@doricloon
The setlist as I recall it -
1. Liberation (Psalm 118) - Michael's narration from Martyn Bennett album "Liberation"
2. When These Shoes Were New - Everybody
3. The Midas Touch - The Hazey Janes with Christopher Marra
4. Dear Hank Williams - The Hazey Janes with Christopher Marra
5. Niel Gow's Apprentice - Rab Noakes, Eddi Reader and Dougie Maclean on fiddle
6. Frida Kahlo's Visit To The Taybridge Bar - Tom Mitchell
7. Happed In Mist - Mackenzie and Kris Drever
8. Mother Glasgow - Pat and Gregory Kane
9. The Altar Boys - Riley Briggs and Mackenzie
10. Lovely You - Dougie Maclean
11. All To Please Macushla - Eddi Reader
12. The Bawbee Birlin' - Rod Paterson
13. The Homeless Do Not seeem To Drink In Here - John Spillane
INTERVAL - The music played prior to the show and at the interval were Michael's favourite songs sung by his favourite singers.
14. Land of Golden Slippers - The Hazey Janes with Christopher Marra
15. Mrs Gorrie - Riley Briggs
16. General Grant's Visit to Dundee - Rab Noakes and Jimmie Macgregor
17. Chain Up the Swings - John Spillane
18. Under the Ullapool Moom - Sylvia Rae Tracey
19. Peddie Street - Dougie Maclean
20. Like Another Rolling Stone - Pat and Gregory Kane
21. The Lonesome Death of Francis Clarke - Mackenzie
22. Schenectady Calling Peerie Willie Johnson - Kris Drever
23. Here Comes the weak - Edii Reader and Mackenzie
24. Hamish - Rod Paterson
25.Monkey Hair - Alice Marra and Andrew Mitchell
26. All Will be Well - Everybody
27. The Optomistic Sound - Liz Lochhead - Scots Makar
28. Hermless - Everybody
The singers and musicians involved were -
Tom Mitchell
Rab Noakes
Eddi Reader
Dougie Maclean
Pat and Gregory Kane
John Spillane
Mackenzie - Fiona, Eilidh and Gillian
Rod Paterson
Jimmie Macgregor
Riley Briggs
Sylvia Rae Tracey
Kris Drever
The Hazey Janes - Andrew Mitchell, Alice Marra, Matthew Marra and Liam Brennan
Liz Lochhead - Scots Makar
The House Band were -
Christopher Marra - guitars and steel guitar
Kevin Murray - guitars and mandolin
Gregor Philp - guitars
Hilary Brooks - piano and accordian
Steve Kettley - tenor and soprano saxophone
Duncan Chisholm - fiddle
Christine Hanson - cello
Kevin McGuire - upright bass
Dave Haswell - percusssion
Also there in spirit was Pip Locherty, Rock Newtyle, Liam Reilly, Colm Calvin, Chick Singer,
Pacquet Bonheure,Fabio Lino, Lefty Wright, Francis O'Fahey, Clement Park, Beauregard Low,
Harold Walls, Alec Gorrie, Al Martini, Lochee Luciano, Peem Porteus, Blair Gowrie,
Tim O'Rourke, Sandy Limestone, Memus Slim, Hamish Watt, Philip du Beity and
Mr Michael Marra who was the reason we were all there in the first place.
PS. Please excuse any errors on my part.
"My forgetter is getting better, but my rememberer is broke"
Aberdeen playwright Mike Gibb was at The Lemon Tree on Thursday night to see Michael Marra.
There was a time not so long ago when Michael Marra could be described as Scotland’s best kept secret. Fortunately that is no longer the case as a packed Cafe Bar at the Lemon Tree last night (24 November) clearly displayed. It was obvious that the audience contained a fair sprinkling of aficionados who were keen to listen to Marra’s unbeatable blend of music and humour once again; you may know most of the stories but he delivers them with such warm, natural charm that you simply can’t help laughing along.
But it was clear from the number who had to “rehearse” communal singing of the like “Baps ‘n Paste” and “Hermless” that there were a lot of new faces there as well. And after witnessing Marra’s masterful performance they’ll be back the next time Dundee’s finest export ventures north even forgiving him for his jibes at the Aiberdeen in “I Don’t Like Methil” and “If Dundee Were Africa”.
