SOUNDS OF SCOTLAND
Amanda MacEachen
Growing up in a small town on the west coast of Scotland, precisely Oban, subjected me to a multitude of Scottish traditional music. It is a vibrant scene that blends not only the pipers and the ceilidh bands, but the diverse array of folk/indie/rock bands that have been produced which continue to keep our music scene alive. The fierceness of the scene made it impossible not to be influenced by the rich musical heritage that surrounded the area, with bands making their mark on national and international stages.
Scottish traditional music has always been at the core of west coast culture, providing strong connections to its Gaelic roots, and it’s this connection to tradition that continues to inspire the new wave of musicians emerging from the area. Bands such as Trail West, Tide Lines and Skipinnish exemplify the modern face of Scottish folk music. While connected to their traditional roots they incorporate contemporary, indie and rock elements with Gaelic influences into their songs. All of which are able to resonate with older and younger audiences. Peat and Diesel from the Isle of Lewis also take a quirky take on folk-rock, infused with lyrics about island life, their popularity underscored the diversity of the west coast music scene.
Now where does photography come into this? Well, a music scene wouldn't be fierce indeed without its live performances, a place for people to enjoy the Scottish sounds in real time surrounded by likewise enjoyers (and usually with a pint or two in hand). I've been to my fair share of gigs in my time, but nothing equates to a west coast band performance, regardless of where that performance is held. I've been in English crowds with echoes of Gaelic lyrics and highland dancing, Scottish traditional music is worldwide and is fundamentally one of the best cultural aspects here.
I have been lucky enough to photograph many of these bands mentioned and attend Scottish gigs. Mainly photographing originally Tiree formed band ‘Trail West’. A Trail West gig is filled with chaos, multiple people on shoulders, hundreds of Trail West headbands in sight (look it up, it's a thing), people chanting along to the bagpipes and just overall, a room full of happy dancing strangers. Photographing gigs like these are a massive privilege to partake in, the unity that Scottish music brings to the fellow fans can be felt in the room so admirably. The Scottish bands themselves don't have a calm time on stage either, more so than less they will have drams in hand giving it ‘laldie’ whenever a free moment appears, feeding off of the crowd's energy and pursuing an impeccable night. This makes the photography segment quite easy and enjoyable; the band give energy, we capture it.
Capturing moments like these and especially of joyful fans in the crowd stop moments of time to showcase the true experience of Scottish music, it's a pleasure to work with something so close to my roots and watch others enjoy the same. This is not to say things can’t go wrong while in the midst of photographing, whether that be your only SD card run out, or an unwanted banding appearing on the screen you just can’t seem to fix (speaking from experience).
Specifically at these high paced energetic gigs, the lighting can be incredibly fast moving and sometimes difficult to keep up with, such as constantly changing the ISO and shutter speed, one look at your camera and suddenly you’ve missed the best shot of the night! Regardless of the things that can go wrong, the things that go right automatically outweigh these small hiccups, capturing sharp, well-composed images in such an environment helps to tell a story of the night, allowing people to relive the experience long after. Whether it’s through close-up shots of the band or wide-angle crowd photos, photography amplifies the spirit of these events. It helps preserve not just the music, but the sense of community and pride that Scottish music holds.
Visit Amanda’s website for more information and bookings: www.amandamaceachen.com
This article first appeared in PRISMA, Issue 19.