Dunblane Weekend
by Norrie Williams
The Reception Area, Dunblane Hydro, Saturday, 25th June, time 9.30pm. Sheila (my wife) and I have just come in from a wee walk round the grounds and are standing chatting to some friends (everyone is a friend on the N.A.A.F.C. Weekend) when I catch the wing of someone with graying wavy hair sloping past with a black five-row at the short trail, heading for one of the small lounges.
No second bidding required, I hastily excuse myself and shoot off in pursuit. When Bobby MacLeod passes carrying a box I don’t hang about. A blissful hour follows as the man from Tobermory plays through selections of the best standards in his own inimitable, relaxed style.
He has this knack of making well known tunes interesting and a bit special – a held note here and an unexpected grace note there. We all know that these unscheduled happenings are the occasions which produce the best in traditional music.
This is no exception. In no time at all the room is full and to add to everyone’s enjoyment Bobby is joined first by Angus Fitchet (brighter than ever and in great form) and then by Jimmy Brown, with his usual ‘rossity’ heap.
Despite this particular obstacle the music is just great. Soon these stalwarts are joined by Hamish Smith from Glenfarg who provides excellent backing harmonies on piano accordion.
At the end of this most therapeutic session we shoot through to the main ballroom to catch the end of the regular Jim MacLeod Band Saturday evening dance. We spend an energetic, but enjoyable 20 minutes or so on the floor as the band take us through a medley of request dances. Clean, professional dance music this – not a hair out of place.
But never a dull moment ; after the last waltz Jim welcomes the Association members and invites them to let their hair down and do their own thing into the small hours. At this point Chic Kirkwood of the Dunblane Club takes over and we are launched straight into a ‘Strip the Willow’ to the first-rate music of the Dundee A&F Club Junior Band, under the leadership of young Kevin Clark and the ever watchful eyes of dads Tom Clark and Ken Scott.
I don’t need to comment on the band’s performance ; you’ve heard me on about this group before, I’m a fan for life.
Now we’re out in the foyer again for a breath of air and a visit to the ‘powder room,’ but we never get there, pulled up sharp by the sound of a most melodious fiddle and dozens of glorious greetin’ grace notes wafting out of the lounge we had so recently vacated. We push our way in through the crowd which is by now quite dense and there playing away in characteristic fashion with eyes closed is ‘himself,’ our guest for the weekend, Ian Powrie, surrounded by players all giving of their best. Ton Clark, accordion, and John Strachan (piano), both of the Invertay Band ; young Stella Clark, fiddle, and Hugh Gebbie od East Kilbride on drums. ‘Colonel Robertson’, ‘Locheil’s’ Welcome’, ‘Ballochyle’, ‘Highland Wedding’, Shetland Reels etc. What a sound. We’re all going about daft with emotion and enthusiasm by now.
There are only two problems – some folk make better doors than windows and Ian ‘wastes’ at least 20 seconds between selections discussing what to play with his colleagues!
I think we can excuse this after such a long absence. But in traditional music circles when one is wound up 20 seconds is a long time, long enough to play ten or 12 bars of a good 2/4!
Suddenly, the sound gets even better, if this is possible, and we wonder ‘what’s next?’ (can’t see for the aforementioned ‘doors’). Simple answer. Bobby Crowe is now on second box – on second box! The ensemble is now so good that I am almost beyond help, but Jack Cooper, the organiser of the whole affair, keeps me on the straight and narrow by talking, imagine, talking during a religious ceremony. In reality he is asking me to write this paragraph.
But, to be serious, all the Powrie magic, the unmistakable melodious playing almost liquid in quality is still there in full and Ian is obviously completely relaxed and in his element. The supporting players in the group change from time to time – Colin Lander and Bill Weir from Peebles doing shifts on drums and Hamish Smith back on second accordion for a spell.
Unbelievably the time is now 1.58am and we are treated to an excellent fiddle solo spot by Stella Clark with the ‘Marchioness of Cornwallis’ and ‘The Eclipse Hornpipe’ ; 2.03am – dash through to the main hall to hear the fine accordion duo of Jennifer Forrest from Airdrie and George (?) swinging easily through ‘P/M J.K. Cairns’, ‘The Braemar Gathering’ and ‘The Conundrum’.
Now another sprint back to the lounge for fear we are missing anything. We’re almost doing the splits trying to be in two places at once. No sooner there than someone shouts’ Robbie Shepherd’s going to give us a song’ (he’s been dancing earlier), so away again to hear the ‘Buchan Bobby’ and others. All great stuff 3.15am – reluctantly decide to try and get a wink of sleep, so off to bed, but blissfully content. What an evening – haven’t done so much running for years – that is what it’s all about.
Postscript : This will sound like name dropping, but it’s not meant to be. I had a brief chat with Ian Powrie and Leila on the Sunday morning, the first time since a dance in the Rosemount Rooms in Montrose in 1956. Ian told me he had been at a function in Ayr a few days previously when a tune written in his honour ‘Kenny Thomson’s Compliments to Ian Powrie’ had been played. He diddled it over to me there and then, all four measures and no music of fiddle, but what a lift. He was obviously over the moon about it.
We also reminisced about the late 40s and early 50s when the Scottish dance bands used to broadcast live from the Coldside Studios in Dundee on a Saturday evening and then dash off to a dance at some wee hall. The Powrie band car – a big sloping-back Morris – used to pass us peching up the Marykirk Brae on our bikes heading for the dance in the St Laurence Hall in Laurencekirk after we had heard the broadcast.
