SKYE-based musician Ewan Macintyre will launch a new tour in Cowal later this month following the release of his sixth album, On These Islands We Sing.
Macintyre will be joined by Herding Cats for the opening date of his autumn album tour at Uig Hall, Benmore, on Saturday, September 26, at 7.30pm. The accompanying tour poster confirms the Benmore date and ticket details.
The new record follows Macintyre’s return to the Isle of Skye after living in the United States and draws on both Scottish and American musical traditions.
Blending Gaelic song with Americana, folk and funk influences, the album features four songs performed in Gaelic alongside material exploring contemporary social issues.
Its opening track takes its lyrics from a First World War poem written in Gaelic by Domhnall MacAoidi. Its title translates as The Soldier Who Won’t Return, bringing a century-old reflection on conflict into a contemporary setting.
Macintyre plays banjo on the track and also performs guitar, mandolin and harmonica across the album.
The title of On These Islands We Sing takes inspiration from an anthology of Scottish island poetry, and the record explores themes including community, isolation and the impact of a society increasingly disconnected from people’s needs.
The album was recorded on Skye with Bado Reti on upright bass, Dirk Ronnenburg on fiddle and Tamlin Wiltshire on drums and pandero.
The Dunoon-area performance will be the first gig of the band’s tour following the album’s release.
Ewan Macintyre with Herding Cats will perform at Uig Hall, Benmore, on Saturday, September 26, at 7.30pm.
Tickets are available from Bookpoint in Dunoon or by calling 07887 856514.
Headline alternatives: Island sounds come to Cowal as Ewan launches new tour; Ewan brings new album tour to Benmore; or Gaelic meets Americana as Ewan Macintyre heads to Cowal.
