Albannach at Gatlinburg Games

**phinz** · 22nd May 06, 04:45 PM

Here's a post from elsewhere, including the pictures:

Gatlinburg was my first time seeing the band, and I was blown away. Having been a percussionist since I was 10 years old, drums get to the root of my soul. I danced as much as the mud would allow. I bought the album and a shirt and I've listened to the album at least half a dozen times since getting home. I can't seem to get enough.

The mud was extraordinary, and mizzphinz had a rough time with the humidity, but we had a great time. I couldn't get very close to the stage for pictures because the crowd was so big, and couldn't get too many clear shots from where I was, but I thought I'd share the best of what I have. They're not as crisp as I would like, but I was shooting at high ISO to make sure I didn't have to worry about as much blur. Click on the pic for a higher-res version.

**Mike1** · 22nd May 06, 06:20 PM

Phinz, I saw those pics in that 'elsewhere' and meant to say they were all keepers.

KCW, Davey does some artistic work, himself. So some of his stuff would have been at the table, too. I was just trying to look through my images and I don't seem to have one of Wodan. HERE is Wodan's Web site, displaying some of his handiwork. Chack out the Keppoch Targe and try not to drool into your keyboard.

THIS is Davey's site.

And if you promise not to make a mess, HERE are some images of the dirk that Wodan made for Jamesie. Absolutely beautiful.

Here are a couple of up-and-coming drummers.

This is Wodan's bairn, Gunnar, playing his own drum

This is my fiancee's bairn, Aedan, playing Jacquie's drum at the Smith Art Gallery & Museum, in Stirling (Go ahead and admit it - you wish your mum would have had you in a kilt when you were only 25 months

) And yes, this image was taken in late August 2005, hence the Ardbeg logo on the drum.

**KiltedCodeWarrior** · 22nd May 06, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by phinz

...and couldn't get too many clear shots from where I was, but I thought I'd share the best of what I have. They're not as crisp as I would like, but I was shooting at high ISO to make sure I didn't have to worry about as much blur. Click on the pic for a higher-res version.

Puuhhlease! If they were any clearer, Jamie would be cleaning my keyboard with his swinging hair, Davie's hand would be visibly moving toward his bhodran, and Kyle's drumming would be playing through my speakers! You said you were a photo nut, but these pics are great. What resolution is that camera of yours? I did not get a good look at it at the Games. I was just shooting with a basic HP digital. I use it when I want to take a camera that I don't want to have to worry about losing or breaking.

**KiltedCodeWarrior** · 22nd May 06, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by mike1...

(Go ahead and admit it - you wish your mum would have had you in a kilt when you were only 25 months...

Hey, I admit it freely! Why kilts are not worn by every man (except maybe masochists) I will never understand! Actually, I do, its fear of standing out, which is at the root of the majority of behavior in any culture.

The dirk that Wodan made was beautiful, Jamesie pulled it out during the second set and used it as part of one of his songs, which was a tribute to all the brave souls that fought for Scotland.

The wee lads are going to do fine. I still can't believe how much Wodan's son looks like Jamesie, but it is probably mainly the hair. Your lady's son looks like he is very comfortable with the drums and will be a star one day. I don't know if it came up yet, but Davie actually broke his bhodran during the first set Saturday and had to play with it broken until the end of that set. He snapped off one of the cross pieces used to tune it. He either has amazingly string hands (which seem likely), it had a defect in the wood, or both. It snapped off right at the junction of the 2 crosspieces.

That targe is great. I also noticed on Davie's site that he lets people know that some of the stuff on his (Davie's) site is from Rob Stewart (Wodan).

Later!

**Jerry** · 22nd May 06, 08:08 PM

Like I said in an earlier post about the band's performance at Frederick, fantastic. What tartan does the band wear, anyone know? I would have liked to talk with them at the Frederick games, but I always feel like I would be interfering with their "private time" if I approached any performer between setts, even to say I enjoyed their music. The one exception I'v made was to ask a "Tinsmith" band member if his sporran was one of David's from Norway. It looked just like one of his green ones.

**phinz** · 22nd May 06, 08:17 PM

Originally Posted by KiltedCodeWarrior

Puuhhlease! If they were any clearer, Jamie would be cleaning my jeayboard with his swinging hair, Davie's hand would be visibly moving toward his bhodran, and Kyle's drumming would be playing through my speakers! You said you were a photo nut, but these pics are great. What resolution is that camera of yours? I did not get a good look at it at the Games. I was just shooting with a basic HP digital. I use it when I want to take a camera that I don't want to have to worry about losing or breaking.

Thanks for the compliments. My dSLR is a Canon 20D. It's an 8.2 mp. I was using a 75-300 lens, but had the ISO all the way up to 1600 at the time. I would have been happier if I had bumped it down to 400, but them's the breaks you pay to make sure you have it fast enough to keep from blurring too much.

Mizzphinz was carrying my pocket camera, a Nikon P3, which is also an 8 mp camera. We wound up not using it but maybe once, though. It's not as controllable as the dSLR since it's a P&S.

Here's another from the day of the show, though it's not Albannach, that I like because of the DOF.