The two sets contained many of Michael’s finest moments, and there are plenty of those in his vast and varied repertoire, and yet began with a inspired rendition of Yip Harburg and Jay Gorney's famous depression era anthem “Brother Can You Spare A Dime” showing a very relevant link with today's economic turmoil. What followed was a master class in writing, brilliant lyrics happily married to fascinating tunes perfectly performed on the piano, and occasionally, the guitar with sometimes hilarious introductions populated with characters from Michael's past. The Bothy Cat, The Angry Cat. The Man with No Nickname and the Singing Moth.
Devotee favourites abounded – the wonderful unaccompanied tribute to Dundee drunks “Muggie Sha”, the imaginative blending of a famous Mexican artist Freda Kahlo with one of Dundee’s less salubrious drinking establishments (“Freda Kahlo’s Visit To The Tay Bridge Bar&rdquo
and his tribute to a castrated and wayward cat “Pious Portious”. "Farlow", "The Lonesome Death of Francis Clarke"," Bob Dylan's Visit to Embra", "Big Wide World Beyond The Seedlies", a hilarious testament to the perils of Lonely Heart’s columns “He Said, She Said” and a new song on the setlist, the ravishing “Heaven’s Hound” (inspired by the Mississippi travels of long time Marra friends and supporters from Kintore).
Michael left the stage to a tumultuous, well deserved and heartfelt ovation returning to treat us a encore featuring a couple of songs from his own songwriter heroes. A beautuful tribute to the late Gerry Rafferty with his "Mary Skeffington" followed by a poignant treatment of Hoagy Carmichael’s “Rocking Chair” before finishing with the Marra anthem “Hermless”, to my mind the saddest “comedy song” I’ve heard in many a long day.
The audience could have stayed all night so haste you back Michael. And when he does return I’m sure all who attended last night will be there once again bringing a few more friends with them. For Michael Marra is no longer Scotland’s best kept secret but is indeed one of Scotland’s greatest treasures.
OUT NOW - New book on Dundee music scene titled " Take It To The Bridge " written by Lorraine Wilson and published by Black and White Publishing .
Rare wee interview with Lorraine on STV talking about the book
Sad to report the sudden death of American songwriter and poet Gil Scott Heron.
A wonderful piece by Jamie Byng can be found in The Guardian
Thanks to their tie-up with YouTube STV are putting their archives online and some of the programmes had Michael Marra as a guest.
Aly Bain and Friends was first broadcast in 1987 and the series features a wonderful guest list and features some great music. Michael is in episode 3. If you never witnessed the playing of Peerie Wille Johnson you will pleased to know that Willie is featured extensively in the programmes with episode 5 being a my personal favourite.
http://www.youtube.com/show/alybainandfriends
The Ken Fine Show - a magazine style series presented by Jack Docherty, which celebrates the Scots language, dialects and Gaelic has Michael in all 12 programmes and they are also featured here in the archive -
http://www.youtube.com/show/thekenfineshow
Enjoy.
Joe Hawthorn has put the painting forward for the Aspect Prize exhibition which runs in the Paisley Museum and Art Galleries from 12 June to 10 July.
Mr Hawthorn, who will watch the singer perform in concert at Howden Park Centre on 19 May, said: "I am pleased to say that Michael has viewed my painting and is happy with it.
"I am always happy to see visiting artists coming to perform here, and it doesn't get much better than Michael Marra. It promises to be a cracking gig."
The artwork can be viewed at Joe Hawthorn's website
Just a wee note that An Aifreann Ghàidhlig, Blair's Gaelic Mass will be broadcast on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal on Easter Sunday (4 April) at 3.30 pm.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rx9pw
This is from a recording made at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Portree, Skye, as part of Blas 2009. The Mass features soloists Paul MacCallum and Maggie Macdonald with the Inverness Gaelic Choir, Iain MacDonald and an ensemble of classical musicians conducted by Andy Thorburn, who arranged the piece.
Hopefully it will also be available on the BBC iplayer after Sunday's broadcast.
Fit like,
Found this rare wee behind the scenes video of latest Chieftains and Ry Cooder project San Patricio