2nd April 2009

The April meeting of the Isle of Skye Accordion and Fiddle Club was held in the Royal Hotel, Portree on the first Thursday of the month attended by a large turnout of musicians, members and visitors being welcomed by Club chairman and MC Jim Campbell. The evening’s entertainment was opened by the fine playing of three row button box player Sandy Ross of Lochcarron who was accompanied by Portree’s John Cameron on keyboards and Alistair Murray of Erbusaig on drums. Sandy set the scene for a fine series of accordionists with Emma Beaton and Ryan Moncrieff of Flodigarry, the Portree contingent of Rebecca MacDonald, John MacGilvary, Emma MacDonald, John Cameron and Aly ‘K’ MacPherson, and Catherine MacFarlane of Edinbane, all on piano accordions. John ‘The Box’ MacKerlich from Ardelve gave some great selections on his five row button box and the audience were treated to a superb piano accordion duet from the talented brothers Iain and Murdo Cameron from Glenelg. As a change from accordion music, Bruce MacDonald of Peiness entertained the audience with a fine solo on the Highland bagpipe and Kilmuir fiddler Wendy Riva played in her usual well prepared style. Making her debut appearance with her fiddle was eight year old Eilidh MacPherson and the audience enjoyed some fine sets from visiting accordionist Helen Murray of Inverness who was joined on stage by the ever popular accordionist and welcome visitor, John Carmichael who had dropped in to the Club. This great duo were supported on stage by John Cameron on keyboards and Aly ‘K’ MacPherson on drums to provide a super toe tapping sound. Manning the drum kit during the evening at various times were Portree’s Donald MacRae and Aly ‘K’ MacPherson, and from Erbusaig, young Alisatir Murray, giving support to many of the local players.
Highlight of the evening was the guest band whose reputation had preceded them and their eagerly awaited performance lived up to, and indeed, exceeded expectations. Archie MacPhee and the Bogroy Ceilidh Band from Inverness area comprised of Archie on piano accordion, Carol Irvine on fiddle, Jacquie MacDonald on keyboards and, no stranger to the Skye Club, George Bremner on drums. This quartet blended together with a fine tight sound to produce a varied programme in traditional style which simply wowed their audience and had them calling for more. This is a fine band with a great future and at the close of the evening they were joined on stage by a large squad of the evening’s players for the finest ‘stramash’ heard at the Club for a long time. To the Bogroy Ceilidh Band the message was loud and clear – ‘Haste Ye Back’!
The next Club night will be in the Royal Hotel, Portree on Thursday 7 May when the guest artistes will be The Burns Brothers. Meantime arrangements have been finalised for the fifth annual Skye Accordion & Fiddle Festival to be held in Portree from Thursday 21 May to Saturday 23 May. This family friendly festival goes from strength to strength and details can be found on the website at www.skyemusic.co.uk, adverts in the Box & Fiddle magazine or by phone on 01478 612153. Visitors are reminded that admission to the Saturday night ceilidh dance with music by the Scott Harvey Ceilidh Band is by ticket only which may be purchased in advance from the Royal Hotel, Portree, from the Club website or by phone on 01478 612153.
John Grundy