Events

This page lists forthcoming events, including when the Centre becomes the Cromarty Old Brewery. 
We may not be the biggest venue in the north, but we have an intimate atmosphere and great audiences, with many very special nights - come along and have a good time.

 

Friday 17 February - Catriona McKay and Chris Stout

Catriona McKay is widely recognized for her unique style, vision and spirit for the harp. She has an enviable understanding, mastery and skill which is blended with an infectious enthusiasm and love for exploring. A musician and composer of integrity and depth who has a dynamic rhythm harp style developed through her playing in Shetland band Fiddlers’ Bid.

Chris Stout is a hugely dynamic and charismatic fiddle player, composer and producer from Fair Isle in the Shetland Islands. His diverse background, deeply rooted in both traditional and classical styles, has brought him to collaborate with musicians across the globe. He is a founder member of Fiddlers’ Bid. Chris is an astute character, an incredible performer and has a genius which allows him to communicate his profound relationship with music.

Having gigged, explored and sculpted their musical identities together for 15 years now, Catriona and Chris continue to evolve and create a sound and style “operating at a rarefied level of expertise” (The Herald). They recorded their first duo cd “Laebrack” in 2005 and have been part of many other projects together over the years as trustworthy collaborators.

“Scottish harp and Shetland fiddle are a marriage made in heaven...wonderful music played by musicians who are at the top of their game.” The Glasgow Herald       www.mckaystoutmusic.co.uk

 

Saturday 10th March – Matt Andersen

Canadian Matt Andersen has an enigmatic personality that is coupled with a larger than life showmanship, that has been earning him a fervent and steadfast audience wherever he graces the stage. Matt's sprawling Blues, Roots and Rock Musical hybrid, with his sorrowing and soulful voice has sparked growing interst and admiration. He is a larger than lfe entertainer - a real one man tour de force.

In addition to headlining major festivals, clubs and theatres throughout North America and the UK, Matt has shared the stage and toured with Randy Bachman, Bo Diddley, Little Feat, April Wine, America and Loverboy.

In 2010, he won the top prize for a duo/individual in the Memphis, Tennessee, International Blues Challenge, beating artists from 11 other countries and five continents - the first Canadian to prevail over the event's 26 year history. In 2011, he won the Maple Blues Awards for Entertainer of the Year and Acoustic Act of the Year and was nominated for four East Coast Music Association awards.

 

"Matt Andersen isn’t so much a performer as a force of nature. The 31-year-old blues artist is a mountain of a man with talent to match, and plays a powerful, gale-force concert of contemporary, blue-colour blues with hues of folk, rock, country and gospel. He writes the kind of big-hearted, hurtin’ songs that give you a lump in your throat because of their raw vulnerability." - therecord.com

 

Saturday March 31st - Rachel Harrington and The Knock-Outs

Rachel Harrington is a roots musician in the truest and purest sense, an artist who really understands and conveys the deep link between country and soul. 

As a child, her only exposure to music was gospel - that and her father's secret Stax/Motown collection he'd amassed since his return from Vietnam. She especially loved the black gospel groups as well as Otis Redding and Sam Cooke. Later, she fell under the spell of Hank Williams, George Jones and Loretta Lynn. 

By 2006, Rachel was touring with her songwriting hero and country legend, Guy Clark, winning national songwriting awards, and performing at large festivals throughout the U.S. Her debut CD, The Bootlegger’s Daughter (2007) featured some of Northwest America’s finest musicians, and co-produced with two-time Grammy winner Garey Shelton. The album has made its way around the globe, receiving rave reviews, and reaching No.1 on the Euro-Americana Chart.

Her new record, Celilo Falls, has had consecutive weeks in the Top-40 on the Americana chart in the US. - making it the 5th most-played album on folk radio in the US right now. Last year, Rachel also won Merlefest's esteemed songwriting contest (previous winners include Gillian Welch and Tift Merritt).

She is coming to Cromarty with her all-female honky tonk band The Knock Outs, featuring bass, drums, fiddle, and guitar. In addition to songs from the brand new record, the live show includes some of the band’s favourite country and rockabilly covers.

