event details

The Megantic Outlaw with special guests

Thursday 31st January 2008, 7.30pm

The Classic Grand

Please Note: This is a past event event.

A new show devised by Lewis musician and teacher Calum Martin, best known for his Gaelic psalm recordings with the Back Free Church congregation, The Megantic Outlaw takes its name from that popularly bestowed on Donald Morrison (1858-1894), a once-celebrated figure in the frontier folklore of Quebec, where his parents settled after being cleared from Lewis.

After shooting a bounty-hunter over a disputed family debt, Morrison spent ten months on the run, frequently sheltered by other Scottish settlers in the region. Martin’s Gaelic folk-rock song cycle, recently released on CD, begins with the family’s voyage from Lewis, following the story through to Morrison’s capture, imprisonment, and eventual death following a hunger-strike.

Helping Calum perform The Megantic Outlaw album live will be an all star Trans-Atlantic band, consisting of Runrig members Malcolm Jones (guitarist/piper/multi -instrumentalist) and Blair Douglas (accordion/keyboard) as well as Fraser Fifield (saxophone/pipes/whistles) a hugely individual and multi-talented musician who transcends various musical genres and one of the youngest ever traditional Mod Gold Medallists Isobel Ann Martin (backing vocals).

From Nashville comes Arvel Bird, the most popular Native American recording artist on tour today who secured top honors as Artist of the Year at the Native American Music Awards in 2007.