Well folks...I have to say it was an amazing honour and privilege to share the stage on Sunday night with the legendary Mike Whellans and Tich Frier. Two guys who, thankfully, have not forgotten their roots. Sooo refreshing!!! Tich kept the audience in Lauder Public Hall spellbound with the craic, great choice of songs (and occasional name-drop...to which, of course, he was entirely entitled...), ably accompanied by Alan Small on accordion........ and Mike Whellans....I am certain that I can't use any other positive adjectives which have not already been applied to this total virtuoso. His Blues adaptations are unique...his exploitation of every blues harp / microphone technique/ variation is, literally, breathtaking... Standing only eight feet away from him, even watching that he didn't make contact with any of the percussion instruments / drums /cymbals / etc., his impressionism was unbelievably believable...and I'm sure he'll forgive me for saying that, for somebody knocking on the door of his 68th birthday, his breath control is just incredible!!

They were superbly accompanied by many excellent local artistes, young and not so young, ( I don't mean to leave any one out, I'm sure the local press will cover the event properly...lol!) and the audience left feeling well satisfied...at £2.00 admission, I should hope so...!

Thank you guys...all of you...THAT was what natural talent should be about.

Every time we have had the pleasure of seeing Mike perform he has taken our breath away. One of the finest - maybe THE finest - solo performers in Scotland/ UK today.
If you haven't seen him in action, your life is incomplete.

He's an extremely nice guy too and would never pass you by. I'm glad you like him.
:-)
Tich is a grand fella too, of course.

It was "interesting" to see some of those young "beatboxers' on TV recently explaining how the technique came about only in the last very few years. I was shouting "Then you've never seen Mike Whellans" at the TV screen, as he got in long before them - and agreed - you'd think he had a full drum kit on stage with him! Just amazing!

Mike is quite spectacular. Watched him at Thurso festival some years ago. In mid song (can't remember which one but it involved a train and use of his moothie). A string broke on his guitar and without losing a beat he opened his guitar case, got a string out, took the broken one off and put the new one on! Astonishing. Tried it myself long time later and failed miserably. Great applause when he finished!!!

There was a rumour about one 19th century violinist (Paganini?) that he had a concealed blade in his bow so he could break a string at will and show off by playing on without it.

If any guitarist was going to pull that trick it'd be Mike Whellans.

There's nothing new in the world Jack. Josh White used to do it.
I'm sure it would never cross Mike's mind to resort to such low trickery.

"without losing a beat " isn't the same thing as being able to play the piece properly all the way through with a missing string(s). Otherwise, we'd be just as well having three stringed fiddles and four or five string guitars.

It's true that a good player with enough experience can compensate to a great extent and, maybe, not everyone in the audience would notice the difference. However, the performer certainly will otherwise he or she wouldn't go to the effort of replacing the broken string.

Sounds absolutely fantastic!

When he was with a band called Taste, Rory Gallagher used to deliberately break a string every night and restring and tune his guitar in the middle of the song while still playing. I saw him do it at least twice. Showmanship!

Hi Guys, just dipping in here to say I've booked Mike for the Trad Awards. Can't wait to hear him.

"Can't wait to hear him"

Better late than never.
:-)

Here's a clip I'm sure you'll enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ui5h_ip_Un8

I should reword that... Can't wait to hear Mike again...

Simon...as the instigator of this thread, may I just say I'm delighted that you will be giving a whole lot of new fans the opportunity to watch a real master at work...without even knowing who else you have in the lineup, I'm confident Mike will go down an absolute storm! Will have to see if I can juggle a few things and drop in myself...! Slainté...

Well some great comments for Mike.AND deservedly so BUT is there a better voice in Scottish folk than Tich [Frier]

Well I first heard Mike Whellans all those years ago with Aly Bain in the Coffin Folk Club in Edinburgh and what a great pair they made but in the same club I also first heard Tich Frier in Bitter Withy. He was a great and natural entertainer then and still is.

I first heard Mike back in 1965 when he was the drummer in a band called The Castle Kings from Berwickshire. Been a fan ever since.

I'd like to say I think both Tich and Mike are fab - we don't get enough of them at festivals/ clubs etc... xx :)IMHO Tich is one of the best traditional singers going - people can miss that, cos he's such a great and cheery entertainer, too..xx:)

I last saw the pair of them at a charity event in Perthshire last winter, organised by Sara Grey on behalf of the local hospice. They were both immense -- Tich was the MC and kept everything to time, despite the vagaries of a disparate guest list, and always in a most pleasant and professional way.
His own contribution was very well received, and Mike just blew away the whole non-folk audience.

So, two great professionals at the top of their game -- and aren't we glad to be around to see and hear it?

I certainly feel very privileged to know both of them, performing in their prime.

That was a concert which should have been recorded and used as a masterclass in how to MC superbly, Anne! Hope your birthday was a good one!