Dumfries-born Nicky will perform on a bill whose cultural highlights include Shakespeare, brass bands and even glam rock.
Despite his hectic lifestyle, Nicky has just managed to squeeze in a short holiday after his appearance in a new production of Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd alongside world-famous Welsh baritone Bryn Terfel (with whom he shares a record label) at the Royal Festival Hall.
Nicky’s performance at the Buccleuch Centre on Saturday, August 25 will close the festival. Works range from Italian classics to tracks from his album, My First Love, which was released in January and includes traditional Scottish folk favourites.
He said: ‘I’m bringing with me a pianist from London who has never been to Scotland before – she’ll love it. I’m also bringing a flautist from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. It’s going to be a really varied programme with something for everybody.”
Despite his success, Nicky has strong ties with his old community. He said: ‘It’s important to come back to Dumfries and Galloway as it’s the region that nurtured my talent from the beginning and has given me opportunities to perform.
‘I feel very proud to be from the area – the people in the border region have been amazing to me over the years. Living in London and other big cities, it’s the people I miss the most.”
Nicky grew up in Penpont, near Thornhill in Dumfries & Galloway and worked in a fish and chip shop to pay for singing lessons. He has a special relationship with Dumfries and Galloway Arts, the people behind the festival, who have supported not only him but his dad Derrick who played with local ceilidh band Two Left Feet.
Dumfries and Galloway Arts’s Susan Garnsworthy said: “As a performer and musician Nicky has been extremely loyal to his home turf since developing an international career – in coming home to give concerts and perform at local events. It would be true to say he is much loved locally.”
Nicky will be joined on the bill at Langholm Festival by fellow headliners, Canadian folk singing trio The Wailin’ Jennys, who will open the proceedings tonight with their heart-stopping vocal harmonies.
The melodious trio have been dubbed “the female Crosby Stills and Nash” by one American critic.
It’s a welcome return to the borders for the award-winning band, following two triumphant sets at Brampton Live last summer.
Also on the bill are musical comedy duo Katzenjammer, who arrive in the borders on Wednesday to dazzle the audience with their keyboard wizardry.
The duo are Royal College of Music graduates Steven Worbey and Kevin Farrell who both play the same piano at the same time, which they say first came about when – as impoverished students – they were forced to share the same keyboard.
The pair play their own comic compositions as well as parodying a wide range of musical styles from the Spice Girls to classical and ragtime. A key part of their live show is a projected close-up image of the piano keyboard so the audience can see the tangle of hands and arms during their performance.
Platform-wearing Dumfries-based glam-rock-nostalgia band GLAMD, who play on Tuesday, have won plaudits for their energetic set which includes covers of massive hits by legends including TRex, Sweet, David Bowie and Slade.
The festival is part of GaelForce 2007, which organisers describe as “a late summer storm of arts and entertainment across Dumfries and Galloway”.
Other events in the programme include the Bladnoch Folk and Blues Festival between Friday, August 24 and Sunday, August 26, the Portpatrick folk festival between Friday, August 31 and Sunday, September 2, and the Hairth equinox festival, at Knockengorroch, between September 14 and 16.
Nicky Spence, The Wailin’ Jennys, Katzenjammer and GLAMD are all appearing at Langholm’s Buccleuch Centre. For full details of performances and ticket prices, visit www.gaelforceevents.co.uk, or to book tickets call 013873 81196.
Source: Cumberland News
