For more than a decade Celtic folk duo The Mad Ferret Band have been in demand at summer festivals across Europe.
Now, after being restricted to online concerts as the pandemic kept their passports in the drawer, Perth pair Sandy Stirton and Chris Woods are ready to hit the road again.
With another album coming out in August, their latest tour will take in a string of countries.
But The Mad Ferret Band will return to their home town for the Kilmac-backed “Craigie Hillfest” on September 10, rounding off the evening in the clubhouse after eighties chart toppers Fiction Factory top the bill on the open-air stage.
Their energetic, super-charged brand of contemporary folk goes down a storm with audiences, with two gigs lined-up for “Doune the Rabbit Hole” festival next weekend.
Like the Hillfest show, it promises to be very different from their last appearance in Perth, when they joined artists like Karen Matheson, Phil Cunningham and Dougie MacLean for a sell-out “Concert for Ukraine.”
“That night was intense and very emotional. It was a privilege to be asked to appear with so many amazing Scottish musicians,” said Sandy.
“As musicians, we were delighted to do anything we could to support the cause and show our support.
“Our latest gig was at the Kelburn Garden Party. It’s one of the jewels in the Scottish music scene and the tent was rammed. It was a memorable night, especially as it was my birthday.
“Now, looking ahead, we are really excited to be playing Hillfest. Normally we are on tour when it has been on but it is later in the calendar this year.”
Fellow Twa Tams bar operator Chris admits they’re looking forward to their travels.
“Next month we are off to a festival near Milan. We usually head through a series of venues in Austria and into Switzerland,” he said.
“It’s great that we can tour again after the problems created by the pandemic and the visas post-Brexit. It was looking like we’d never get back over.
“We’ve been going over so long now we get invited to stay with families and have meals with the kids.”
Sandy said: “Before the world fell apart, we were getting gigs in Germany and that is a huge market for Scots-Irish music.
“We played a Celtic festival in Hamburg and stayed with the local Burgermeister, or mayor, who happened to be from Achiltibuie!
“It’s fantastic to be playing live again in front of audiences. During lockdown we were blessed having a great community online who supported us both financially and mentally.
“Our online ‘Ferrapy Sessions’ proved very popular.
'It was strange at first sitting in a room by ourselves belting it out and having no response. But after a while you see the emojis coming in and you knew people out there were enjoying it.”
The duo were victims of a recent theft but their most treasured possessions were safe.
“Most of our instruments weren’t left in the van, just some technical gear. The police did a great job and managed to get a lot of the stuff back.
“Luckily the Saints double cup winning season banner wasn’t stolen!” laughed Chris.
The Mad Ferret Band are putting the finishing touches to their latest album.
“We recorded 32 songs over two days in the studio, enough for two albums,” said Sandy. “We really blitzed it and it will be out in the next month.
“This is the second of three lockdown albums, imaginatively titled ‘The Ferrapy Sessions Volume 2.’
“It is the same genre but the sound quality will be better than our live recordings, which capture the energy of the band and the audience.”
“Hillfest” has once again attracted sponsorship from Tayside civil engineering firm Kilmac.
Perth-based managing director Athole McDonald and event promoter Pauline Harrier are anticipating a 1000-strong sell-out as Fiction Factory reform for a milestone Fair City concert, with an array of bands on a packed bill.
“This is the fifth time Kilmac has supported Hillfest, which has featured the likes of Eddi Reader, Fish, the RBs and the Red Pine Timber Company.
“The idea is to raise money to support Craigie Hill Golf Club by putting on a day-long festival for the whole family to enjoy.
“It has pulled in the crowds every year, provided a platform for local bands and it’s been a great addition to the local music scene.”
Advance £35 tickets can be secured from Ticketweb. Kids under 16 are free.
In addition to The Mad Ferret Band and Fiction Factory, the bill includes The Curtains, No Class, True Gents, John Martin’s Five Piece Band, My Pet Rocket, The Catch 22s, The Regrets, Zennira, Katie Whittaker, Bohemian Monk Machine, Hathaway, Vinyl Tap, Papa Hotel, Floyd Tomlinson, the Big Light and Stevie Wood.
