THE TEUCHTARS DO….

Last year we revived an old Ceòl Cholasa favourite, namely ‘The Teuchtars Do….’ session in the hotel. This concert is like no other. Featuring a wealth of local performers and festival goers, absolute beginners to battle weary troubadours. A concert where the audience could themselves get up and for a few short minutes feel what it’s like to rock out to a packed crowd. It’s a concert with one strict rule and yet no real rules at all. A concert that dances along the tightrope between idiocy and genius. A concert known simply as ‘The Teuchtars Do…’.

Eh, I’m still not getting it….

Okay, okay. It’s basically an open mic covers gig. But that’s not doing it justice. ‘The Teuchtars Do…’ is the very essence of the festival, distilled into a one (or two) hour long, ramshackle, seat of the pants performance where anything can happen. We’re talking 6 year olds singing Bob Dylan, old timers delivering flawless contemporary pop covers and professional trad musicians belting out Avril Lavigne tracks.

How do we elicit such a strange choice of material from the participants? By setting a theme of course. We’ve had One Hit Wonders, Dylan, Pop and World Music to name a few. Last year we donned old motorcycle boots, repurposed some bin bags, safety pinned everything and raged against the establishment as Teuchtars did Punk! And a great success it was too. However, we need to maybe cool things off a little in 2019. Go for something a little more heartfelt, but still packing a punch. Frankly there’s only one genre that will do it….that’s right, in 2019 you can enjoy the sights and sounds of THE TEUCHTARS DO… POWER BALLADS!

So start growing that hair, strap on some shoulder pads, dust off those power chords and get ready to leave us all weeping uncontrollably on the floor. Just hands off the Roxette back catalogue – it’s all mine!!

How do I get to see this mad concert?

This concert will take place in our bar venue (see this post) and will most likely be an afternoon event. As such it will be free, but if you physically want to be able to see the performers then you’re going to need a full festival pass. That’s because all seats will be reserved for those with the appropriate wristband. You’ll still need to be quick though – there are only so many seats we can fit in there…

If you don’t get a seat then fear not, the performance will be piped into other areas of the bar at a level which means you can enjoy the music at the same time as indulging in a spot of lunch and a catch up with old friends.

But if you’re desperate to see the carnage up close, if you want to smell the hairspray and feel the emotion in every word, then you’ll need that Full Festival Pass. For Ceòl Cholasa 2018 passes are £80 and can be bought online (just follow the link). As well as reserved seating at the hotel, the pass gains you entry to all the concerts in the hall, the stomping late night Ceòl Ceilidh and the workshops.

Remember, Ceòl Cholasa is a limited, bijou event. It’s best to purchase your ticket as soon as possible as then you can rest assured that you will be one of a maximum of only 250 people attending the best wee music festival in the west!

Where can I stay?

Much like the tickets, accommodation is limited on the island and sells out fast for festival week. So it’s always recommended that you sort out somewhere to stay at the same time as you buy your ticket. Check out the Isle of Colonsay website to see what’s available and to make an enquiry.