Well, looking at somewhere like Costa's in Inverness, they have a perfect
upstairs room for that sort of thing, but they close about 6 as far as I
know. Frothy coffee, ah, the joys! As for pubs, Blackfriars and the
Clachnaharry ( Tue., Thu., quality variable) have sessions as does Stevie
Eaglesham's new place in Evanton (Thu., good by all acoounts).
Jonathan
-----Original Message-----
From: David Kilpatrick [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: 19 August 2001 22:56
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: [scots-l] Re: A session wi' the Rechabite Lasses
Jonathan Hill wrote:
>
> Jacks story reminds me of the dude who went into the Phoenix in Inverness
> about 5 years ago, checked out the menu, went off & held up the Britannia
> BS, came back & ordered his grub, & guess what? He got collared too!
> Drifting reluctantly back on-topic...why do coffee houses close at
half-five
> or six? If you don't drink, have kids/teenagers/aunties in tow what fate
> awaits you in our towns. And have you ever tried to fire up a tune in
> McDeadcows? Eeeesht!
> I used to trawl the acoustic guitar NG & they were always banging on about
> coffee house gigs, house concerts & such if my memory play me not false.
> David?
That story was mine in reply to Jack (who probably has better ones about
the dark depths of Dalkeith). We arrived in Inverness one day around
5.00pm and found absolutely nothing about to happen, and just kept
driving till we reached Dunkeld where Dougie's pub was, of course, doing
fiddles and not songs that night... my luck.
One reason the coffee houses don't open late is that they rely on
tourist coaches for business and those are daytime visits; the evening
stops are for restaurant meals or their overnight stay.
We have a new little craft shop-cum-restaurant opened just 50 yards from
me in Kelso, right next to the main car park, and Christine who runs it
is stocking my CDs (even playing them). We've been a bit busy to try any
music there yet, but early in November I'm booked for three nights in a
row to do an hour of after-dinner quiet guitar and songs (got to learn
some jazz, not easy but she's French and likes the cafe-jazz guitar sort
of style more than the celtic fingerstyle). This is a case of a cafe
first opening days only, then getting full catering, then getting a
licence to serve wine with meals, then deciding to open evenings from
Thursday to Sunday and taking business away from the pubs.
Anyone who has Scottish (or indeed French - musette etc) recordings of
their own they would like to get on sale or return could get them into
this cafe. Called the Knowes Around (she's French, right - did not know
how to pronounce Knowes!).
Borders Book in Edinburgh does have a cafe open until 10.00pm most
nights. I've done one Sunday afternoon lazy music' spot a week ago, with
Elspeth Smellie (harp and songs) since they pay double for a duo. We're
now booked to do two return visits on Friday evenings and I've got one
Sunday (Oct 21st) booked solo and could do with a 'partner' to share
this with. Although this is supposed to be a coffee house 'gig', it
isn't. They put you right in the middle of the bookstore, with the cafe
looking down from a balcony, with fairly powerful amplification. You are
right there in the very centre of the aisles and books and CDs. People
were generally very receptive, listened, applauded, didn't buy any CDs
but told the management they liked the music which is why we've been
asked back.
But if more musicians/singers were offering I'm sure we would not be
going back, they would be fully booked ahead (it is paid, just below MU
rates, you get £60 for a 75-minute Friday evening slot or £80 for a 2
hour Sunday afternoon slot with maybe 20 minutes break, assuming a duo -
half that for solo acts trying to do the entire slot alone).
David
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