At last, and not for the want of trying, Dr Mango and The Chickpeas top the bill at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 6th August and it should be just the very thing to set up Irvine audiences for Marymass Folk Festival which starts on 20th August. Dr Mango and The Chickpeas are a young, Glasgow based, five- piece band who play whatever they play with great passion. Expect to hear self-penned and traditional material as well as Scots music and Scots and French song. This varied repertoire reflects the range of backgrounds of the band. Jen Austin from Orkney plays piano; Ayrshire’s Robyn Gray plays fiddle and does vocals; Kirsten MacLeod plays accordion and she’s from Ardnamurchan; on bodhran & French song is Marissa Vachon from Vancouver and finally on guitar is Borders man Chris Waite.
The five band members met playing on the rich and vibrant Glasgow folk scene. Their upbeat contemporary sound and their wide ranging musical influences create what has been described as ‘a musical marmalade’! But who’s Dr Mango? One explanation is that trad musicians, particularly of the Celtic variety, would give their contemporary, instrumental tunes silly names…..and so, Dr Mango and The Chickpeas. Perhaps, a better explanation will be given by the band at the Irvine Club. In any case, Dr Mango and The Chickpeas are high quality musicians and yet another example of the high musical standard to be found across Scotland.
Hear them at Irvine Folk Club on Wednesday 6th August at Vineburgh Community Centre in Quarry Road. The Club starts at 8pm and it’s BYOB. It’s also where you can buy tickets for the forthcoming Marymass Folk Festival and find out all Folk Festival information.