Blas 2006 will be celebrating Highland Music in various venues in Caithness, Sutherland, Ross & Cromarty, Skye & Lochalsh, Lochaber, Badenoch & Strathspey and Nairn from 1-9 September 2006.

Le Blas, gheibh sibh measgachadh sònraichte de sheinneadairean is luchd-ciùil, cuid à tobar an dualchais fhèin is cuid de na ‘rionnagan’ òga a tha a‘dèanamh ainm dhaibh fhèin ann an saoghal a chiùil. Cha bhiodh am pasgan buileach slàn gun cheòl bho ar càirdean à Canada agus à Eirinn. Thèid am brat ciùil a seo, agus cànan nan Gàidheal, a sgaoileadh fad is farsaing air feadh na Gàidhealtachd. Feuch nach caill sibh e!

From tradition bearers to the ‘young bright stars’ in the firmament of Gaelic music, as well as our Canadian and Irish Cousins, Blas represents and brings Highland-wide all that is beautiful and lasting in our traditional musical culture and Gaelic language. Don’t miss a single show!

Gheibhear barrachd fiosrachaidh aig www.blas-festival.com , far a bheil an cothrom agaibh tiocaidean a cheannach aig prìsean gu math saor ro 30 Òg-mhìos tro www.thebooth.co.uk  

Further information is available on www.blas-festival.com  where you can buy tickets at vastly reduced prices until 30 June online through www.thebooth.co.uk  

Cuir sùil air http://www.blas-festival.com  an-dràsta fhèin!

Following on from last year’s very successful inaugural event, Blas today announces the programme for this year’s festival. With a veritable galaxy of stars from the Highlands and Island, Canada and Ireland taking part, all the ingredients are there to ensure that Blas 2006 will be as good, if not better than last year. Among the many high-profile artistes featuring during the Blas Festival in September will be Julie Fowlis, Capercaillie, Jenna Cumming, Blazin’ Fiddles and Phil Cunningham & Aly Bain. Joining them will be such as the exciting young Cape Breton band, Beòlach and Ireland’s ever-popular Michael McGoldrick. Blas’s aim is also to give young, local musicians a high profile during the festival. This objective is more than achieved through the many appearances of the talented Cèilidh Trailers associated with different Fèisean and students for the Plockton High School Centre of Excellence.

Brian O hEadhra, Blas’s Artistic Director who was deeply involved in drawing up the exciting programme for Blas 2006 is very content with its shape and balance. “The programme simply oozes musical talent from this area and from places with which we have a cultural affinity. I believe that the mix of our young burgeoning talent with artistes who are slightly longer in the tooth and also performers from Canada and Ireland will prove irresistible to lovers of traditional music. Achieving the mix and the quality reflected in this year’s programme has taken some time but I think our efforts have been well worthwhile and that the stage is set for a great Blas 2006.”

This year Blas adds Nairn and Badenoch & Strathspey to the areas which featured events last year, namely Skye & Lochalsh, Lochaber, Ross-shire and Caithness & Sutherland. From the outset, Blas aimed to achieve a Highland-wide impact and the addition of thee two districts is a step in this direction.

Another innovation is the introduction of an ‘Earlybird’ ticket which gives significant reductions for those purchasing before the end of June. As last year ‘The Booth’ provided the facility to buy tickets online. This year Blas has added a central box office facility for credit card and postal purchases. These together with local sales should make it even easier for concert-goers to secure their seats.

A’ leantainn fèis shoirbheachail na bliadhna an uiridh, tha Blas an-diugh a’ foillseachadh clàr fèis na bliadhna seo. Le an t-uamhas rionnagan mòra bho air feadh na Gaidhealtachd ‘s nan eileanan, Èirinn agus Canada ag gabhail pàirt, tha a h-uile coltas ann gum bi fèis Blas 2006 pailt cho math, mur a bi nas fheàrr, na tè na bliadhna ‘n uiridh.

A-measg an fheadhainn a bhitheas a’ nochdadh aig fèis Blas san t-Sultaine bi Capercaillie, Jenna Cumming, Blazin’ Fiddles agus Phil Cunningham & Aly Bain. Còmhla riutha sin, bi an còmhlan òg a Ceap Bhreatuinn, Beòlach agus Michael McGoldrick à Èirinn. Bi Blas ag amas air prìomhachas a thoirt do luchd-ciùil ionadail, òg, troimh’n fhèis. Thathar an dòchas seo a choilionadh troimh Cèilidh Trailers agus oileanaich bho Sgoil Chiùil na Gaidhealtachd anns a’ Phloc.

Tha Brian O hEadhra, Stiùiriche Ealain Blas, a tha air a bhi gu mòr a’ sàs ann a bhi a’ dealbh clàr Blas 2006, air leth toilichte le a chumadh agus a chothromachd. “Tha an clàr a’ taomadh le tàlant ciùil bho iomadh àite leis a bheil dàimh againn. Tha mise dhen bheachd gum bi a’ measgachadh de luchd-ciùil òg agus an fheadhainn a Canada agus a Èirinn eagallach fhèin tarraingeach dhan fheadhainn a tha measail air ceòl traidiseanta. Tha a bhi a’ faighinn an cothromachd a th’againn sa chlàr air ùine mhath a thoirt ach tha mi a’ creidsinn gur a math a b’fheuch e an t-saothair agus gu bheil sinn a-nise deiseil airson Blas 2006 a bhi sònraichte da rìreabh.”

Tha Blas na bliadhna seo a’ cuir Bàideanach agus Srath Spè ri na h-àiteachan anns an robh e an uiridh, leithid an t-Eilean Sgitheanach agus Loch Aillse, Loch Abair, Rois, agus Gallaibh agus Cataibh. Bhon dol-a-mach, chuir Blas romhpa buaidh a bhi aca air feadh na Gaidhealtachd agus tha a bhi a’ cuir an dà roinn sin ris as ùr, a’ toirt air adhart an amas seo.

Tha tiocaid air a bheil ‘Earlybird’ na rud ùr eile. Tha seo a’ toirt prìsean nas saoire dhaibh-san a cheannaicheas iad roimh dheireadh na h-Òg-Mhios. Mar a bha an uiridh, bi “Am Booth” a’ toirt cothrom tiocaidean a cheannach air loidhne. Am bliadhna, tha Blas air goireas a chuir air dòigh airson tiocaidean fhaighinn leis a’ chairt-chreideas ar neo troimh’n phost. Tha na rudan sin, còmhla ri na reiceas sinn gu h-ionadail, a’ dol ga dhèanadh nas fhasa buileach tiocaidean fhaighinn airson Blas 2006.