Braebach

By Dave Johnston

Thursday October 17th was a night to remember. The award-winning Scottish Folk group Breabach (which translates to ‘kicking’) performed at the NAC for a wildly enthusiastic Ottawa audience. I had never heard of Breabach, despite their having being around for 19 years and this was their second trip to North America, having toured in 2023.

They are fittingly described on their site as: “Securely ranked among Scotland’s most skilled and imaginative contemporary folk acts, Breabach unite deep roots in Highland and Island tradition with the innovative Scottish music scene.”

Breabach members are: James Lindsay (Double Bass/Vocals), Calum MacCrimmon (Highland Bagpipe/Whistle/Bouzouki/Vocals), Conal McDonagh (Highland Bagpipe/Whistle/Vocals) Ewan Robertson (Guitar/Cajon/Vocals) and Jenna Moynihan who is stepping in for Megan Henderson (Fiddle/Vocals) who is at home with a new baby girl.

Their music, all original scores, were performed with an eclectic mixture of the Great Highland Bagpipes, tin whistles, flutes, acoustic guitar, fiddle and (wait for it) a double bass! Their song mixture was both lively and poignant, with James and Conal switching mid-tune from flute/tin whistle to the bagpipes as a tune reached its crescendo. At one point the entire strings section switched to performing as percussion instruments to accompany the wind instruments.

After seeing their show, I can say that Breabach is a must-see, so watch for their 2025 tour dates.

Read more about the group here: https://www.breabach.com/