I arose well past 9h to a grey day; it was +25 and felt very humid. I stayed in my room and completed and posted Tuesday’s account.
As I drove north to Chéticamp, clouds hung just below the summits of Cape Mabou. There was filtered sun in Grand-Étang, where the temperature was down to +22 (72). I drove to the Cape Breton Highlands National Park Visitors’ Centre outside Chéticamp and picked up a gift for friends and a new copy of Haynes’ Cape Breton hiking book, which I had given to another friend, as it was easily replaced. There was rain in the Highlands and a shower was in progress when I arrived at the Doryman at 13h18, where I was surprised to find lots of front row seats left. I had a salad and some haddock in lieu of breakfast and read, worked on my notes, and began writing Wednesday’s account.
The music this afternoon was by Kenneth MacKenzie on fiddle and Mac Morin on keyboard. Kenneth led off with one of my favourite marches, but didn’t continue on with strathspeys and reels, stopping instead to resin his bow. He resumed with another real swinging march I’ve heard before but not a lot. The next set began with Trip to Mabou Ridge, which I have as my iPhone’s ringtone. After a fairly short set with Gerry Deveau on spoons, they next gave us a very nice version of Mo Mhàthair. The following set of jigs got no takers. Three fine march/strathspey/reel sets preceded the next set of jigs, which had several key changes and some tunes I don’t know, and also got no takers. The pub was by now nearly full up, with some spots left by the bar and one or two at the occasional table. Another march/strathspey/reel set and a set of step dance tunes, which got a lady up step dancing in the back, preceded the short break. Gerry was back on spoons and the third set of jigs again got no takers—clearly not a dancing crowd today! Two long and powerful sets preceded a set of waltzes that brought one couple to the floor. Then, out came the highland bagpipes for a great set; although I love Kenneth’s fiddle, his piping always sends thrills along my spine. Back on the fiddle, he gave us a gorgeous slow air and, for the third time this afternoon, Gerry went back up right in the middle of the set and played spoons and step danced to vigorous applause at the end. I appreciate the spoons, given my French heritage, but once an afternoon is quite enough. Kenneth’s playing is very facile and accomplished, a joy to hear, and he often plays tunes I either don’t know or don’t often hear; Mac’s superb accompaniments rounded out the music to perfection.
¹ Posted on Friday, 30 June, for Saturday, 24 June.↩
I needed gas and thought I’d get it at the Wilson station leaving Chéticamp, but it was closed; I could have made the Caper Gas station in Belle-Côte, but wasn’t sure it’d be open either (it was), so I turned around and got gas at the Irving in Chéticamp.
I then drove to the Red Shoe in Mabou, where Hailee LeFort and Amanda MacDougall were playing. Friends invited me to sit with them, so I had a seat. It was pretty noisy and there were a lot of clappers, but I otherwise enjoyed the music, especially Hailee’s great Hector the Hero. I had the Celtic club sandwich with a garden salad as the music was playing.
I left before they had finished to allow time for the detour via Hunters Road and got to the West Mabou Hall at 21h, where there weren’t enough folks to make a square set. While waiting for the dancers to arrive, Kinnon and Betty Lou Beaton played cèilidh sets and Betty Lou gave us a very fine keyboard solo. At 21h26, the first set of jigs had no takers, but the second, at 21h34 resulted in the first square set with four couples, growing to five in its second figure and to six in its third figure, though one couple dropped out part way through it. The following waltz brought two couples to the floor. The second square set began with some dandy jigs indeed, danced by six couples in its first figure, five in its second, and eight in its third. A lady requested a slow air, which Kinnon played along with a second one. Thereafter, the hall was full enough of dancers I could not see them all except during the the third figures: ten in the third square set, fifteen in the fourth, twenty-one in the fifth, and twenty-six in the sixth and last, which went overtime. Catherine Ann Lamey, as she was known when she recorded with Winston “Scotty” Fitzgerald, now Cathy Howley, relieved Betty Lou on keyboard for the fifth square set. A waltz and the step dance sequence intervened between the fifth and sixth square sets; the step dancers were: Siobhan Beaton, Lewis MacLennan, Stephen MacLennan, Sarah MacInnis (I think), a young lady whose name I don’t know, Burton MacIntyre, Cheryl MacQuarrie, Amanda MacDonald, and a very young lady and another young lady whose names I don’t know. Kinnon’s playing was full of fire and the accompaniment, of course, nonpareil.
As I returned via the Colindale Road, I reflected on all the great music I had heard. What a fantastic day! I was quickly in bed once back at the motel.