Roll on Dunblane 1984.
No second bidding required, I hastily excuse myself and shoot off in pursuit. When Bobby MacLeod passes carrying a box I don’t hang about. A blissful hour follows as the man from Tobermory plays through selections of the best standards in his own inimitable, relaxed style.
He has this knack of making well known tunes interesting and a bit special – a held note here and an unexpected grace note there. We all know that these unscheduled happenings are the occasions which produce the best in traditional music.
This is no exception. In no time at all the room is full and to add to everyone’s enjoyment Bobby is joined first by Angus Fitchet (brighter than ever and in great form) and then by Jimmy Brown, with his usual ‘rossity’ heap.
Despite this particular obstacle the music is just great. Soon these stalwarts are joined by Hamish Smith from Glenfarg who provides excellent backing harmonies on piano accordion.
At the end of this most therapeutic session we shoot through to the main ballroom to catch the end of the regular Jim MacLeod Band Saturday evening dance. We spend an energetic, but enjoyable 20 minutes or so on the floor as the band take us through a medley of request dances. Clean, professional dance music this – not a hair out of place.
But never a dull moment ; after the last waltz Jim welcomes the Association members and invites them to let their hair down and do their own thing into the small hours. At this point Chic Kirkwood of the Dunblane Club takes over and we are launched straight into a ‘Strip the Willow’ to the first-rate music of the Dundee A&F Club Junior Band, under the leadership of young Kevin Clark and the ever watchful eyes of dads Tom Clark and Ken Scott.
I don’t need to comment on the band’s performance ; you’ve heard me on about this group before, I’m a fan for life.
Now we’re out in the foyer again for a breath of air and a visit to the ‘powder room,’ but we never get there, pulled up sharp by the sound of a most melodious fiddle and dozens of glorious greetin’ grace notes wafting out of the lounge we had so recently vacated. We push our way in through the crowd which is by now quite dense and there playing away in characteristic fashion with eyes closed is ‘himself,’ our guest for the weekend, Ian Powrie, surrounded by players all giving of their best. Ton Clark, accordion, and John Strachan (piano), both of the Invertay Band ; young Stella Clark, fiddle, and Hugh Gebbie od East Kilbride on drums. ‘Colonel Robertson’, ‘Locheil’s’ Welcome’, ‘Ballochyle’, ‘Highland Wedding’, Shetland Reels etc. What a sound. We’re all going about daft with emotion and enthusiasm by now.
There are only two problems – some folk make better doors than windows and Ian ‘wastes’ at least 20 seconds between selections discussing what to play with his colleagues!
I think we can excuse this after such a long absence. But in traditional music circles when one is wound up 20 seconds is a long time, long enough to play ten or 12 bars of a good 2/4!
Suddenly, the sound gets even better, if this is possible, and we wonder ‘what’s next?’ (can’t see for the aforementioned ‘doors’). Simple answer. Bobby Crowe is now on second box – on second box! The ensemble is now so good that I am almost beyond help, but Jack Cooper, the organiser of the whole affair, keeps me on the straight and narrow by talking, imagine, talking during a religious ceremony. In reality he is asking me to write this paragraph.
But, to be serious, all the Powrie magic, the unmistakable melodious playing almost liquid in quality is still there in full and Ian is obviously completely relaxed and in his element. The supporting players in the group change from time to time – Colin Lander and Bill Weir from Peebles doing shifts on drums and Hamish Smith back on second accordion for a spell.
Unbelievably the time is now 1.58am and we are treated to an excellent fiddle solo spot by Stella Clark with the ‘Marchioness of Cornwallis’ and ‘The Eclipse Hornpipe’ ; 2.03am – dash through to the main hall to hear the fine accordion duo of Jennifer Forrest from Airdrie and George (?) swinging easily through ‘P/M J.K. Cairns’, ‘The Braemar Gathering’ and ‘The Conundrum’.
Now another sprint back to the lounge for fear we are missing anything. We’re almost doing the splits trying to be in two places at once. No sooner there than someone shouts’ Robbie Shepherd’s going to give us a song’ (he’s been dancing earlier), so away again to hear the ‘Buchan Bobby’ and others. All great stuff 3.15am – reluctantly decide to try and get a wink of sleep, so off to bed, but blissfully content. What an evening – haven’t done so much running for years – that is what it’s all about.
Postscript : This will sound like name dropping, but it’s not meant to be. I had a brief chat with Ian Powrie and Leila on the Sunday morning, the first time since a dance in the Rosemount Rooms in Montrose in 1956. Ian told me he had been at a function in Ayr a few days previously when a tune written in his honour ‘Kenny Thomson’s Compliments to Ian Powrie’ had been played. He diddled it over to me there and then, all four measures and no music of fiddle, but what a lift. He was obviously over the moon about it.
We also reminisced about the late 40s and early 50s when the Scottish dance bands used to broadcast live from the Coldside Studios in Dundee on a Saturday evening and then dash off to a dance at some wee hall. The Powrie band car – a big sloping-back Morris – used to pass us peching up the Marykirk Brae on our bikes heading for the dance in the St Laurence Hall in Laurencekirk after we had heard the broadcast.
Roll on Dunblane 1984.