Scot: What a day! We have just come back from the Julie Fowlis concert this evening (this being the Celtic Music themed Jamie and Claire Tour). I know Julie Fowlis's folk music but this was a commissioned piece called Heisgeir. It was a short film, backed with her live band of Celtic instruments, documenting an abandoned island near where she comes from just off the west of Uibhist. I was really touched by the piece. It was the premier and possibly the only performance so Sam did well to find us tickets. The musicians spoke in Gaelic and English and the islanders in the film told tales and their life experiences on the outer isles in Gaelic. Our Outlandish Spirits had the full experience of what Claire would have heard a majority of the time, 200 years back from her own time.
I had a grand we natter with a man called Jamie who had traveled 10 hours to come to this gig and was camping in a midge-infested river location.
Yesterday I ran into a man for whom I had done a storytelling session last year, way up in a hunting lodge. He now works at the Black Isle Brewery, near to Inverness and he said they were having an Oktoberfest. I told the Line-m-up crew and this afternoon we went over and joined the festivities and sampled the ales and listened to some great music from local blues and folk musicians. (A Festival being another 'First' of new experiences on the J&C Tour). It's handy when we have a smallish group of enthusiasts (as opposed to a large coach tour) because we can take advantage of such fortuitous deviations in the planned itinerary.
The ale was grand as was the Bratwurst (it is an oktoberfest afterall). The cook was another of my storytelling acquiantances named Ricky. Tall, red haired, wears a kilt, AND COOKS. Oh the lasses of the posse had a wee bit o fun at his expense. He made the Bratwurst himself from "Gloucester Old Spot and The White Sow" pigs on Monday. Fresh!
All this and we still managed to do the planned visit of the day. A very special burial place that will remain secret. The posse found it to be moving, from all accounts.
Photos:
The Line-m-up posse in fluid form, Mr Reid, sings in the background.
Sista joins in the straw throwing with the under 5s.
Debie and Sistas read to us from the UK copy of Outlander - note the alternative artwork and name of 'Crosstitch'. Note also the pint pots. These lasses are all "blondes".
The final scene of Heisgeir - the band play behind the video footage and interviews.
