Perthshire Amber | We are SeaStar

Friday, November 29, 2013

Grace

Happy Thanksgiving!

When I look back at the last month I am rushed with emotions. Scotland was like a dream. We walked where the veil between daydream and reality was thin. When it comes to describing the immense beauty and magic that we felt. I am often at a loss for words. My heart is so full with gratitude. What an amazing journey!

Perthshire Amber

The Perthshire Amber was unlike any festival that we have been a part of. The festival is run by lots of family; blood or friendship, it doesn’t matter. There is a closeness that the festival generates that has forever changed how I wish to share music. It seems that in Scotland, music begins at an early age and is a continued conversation over the years of development. One doesn’t have to be musical to take part in the dialogue, as those who listen are just as important as those who create it. The pubs are filled with sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, sharing a musical conversation. Grans and Grand Fathers are also there sharing in the history, folklore, and adding the stories to be passed to the next generations.

As part of the Festival we were able to play on a Song Bus, host a session at the Perth Arms, play the beautiful and prestigious Perth Concert Hall with Dougie MacLean and his mega talented friends (to a near sold out audience!), and perform at Scotland’s smallest distillery, Edradour.

In between the performances there was time to share songs and stories with the entire cast and crew after hours in the Royal Dunkeld Pub. Such beautiful moments! Gorgeous songs, glowing tunes.. moments that will burn in my heart for my lifetime.

Thanks to the entire Perthshire Amber crew for the wonderful hospitality and opportunity (including Marty and Michael the sound GODS!). Thanks to the Royal Dunkeld for the beautiful place to lay our heads. Thanks to our new musical friends, Charlie McKerron, Buddy MacDonald, Gina MacLeod, Alan Jordan, Ewen Sutherland, Marc Clement, Ross Ainslie, Anderson McGuinty Webster Ward & Fisher, Calum Buchanan, Gordon, MacLean, Pete Garnett and so many others! I am in awe of your talents! I bask in your glow! To Dolina MacLean for her beautiful smile, lovely stories, and raising a super amazing son, Dougie. And sincere thanks to Dougie and Jennifer MacLean and their incredible powerhouse team for organizing and executing such a fine tuned festival!
Thank you Thank you!

While we were in Scotland we had the opportunity to travel a bit and visited many beautiful places. We went and said hello to the Old Man of Stor on the Isle of Skye. I ran through the castle grounds and had a conversation with a robin friend at Eileen Donan Castle. We took a ferry to Stromness in the Orkney Islands to see the Neolithic chambered cairn called Maeshowe. The Orkney Islands blessed us with rainbows, selkies, stone circles and kind folks. We walked where the tides came together to see a Viking settlement while the sky turned raspberry gold. We ran through the gardens at Dunrobin Castle and whistled tunes to magpies.
Scotland was a dream that I didn’t want to wake from.

What’s Next?

Be on the lookout for our new DVD all about Scotland!! We hope to have it ready for sale by Friday December 13 at our Eastside CD Release party at Soul Food Books in Redmond!
Festival application season is in full force. I have applied to many festivals across the globe. We will see where the winds will take us!

Solo CD for Fae. I have never done a full solo studio album. I think that it is time. I hope record this winter and have a new CD ready for you listening ears by the summers first light.. Stay tuned!

Thank you for listening, following, and cheering us on.
You mean the world to us.

Have a glorious Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, St Andrew’s Day and start of the last month of 2013.

Love, Fae

Performance at the Perth Concert Hall. Photo by Rosie Leitch