North Sea Gas

North Sea Gas are Dave Gilfillan, Grant Simpson and Ronnie MacDonald. The trio has received Gold and Silver Disc awards from the Scottish Music Industry Association and regularly have sold out shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and around the world! Guitars, Mandolin, Fiddle, Bouzouki, Harmonica, Whistles, Bodhrans, Banjo and good humor are all part of the entertainment.

They have released 22 albums with “Hearth & Homeland” being the most recent and are constantly adding new material to their shows. One of their previous albums, “The Fire and the Passion of Scotland, was “Album of the Year” at Celtic Radio in the U.S., winning first place in the “Jigs and Reels” category as well for the set of tunes on the album. All of their previous albums continue to be very popular with fans all over the world evidenced by the Scottish Music Industry Association gold and silver awards for: “Dark Island,” “Lochanside,” “Glencoe Massacre,” “Edinburgh Toon,” “Rosslyn,” “Tak A Dram Afore Ye Go,” and “The Fire and the Passion of Scotland.”

Their show, and their albums, consist of traditional, contemporary and self-penned material put together, in a style all their own, along with their humor and story-telling. This proves popular during their regular tours of Scotland, America, Canada, Germany, Austria, Estonia, Turkey, and many other destinations both in and outside of their home in Scotland. Every year there are appearances on TV and Radio on both sides of the Atlantic including “Late Night Saturday,” “Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour,” and “Song of the Mountains” shown on select PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) TV stations in the U.S.

In the past, the band recorded for Chinese television with an estimated audience of 800 million, played in Istanbul, Turkey for the British Consulate, and recently had the honor of performing at the famous Rosslyn Chapel.

In addition to regular tours at home and abroad, they have taken their show to theatres, arts centres, colleges, schools, libraries, and community halls around the world. Touring, and seeing their native Scotland and other parts of the world, is something the band really enjoys.

We could say more but put simply “North Sea Gas” are a highly entertaining Scottish folk band who have an ever-growing fan base ranging through all age groups thus giving the “Gas” shows a wonderful atmosphere and universal appeal.

HERE’S WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING ABOUT “NORTH SEA GAS”…..

“The band displays an attachment and a reverence for their roots from the very start. The music feels genuine, unpretentious and spontaneous, with a fondness for storytelling and beautiful harmonies.” (Celtic Radio – Boston) http://www.celticradio.net

“No airs and graces just fantastic music”…

EdinburghGuide.com (Edin/Festival)

“…..they inherit the mantle vacated by The Corries and The McCalmans with tight vocal harmonies and well-chosen material…..provide a solid well-honed sound vocally strong and musically complimentary…..most commendable about North Sea Gas is their ability to balance up tempo material with quieter more thoughtful moments and treat each with commitment and professionalism. “Fire in the Glen” is an excellent showcase for their talents and shows them taking the Scottish ballad group mantle with fire and grace.”

John O’Regan Freelance Music Journalist, Broadcaster, Lecturer

Limrick, Ireland jor32@hotmail.com