Harborlite Music
The Monthly Newsletter is now available on it's own page. Please click on the lnk on the left.
Any Traditional Folk / Country / Bluegrass / Roots news should be emailed to gordon@harborlite.co.uk
Please check out the Latest Updates page for recent changes to the website.
Click here to open the Seating Chart for The Arts Guild Theatre.
July
The Hunger Mountain Boys make a much anticipated return to Inverclyde following on from the sensational gig at The Arts Guild Theatre last October. This time we have them on their own for an amazing Bluegrass gig at The Gamble Halls. Accompanied Under 16's Free and tickets onsale, online now!
It's billed as "Son Of A Legend - On Tour", Justin Townes Earle carries the names of two Legends and within a few years he'll be as well known as Steve Earle (his father) and Townes Van Zandt. With his new album, The Good Life recieving amazing reviews it's an honour to host Justin on Friday 18th July at Greenock Wanderers RFC. Tickets can be reserved through the shop here or through Greenock Wanderers RFC. Demand is such that you will have to be very quick to get yours! This is one of only 4 Scottish dates!
Review of Justin Townes Earle added to the Future Acts page
June
With The Pineapple Club nights coming to an end you may want to pass on to any of their regulars that only the very best musicians coming to the area are brought here by Harborlite Music. Over the years The Pineapple Club nights have become an underground legend with a wide range of Indie bands and musicians playing for them.
Duncan Chisholm and Ivan Drever make a welcome return to Inverclyde after 19 years. Live at The Gamble Halls on 6th June with tickets £10.00. This promises to be a family night to be remembered with Accompanied Under 16's Free!!! Tickets can be reserved through the Spar shop in Kempock Street or purchased online here.
Kirsty McGee and Mat Martin bring "Hobopop" to The Royal West of Scotland Amateur Boat Club on 13th June. Tickets can be reserved by calling the club on 01475 723 260 after 7pm or by calling 01475 805 220 or buy them online here. Kirsty and Mat are that good that none other than Karine Polwart is playing with them at one of their gigs prior to the visit to Inverclyde.
We have a whole load of acts lined up right into November with 2009 being planned. We can't announce who's coming yet but rest assured the acts coming are nothing short of astonishing. Check out the Newsletters and emails for more information. If you're not on the mailing list sign up now to keep up to date with the World Class acts coming to Inverclyde.
What a month we had in May. Dick Gaughan, Inveclyde Folk Club Open Stage, Celtic Music Inverclyde gig and The Groanbox Boys. We've finally recovered and normal service has been resumed!
The Gallery is now up and running and we've caught up with the backlog of pictures we had to go on there. Some are good and some are bad. Check it out, you might even see yourself! The camera has been reset back to factory settings and the next pictures will be of better quality! We might even have some video coming of The Groanbox Boys at The Wanderers.
We didn't get pictures from a couple of gigs as we forgot to take the camera!
We would like to hear from anyone that has any pictures from the Cruachan / Ian Davison, Fiona Mackenzie or Dick Gaughan gigs.
May
Dick Gaughan was absolutley superb. If you missed this gig then you've missed a good healthy dose of Traditional Scottish Singer Songwriter.
The Groanbox Boys are next up with their performance now looming at The Wanderers. This promises to be a fantastic musical journey from Folk to Blues to Country to Cajun and Bluegrass with a bit of everything in between. Tickets can be booked by calling the club on 01475 632 702 after 7pm or purchased online here.
The tickets for Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham are selling fast and we would advise anyone without a ticket to get theirs asap or they will lose out.
Inverclyde Folk Club Open Stage takes place on Friday 16th May at The Loreto Club. For a £3.00 donation to IFC funds you wil have some of the best local talents on stage. Hopefully we'll have an all star session at the end with tunes and song from everyone.
April
It's been a long time in the planning and organising but we can finally reveal that Scottish Folk Music legends Aly Bain & Phil Cunningham will be playing at The Arts Guild Theatre on Saturday 23rd August 2008. Tickets priced £15.00 (subject to booking fee) will be available online here or in person from Rythmic Records or Spar (Kempock Street in Gourock) from Saturday 19th April 2008. This is the first time Aly and Phil will have played in Inverclyde. Tickets will also be available fro some other outlets very soon.
