2008 Local Acts
- Aestaewast
Consisting of members from the Aest, Wast, Nort & Sooth of Shetland, this home grown group perform African
drumming, singing and dancing.
- Alex Hutchison & Friends
- The Bleach Boys
- Byran Gear & Friends
- Drop The Box
- Erin Sandison
- Fiddle Finale
- Fradenr Gamla
- Fullsceilidh Spelmannslag
- The Gordon Tulloch Experience
- Hom Bru
2008 will see Hom Bru celebrating their 30th anniversary.
- Karlyn, Norma & Co.
- Kollifirbolli
Consisting of Astryd Jamieson (piano/concertina), Kaela Jamieson (fiddle) & Mary Rutherford (fiddle), Kollifirbolli
are a new band, and despite playing together occasionally for a while, have only started seriously since August 2007. They like
to play a mix of different styles and enjoy finding new tunes & arranging them.
- Jamieson's Big Pockets
Jamieson's Big Pockets provide an eclectic mix of blues & funk via country, rockabilly & Fraggle Rock
with an unhealthy helping of Oompah music for pudding. Made to make your body move to the groove, they
also provide witty insights into the absurdities of modern lifein Shetland
- Jordan Ogg
Jordan was born and raised close to a cliff edge in the Shetland Islands. He grew up among 96,473 amorous sheep,
4 angry ponies, 6 sheepish hens and 1 sexually confused collie. His musical career has marked many wonderful
experiences including: a live session on BBC Scotland's Tom Morton Show; playing the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow
at Celtic Connections festival; two concerts at the Shetland Folk Festival, as well as radio play on Radio 2 and Radio
Scotland. Expect a blend of gothic romance with surrealist folk in the vain of Guthrie, Dylan and Neil Young.
- Junior Fiddle Attraction
This interschool fiddle group recently featured on the CBBC CBeebies TV programme "Take A Bow". The
group includes many junior prize winners from the the Young Fiddler of the Year competitions.
- Kevin Henderson & Breanndán Begley
- Laeverick
These three singers from Burra in Shetland are Jenny Keldie (née Napier), Rhonda Simpson and Mhari Pottinger
and are accompanied by first class musicians Gordon Tulloch on Guitar and Ivor (Fred) Polson on Bass and Mandolin. This vocal
powerhouse formed in 2006 to take part in the annual Burra event, The Thomas Fraser Memorial Festival. So well
received were the lasses, they were persuaded to perform again the following year and have taken part in the Shetland Folk
Festival - also to great appreciation.
- Leeshinat
- Lintie
Lintie are a vocal band featuring mostly contemporary Shetland material.
- Maggie'n Brian
Maggie Adamson and Brian Nicholson are an exciting combination of youth and experience. At 15 years old Maggie
is currently Shetland's "Young Musician of the Year" and holds two current Scottish Junior Fiddle Titles.
She has been involved in several bands, but for the last 18 months has played regularly as a duo with Brian Nicholson
accompanying on the guitar. Brian is one of Shetlands foremost guitarists, plauing in several bands from country,
folk to rock. He is probably best known in the folk world as the guitarist in Hom Bru. Together they play an eclectic mix
of music, equally at home with trad Shetland tunes, folk music of other countries, jazz and even a little classical. After being a
becoming runners up at 2007s Danny's they were delighted to win the Open Stage at the 2007 Orkney Folk Festival, have toured
Australia with Swingin' Fiddles, and have recently released an album called Tammie Norie.
- No Sweat
No Sweat have been rocking the halls and pubs of Shetland for the past 28 years. Their sets are mostly
made up for original material and have recorded two albums, "Take Just as you Find" and "Bulletproof".
- The North Country Fair
- Northmavine Accordion & Fiddle Club
- Rummle
Mariann, Emma and Alison were the backbone of the group 'Shaela' and have gathered some friends
together to play flat out folk music.
- Rumshack Blues Band
The Rumshack Blues Band (originally known as RMS) are four long-term stalwarts of the
Shetland music scene: Rory Gillies (vocals & harmonica), Mike Batty (lead guitar),
Sidney Hunter (bass guitar) and Davie Nicolson (drums). Their common interest in Blues
has produced a refreshingly raw and very traditional sound with classic material from
such greats as Sonny Boy Williamson I, Rice Miller, Muddy Waters and Robert Johnson,
to name but a few, along with some of their own compositions. This band is a must hear
for all Blues fans!