“Harrington is all about what’s left off her songs, and the skeletal arrangements leave the listener to fill in the unspoken terrors and tenderness that lie beneath” ~ Q magazine

“Songs that conjure the ghosts of old America” ~ Mojo

“A compelling blend of twang and swing … a sharply rendered sound portrait” ~ Songlines

 

And coming.....

* Joanna Chapman Smith - Saturday 9 June

* The Second Black Isle Fiddle Weekend (details below)

 

Indian Cookery classes

For 6 weeks from Monday 16 January from 7 - 9 pm, we host Indian cookery classes, courtesy of Marie Faulke Cookery.

Marie Faulke learned cookery skills from her parents who were from Mangalore, south of Goa. Her mother taught her chutneys and her father, a chef, passed on Goan-style dishes. Marie Faulke Cookery began when she decided to sell Indian snacks such as samosas and bhajis and at markets in the Black Isle, and she is now in demand for her cookery classes.

18 recipes are taught over the 6 weeks - that is 3 recipes a night: 1 curry, 1 vegetable and 1 rice dish. The students make
one recipe each night, and decide which one. Marie provides a recipe sheet of the recipes demonstrated which includes the next week's list of ingredients. On the first night, she explain the various spices used in Indian cooking

The cost for the 6 weeks course is £80, and there is a non-refundable deposit of £20, and Marie provides a ‘starter pack’ of
ingredients for £15. We'll get the course fee at the first session, but please call or email us to book your place.

 

Art Classes  NOW FULLY BOOKED

We host 'Figure Drawing from Life' on the weekend of 4/5 February, courtesy of the Black Isle Virtual Learning Centre.

Learn to draw the human form in a fun and relaxed class. Working with a live model, you will gain some figure drawing experience, with the emphasis on the creative use of materials to portray and interpret the figure within the composition.

This free two day course is ideal for those wishing to develop an art portfolio, but all levels are welcome, from experienced to novice. The course is led by Rosie Newman, Cromarty-based artist and art lecturer on 4 and 5 February, from 10am - 2pm on both days. If attending, if possible you should bring: newsprint paper/sketchbook/sugar paper/rough paper; drawing paper or sketch book A1 /A2; graphite pencils HB, 2B, 4B/ charcoal - condensed & willow; conte pencils & crayons earth tones/eraser/pencil sharpener drawing board/masking tape/water based paints (no oils please).

 

Qigong classes

On Wednesday nights with Janis Gillies.  Fun, relaxing and energising - Qigong improves balance, mobility and co-odination, and helps reduce and prevent stress.  Suitable for all ages and abilities.  Just £5 per session - call Janis on 01349 87607 for details or to book, or just come along.  

 

Black Isle Fiddle Weekend

This year's event will run on the weekend 6th-8th July. The tutors are Lauren MacColl, Aidan O'Rourke, Douglas Montgomery and Bruce MacGregor.  If you want to attend as a participant, bookings will be taken from 4th February, and the details are all included on Lauren's website at www.fiddleweekend.co.uk/

 

Some photos from recent gigs (thanks to Ali for the Samba photo and Ian Robertson for The Wiyos and Rory McLeod - see www.sky-hi-photos.co).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We serve supper before gigs between 7.00 and 7.30,
but we're not licensed so BYOB. Music starts @ 8.30. 

(Paper free) tickets are £10 (£15 with supper) unless otherwise indicated.

 

The Old Brewery is pleased to support Spirit Aid.

Founded in 2001 by David Hayman and friends, Spirit Aid is a volunteer organisation set up to support children and young people around the world by running humanitarian projects in places like Kosovo, Guinea Bissau, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Scotland.  www.spiritaid.org

Spirit Aid is dedicated to alleviating the suffering of children and young people whose lives have been devastated by war, poverty, genocide, ethnic cleansing and all forms of abuse. It identifies needs on the ground and targets resources within the local communities to make a real difference in health and living conditions.

Spirit Aid commits all donations to humanitarian aid. and relies solely on the goodwill and donations of its supporters.  It recently won the 2010 Scottish charity of the year award.

 

 

For more Black Isle activities, check out our friends at Resolis Community Arts (almost next door)  www.resoliscommunityarts.org.uk For more info on local gigs, check out the excellent guide at: invernessgigs.co.uk