For the latest news on the upcoming Inverclyde Folk Club Open Stage click here.
We've had a bit of a delay in adding any updates to the website. This has been due to an overheating laptop but thanks to KG Audio in Kelly Street the laptop problem has been resolved.
Not being able to update the site has given us a backlog of information to add into the newsletter and to the site.
There will be reviews posted of Fiona Mackenzie, Peter Case, Olav Larsen & The Alabama Rodeo Stars and Laura Boosinger with Josh Goforth.
Keep an eye on your email for an important date with a huge name coming to Inverclyde for the first time! All will be revealed very soon.
Laura Boosinger with Josh Goforth were amazing. More info coming in the review.
We've had to postpone the Sleepy Cafe Band gig at The Loreto Club. This will be rescheduled for later in the year.
Concert for Malawi is on Friday 25th April at The Gamble Halls. A great lineup including The Lazarenkos, The Wherries, Yvonne Lyon, JoshuaU2 and Battle of The Bands Winner 208 will be playing. There is a bar available so this event will be over 18's only.
In purchasing a ticket you will provide a school meal for two children for a whole year!
Tickets available from Inverkip Primary School (Daytime) / Inverkip Hotel or by calling 07974 388 821
March
It has come to our attention that some people may have been advised by The Arts Guild Theatre to contact Harborlite Music regarding replacement band or refund for Ken Orrick & Lost Highway on 29th February 2008.
We would like to make it clear that any West Coast Bluegrass or Scottish Bluegrass Association events are in no way associated with Harborlite Music and that Harborlite Music is independent from these organisations.
This month's recommeded listening:
Chris Smither - Train Home
Laura Boosinger - Let Me Linger
The Groanbox Boys - Smokestack Triology
Tickets are now SOLD OUT for Grammy Award Nominee Peter Case at the Royal West of Scotland Amateur Boat Club on Saturday 8th March.
Diary Date: Saturday 8th March, Peter Case, RWSABC, Tickets £10.00 for Members & Guests, Doors 7:30pm, Showtime 8pm.
Saturday 29th March brings the wonderful Olav Larsen & The Alabama Rodeo Stars to the new Clubhouse at Greenock Wanderers. Olav and the band will be playing their own brand of Country Americana. This will be the first night of many planned at the new Clubhouse and we can promise some major talents to be appearing there over the coming months.
Diary Date: Saturday 29th March, Olav Larsen & The Alabama Rodeo Stars, Greenock Wanderers RFC, Tickets £10.00 for Members & Guests, Doors 7:30pm, Showtime 8pm.
With any Club based events we would like to remind you they are open to Members & Guests. this means if you are not a member you will have to be "signed in" by a member. Normal Club rules and regulations must be adhered to.To reserve tickets please call the club involved during opening hours.
We have confirmed some more acts to play in Inverclyde this year including, Dick Gaughan, the duo of Duncan Chisholm & Ivan Drever and also Kirsty McGee with Mat Martin. We will announce (sometime in April) a major act booked to play here in August. Check out the What's On page for up to date acts booked.
February
This month's recommeded listening:
Fiona Mackenzie - Elevate
Peter Case - Let Us Now Praise Sleepy John
theCast - Greengold
New dates have now been added to the What's On page for for Dick Gaughan and also for the new Album release by The Sleepy Cafe Band. Both these nights will be at The Loreto Club.
Tickets: All tickets are sold on a first come first served basis. Please make sure you get your tickets early as we have had to turn people away from the door at a number of events.
What a night with The Packway Handle Band on January 30th. If you missed it then you would not believe the show we witnessed. The entire crowd was engrossed with the performance, the musicianship and the harmonies. We have been told by a member of the audience they could not believe they were siting in The Wallace Bennett Theatre on a cold and wet January evening in Greenock listening to music of this quality! Very high praise indeed. The Packway Handle Band said after the gig that it was one of the best audiences they've played to on this mini tour and will be more than happy to come back again in the future.
