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KIRKWALL TUNE |
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Send us your review:
Describe the atmosphere and live music at a local pub, restaurant, festival, church or temple, club night.... inspire other people to check it out!
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Venue: The Ayre Hotel
Music: Scottish folk
Location: Ayre Road, Kirkwall, Orkney, Scotland KW15 1QX
Tel: 01856 873 001
Orkney's longest running traditional music session is in a vibrant healthy state having survived varied fortunes in different venues over the last thirteen years. "The tune" as it is called locally, has recently become re-established in its best venue so far - the front bar of the Ayre Hotel in Kirkwall.
Happily the nostalgia felt by the players for past good times has been replaced by the reality of reliving the fun of great musical evenings at the Ayre and meeting visitors who are drawn in by the sound as they enjoy a summer sunset stroll along the shore.
Once inside newcomers can sometimes be persuaded to sing or play a tune or two and the visitors' book which goes back to the early days, has been signed by musicians like singer Rod Paterson, fiddler Alasdair Fraser, guitarist from Shetland Peerie Willie Johnson and even an ex-drummer from "Nazareth"! There's not usually much dancing goes on but if anybody felt the urge it could be arranged if a small bit of floor space could be made. The nearest we get to that is when stag-night groups and hen parties do a party piece or become boisterous on their way round the pubs.
The tune attracts players regularly from all over the mainland playing fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandola, recorder, bodhran, moothie and accordian, but small pipes, viola and even a cello have made their mark occasionally in the past. The music that's played depends a bit on who's there but there's always a good number of reels, jigs and polkas from Orkney, Shetland, Ireland (and even Scotland!) Once the evening has got to the "mellow" stage somebody might feel inspired to sing - it usually takes a short time to get in the mood for that (wonder why?!) and of course the laughter gets louder about he same time. But the fun of course is to wait and see what happens "on the night".
One of our players, we call him "The Captain", is often teased about the time he was swinging back and fore on his chair in time to the music when he toppled backwards into the Christmas tree, immediately followed by the cry "MAN OVERBOARD!" from a quick-witted fiddler!
So if you fancy a tune or listening to some good music, join the rest of us in the Ayre Front Bar. You'll find that it's not a bad way to spend your Saturday night!
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Your reviews:
 'Jummy plays like a Lagos joint...'
  'not even the organiser, knows what's on the programme'
 'This is where you'll drink your post-demo pints...'
 '...break dancing, body popping, karate chopping...'
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