For a new band it was a dream gig. The dancers were very enthusiastic. They filled the floor at the start of every dance and required no encouragement… the perfect crowd for a ceilidh band. The family had invited us to help ourselves to the buffet and the free bar. I remember one large barrel full of ice and beer, and another full of ice and champagne. After the gig we made our way to the buffet marquee and were faced with the very best of Scotland’s cuisine… small mountains of local shellfish, cooked meats from a nearby farm, a fine selection of Scottish cheeses and numerous other tasty dishes.

I think it was while standing in that marquee with a glass of champagne in my hand and a plate of scallops, mussels and crab nearby that The Ceilidh Bandidos made the decision to keep going and play for as many ceilidhs as possible… a very hard decision!

The kids worked really hard before the performances in Oban and Dunoon with only 3 or 4 days to rehearse. The end result was a wonderful, uplifting musical performance with the kids playing the sometimes complicated arrangements with confidence and skill.

After the Oban performance there was a reception for all the council bigwigs, parents and organisers, and while we hob-nobbed and drank wine (surprisingly fine wine!) the kids had an impromptu ceilidh in the main hall. It was very encouraging to see all these teenagers entertaining themselves in the same way that folk have done for hundreds of years. Our music is in safe hands, maybe our dances are too!

———-

The Ceilidh Bandidos

As the low, bass rumbling got louder I noticed the cloud approaching and stepped onto the porch of the small town’s only hotel to avoid the oncoming buffalo stampede. After the dust settled I could hear behind me the unmistakable sound of Donald McLean’s Farewell to El Paso, in perfect rhythm to the swinging creak of the old hotel sign.

I pushed the saloon doors open and stepped inside, being greeted by the smell of whisky and dancing. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the gloom, but then I saw them…. three rough looking characters on the tiny platform, throwing out some of the finest dance tunes I’ve heard. The big one’s fingers danced lightly over the ivories of the old honky-tonk piano. The smaller one bowed his fiddle as if he was trying to banish a demon from within, and the middle sized one was losing the battle with some strange instrument that looked like an octopus. On the floor the dancers whirled and spun each other around, yipping and hooching like hyenas. I made my way to the bar wondering how to get myself a piece of the action. The heavily moustached barman slid a small shot of whisky my way and looked me up and down suspiciously.

“Who are those guys?” I asked the barman.

“You’re obviously not from these parts.” he replied. “Why, they are The Ceilidh Bandidos, the freshest ceilidh band in the west!”

“My lil’ sister, Marybell Louise, is getting married next month,” I said, “how do I book this band?”

“That’s easy,” he said, “just contact the deputy on 018** 30**** or email her at ****@ceilidhband.org.”

At that moment the music changed, the band played the classic New Mexican tune ‘The Headlands’ and the barman leaned over and asked, “Fancy a Gay Gordons?”

I danced all night, my spurs tinkling in time to the light-hearted, upbeat sound of the band. Later I stepped outside into the still, moonlit night, untied my horse and headed into the hills with my head full of memories of dancing to THE CEILIDH BANDIDOS.

* I have edited the old phone number and email address to avoid confusion.

I was there to brush up on my step dancing which, after a hiatus of around 8 or 9 years, is rather rusty. More than seven hours of classes and a couple of ceilidhs has left me with aching legs and the joints of The Tin Man. My lack of fitness makes me realise that I definitely spend too much time playing music and not enough time on the dance floor!

It was great to meet up with old friends, some of whom I hadn’t seen for 10 years, and to make new ones. I also picked up a few new ceilidh dances which will hopefully make their way onto The Ceilidh Bandidos’ set list.

It’s a wee bit lonely being a step dancer in North Argyll, so if anyone close by is reading this and fancies sharing a few steps then give me a shout.