Celtic music icons Skipinnish will bring their Silver Anniversary party and unique Scottish sound to the UK’s capital city this month with the celebrations heading to London.
Riding high after their performance at Edinburgh Castle in front of over 8000 fans in July, which was also the subject of a BBC Alba documentary, Skipinnish will play at London’s 02 Shepherd’s Bush Empire on 28th September2024 to round off their anniversary celebrations. The Skipinnish wave of musical energy will grow even higher next year, having just announced their biggest ever gig at the 14000 capacity Ovo Hydro in Glasgow on 27th September 2025.
The London concert will be an opportunity for the band and their fans to reconnect and celebrate the enormous journey they have all been on over the past 25 years while joining in with some of Skipinnish’s biggest hits including ‘Walking on the Waves’, ‘The Island’ and ‘Alive’.
It will also be an opportunity to showcase new music. Skipinnish released ‘Eagle’s Wing’ on 3rd July, a song written as a celebration of Scotland. It recognises the global impact, through famous Scots, the nation has had over the centuries across many fields such as the arts and entertainment, medicine, industry, and sport. The song remained at the top of the World Music download chart for three weeks – the longest a Skipinnish song has held this position.
Who are Skipinnish?
Skipinnish was formed in 1999 from a friendship between accordionist and songwriter Angus MacPhail from the Isle of Tiree in the Inner Hebrides and piper Andrew Stevenson from Lochaber. Both were studying traditional music at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow.
The early days saw them perform in local pubs and village halls across their familiar turf of the west Highlands and Islands. Now a seven-piece, multi-instrument, award-winning band they have taken their sound international, performing in front of thousands at festivals and venues across Europe, whilst remaining true to their Highlands and Gaelic roots in all that they create.
The sea is a dominant theme in Skipinnish’s music. Both Angus and Andrew are keen seafarers with Angus working as a fisherman for many years before focusing on his music. Both take every opportunity to get out on to the water and is often the place where songs and music are created.
The band’s name is taken from a place on Tiree connected to Angus’s family.
Making headlines and changing policy
In 2023 the band made national headlines for their song ‘The Clearances Again’ which was written in protest against Scottish Government proposals to create Highly Protected Marine Areas. These had the potential to ban fishing and almost all other marine activities in at least 10% of Scotland’s waters. Had the move gone ahead it would have devastated rural, island and coastal communities whose fragile economies depend on the sea as a source of income. ‘The Clearances Again’ – a reference to the 18th century Highland Clearances which cleared people off the land to make room for sheep farming – was instrumental in the campaign to stop the HPMA proposals.
The song reached number four in the UK download charts and went on to win Original Work of the Year in the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards in December 2023.
A Gaelic version of the song was released in November 2023 to maintain the pressure against the proposals. ‘Fuadaichean’ (the Gaelic for Clearances) was translated by Angus’s mother Flora and released just ahead of the Scottish Government confirming that those proposals had been withdrawn.
Collaborations
The band has had the opportunity to collaborate with some big names in Scottish and world music. This includes world-renowned folk singer and instrumentalist Julie Fowlis, Runrig’s Malcolm Jones, Capercaillie’s Karen Matheson and Donald Shaw, and Leo Moran and Anthony Thistlethwaite of The Saw Doctors. At their Edinburgh Castle concert, they were joined by The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipes and Drums who previously performed the Skipinnish song ‘Walking on the Waves’ at the 2022 Tattoo.
New music
In addition to ‘Eagle’s Wing’, Skipinnish were honoured by Runrig’s Malcolm Jones who has been a dear friend and mentor for Angus and Andrew throughout their 25 years. Malcolm composed ‘The Silver Voyage’ to mark the anniversary and captures the significance of the band’s quarter century and the journey Skipinnish has been on since 1999. Malcolm has joined the band on stage at the two earlier anniversary gigs and will complete the set by joining them in London.
Angus and Andrew reflect
Ahead of their upcoming concerts, Angus MacPhail said: “We cannot wait to take our music and our 25th anniversary celebrations to London. Our concerts always attract a good mix of old friends and new fans who relish the chance of hearing a unique Scottish sound and London is no different.
“We know there will be a high-spirited atmosphere and people will be in great voice. They never disappoint when it comes to some of our more anthemic songs such as ‘Walking on the Waves’. Hearing an audience belt out our music, word and note perfectly, is something very special and something we will never tire of.
He added: “Over the past 25 years, we have created a repertoire of music that is firmly rooted in who we are and where we’re from. By remaining true to our Highlands and Islands origins we create an authentic sound that we know appeals to a wide range of people. Over the years we have seen our fan base grow not just in Scotland but across the world and we’re beyond delighted and grateful that so many people have joined us on this special journey.”
Andrew Stevenson commented: “It’s hard to believe the voyage we have been on over the last quarter century. Little did we imagine when we were playing our first gigs as a duo to around 100 people that we’d go on to headline at Edinburgh Castle with over 8000 people, appear at London’s Shepherd’s Bush Empire and then look forward to next year and performing at Scotland’s biggest arena, The OVO Hydro in Glasgow. This is way beyond our wildest dreams. It’s been one heck of a journey, and we’ve loved every second of it.
“We have the best fans and everything we do is for them. To know that our music is listened to by so many people across the world is quite humbling but also gives us a huge sense of pride and satisfaction that we’ve created music that is loved by people of all nationalities and cultures. I can’t wait to entertain our London fans and hope to see a few new faces there too.”