Gizzen Briggs 29th Fiddlers’ Rally is a musical delight
The 29th Gizzen Briggs Fiddlers’ Rally took place in Tain’s Duthac Centre last Saturday, February 8, writes Angus Gray.
The Tain Royal Academy traditional music group and guests numbered some 80 musicians on stage, under the direction of Lynsey Bolton.
Guest artistes for the evening were Megan MacDonald, Calum Mcllroy and former Gizzen Brigger Chloe Bryce, who play together as Fell Line.
Two of the fiddlers, Rhianna Lall and Leona Clarke, took on the roles of comperes, guiding the audience through the programme.
Pipers opened the concert, with four young players featured, Noah Ross, Keith Munro, Oliver Wilson and Katie Munro, playing with tutor Niall Matheson.
The fiddlers were then immediately into their stride, demonstrating the confident, dynamic style of playing for which the event is known as well as the variety of moods created in different tunes.
There were examples of several individual instruments being featured, one of which was an innovation for Gizzen Briggs – the electronic drum kit. Polly Noble’s authoritative drumming added a whole new dimension on a number of occasions through the evening.
Another featured instrument was Kaylee Sim’s concertina in Mary Mackenzie’s 70th Birthday Waltz, while a group of eight mandolins, playing with Dagger Gordon, performed Fear a’ Bhata and Calum’s Road.
The Fiddlers’ Rally continues to introduce excellent new elements amongst the familiar ones. Call Her Mum is a lovely, gentle song written by former Gizzen Brigger, Ruairidh Gollan.
Ruairidh opened the song on accordion accompanied by Emma Racionzer on fiddle. The lovely playing was then joined by the whole group and the tune seemed to soar.
Fell Line are stars of the Scottish traditional scene, having won the Battle of the Folk Bands in 2024. Calum was also BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician 2024. Chloe clearly felt very much at home, back amongst Gizzen Briggs musicians and she paid tribute to “the massive sound they make”.
Chloe also paid tribute to the staff who had given her so much as she was learning her traditional music skills. The trio demonstrated their instrumental and singing skills over two sets which included a song written by Chloe for her father and the group’s latest recording, The Kids’ Beer Tent. They also established an excellent rapport with the audience.
Behind-the-scenes elements came to the fore as the raffle was drawn. A very extensive list of prizes demonstrated the generosity of donors and the goodwill in the community towards Gizzen Briggs.
Indeed all elements of the organisation had worked extremely well, from the excellent lighting by Brian Mackie and the high quality sound management by Ross Macleod to the volunteers assisting in the hall and with refreshments at the interval.
The closing sets by the whole group began with the slow and atmospheric Sileas and, as the pace increased, the audience joined in, clapping to the rhythm.
To conclude, The Gael began with Nerri Powell on the whistle, filling the hall with a powerful, eerie sound and then swelled to a dramatic conclusion.
