Thank you to everyone who helped in creating another outstanding Letham Nights!  13th August 2011 will always be thought of now as the Glorious 13th! We will post a full review in due course but we are indebted to our trio of wonderfully talented acts – David Latto, Chloe & Silas and Adriana Spina – for giving us a masterclass in musical performance

Nearly there!

Before we get on to Letham Nights….
For those of you who live within the magic 7 mile radius of Letham and are eligible to enter, we hope you have all your produce ready the Letham Flower Show this Saturday.  The hall is all set up and looking tip-top!  Entries can be submitted on Friday evening but must be in by 10am at the latest on Saturday morning.  Judging then takes place until the show opens from 2-4pm.

Everyone is welcome to come along and view the exhibits, have a cup of tea or coffee and contribute to the closing auction of flowers and produce.

And then Letham Nights…
From 4pm we need as much help as we can get to clear the hall after the flower show and get it set up again in time for soundchecks etc.  If you are available, please, please, please lend a hand!!!  The more help we have, the easier it will be.

You won’t be disappointed.  When the dust settles, the Clap and Tipple bar opens, you take your seat under the soft lighting with friends and neighbours and the music starts…

First up, some Americana from young local star, David Latto.  David, even in the last few months, has grown in stature and is singing better than ever – giving voice to a rich natural talent.  Just listen to his recent recordings at Annfield Studios.

Then it’s over to Chloe and Silas for more delightful heartwarming songs showcasing their new album, Spring Hill.  Check out ‘Show on the Road’, Chloe & Silas’ video diary of their tour of the UK.

Finally, to kick up a storm and get everyone up on the dancefloor we will have the wonderful Adriana Spina band, fresh from Belladrum and displaying the talent that has made Adriana one of the rising stars of the Scottish music scene.

Come and enjoy!  There are still some tickets left so just use the contact details opposite to phone or email one of us and we will get back to you – or just turn up at the door on the night!

Michael xx

Last weekend Adriana Spina and her band, launching their new album ‘Coming Home’ were delighting the crowds at the Belladrum Festival in Beauly.  This weekend they will be taking to the stage at our Letham Nights Summer Spectacular and then it’s on to the Edinburgh Festival… A busy schedule and we are delighted that Adriana has chosen to play for us at Letham Nights.  Here’s why:

You can find out more about Adriana Spina, her new album and other tour dates here

Remember that this will be a triple header with sets from David Latto and Chloe & Silas – Not to be missed!

There are still some tickets left so get yer bookings in – contact details opposite…

Excitement is building for Letham Nights #19 on Saturday 13th August.  It’s going to be a great show and just to prove it here is a sneak peak of one of David Latto’s new recordings

David has been touring the UK and will finish a series of gigs taking in England, Glasgow and Edinburgh at Letham Nights.

You can listen to more of David’s work and get information about his shows at www.davidlattomusic.com or on http://www.reverbnation.com/davidlatto

Australian singer-songwriter Chloe Hall has embarked on her third UK tour and is on her way to Letham! When she played Letham Nights in 2009 with her trio, we could see she’d fallen in love. With Letham. With the locals. With the magic that happens when everyone pulls together to make these special nights happen. This year, as part of a UK-wide tour, Chloe has teamed up with fiddle legend Silas Palmer (Women in Docs, Spot the Dog, Deep Blue Orchestra) to form a duo, groundbreakingly called ‘Chloe & Silas’. With over 30 years performance experience between them, they’ll be bringing their blend of uplifting harmonies, great songs and exciting playing to Letham Nights for the first time. This is music that will make you feel good!
“Sheer joy. A Sixties vibe with a true modern day slant” Dirk Maggs, BBC Producer (UK)
“A breath of sweet, fresh air” Gonzo Magazine (Canada)

Here is their full schedule…

Chloe & Silas: UK 2011
July 30: Shotley & Benfieldside Tennis Club, Shotley Bridge
August 4: Kellington Hall, North Yorkshire
August 5: Ropewalk, Barton-upon-Humber
August 6: CB2 Acoustic, Cambridge
August 10: The George Hotel, Argyll
August 11: Falkirk Folkclub, Falkirk
August 13: Letham Nights, Fife - THE BIG ONE!!
August 20: Blue Walnut Cafe, Torquay
August 21: Forest Folk Club, Lydney
August 23: Hoy at Anchor Folk Club, Leigh on Sea
August 25: Route 2 Wine Bar, Topsham
August 26: Bow Village Hall, Crediton
August 27: Teign Valley Community Hall, Christow
August 29: The Tyne Bar, Newcastle-upon-Tyne

It’s about time we let you know properly about our next Letham Nights on 13th August 2011.

