Iron Broo Ceilidh Band

Category: One Man Ceilidh Band

The One Man Ceilidh Band is great for small budgets and small gatherings.  It can sound like a band with the use of midi and percussion played alongside the solo accordion. The dances can be called so novice dancers can take part in the ceilidh.

  • Making some music

    Making some music

    The “March o’ the Scottish Samurai” is a new tune I have written and dedicated to Ronnie Watt. Who is a famous Aberdonian karate master. He is a living legend in our city. I already wrote a tune for Ronnie in 2015 and that first one I called Ronnie Watt’s 9th Dan. During the last 3 months of Lockdown Ronnie has continued his karate classes for his students using Zoom online video conferencing software. He has offered this to his students for free to replace the regular classes that he has taught for 50 years. Since lockdown, 3 times a week many karate students take part in his 3-hour sessions, at no cost to themselves. Children and adults can train karate and have some communication outside of the confines of their own lockdown environment. Keeping active and engaged without having to worry about the cost. I think it is inspiring to see such a well respected and gifted person share his hard-earned knowledge and experience for free. Ronnie’s 50 years of karate training bring priceless experience to the students.

    Scottish Samurai


    Ronnie also founded the Scottish Samurai awards more than twenty years ago. The awards started small in Aberdeen and have grown into an international network of people from different walks of life. None of the awardees pays for their awards, Ronnie and his usual karate activities helps fund it, along with some generous donations from like-minded people. I wanted to write another tune for Ronnie to help highlight the good he does in Aberdeen and chose the title of the tune “March o’ the Scottish Samurai” because of his Scottish Samurai awards, and because to me, Ronnie is like a Samurai marching against the wind. Full of the warrior spirit, marching to protect his students and make them better people. Sharing an ancient way of life that the modern world has lost and is sorely missing.
    Read more about Ronnie at Karate.scot and Samurai.scot

    Ronnie Watt Karate Zoom
    Ronnie Watt Karate Zoom
    Ronnie Watt Karate Zoom
    Ronnie Watt Karate Zoom

    The Road to Wisdom

    A new tune for Maria Rosaria, I’ve called it “The Road to Widom“. Maria Rosaria is my Italian mother in law who lives in Rome. It was her 70th Birthday and the tune just came to me while I was helping my wife make her a birthday video. She has many friends from all over the world who wanted to take part in the video. Maria Rosaria was born in Italy, studied in Italy, studied in Berkley California for a few years, moved back to Italy, Moved to Chile, during the dictatorship she moved back to Italy. She has written books on Latin-American history and is regarded as an authority on the subject, making many television appearances on political programmes. Maria Rosaria was also recognised by the Chilean Government with the title “Commendatore”. She is currently a professor in Rome.
    The Road to Wisdom is a fitting title for a special lady. Though she claims she has not much wisdom at all, I think it’s it is the wise who constantly question themselves.

    How you can help me

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    Remember to check out my new Patreon page. Patreon is based on the old Patron of the arts model with a modern slant. You can join my Patreon starting from £3 a month. That’s a coffee a month to support my Scottish music creations. 75p a week. You can upgrade anytime if you want “extras” such as a commission, CD’s, online lessons, tech tips, or online conversations. You’ll be my new Pal, and I’ll be grateful for your support. 🙂

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  • Sarah, A Scottish Waltz for Accordion

    Sarah, A Scottish Waltz for Accordion

    A favourite tune

    Sarah, is a Scottish Waltz tune written by the famous Scottish accordion player, Max Houliston. Max founded the very first Accordion and Fiddle Club in Scotland. In 1965 he opened one in his own licensed premises, The hole in the wa’, in Dumfries.

    I first heard this tune played about twenty years ago in the Dee Motel in Aberdeen. It was where the Aberdeen Accordion and Fiddle Club used to meet. Over the years I have noticed that the tune Sarah is a favourite of many accordion players and listeners. We used to play as a waltz at many ceilidh dances years ago.

    Lighthearted lockdown ceilidh frustrations

    I hope the Lockdown is being good to you and look forward to getting out to play again. We had 40 weddings booked during this Lockdown period. As a result of Corona, all been postponed and a few, unfortunately, cancelled. To make things worse we can’t even get to the Blue Lamp on a Monday night for good traditional music session to clear our heads. We can’t even go busking in the streets to earn a crust.

    Without an audience and with the current social distancing laws in place all we can do is stay in, stay safe, and play with ourselves. 😜

    I know many of you may have been spending the time jigging away furiously in your living rooms, with the curtains drawn, desperate for the lockdown to end. Itching for a Dashing White Sargeant or a Gay Gordons. I’ve seen you on the internet, strutting your stuff. 😂

    Social distancing is difficult as it is against our human instincts. Unfortunately, for the time being, we must put up with it and try to remain positive that better days lie ahead. I am spending my time with family, mastering the art of sourdough bread, putting an internal window to my dark office space, making music and planning our next album. During the Easter holidays, we camped out in the garden, which meant we could we have a campfire and marshmallows! The campfire is the best part about camping in my opinion. It connects us with our ancestral past. I like to watch things burn. 🔥

    How you can help musicians with very little effort.

