Box and Fiddle
Biggar A & F Club Reports
Year 1 No 3 December 1977
Biggar owes a lot to Sandy MacArthur, proprietor of the Clydesdale Hotel in the High Street for a most enthusiastic venue for box and fiddle enthusiasts. Shortly after he took over the Clydesdale in 1974, Sandy (himself an accomplished pro on the box and well-known for his BBC connections) started an Accordion Club. It got away in style……for its first guest was Ian Powrie, then home on holiday from Australia. The Club has never looked back since then. Everybody who’s anybody has been to Biggar to play. Recent guests have been Sean Maguire and Paddy Neary, who cast their spell on packed audiences at the Clydesdale. At most of the monthly meetings, Sandy does a bit of compering and playing.
The last meeting on Monday, 14th November, was a typically enjoyable event. Ian Holmes and Kenny Wilson were the stars, fitting in Biggar at the beginning of a very busy week of engagements for them. They were supported by quite a few locals, including Bobby Stenhouse, a grand fiddler, who doesn’t mind knocking up the famous Four-Poster Bed as an encore. Others who took part included the talents Andersons from Broughton, John Reid, Rab Carruthers, John Pottinger, Liam Forrest, Rob Dickson and Alastair McBeth.
Next meeting is on Monday, 12th December ; Walter Perrie.
Sandy Webster
Year 1 No 4 January 1978
Biggar Accordion Club had a host of talent at their show in the Clydesdale Hotel on Monday, 12th December. Walter Perrie from STV’s ‘Thingummyjig’ was the guest artiste. Alex MacArthur was a first rate compere. Local artistes were John Anderson, John Pottinger, Gordon MacArthur and Adam and William Anderson, Angus Oliver, Dougie Scott, John Laidlaw, Alistair McBeth and Ewan Cheyne came from Peebles. Allan Smith from Kirkfieldbank, Rab Dickson from Dolphinton and two youngsters who seem destined for a good future, 9 year old Elaine and 11 year old Douglas Hastie from Carluke. Next month’s guest will be Iain MacPhail.
Jan McPhail
Year 1 No 5 February 1978
Despite a severe January storm, the Clydesdale Hotel was packed to overflowing for the return visit of those brilliant brothers from Milngavie, the Currie Brothers. They gave their usual immaculate performance and had to play many encores. The thunderous applause at the end of their second spot was proof enough that their hazardous journey was well worth while. Haste ye back!
Alex MacArthur, the usual compere, was off with Paddy Neary at Galston (thanks for the hospitality boys!), but John Anderson did a great job introducing William and Adam Anderson, John Pottinger, Allan Smith and Rob Dickson. From Peebles we had Angus Oliver, Ewan Cheyne, Dougie Scott and Alistair McBeth, Frank Scott (fiddle) and Bill Jamieson (accordion) from Carnwath and the lovely Janice Sommerville from Abington. Special mention here for Adam Anderson. He attends our every meeting and as he is our only pianist he is never off the piano seat. They say no-one is indispensable, but in our case Adam certainly is!
We look forward to 13th March when our guests, making their first appearance, will be the Alan Coulson Trio from Alnwick. They can be assured of a very warm welcome at Biggar.
The annual dance is being held in the Municipal Hall, Biggar, on Friday, 31st March. Music will be by that grand old man, Bobby Crowe and his Band.
I would like to thank all the Clubs I have visited for their welcome and hospitality on my recent tour with Paddy Neary and hope to see many of the Club members at Biggar soon.
Alex MacArthur
Year 1 No 6 March 1978
Biggar Accordion Club’s venue, the Clydesdale Hotel, was once again packed to capacity for their meeting on 13th March 78. This month’s guests, the Alan Coulson Trio from Alnwick, made their first, but not their last, appearance at the Club.
The Trio (Alan Coulson, accordion, Geoff Purves, fiddle, Ian Murray, drums) held the audience spellbound with their varied selection of Border, Scottish, Irish and Country and Western music. The talent and versatility of this trio must surely make them go a long way, each member a start in his own right.
Compere for the evening was our Secretary John Anderson, who did a splendid job of setting up and introducing the players (he himself taking a turn on the box), who had come a great distance to our wee club.
Players for the evening were : accordions, John Anderson (Biggar), Dougie Scott, Angus Oliver, John Laidlaw (Peebles), Nelson Callan (Wishaw), Allan Smith (Kirkfieldbank), Ian Graham (Carluke) who brought along his brother Alex for the first time to the Club. Other first-timers were Gary Blair (son of famous Jimmy) and Adrian Hannah (Glasgow). On drums John Pottinger (Biggar), Rob Dickson (Dolphinton) and Alastair McBeth (Peebles). On piano our young stalwart Adam Anderson (Broughton) and bass William Anderson (Broughton) (who also gave us a tune on the accordion) and not forgetting our one and only Rab Carruthers, well-known in the Scottish Dance music field.
Biggar Club has now reached a point of providing an exceptionally high standard of talent from all playing members and anyone visiting the Club will be guaranteed a night of first-class Scottish music. Next month’s guests are the Lothian Scottish Dance Band, who made their debut on BBC, on 18th March. A night to look forward to on 10th April.