It’s going to be a packed day with the Annual Letham Flower and Produce Show taking place.  Local makers and bakers and gardeners and growers from across the parish will be showing off their skills and vying for the favour of the judges to win the top prizes.  Why not make a day of it and come along at 2pm to see the winning entries.  The auction at the end of the afternoon is always a great chance to stock up on delicious home made cakes, jams and jellies, wine, flowers and prize vegetables.

At this point we need lots of help to clear up after the flower show and QUICKLY get set up for Letham Nights.  If you are around your help would be greatly appreciated!

Once we get this done, get the musicians sound-checked, the lighting sorted, tables laid, bar set up (phew!) it will be time to welcome our star guests for the evening….

LET THE MUSIC BEGIN!

First up, local boy, David Latto.  David has been making his mark over the past few years playing venues across Fife and beyond and delighting audiences with his unique brand of country/americana.  Here is a review of his new EP “Three Thousand Miles From Nashville”

He taps into the melodic and lyrical traditions of a culture three thousand miles from his home and imbues it with vitality.  Latto’s voice is particularly compelling, warm and resonant, with just a touch of his native accent evident, whilst the sparse arrangements really allow the songs to shine.

We have a treat in store!

We are then delighted to welcome back to Letham and Scotland – for the third time!! – the wonderful Chloe Hall from Melbourne, Australia.  Chloe is a big fan of Letham Nights making our spines tingle the last time she played with her heartwarming melodies and the moving stories in her songs.  This time she will be accompanied by virtuoso violinist Silas Palmer. Together they have just finished recording their new album, financed entirely through the pledges of fans.  Add your name to the list of pledgers and get the new download or a hard copy or a whole range of other possibilities…. We can’t wait to hear it! Here is what others have said about Chloe:

Chloe Hall has power. Every once in a while you attend a concert that has you wondering why you’ve never heard much about the artist on stage because they sound so good.

Finally, in an exciting triple bill, we will have sparkling, rising star, singer-songwriter Adriana Spina, one of the most exciting talents in the independent Scottish music scene.  Adriana has been a sell-out success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and made headlines when she was handpicked to support Sheryl Crow in the American superstar’s only UK headline date of her tour.  She will be joined by her four-piece band to finish off a cracking evening in style.

Adriana’s debut album “Never Coming Home” has just been released so we will be one of the first to get the chance to hear her new music and buy the CD.

a wee taster from our latest wonderful Letham Nights with Mick Pritchard and the Black Oil Brothers…

Follow the Black Oil Brothers on Facebook as they tour the rest of the UK…

Review and more clips to follow…

coming to a village hall near you…..

Can you believe it?  The brothers are coming back again.  With new songs in their locker and a swagger in their step from playing support to Buddy Guy at Buddy Guy’s!!! in Chicago, the boys are desperate to get back on stage at Letham Nights. This is their 3rd Annual Tour of the UK, and as always, it would not be complete without a stop in their favourite village to see their favourite folks. This from band member Tony Manno: “A TBOB UK tour without a Letham Nights stop is not a tour at all. This time we’ll be bringing Johnny Action on the drums to make sure every foot in the house doesn’t stop stompin’ all night!”. Blues was born in the Mississippi delta and raised on the streets of Chicago’s south side. The Black Oil Brothers draw from the same well as their heroes and that lets your ears know that there ain’t a damn thing wrong with the sound of a good man feeling bad.  Such is the blues: finding outlets in music that turns heartbreak into ass shake. Such is the music of The Black Oil Brothers and it very well may be saving our souls. Let them save yours, in Letham!!

And opening for the brothers, we are delighted to present again the inimitable, pared down, gutsy, bare-necessities blues of Mick Pritchard.  Born and raised in the backwater of Maltby, a mining town in the heart of Rotherham, South Yorkshire, Mick Pritchard spent most of his teens dreaming of playing bass guitar. Aged 16 and after raising £90 he bought an Encore six string electric guitar from Argos, replaced the strings with bass strings and started playing along to Stone Roses records. In 2008 Mick moved to Edinburgh, swapped his two bass guitars for an acoustic guitar and began to teach himself blues picking. Mick will be picking his way through a number of ‘oldies’ through to more contemporary fare and even one or two modern classics and originals including songs about tortoises and handheld media/communications devices…!

