Fil Campbell & Tom McFarland are the guests at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 24th October. The husband and wife duo are no strangers to the area and have included the Irvine Club as part of a promotional tour for their new CD Together.
The CD was produced by Tom at their Ballyneddan Studio in Rostrevor and unusually for them, it includes solo vocals by both Tom and Fil. The overarching theme of Together is peace and reconciliation and all the songs are original.
Fil & Tom’s links with Irvine Folk Club go back to Redburn Hotel days. For those who have not heard them, they play a mix of original, contemporary and trad Irish material. Songs like I wish I knew how it would feel to be free, The Castle of Dromore and Blue Old Saturday Night could all feature in a Fil and Tom set.
Fil was born in Belleek. Her voice is soft and clear and she plays acoustic guitar. She has been involved in the music industry one way or another all her life and in recent times Fil has taken to running a community choir in Rostrevor and being a vocal coach to teenagers and adults.
Belfast born Tom is a talented multi-instrumentalist, backing vocalist and a skilled percussionist. His interest in percussion stretches to instruments from all over the world and his instruments include bodhran, congas, bongos and the African djembe. If something can be hit or shaken then Tom can play it! He is in much demand as a bodhran tutor and session percussionist and has played drums and percussion for a variety of artists including John Wright, David Knopfler and Finbar Furey.
Be prepared to be entertained by the easy on the ear Fil Campbell & Tom McFarland at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 24th October with some understated and subtle arrangements plus sensitive vocals. The Club meets in Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road, starts at 8pm and it’s BYOB.
Elsewhere, The Star in Glasgow has the Claire Hastings Duo on 23rd October. The Star Club meets downstairs in The Admiral Bar in Waterloo Street. Looking a little further ahead, Shelagh McDonald is in concert with Nigel H. Seymour at Irvine’s Harbour Arts Centre on Friday 16th November. Tickets and all info are available from The HAC.