East Lothian Courier | News | First trad music fest

Tuesday, 6th January, 2009

Published: Thursday, 22nd May, 2008 08:00

First trad music fest

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TWO town leaders have banded together to launch Musselburgh’s first ever traditional music festival.

Councillors Roger Knox and Barry Turner, who both share a passion for folk music, are spearheading the town’s inaugural folk festival which is set to wow audiences next month.

The event, entitled ‘Musselburgh’s Ain Folk Festival’, will lead off with a casual afternoon session in Stagg’s beer garden followed by a more formal evening concert in the Brunton Hall’s Supper Room on Saturday, June 14.

Councillor Knox, who helped establish the Traditional Music and Song Association of Scotland in 1965, said: “Musselburgh has such a wealth of heritage that we were determined there should be a strong local flavour to the festival.

“Accordingly, the title ‘Musselburgh’s Ain’ reflects the fact that all the organisation team and the performers so far are based here in Musselburgh.

“This includes people of the stature of Andi Neate and Jim Knight who we are very lucky to have agreed to take part.”

He added: “We’ve deliberately started on a small scale this year and confined it to one day only.

“But everybody involved hopes that this will build up for next year.”

Councillor Barry Turner, one half of folk duo ‘Harvey’s Boys’, will perform some original songs at both the afternoon and evening session.

Other members of the organising team are Reno Di Rollo, Archie Martin and Dave Stillie, who perform together as ‘Delta’; and Lori Kanis, one of the town’s community development workers.

The afternoon singalong is free.

Tickets for the evening session cost £5 and are available from the Brunton Theatre Box Office, Di Rollo’s ice-cream parlour, Levenhall Post Office and ‘Sounds Instrumental’ in High Street.

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