A Right Royale Bevvy

Despite the fact that the nation was gripped by a wee wedding somewhere in London town and that the Bevvy Sisters second visit to Letham Nights had been postponed due to weather (once) and the unfortunate illness to Kaela Rowan (get well soon wishes from all Letham Nighters) a sell out crowd attended the rearranged show. The Bevvy Sisters arranged a fantastic replacement in Roberta Pia – aka Banana Bevvy, vocalist with the Banana Sessions band. David MacGregor was easily persuaded to provide support. We had attended a benefit gig for the Haiti appeal in Dunshalt and were hugely impressed by his virtuosity, humour and Dreadlocks. David, from Dunfermline, had been living in the Jazz quarter of Paris until recently and had recently cut off the Dreads much to our surprise when he turned up to the sound check.

As this Letham Nights was, for the first time ever, held on a Friday, all hands were on deck to get the hall turned into the atmospheric, welcoming and classy venue that people are now coming to expect. No warm cans of Tennents, folding Formica topped tables and strip lights for our discerning punters. Craft Scotland’s Emma Walker set up a POP UP SHOP promoting Scottish makers wares: jeweller, Jane Gowans, ceramicist, Cosima Sempill and textile designer, Claire Heminsley had a display, in the bar, of their gorgeous pieces. Sales were made during the breaks in the music.

Geoff Stevenson, once again providing superb sound on the night, ran through the sound check. The lights were dimmed and background music filtered through, it was time to open the doors. Around 110 people flooded through the doors, found tables, sorted out refreshments from the “Clap and Tipple Bar” ready for David MacGregor’s solo performance. Mike started the whole thing off with a wee chat about our venture, the way we came across the musicians, the ethos of Letham Nights, the POP UP SHOP and thanking every one for their continued support.

David then took the stage and the crowd were treated to a set of Jazz classics along with some self penned numbers, some of which were inspired by his stay in Paris. The audience sat listening intently to the mesmerising music emanating from his guitar. Huge skill and an ear for melody shone through and he was applauded Letham Nights style i.e. uproarious cheers and whoops at the end of his set. David thanked the crowd, reminded them that CD’s were available for sale as well as letting us know that he is available for one-on-one guitar lessons. Now there’s an offer all you budding guitarists out there…David’s set list is as follows, Improv intro into Summer time, Georgia on my mind, Danny Boy, DayDream, Red House,  La  Belle vie into Windy and Warm and finishing off with On Green Dolphin St.

During the short break, the Clap and Tipple Bar was under siege, selling a tempting range of mainly organic, locally produced and locally sourced wines, beers, ciders and soft drinks at reasonable prices.

The lights went up and The Bevvy sisters kicked off their first set with “Littlest Bird”, ”Cow Cow”, and more from the St James Session CD as well as a few new numbers, “Whirlepool”, “Cock a Doodle”, “and “Mary Don’t You Weep No More”. Banana Bevvy sang some of her own songs, “You You You”, “Just add Hot Water” and lead vocals on Aretha Franklin’s “Baby I love you”. I think that I said, in the review of the first Bevvy Sisters Letham Nights, that there couldn’t be three voices that were so meant to sing together. With the introduction of Roberta’s voice I realised the very high bench mark Kaela had set, within the trio of superb vocalists, had been reached. No disrespect to Kaela, loads to Roberta.

The second set started with “Your Cheatin’ Heart”, “Lovesick Blues” and continued to entertain with classics, “It Aint What You Do”, ”Baby I Love You” dipping into genre’s such as the Phil Spector sound, Trad Country, Swing, Jazz, Gospel and TV adverts (McEwans is the best buy). Guitarist David Donnelly and drummer James Mackintosh let the sisters shine but have a huge influence in the “Bevvy Sound” such is their virtuosity and musicianship. The encore, “Aint No Grave” slipped into the theme tune for “Are you being served” which was a fabulous way of letting the crowd know that there was merchandising available, CD’s badges and a first for Letham Nights……..PANTS, yes, PANTS, Knickers, underwear……which were in fine demand as soon as the band left the stage, sales went very well. To quote Heather Bevvy “We’ve had a run on our pants” Ooh err missus! Cue Mr Humphries…

A huge thank you to the Bevvy Sisters and to David McGregor for treating us to yet another very special Letham Nights and we look forward to seeing you back soon!