Orkney Folk: The Gathering
Two years after premiering to rapturous acclaim at the 2011 Orkney Folk Festival, the all-Orcadian line-up and repertoire of The Gathering returns after its first UK mainland performance – in Glasgow’s legendary Old Fruitmarket, as part of the city’s 2013 Celtic Connections festival – and the release of a universally lauded live CD, launched in 2012 at a reprise of the magical first show.
Showcasing several generations of these islands’ richly distinctive folk culture, the heralded venture brings together an expansive cast ranging from teenage rising stars to veteran moothie ace and storyteller Billy Jolly, all brought together in superb style by musical director and fiddler Douglas Montgomery. A first-of-its-kind amongst Orkney’s fertile musical landscape, The Gathering presents some cast members whose first meeting, musically anyway, has been through the project – instantly illustrating its significance in both preserving and continuing the county’s vibrant musical heritage.
"The undisputed jewel in the crown [of the festival]...The Gathering emphatically foregrounded Orkney folk's greatness as musicians." - The Scotsman
"The energy on stage was electric. Judging by the faces of each performer, the enjoyment of the audience was also felt by those on stage." - The Orcadian