    If you would like to help me out during this time please consider becoming a Patron so I can continue to make music. Check out my page and let me know what you think in the comments below. It’s a new avenue for me so creative feedback is helpful. As is hard cash 😎

    https://www.patreon.com/CharlieAbel

    If you don’t want to become a Patron for now don’t worry. I will survive. You can also subscribe to my YouTube channel for free and please do so now if you haven’t already. Watch as many videos as you can from start to finish so I can qualify for a share of the ad revenue and my own performance royalties after I reach the 4000 hours annual watch time. I’m about 3400 hours at the moment and I have 1.1K subscribers. A wee push here and there with some extra viewings will make a difference.

    www.youtube.com/c/CharlieAbelwww.youtube.com/c/CharlieAbel

    All the best folks, stay safe. See you after the Lockdown for an almighty ceilidh.

    Oh aye, and now would be a great time to buy a CD…

    Charlie Abel - A Celtic Voice (CD)

    Charlie Abel – A Celtic Voice (CD)

    Released on St. Andrews Day 2018.

    16 tracks, 66 minutes of music including 7 original pieces.  A new take on old traditions.

    Vocals and accordion led, moving forward in the folk traditions of Scotland with a hint of Irish and other Celtic flavours.

     

    £11.00
    Shop now

    or download any of our tracks from the internet. See our Cal Records page for CD’s and available downloads.

  • The Scent of Panic and the Smell of the Bog

    The Scent of Panic and the Smell of the Bog

    Panic buying Bog Roll? Difficult times at the moment folks. We are doing our best to get through the uncertainty and chaos. I hope you are safe and pull through this as well, whoever you are and where ever you are.

    Aside from the panic buying of bog roll phenomenon Iron Broo Ceilidh Band have had 10 weddings put on hold due to the Corona Virus, so far. What a mess. I really feel for the couples involved and understand their predicament. We are all working through this time in a way that helps us all move through it.

    Stay safe and don’t panic.

    There’s no shortage of negative news at the moment and today i thought i might try and lighten the mood a bit with a video. It’s a bit of a dig at all those selfish panic buyers out there, buying up toilet roll. WTF!

    People must be planning on shi**ing themselves thin. Maybe they just looked at their stocks and shares balance.

    A wee bit of a laugh during the epidemic of Bogroll (toilet paper) panic buying which appears to be sweeping the western world driving lots of people crazy. I don’t understand it and don’t want to. I came across this tune called “The Smell of the Bog” and liked the title so I learned it for this moment in time to commemorate the occasion. This tune is an Irish traditional one I understand. It would be a hornpipe though I like it a wee bit faster. And the Bog might refer to the toilet or the peat bog. The lovely accordion is a Saltarelle Clifden.

    You can download the sheet music to The Smell of The Bog from this site

    Please Subscribe to my YouTube channel if you like my videos. I like comments especially good ones :-). It only encourages me.

    On a serious note

    I hope this virus passes quickly and we all survive. My thoughts are with those in the more vulnerable groups who will need help during this epidemic. Which is why all this panic buying is actually a bad thing and if people weren’t so selfish we’d all get along much better. If someone bought all the hand sanitiser in the supermarket and cleared the shelves of the soap and wipes, ask yourself this? What use is it to them if they are surrounded by people who have caught the virus because they were unable to clean their hands properly? To get through this we have to think as a collective and not individuals. All our actions have consequences that may be unseen and unrealised.

    We are all vulnerable.

    There’s mair than a roch wind blawin’ through the Great Glen of the World the day.

    Once this state of affairs has passed we all hope that many countries will have used the time to reflect on how things have been done in the past. I think things won’t go back to the way things were. I hope there is a rebalancing of justice and equality and an end to the corrupt hierarchy that has been destroying our planet and all our chances of a peaceful and comfortable way of life for us all. I live in hope.

    We all deserve to be able to wipe our own arses with bog roll 🙂

  • The Dark Island

    Nostalgic Scottish Music

    Leaving Loch Maddy, North Uist. Looking back towards the Dark Island

    It’s a tune every Scottish accordion player learns and probably the most widely requested Scottish music tune I ever get. In my experience, it’s also the highest earning tune in my repertoire back when we were busking or playing in bars. Many a time I would get asked at the end of a gig in a bar to play the Dark Island. Usually by an older person, quite emotional after a few drinks and they would often hand us a tenner or a twenty afterwards with a tear in their eye. “That’s braw son…just braw”.

    It’s a tune soaked in nostalgia for lots of people.

    I recall playing on the St.Clair ferry from Aberdeen to Shetland one night, many years ago. Myself and my fiddler pal Bill Edwards were asked to play it for a guy after our show. He handed us £120. (£60 each.) For a few minutes playing, that was a lot of money for us back then and still would be today.

    I visited Benbecula last year on a camping trip and used the photos I took during the week to make a video using the track from my album. (A Celtic voice)

    The dark island is one of the first tunes I practised when I picked up the accordion.

    I remember my dad trying to play it, it was one of the 3 tunes he could still remember from playing when he was a teenager.

