Dougie MacLean will forever be famed as the writer of what many regard as Scotland’s unofficial national anthem, 'Caledonia'. Yet this afternoon’s performance showed there is so much more to the man than that single, beloved song.
Arriving on stage at The Mandela Hall to huge applause, Dougie already had the crowd firmly on his side. His easy going manner, insights into the songs, gentle humour and the sheer quality of his back catalogue kept the audience enthralled throughout.
Opening with ‘All Who Wander (Are Not Lost)’, he jokingly dedicates it to himself after 52 years as a wandering troubadour, drawing warm laughter from the crowd. It sets the tone for the afternoon, with many songs introduced by stories about how they came to be written. ‘Shadow of the Mountain’ is the first of several moments where Dougie teaches the audience the chorus, transforming the hall into a warm communal sing-along.
There are songs made for joining in, and others that are tender reflections on people and places. ‘Talking With My Father’, performed the day before Mother’s Day, may well have prompted many in the audience to reflect on their own relationships with their parents. ‘Garden Valley’ is another wonderful slice of MacLean whimsy, written while standing on a fire escape in Los Angeles and thinking longingly of the beauty of his Perthshire home.
Dougie’s intricate guitar playing is showcased in the opening of a heartfelt rendition of ‘Ready for the Storm’, reminding everyone of the quiet musicianship behind his songwriting. He also tells the audience he learned to play the banjo “badly” during lockdown, before introducing a historical homage to family members who sold everything to pursue a dream life in New Zealand, only to discover the opportunity was a devastating scam.
Then comes the song many had been waiting for. ‘Caledonia’ has taken on a life of its own over the years, sung at weddings, funerals and even football matches. A song of identity and belonging, it sends the rafters ringing in Mandela Hall, with the arrangement enriched by the harp of opening support, Ursula Burns.
One might have thought that would be the evening’s peak, but Dougie still had a surprise.
‘Stolen’, a sorrowful reflection on the diminishing of the Gaelic language, begins quietly with voice and guitar. Then, with a nod to the wings, the stage suddenly fills with pipers and drummers from the Belfast TradFest. Perhaps it is the unexpectedness, perhaps the sheer exhilaration of the sound, but it becomes one of those rare live moments that raises the hairs on the back of the neck.
It is a wonderful memory of a great gig by a truly legendary artist.
In troubled times, Dougie sends the audience home with hope, carried gently on the closing song, ‘This Love Will Carry’.
There was deep respect and real emotion for Dougie throughout Mandela Hall.
This love will carry indeed.