Skippin’ the night away

Jim           Buchanan,     the     Society’s chairman, reports on the well attended ceilidh after the Collogue

The CEILIDH Dance at the Bimam House Hotel featured the powerful Highland duo Skipinnish, with guest piper Angus Mackenzie of Daimh. Looking back on a day of ups and downs - mostly ups –I recall

that Angus played before the dance, while the band (they were late!) were still setting up, which must have been off-putting for him.

Nevertheless, he played some storming sets on his Border pipes accompanied by (former LBPS chairman and pipemaker) Nigel Richard on cittern. At the interval Hamish Moore played a delightful set with a local singer, Laureen Merriman, and Angus came back on for more amazing piping. The ceilidh dance was practically a sell-out and the floor was always busy.

Why Skipinnish? Well, I have been a huge fan of theirs since their debut CD in 2001 (see below for a discography). Skipinnish are Andrew Stevenson (bagpipe, smallpipes, flute and whistles) from Achnacarry and Angus Macphail (accordion) from Tiree. The band were also joined on the night by Duncan Nicholson on pipes and whistles. I remember taking their debut recording to the 2001 LBPS Summer School at Kirkdale House, courtesy of David and Janet Hannay, and enthusing over their marches, jigs and reels.

Their sound takes me back to summers long ago when my holidays were mostly spent sailing around the Hebrides from the Clyde seeking out dances (and talent) at village halls. The sound is authentically West Highland, skipping along at lightning speed between soulful waltzes with complicated Gaelic names. As one reviewer has said - “these boys give the audience the real thing - with both barrels!” They don't attempt to adapt or modernise

Highland music to make it suit the ears of a non-Highland audience. As a consequence perhaps not everyone appreciates it, and I did get the odd adverse comments from one or two people at breakfast the next day.

Andrew and Angus first met as students at the RSAMD where Angus studied accordion under Ian Muir and Andrew piping with Allan Macdonald of Glenuig. The band has recently been nominated as Scottish Dance Band of the Year for the Scottish Traditional Music Awards. They are in great demand for festivals, concerts, dances and weddings at home and abroad. I wish them all the best for the future and I'm very glad that I asked them to play for us.

For discography and further information, visit www.skipinnish.com