    The Dark island Video

    Here’s my latest YouTube video of the Dark Island with photos from Benbecula, Eriskay, Berneray, North and South Uist and below is one of my previous videos of the same tune done live, one with Sandy Mathers on fiddle, recorded in front of my pizza oven.

    It’s funny how a tune can creep up on you. I didn’t realise I played it so much.

    The Dark Island – A Celtic Voice
    Sandy Mathers & Charlie Abel

    The forecasting stone outside a shop near Berneray is indicative of the type of weather you can expect around the Dark Island. You won’t see many trees either

    The Forecasting stone
  • One Man Ceilidh Band in Sicily – A Scottish Wedding in Trapani

    One Man Ceilidh Band in Sicily – A Scottish Wedding in Trapani

    In July 2013 I travelled to Trapani, Sicily, to perform as the Iron Broo One Man Ceilidh Band at a Scottish-Sicilian wedding.

    It was a great example of why the solo ceilidh setup works so well for destination weddings: only one musician needs to travel, while guests still get live accordion, full dance calling and a proper Scottish ceilidh.

    Planning something similar? Find out more about the One Man Ceilidh Band →

    I had a fantastic time in Sicily back in July as the One Man Ceilidh Band for a Scottish/Sicilian wedding. Sicily really impressed me. The people are really nice and the food is fantastic. I never once had a bad wine! The white in particular is fantastic.
    Landing in Palermo for a few nights then to Trapani for the wedding. The traffic in Palermo is amazing. If you can drive there (and survive), you can drive anywhere!
    Picture

    How to load your lorry – Palermo style
    Palermo picture

    Palermo
    Trapani is much quieter than Palermo and has a busy fishing port. Beautiful yellow sandstone buildings surrounded by stunning landscapes and blue sea. If you’ve ever seen ‘Inspector Monatalbano’ on the TV, you’ll know what I mean.
    I can’t wait to go back.

    A Scottish-Sicilian Wedding Ceilidh in Trapani

    The wedding in Trapani was a sight to be seen. The hotel had a swimming pool that was also used as a harbour for small boats. The wedding reception and meal was held in the evening at the hotel, round this ‘harbour’. The meal ran late which was expected. I lost count on how many courses there were. I think we ate for 5 hours. Pastas, fish, seafood, caponata, all delicious. I wasn’t able to indulge in the wine because I had to play after. I was expected to start around 10.30pm but it was 2.45am before we got started. The calling was interesting with a few overly lubricated Scottish people assuring me they were experts in ceilidh dancing only happy to offer their assistance over the microphone while I was already speaking. It was very funny! I’m sure there were more than a few sore heids the next day.
    Made good friends with the piper and the DJ. The piper was from Palermo and loved the sound of the Scottish bagpipes so much he decided to take them up after hearing them on Italian radio. He was very good. Gianluigi Fanzone is his name in case you need a piper in Sicily. gianluigifanzone@tiscali.it
    piper

    Piper – Gianluigi Fanzone
    Picture

    Discussing Ceilidh tactics
    Picture

    Setting up with Dj Enzo
    DJ Enzo Monreale kept everyone entertained till about 8am after the ceilidh. He is a natural DJ with a feel and passion for what he does. I’d highly recommend his services in Sicily. A true professional and a real gentleman.

    Taking a Scottish Ceilidh Abroad

    Destination weddings often involve guests from different countries and very different levels of ceilidh experience. Because every dance is called and explained, everyone can join in.

    The One Man Ceilidh Band is particularly practical for overseas weddings because flights, accommodation and local transport are much simpler than travelling with a full band. Where necessary, Charlie can also work with suitable PA equipment provided by the venue or a local production company.

    FIND OUT ABOUT THE ONE MAN CEILIDH BAND
    After the wedding we traveled around a little in the area, Erice, Marsala Salt flats and went sea angling and had a trip to the Egadi Islands and Favignana. Stunning. We caught lots of small fish and went to head out for some Tuna or some big game fish. I did see a sword fish jump in the water not far from the boat but we had little luck. I did get something big at one point but it broke the line and got away. I’ll have to get him next time.
    It was difficult to find a charter for fishing in Sicily. I wanted to catch a big Swordfish or a Tuna or perhaps a Grouper. None of the tourist offices seemed to know that anyone did it, everything was geared up for dolphin spotting or island tours. This will save you the trouble of looking in case you pick this up on Google. This is Andrea’s website….
    Picture

    I swam here
    This beach is down the end of a road to the North of Trapani. You need to walk a few K’s to get there. It’s well worth it though. It’s part of a nature reserve next to an old Tonnara (Tuna) factory.
    I am looking forward to going back.

    Planning a Destination Wedding Ceilidh?

    Iron Broo can provide Scottish ceilidh entertainment for weddings and events in Scotland and abroad. For destination weddings, the One Man Ceilidh Band can be a particularly flexible and economical option.

    See our Destination Wedding Ceilidh Band service for weddings across Europe and beyond

    Tell us your date, destination and type of event and we’ll be happy to discuss what would work best.

    CHECK AVAILABILITY & GET A QUOTE