Festival Interviews
SAWDOCTORS
They may be familiar faces to island music lovers, but it's been four years since the ever-popular Saw Doctors last played the Hebridean Celtic Festival.
Headlining what has come to be termed the 'coming-of-age' Heb Celt in 2004, The Saw Doctors were one of the first bands to witness the full festival spectacular as the old white, and number limiting, marquee tent was replaced with the iconic 'Big Blue'.
The sight of the 5,000 plus capacity tent being erected in Lews Castle Grounds annually signals the start of festival fever as an excited buzz takes over Stornoway. And it was something which certainly left an impression on the Irish music docs, as founding member Leo Moran recalls of their first Heb Celt appearance.
"It was the gig of the year for us back then," he says. "It was just incredible to have 5,000 people on a small island of the north of Scotland coming to see The Saw Doctors. Jeepers, to have that was just great!
"The tent design itself was like something I'd never seen before," Leo continues.
"I've never seen a tent designed into such a natural amphitheatre. For us coming up there to play is a real highlight as, although islanders are used to it I suppose, for us it's very picturesque.
"It helps create a brilliant atmosphere and we really enjoy playing to that."
But it's not just the setting that the band find special when playing in the Hebrides – what has made even more of an impact are the people themselves.
"The Heb Celt is the biggest gig we would play in that area and the festival is really well run and everyone up there is so hospitable," compliments Leo.
"We find that when we go to more remote places, like the islands, we always get an exceptional reception. We always get the feeling that it's a real community event; that everyone is interested in what's going on, comes out to see you and gets involved – it's a great feeling.
"Every trip up to Lewis is a real little highlight to our trips to Scotland," he adds.
Yet before the lads cross over the Minch to Stornoway in July, they're off across a much larger pond as currently the band have just embarked on a three week tour Stateside, including a performance in New York's famous Time Square.
"The more you travel to different places, the more you realise that people are more or less the same wherever you go. There are always more similarities than differences," Leo comments on the band's now fiercely loyal and worldwide fan base.
"Most of the places we go the people are used to us and what we do, we see familiar faces in familiar places. It's great. That's what's really important to us, where ever we play in the world, our fans and their enjoyment of our music."
Down-to-earth with an honest love and passion of music could be one way to describe The Saw Doctors, but with a bounty of albums now under their belts giving them global popularity and success, industry recognition was granted to the band in their home country as February 15 saw The Saw Doctors pick up a 'Lifetime Achievement' award at the 2008 Meteor Ireland Music Awards.
Speaking of the accolade, Leo chuckled: "Well, previous recipients include The Pogues, Christy Moore and The Dubliners, so we're in good company!
"It was great to get the award and we all got dressed up and hung around with the Celebes for a bit. It was grand, great craic, but I wouldn't like to go to something like that every night of the week."
The Hebridean Celtic Festival, however, is something which Leo and the boys always love to attend, and this year revellers could be in for a treat as on return from America the band are set to work on material for their new album – and will be road testing it on festival audiences.
Leo reveals: "We've scheduled some time in for recording as we're over due an album, so hopefully by the time July comes we'll have a few new songs up for judgement.
"You can fool yourself sometimes that you've got something special in a song, but if an audience don't like it, then you know it's time to think over.
"And if the Heb Celt audience don't like something, then it will probably be jettisoned and we'll start all over again.
"I trust their judgement, they're certainly no fools when it comes to good music!" he laughs knowingly, adding: "It's a long way from home for us, and a relatively remote place, so to be involved in something the size, scale and reputation as the Heb Celt really is a great privilege.
"We'll be playing for as long as they let us, so they'll be new stuff and old stuff, and we just can't wait for it!"
Interview courtesy of Stornoway Gazette
