Blas 2013 hailed as an outstanding success
Blas 2013’s packed week of Gaelic and Highland cultural events came to a thrilling finale at the weekend with a series of events across the area playing to enthusiastic audiences.
The highlight of Saturday night’s closing finale at Eden Court Theatre in Inverness was the 30th anniversary celebration of one of Gaelic music’s modern institutions, supergroup Capercaillie, who performed to a full house with Seamus Begley & Jim Murray and Calum MacCrimmon, who had composed one of this year’s festival’s two new commissions, reprising a section of his acclaimed work, “Boraraig”.
The pan-Highland festival once again attracted significant audiences and took a foray into Argyll and the Western Isles with notable success likely to be repeated as the event reaches a significant milestone next year with the completion of its first decade.
Festival organiser Donna MacRae said: “In almost all cases our attendances remained strong and were as good as, or even better, than last year. It is a very demanding week and the programme is not without its challenges given the geographical area we cover and the nature of some of our shows. However the audience feedback has been good and we are already planning for a special 10th anniversary festival in 2013.”
Speaking at the closing concert in Inverness on Saturday night, Fèisean nan Gàidheal Chief Executive, Arthur Cormack, praised the efforts of the volunteers and others who make the festival such a success. He said: “We have around 200 volunteers involved in the festival and over 400 individual artists. The success of Blas is a testament to their enthusiasm and talent. We’d like to thank them all, as well as those who continue to fund Blas, work collaboratively with the festival and Donna Macrae’s team who pull everything together.”
Amongst the major draws at Blas 2013 were Mànran who included a performance at Porterfield Prison, in collaboration with Live Music Now, as part of their gallop around the Highlands and Scottish music legends Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham and the young musicians from Fèis Latharna who performed to a packed Corran Halls in Oban.
Arthur Cormack added: “The Argyll ventures were very successful and we were delighted with the response in Islay, Mull and Oban. Although the majority of Blas events will remain in the Highlands, we now need to look at how we build on the Argyll events and our trip to the Western Isles with Cuairt nam Bàrd and “Eun Beag Chanaidh”, the new piece premiered at Blas with the assistance of the National Theatre of Scotland and the National Trust for Scotland.”
“Another highlight of Blas 2013 was the “Shinty’s Heroes - Curaidhean na Camanachd” performance at the Nevis Centre in Fort William, led by Hugh Dan MacLennan and Gary Innes the night before the Camanachd Cup Final at An Aird. Many people from throughout the shinty playing areas took the opportunity to make a weekend of it and travelled to Fort William to take in the show before going to the game the next day. We were delighted to work with the Camanachd Association and have the Camanachd Cup Final coinciding with Blas once more. We were also happy that the Fèis Lochabair Cèilidh Trail had the opportunity to entertain those at the game, providing music pre-and post-match.”
Blas 2014 will be the 10th anniversary and plans are already under way for the festival which will take place between 5 and 13 September.