The Islay Sessions – a new mini festival featuring live music, workshops, sessions and a grand concert ceilidh, has just been announced to take place on Islay on the 11th, 12th and 13th of November 2011.
Lori Watson and the Rule of Three
The festival, featuring a pan-Scottish line-up, promises a welcome tonic to the dark winter nights and sees a host of musicians visiting the island for what is guaranteed to be a lively weekend of traditional and folk music. Feeling that November was traditionally a quiet month on the Island festival organiser Grahame Allison felt it was a perfect opportunity to try and entice locals and mainlanders to come and enjoy a weekend of music. “We felt it was a great time of year to put something on, people need a good bit of cheer at that time of year. What better than getting some of the best musicians in the country to come over to the island.”
It was an important part of choosing the line-up for Grahame that every act had some link with the island. “Everybody taking part has been to the island before or has a connection to the place, we wanted to ask a lot of these people back as they have already made the effort to come here in the past”. Grahame, who owns the well-known Port Charlotte Hotel, foresees a great weekend of music. “We really wanted to make sure we had something for everyone. That’s why we have sessions for different levels, workshops for beginners through to advanced players as well as a concert where everyone can see the musicians doing their own thing”.
