Some of the world's top Celtic artists will be making their way to Highland Perthshire this autumn for Dougie MacLean's Perthshire Amber Festival in October and November.
The Festival kicks off with Dougie and Eddie Reader at Pitlochry Festival Theatre and finishes with a gala concert at Perth Concert Hall. Due to the great response to the last newsletter, we are also very pleased to announce the launch of "Perthshire Amber Live"!
For a one off (single) payment of £18.00 (approx $30.00) you will get access to live, real time, multi camera, video streams of concerts by the likes of Dougie MacLean, Eddi Reader, Malinky and Eliza Lynn as well as the Dougie MacLean & Friends extravaganza.
All concerts will also be available on demand after the fact along with other Special Venue Concerts (including The Crannog), interviews and special performances by festival performers, and footage of lots of the other things that are going on.
Guests so far announced include fantastic Irish band Beoga, Australian band Sunas, rising Scottish star Heidi Talbot, favourite tune and songsters Malinky, The Michael McGoldrick Trio, Duncan Chisolm and a host of Dougie's musical friends from around the globe performing in eleven concerts across the ten days.
Dougie will feature in ten of the concerts performing solo, with his band and his trio. He will also play a unique concert with his 1990's band when they perform his "Indigenous" album live for the first time. The ten day festival runs from October the 30th at venues across Perthshire.
Dougie told us, "We are delighted with this year's line up for what looks to be the biggest and best Perthshire Amber yet. We have more concerts at more venues with more musicians involved than in previous years. Our biggest step is that we are going to hold a major concert in Perth for the first time. The Caledonia Concert will feature wonderful musicians from five different countries who I have had a connection with over the years. I have been lucky enough to have had my songs recorded by some amazing artists and friends. The Caledonia Concert will feature some of these musicians.
"Perthshire Amber 2009 is one of the featured Homecoming Scotland events and the Caledonia Concert will be our key Homecoming contribution. I'm really looking forward to our Perth Concert Hall festival finale!
I'm also looking forward to playing the Indigenous album live for the first time. Our live versions of The Search in the past two years have been real Festival highlights."
Dougie MacLean, internationally renowned songwriter and composer of Caledonia and music from ‘The Last of the Mohicans' has developed an amazing and unique festival which shares with visitors from Scotland and abroad his inspiring music and showcases his musical friends in the very beautiful scenery of his native land,
The 10 day festival features international and Scottish musicians of the highest calibre. The concerts are staged in a variety of wonderful venues from an iron age crannog on Loch Tay, to historic Blair Castle and Castle Menzies and atmospheric Dunkeld Cathedral to the Festival Theatre in Pitlochry.
Yet the Festival is so much more than the music concerts. There are workshops, walks, talks, open mic sessions, an international fiddle competition and a Young Songwriter's Showcase as well as Cabaret Amber (free early evening music).
Perthshire Amber is also a celebration of the history and culture of this unique county in the heart of Scotland, at a time of the year when Perthshire is ablaze with rich autumnal colour.
Listings for Perthshire Amber 2009 - The Dougie MacLean Festival
Friday 30th October Eddie Reader, Dougie MacLean Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Eddie Reader joins Dougie MacLean to open this year's Perthshire Amber
Saturday 31st October The Dougie MacLean Trio, Beoga, The Sorren MacLean Band Pitlochry Festival Theatre
The Dougie MacLean Trio with audacious Irish band Beoga and contemporary acoustic pop from The Sorren MacLean Band.
Sunday 1st November The Dougie MacLean Band, Malinky, Gina MacLeod and Alan Jordan Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Lots of energy from the Dougie MacLean Band and one of Scotland's finest folk bands Malinky blended with the beautiful melodies of Gina MacLeod and Alan Jordan.
Monday 2nd November Dougie MacLean at Castle Menzies
Dougie MacLean plays solo in the evocative setting of Castle Menzies in Weem
Tuesday 3rd November Dougie MacLean, Michael McGoldrick Trio at Dukeld Cathedral
The beautiful Dunkeld Cathedral hosts a concert by Dougie MacLean joined by The Michael McGoldrick Trio. The trio will provide some of the most exciting, inventive and sophisticated music you'll find anywhere
Wednesday 4th November Duncan Chisholm's Kin at Birnam Arts Centre
Wolfstone Fiddle player Chisolm plays live with video and sound recordings reflecting his family history. Followed by the final of the Niel Gow International Fiddle Composition Award.
Thursday 5th November Dougie MacLean, Heidi Talbot at Blair Castle
The atmospheric Blair Castle will welcome Dougie MacLean playing solo and leading Scottish singer Heidi Talbot accompanied by renowned fiddler John McCusker and guitarist and singer songwriter Boo Hewerdine.
Friday 6th November Dougie MacLean Band, The Ross Ainslie and Jarlath Henderson Trio, Eliza Lynn Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Unique performance of Dougie MacLean's hugely popular Indigenous album supported by Scots/Irish pipes and whistles from the Ross Ainslie and Jarlath Henderson Trio and down home Americana from North Carolina's Eliza Lynn.
Saturday 7th November Dougie MacLean and Friends Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Friends concert night at Pitlochry Festival Theatre featuring Dougie and friends old and new. This year's secial guests are Julie Fowlis, Grammy award winning John Vesner (wrote song Where have you been - for Kathy Mattea - won grammy with) The MacDonald Brothers, broadcaster and songwriter Freda Morrison and other surprises on the night.
Concert tickets are now on sale and details of the event can be found on the Festival's website at www.perthshireamber.com
Sunday 8th November The Caledonia Concert Perth Concert Hall
Homecoming concert featuring Sunas (Australia), Frances Black (Ireland), Calaisa (Sweden), Dougie MacLean (Scotland) and other special guests yet to be announced!
For an audio preview of the Festival,with great music as well as interviews with Dougie MacLean download this 57 minute programme. Exclusive to Edinburghguide,
Click here to download PA RADIO 09_01.mp3
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