 07, 2009 

Category: Music

HebCelt is launching its own theme tune, written by one of Scotland’s top traditional music artistes. It is thought to be the first of its kind in Great Britain.

Called ‘Blue on Green’ the song has been written by Calum Martin, a pioneer of Gaelic rock music, and it captures the anticipation which surrounds the annual staging of the Hebridean Celtic Festival (July 15th-18th) in Stornoway, the Outer Hebrides.

Caroline MacLennan, the Festival Director said: “We’ve been voted one of Scotland’s top five festivals and one of the UK’s top 50, now we have this, our own theme tune. It really is excellent and we appreciate the work Calum has put into ‘Blue on Green’ which we feel really conveys the excitement and anticipation generated by our festival. Inspired by the big blue tent which hosts our main gigs on the Lews Castle green, it is available as a free download from www.hebceltfest.com/backstage/downloads/ and we’re grateful to Calum for making it so freely available.”

Calum Martin said: “When I was first invited to perform at the festival I asked director Caroline MacLennan if anyone had ever written a song or piece of music specifically for HebCelt Festival and she told me no!

“So I thought it would be very appropriate for me in this Year of Homecoming to write a song about the festival itself and ‘Blue on Green’ is my first English song in over 30 years. Hopefully it captures the uniqueness of this special event and especially the big blue tent on the Castle green, in a happy and summery way. This venue has become a bit of an institution during the middle of July for many a year, creating such a buzz and attracting musicians and concertgoers from all over the world.

"Incidentally, I would really love it if other bands and artists would also record and perform their version of the song and play it live at the festival in future years.”

Calum will be performing his much acclaimed show ‘The Megantic Outlaw’ which is about Donald Morrison (1858-1894), a once celebrated figure in the frontier folklore of Québec where his parents settled after leaving Lewis in the early 1800s. For this show Calum has brought together an amazing cast of musicians from both sides of the Atlantic featuring from Edinburgh, Fraser Fifield (Pipes/Sax/Whistles), Graeme Stephen (Guitars), Bobby Millar (Bass Guitar); from upstate New York by way of Nashville Tennessee, Peter Young (Drums); also from Nashville, Scott Neubert (Guitars/Dobro/Banjo/Mandolin); from Lewis, Andrew Yearly (Keyboard/Accordion) and Calum's own daughter Isobel Ann Martin (Vocals).

4:26 PM 
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