Peter Rae
Biggar A & F Club Reports
Year 1 No 3 December 1977
Biggar owes a lot to Sandy MacArthur, proprietor of the Clydesdale Hotel in the High Street for a most enthusiastic venue for box and fiddle enthusiasts. Shortly after he took over the Clydesdale in 1974, Sandy (himself an accomplished pro on the box and well-known for his BBC connections) started an Accordion Club. It got away in style……for its first guest was Ian Powrie, then home on holiday from Australia. The Club has never looked back since then. Everybody who’s anybody has been to Biggar to play. Recent guests have been Sean Maguire and Paddy Neary, who cast their spell on packed audiences at the Clydesdale. At most of the monthly meetings, Sandy does a bit of compering and playing.
The last meeting on Monday, 14th November, was a typically enjoyable event. Ian Holmes and Kenny Wilson were the stars, fitting in Biggar at the beginning of a very busy week of engagements for them. They were supported by quite a few locals, including Bobby Stenhouse, a grand fiddler, who doesn’t mind knocking up the famous Four-Poster Bed as an encore. Others who took part included the talents Andersons from Broughton, John Reid, Rab Carruthers, John Pottinger, Liam Forrest, Rob Dickson and Alastair McBeth.
Next meeting is on Monday, 12th December ; Walter Perrie.
Sandy Webster
Year 1 No 4 January 1978
Biggar Accordion Club had a host of talent at their show in the Clydesdale Hotel on Monday, 12th December. Walter Perrie from STV’s ‘Thingummyjig’ was the guest artiste. Alex MacArthur was a first rate compere. Local artistes were John Anderson, John Pottinger, Gordon MacArthur and Adam and William Anderson, Angus Oliver, Dougie Scott, John Laidlaw, Alistair McBeth and Ewan Cheyne came from Peebles. Allan Smith from Kirkfieldbank, Rab Dickson from Dolphinton and two youngsters who seem destined for a good future, 9 year old Elaine and 11 year old Douglas Hastie from Carluke. Next month’s guest will be Iain MacPhail.
Jan McPhail
Year 1 No 5 February 1978
Despite a severe January storm, the Clydesdale Hotel was packed to overflowing for the return visit of those brilliant brothers from Milngavie, the Currie Brothers. They gave their usual immaculate performance and had to play many encores. The thunderous applause at the end of their second spot was proof enough that their hazardous journey was well worth while. Haste ye back!
Alex MacArthur, the usual compere, was off with Paddy Neary at Galston (thanks for the hospitality boys!), but John Anderson did a great job introducing William and Adam Anderson, John Pottinger, Allan Smith and Rob Dickson. From Peebles we had Angus Oliver, Ewan Cheyne, Dougie Scott and Alistair McBeth, Frank Scott (fiddle) and Bill Jamieson (accordion) from Carnwath and the lovely Janice Sommerville from Abington. Special mention here for Adam Anderson. He attends our every meeting and as he is our only pianist he is never off the piano seat. They say no-one is indispensable, but in our case Adam certainly is!
We look forward to 13th March when our guests, making their first appearance, will be the Alan Coulson Trio from Alnwick. They can be assured of a very warm welcome at Biggar.
The annual dance is being held in the Municipal Hall, Biggar, on Friday, 31st March. Music will be by that grand old man, Bobby Crowe and his Band.
I would like to thank all the Clubs I have visited for their welcome and hospitality on my recent tour with Paddy Neary and hope to see many of the Club members at Biggar soon.
Alex MacArthur
Year 1 No 6 March 1978
Biggar Accordion Club’s venue, the Clydesdale Hotel, was once again packed to capacity for their meeting on 13th March 78. This month’s guests, the Alan Coulson Trio from Alnwick, made their first, but not their last, appearance at the Club.
The Trio (Alan Coulson, accordion, Geoff Purves, fiddle, Ian Murray, drums) held the audience spellbound with their varied selection of Border, Scottish, Irish and Country and Western music. The talent and versatility of this trio must surely make them go a long way, each member a start in his own right.
Compere for the evening was our Secretary John Anderson, who did a splendid job of setting up and introducing the players (he himself taking a turn on the box), who had come a great distance to our wee club.
Players for the evening were : accordions, John Anderson (Biggar), Dougie Scott, Angus Oliver, John Laidlaw (Peebles), Nelson Callan (Wishaw), Allan Smith (Kirkfieldbank), Ian Graham (Carluke) who brought along his brother Alex for the first time to the Club. Other first-timers were Gary Blair (son of famous Jimmy) and Adrian Hannah (Glasgow). On drums John Pottinger (Biggar), Rob Dickson (Dolphinton) and Alastair McBeth (Peebles). On piano our young stalwart Adam Anderson (Broughton) and bass William Anderson (Broughton) (who also gave us a tune on the accordion) and not forgetting our one and only Rab Carruthers, well-known in the Scottish Dance music field.
Biggar Club has now reached a point of providing an exceptionally high standard of talent from all playing members and anyone visiting the Club will be guaranteed a night of first-class Scottish music. Next month’s guests are the Lothian Scottish Dance Band, who made their debut on BBC, on 18th March. A night to look forward to on 10th April.
Peter Rae