February brings Fiona Mackenzie direct from Celtic Connections to the home of Folk Music in Inverclyde. Tickets are now on sale for £10.00 from The Loreto Club and is open to Members and Guests. We're looking forward to this gig and with Inverclyde Folk Club provding the support we're sure there will be something for everyone to enjoy.
Diary Date: Saturday 16th February, Tickets £10.00, Doors 7:30pm, Showtime 8pm.
Gourock soprano and fiddle player Alison McNeill is jetting off to Mexico to perform a programme of Spanish and Latin American song in Mexico City. Alison will sing in two concerts, on the 1st and 4th April, accompanied by Javier Harnandez Tagle (guitar) and Clare Howard (piano).
Alison said, "I feel honoured to sing this repertoire in its homeland and, indeed, thought worthy enough to sing Spanish to Spanish speaking people"
January 2008
Tickets are now on sale for The Packway Handle Band at The Wallace Bennett Su
ite @ The Arts Guild Theatre. Tickets are priced £12.50 and accompanied under 16's are free!
The new album from Peter Case has been nomiated for a Grammy Award for the Best Folk Album of 2007. Considering the CD was only released around the start of December we're sure this lets you know how good Peter is!
Iain Morrison will be playing live at Celtic Connections as part of the Lewis and Harris Night.
December 2007
Inverclyde Folk Club will be meeting on Friday 28th December as the usual Tuesday night session falls on Christmas Day.
We now have a list of almost 200 acts willing to come to Inverclyde. Already dates are filling up for the first half of 2008 with two acts from Celtic Connections - The Packway Handle Band and Fiona Mackenzie. Others lined up for 2008 are Peter Case, the legendary Laura Boosinger with Josh Goforth and the sensational Groanbox Boys already booked!
We would advise you to keep checking back regularly as there's still other very well known acts provisionally booked but we need to keep it under our hats for the moment. Rest assured you will be advised via the Newsletter and email of breaking news about the acts booked.
Our mailing list now has around 500 subscribers and we've had offers of sponsorship for events from a number of local businesses. If you've not signed up for the mailing list please use the link on the Main Manu near the top of the page so that you can keep up to date with Arts, Crafts and Music in Inverclyde.
Ian Davison and Cruachan celebrated everything Scottish at the The Royal West of Scotland Amateur Boat Club on Friday 30th. Read the Review here.
We've already been asked when they'll be coming back and what will we put on for St Andrew's Night 2008!
We would advise you to get tickets sooner rather than later for any Harborlite Music event. This will avoid us turning you away from the door when events are sold out.
November 2007
Yet another night of fantastic live music at The Royal West of Scotland Amateur Boat Club with Alastair Moock. Support provided by Davy Nicol and Stephen Power added an extra contrasting glimpse of Singer Songwriters at work. Review here. Alastair was that good that a few intrepid music lovers even went to the impressive Harbour Arts Centre the following Saturday to see him again.
If you've not been to Irvine in a while make sure you visit The HAC the next time you're there. There's a superb program of events lined up and a regular Americana night. The HAC has wonderful food, Arts and Music all under one roof. A bit like errrrm, nowhere in Inverclyde?
Alastair will be returning in January for Celtic Connections for The Boston Tea Party featuring Alastair Moock, Kris Delmhorst, Tim Gearan and Rose Polenzani.
Tickets now available from www.celticconnections.com
What a night of music at The Greenock Arts Guild on Monday 8th October. The Earl Brothers with The Hunger Mountain Boys were a real hit with the 300 who attended. Review now online courtesy of "Big" Peter McGee at www.bluesbunny.com
Ticket will be available soon for Ian Davison and Cruachan for the St Andrew's night Extravaganza at the RWSABC on Friday 30th November (Members & Guests).
October 2007
Harborlite Music has been bringing a wide range of music to the Inverclyde area for over 7 years.
We now have a number of different venues available for musical events from 50 - 450 people with a wide range of musical tastes catered for.
Over the coming months we will be bringing live music events from traditional Scottish and Irish Folk to Oldtime Bluegrass, Country and much more. There's sure to be an event planned that you will enjoy.
Our Calendar is starting to fill up with a variety of bands being booked for a venue near you over the next few months. See our What's On page for more info.