- Ryan Couper & Adam Johnson
Ryan plays fiddle & guitar, Adam plays guitar & banjo swapping instruments during their set
which features flat pick guitar too.
- Scaldin Bragg
- Sheila Henderson
Sheila possesses a terrific voice which has graced two critically acclaimed albums
and been heard extensively on the UK mainland via touring and national radio play. In
1999 she was nominated in three categories in the British Country Music Awards and
has shared the stage with none other than Albert Lee who wrote the sleeve note for
her last album and labelled her band "...a world class act." Nothing more need
be said.
- Shetland Folkdance
- Shetland's Heritage Fiddlers
Together for over 25 years, Shetland's Hertiage Fiddlers have performed at almost every
Shetland Folk Festival (mostly under their original name of Shetland's Young Heritage). The group
was formed by their late founder and leader, the well known Dr Tom Anderson, who was 'instrumental' in
recording, preserving and promoting the unique shetland traditionalstyle of fiddling which his
group proudly carry on today.
- Shoormal
Shoormal formed in 1997 as an 8-piece outfit. The current line up combines 2 guitars (Gordon Tulloch & Trevor Smith),
keys/accordion (Gregg Arthur), drums (Archer Kemp), Bass (Jonathon Ritch) with the 3-part harmony vocals of Freda Leask,
Joyce McDill & Donna Smith. With 3 CDs to date much of their material is original and reflective in style.
- Square Da Mizzen
Square Da Mizzen have played at the festival since approximately 1990 and feature Shetland/Celtic tunes and
songs as well as own compositions. Featuring Jim Leask (fiddle), Bernadett Porter (fiddle) and Neill Hall (vocals,
guitar and bouzouki). They have also performed at the Shetland Fiddle & Accordion Festival, the Orkney Folk Festival
and around Mainland Scotland. The group's name comes from an old Shetland reel tune related to fishing.
- The Sheep Doctors
- The Shetland Fiddlers' Society
Shetland Fiddlers' Society was formed in 1960, making it the 'oldest' performer
in the Festival, and one of the handful of still-active local participants from the
first festival in 1981. In contrast to most Shetland fiddle groups, the Society
adheres faithfully to the melodies and playing style that make the traditional fiddle
music of the islands unique and distinct.
- The Shining Pool
Named after a Willy Taylor hornpipe, The Shining Pool features Ivor Smith on fiddle, Johnny Izatt on
guitar & vocals, Steve Davidson on Cajun accordion & Northumbrian pipes, Gary Stove on cello and fiddle, and
Roy Tait on bass. With many diverse musical interests amongst our members, it is no surprise to discover that their
sets jump from Cajun standards to Latin American waltzes; and from Northumbrian dance tunes to Bothy Ballads. A bit
like a whole folk festival in one band.
- Tunester
Group which replaced 'High Strings'
- The Wishart Family
Brother and sisters Brian, Mavis and Linda are original from Walls. At a young age, they started singing at home
as a trio. Their first public performance was at a concert in the old Whiteness Hall in April 1972 and since then
they have performed at a wide variety of events all over Shetland, including many folk festivals, clubs, local concerts
and weddings. They have appeared regularly with Shetland Country Music club since it's beginning in 1976, to recent times.
Two cassette tapes were recorded for Viking Vision: "Wandering On" which was released in 1983, and "Early
Days" in 1985, both receiving an excellent response. In April 1997 a commemorative concert was held in the new Whiteness
Hall to celebrate their 25th Anniversary.
Their music continues to feature authentic vocal harmonies which are easy on the ear, accompanied by acoustic guitars,
mandolin and occasional harmonica. In the early days, their songs were a mixture of contemporary and traditional; country
and folk. Influenced originally by the Carter Family, "brother" duets such as the Louvin Brothers, and fifties
bluegrass bands, their current repertoire features songs from earliest folk ballads to present-day bluegrass.
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