Fresh from a UK tour in April 2019 and a performance at Scotland’s biggest music festival, Celtic Connections, Mairearad and Anna will hit the road again this November including an appearance at the Leith Folk Club on Tuesday12 November.
The duo will be performing material from their fourth album, ‘Farran’, combined with some familiar favourites, one or two completely new ongs and delivered with their intensely warm and friendly stage presence.
The album is called ‘Farran’ which is the Scots word for the starboard side of a boat and the beautiful marine illustrations for the cover design are by illustrator and mural artist, Chelsea Frew from Glasgow. (chelseafrew.com)
Given that Mairearad grew up by Achnahaird bay and is now living by the sea in Ullapool and Anna is from the village of Fortrose by the Moray Firth, it is not surprising that there is a marine theme for this duo’s fourth album.
The concept for this album is to represent exactly what this virtuosic duo perform live so catch it live as is this April! It is the stripped back sound of vocals, guitar, accordion, fiddle and bagpipes and it was recorded live at Gloworm studio in Glasgow with co-producer, Calum MacCrimmon from the band, ‘Breabach’.
The material includes the JP Cormier song about a boat, ‘Molly May’ and a haunting fiddle number ‘Mo Chailin – Dileas Donn’ written by Ullapool fisherman, Hector Mackenzie. Also on the album, there’s a foot stomping set of local reels written by Mairearad’s piping teacher, PM Norman Gillies, and many other great tunes, notably, some self penned compositions which is a staple for this pair’s music.
Mairearad says, “We performed this album material at many new venues on our April tour and had a great time! It will be lovely to play the material again at some of our favourite places to play this November.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
