Music lovers can feast on a week of folk, swing and rock ’n’ roll.
The UK’s No. 1 Bruce Springstein tribute band, The Rising, play at the Reivers in Galashiels on Saturday, December, 1 at 9.30pm. The seven Scottish musicians perform rock ’n’ roll worthy of The Boss himself, so whether you have a Hungry Heart or were Born To Run, you can buy £5 tickets behind the bar.
On Friday, December 7, Kelso Folk Club welcomes American guitarist and singer Beppe Gambetta to the town’s ACE Centre in Golf Course Road. The Italian-born flatpicker and fingerstylist is described as a “United Nations of influences: Italian, Ukrainian, Appalachian, Sardinian, Celtic”. An hour of open mic starts at 7.30pm, before Beppe takes the stage at 8.30pm, followed by the usual Cobbles Inn late night open session. Admission is £7 for non-members and £5 for members or under-18s – see www.kelsofolkandlive.org.
On the same Friday night, the Linties play at the Rolling Hills Folk Club in Melrose’s George & Abbotsford Hotel at 8.30pm. The Scots trio – Peebles’ Morag Dempsey, Newtongrange’s Iyaah Warren and Falkirk’s Stuart Miller – sing in rich three-part harmonies with a varied repertoire of earthy, funny and atmospheric songs. Tickets cost £6/£5 on the door – visit www.rollinghillsfolkclub.org.uk.
The music continues in Melrose on Saturday, December 8, as the Scottish composer and multi-instrumentalist Fraser Fifield leads a workshop at Merlin Music’s Traditional Music Academy in Station Gate, teaching sax, bagpipes (Highland and border), whistle, mixed ensembles, improvisation and composition/arranging. Contact 01896 822376, or go to www.merlinmusicmelrose.co.uk.
Finally, the Borders Big Band presents a Christmas concert at Melrose’s Wynd Theatre on Sunday, December 9, at £7.30pm. Their repertoire is drawn from swing classics of the 1930s and 1940s big band era, featuring greats such as Count Basie, Duke Ellington and Glenn Miller. Tickets cost £10 (£8 concessions). Visit the box office on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11am to 1pm, go to www.thewynd.com, or call 01896 820028.