Latest news – Moray moves to level 1 and Hall can continue with films
HALL LATEST
Good news, Moray moves into level 1 this weekend. This means we can screen 'Summerland' - the film we had planned and 'Aquarela' later in June - see below for details and ticket links.
The Universal Hall Promotions Team, June 2nd 2021
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June 2021
Ross Ainslie & Tim Edey – Live At TPot Studios (Virtual Live Music) Tue 22nd June, 8pm
Come and join award-winning musical geniuses Ross Ainslie and Tim Edy – two old friends who are also two of the best musicians of their generation – as they come together for a rare virtual performance filmed at TPot Studios in Perthshire.
Ross and Tim will join every venue on their virtual tour for a 15 minute Zoom call after the show, to answer any questions that you may have. For the Universal Hall gig, the Zoom call will take place after the performance at 21:45 on the 22nd of June and you will find the Zoom link in the event description on MyPlayer when purchasing tickets. (Please note that whilst the performance will be available to watch for one week from the date of 22nd June, in order to participate in the Zoom chat afterwards you would need to do so at 21:45 on the 22nd!)
Tim is a former BBC Musician of the Year (BBC Folk Awards 2012) , winning best duo with Brendan Powers in the same year. He is The Chieftain’s guitarist and accordionist of choice, alongside a long standing solo career. Rated by many to be one of the best guitarists and melodeon players in the Celtic folk scene, he has recorded and toured with everyone from Christy Moore and Altan to Natalie MacMaster.
Ross is a 3 times nominated Musician of the Year at the BBC Folk Awards 2013, 2016 and 2018, and has also won best duo with Ali Hutton in 2017. He won Composer of the Year in 2015 at the Scots Trad Awards. He performs with numerous bands including Treacherous Orchestra, Salsa Celtica, Dougie MacLean and many more. Ross has released 4 solo albums to date: Wide Open (2013), Remembering (2015), Sanctuary (2017) and Vana (2020).
Tickets £10
To purchase tickets for the Universal Hall gig on Tuesday 22nd June, 8pm, please head to the MyPlayer site here (if you haven’t already registered you will need to do so first)
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Brian Ó hEadhra and Fionnag NicChoinnich (Music – Live & Livestreamed) Sat 26th June, 7.30pm
Join acclaimed Highland singers Brian Ó hEadhra and Fionnag NicChoinnich for an intimate performance of traditional and contemporary songs from the Highlands of Scotland, Ireland, and beyond. Their latest album Càirdeas was recently released to high critical and public acclaim and focuses on the importance of family, friends, and intergenerational transmission. If you are seeking to reconnect and find solace following a long lockdown then this is the event for you.October 2021
Peatbog Faeries (music) Thu 21st Oct, 2021 8pm
Based on the Isle of Skye, the Peatbog Faeries bring Celtic Dance music into the 21st century by incorporating many influences which take them from traditional jigs and reels through jazz, hip hop, reggae and more. From the moment they take to the stage, the mood is set for a no-nonsense feel-good atmosphere – each number sounding like an encore itself. The Peatbogs have released seven studio albums, have played to audiences all over the world, and won the award for ‘Best Live Act’ at the prestigious Scottish Traditional Music Awards. Please note: we intend to have dancing at this event and it is quite likely to be loud. However we will follow the government Covid guidelines at that time.
“Powerful melodies …pumped out with a smart degree of techno attitude…” The Scotsman
£16/£14 concs click here to buy tickets
To see a video click here
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November 2021
Jenny Sturgeon – The Living Mountain (Live Performance with Audio-Visual) Sat 20th Nov, 8pm
The Living Mountain is an evocative, uplifting and compelling audio-visual performance inspired by the celebrated book of the same name, written by Aberdonian Nan Shepherd in the 1940s and still hugely relevant today.
Devised and performed live by musician Jenny Sturgeon, The Living Mountain considers human connections with wild places through lyrical and melodic interpretation of the novel, and interweaves song with visuals from the Cairngorm Mountains National Park; filmed by videographer Robyn Spice, rewilding advocacy group Scotland The Big Picture and with archive imagery from the National Library of Scotland.
The meditative qualities of the combined audio and imagery provide a soothing and poignant exploration of what it means to connect with a landscape, and to find a sense of place. It marks a bold and significant step in Jenny Sturgeon’s development as one of Scotland’s finest singer-songwriters.
Sturgeon’s songcraft is at the centre of her engaging and honest performance. She accompanies her lyrics with a specially built guitar ‘The Nan Taran’ (made entirely from reclaimed Scottish wood and built by Rory Dowling of Taran Guitars), piano, shruti box and dulcimer and with her own field recordings from within the Cairngorms.
Sturgeon is “a wonderful singer who can change the atmosphere in the room with her affecting delivery” (Boo Hewerdine).
Music – Jenny Sturgeon
Film projection – Shona Thomson
Featuring field recordings by Jenny Sturgeon, Jez Riley-French and Magnus Robb, and footage of the Cairngorms by Robyn Spice and Scotland: The Big Picture.
Supported by Help Musicians UK
Tickets £14 full, £12 conc, £10 U16’s
To buy tickets online (10% booking fee) click here
December 2021
Elephant Sessions (music) Thu 16th Dec 2021, 7.30pm
This show has been rescheduled from June this year
Please note that the band will be playing straight-through with no interval, and at this time we do not yet know if there will be a support act. Please keep your eye on our website and we will update as and when we have the information.
Hailing from the Highlands of Scotland, Elephant Sessions exploded onto the indie folk scene to unparalleled effect with their last album “All We Have Is Now.” The band have since gone on to be finalists as Best Group at the BBC Radio 2 awards and are already winners of the 2018 Scots Trad Live Act of the Year. A truly great band to see live in an intimate venue like the Universal Hall.
‘Elephant Sessions … are using their instruments like weapons to destroy clichés…We love them’ Rolling Stone Magazine
£16/£14 concs/£12 U16s/£14 dancing/non-seated wristband
To buy a ticket click here (10% booking fee)
To see a video of the band click here
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