Runrig

[ChrisA]

Always been a passion of mine, though never sat comfortably alongside my all time fav band - The Smiths But hey, eclecticism is cool!

Saw them at Loch Lomond a few years ago and the gig was just the most intense and spiritual gig I have ever been to. Magnificent. (But I do miss Donnie ) Anyway, here's my top Runrig tunes ...

10. Hearts Of Golden Glory
9. An Ubhal As Airde
8. Edge Of The World
7. Skye
6. News From Heaven
5. Nightfall On Marsco
4. Darkest Winter
3. Dust
2. Cnoc Na Feille
1. Loch Lomond

[Frosty]

Chris A.
I had the pleasure of seeing Runrig play in the Victoria Hall .
I've also seen them at Stirling Castle and twice in Sheffield at the City Hall
I cannot remember the year they played the Wee Toon ( maybe somebody can ? )
I think your top 10 is about correct , Protect and Survive and A Dance Called America are pretty good too .
Keep on Rocking
Frosty

[Ship called Dignity]

Chris - a Smiths fan!

Without a doubt the best! Still really enjoy listening to them now

As for Runrig in the Vic - mid 80s??? I wiz too young - or perhaps too wise to give yon swines my money!

[ChrisA]

Runrig played Campbeltown? Wow.

As for The Smiths, oh aye, they're me boys! I could quite easily bore for Manchester, England, and the whole UK on Smiths anecdotes and lyrics.

Fav anecdote though: - in 1990 me and my girl moved into a flat in Bowdon (posh town outside Manc). Immediately we started getting letters addressed to "Mr S Morrissey", "Moz", "Mr Morrissey", etc. We stacked them all up, and collared the landlord, who confirmed that yes, the prev occupant was none other than the Stretford bard himself.

You can imagine how long we dined out on that one

[Malky]

As for Runrig in the Vic - mid 80s???

I was there.... Think I was about 12 at the time

Malky

[LO]

Memories are stange things but I'm pretty sure that Runrig played twice in the Victoria Hall. The first time coincided with me being allocated a council house in Tayinloan (which would be 1982 I think) and I ended up with half of Tarbert calling in for a ceilidh/party on their way back up the road. With barely a stick of furniture and certainly no carpets the acoustics were just perfect when the piper decided to strike up at 2am on a Sunday morning, which must have scared the wits out of my new neighbours. Needless to say I kept my head down for a couple of weeks after that!


The second time was possibly a year to 18 months later when they fell out big style with the Council about the charge for the hire of the hall which they claimed was at that time the dearest in Scotland. Because of that they said that in spite of enjoying the gig they wouldn't come back to
Campbeltown because they couldn't afford to. I guess they have been true to their word!

Of course they went on to bigger if not better things, but at this time they were still living a hand to mouth existence and they were still in their Celtic-Rock phase (it was round about Recovery) which was a lot more fun and interesting than the pale imitiation of their former selves that they eventually became when they made it big.

Les

[Malky]

the acoustics were just perfect when the piper decided to strike up at 2am on a Sunday morning

Wasn't Kenny Grieve by any chance Or maybe Malcolm Jones Now that would have been cool

Runrig definately played the Vic twice. I was at both gigs (I was actually slightly older then 12). I still remember the falling out over the cost of the hall. What a disappointment when they said they wouldn't be back

They maybe went on to bigger things but for me not better. Recovery was my favourite album - I didn't buy any after that. I guess they were trying to widen their audience but it didn't work for me

Didn't they play support for U2 at Murrayfield sometime in the late '80s ?

Aah memories.......

Malky

[LO]

[quote="Malky"][quote="LO"]
Wasn't Kenny Grieve by any chance Or maybe Malcolm Jones Now that would have been cool

From memory it was a guy called Steve who used to live at Torinturk ... that's pretty good at my age, eh?
They maybe went on to bigger things but for me not better. Recovery was my favourite album - I didn't buy any after that. I guess they were trying to widen their audience but it didn't work for me

Quite agree - Heartland wasn't too bad but every album afterwards showed a rapid decline. Still the odd gem in amongst the dross, but when they started addressing the "big issues" for the wider audience the results were frankly embarrasing. Strangely enough they seem to have a bit more fire in their bellies since they got shot of the original singer who had morphed into some kind of cartoon character as the years progressed although still best in very small doses.

Didn't they play support for U2 at Murrayfield sometime in the late '80s

[i]No doubt-but who really cares!?!

Probably saw them more often than was good for me in the earlier days- fair play to them - they played in places where other bands wouldn't and I happened to be there at the time. Favourite memory is from the First (possibly the only!) Sutherland Rock Festival outside the grounds of Dunrobin Castle on the day of the original Live Aid. The atmosphere was fantastic, everyone understood the significance of the day in global terms, (collections were taken) as well as the significance of the venue under the shadow of the hated statue of The Duke of Sutherland on nearby Ben Bhraggie (nearly a riot when "Dance called America" was dedicated to him) then Runrig played "Dust" and there we were - all the Gaels together as one singing and swaying in time to the music. Donnie hit the line " I long to live with you my brothers" and at that moment all hell broke loose. The boys from Brora attached the boys from Lochinver who attacked the boys from Golspie who were attacked in turn by the boys from Kinlochbervie etc. Boots, fists flying all over the place as Runrig carried on in blissful ignorance. Talk about a surreal moment? Happy days right enough!

[DMS Graphics]

Didn't they play support for U2 at Murrayfield sometime in the late '80s ?

Aah memories.......

Malky

I was at Murrayfield, no Runrig, but The Pogues were there and the place was jumping.
Also seen Runrig twice in the Vic, shame they never came back.