Absent Voice On The Road...

Here's an 'on-the-road' pic of Absent Voices artist, Yvonne Lyon in full sound check flight tonight ahead of a sold-out gig at The Stables Theatre in Milton Keynes.

Greenock-based Yvonne says: "We've been on the road for a week now and we're looking forward to our final gig at home tomorrow night at The Beacon Arts Centre supporting Karen Matheson as part of the Folk and Roots Festival in Inverclyde.

"I'm so pleased to be part of Absent Voices. Partly because there must be so many great stories to share in song, and partly because I get to collaborate with fantastic artists from different disciplines and be part of an artistic community in Inverclyde, creating together to celebrate our rich heritage.

"I'm really looking forward to unearthing stories. I love stories and I love weaving stories into song.

"There must be so many connected to Greenock's Sugar Sheds. I'm also really interested in the work songs of the folk who worked in the Sheds.

"They must have sung to get through the day, sung as they were heading home, in the pub, home from the pub, at church on Sunday! Who knows?

"I've already written a fiddle tune called The Swankey Docker based on the story of Ryan's great, great grandfather who was called this. [fellow Absent Voices artist, Ryan King]. He would drink away his earnings fairly quickly!

"Another of the Absent Voices artists, Alastair Cook, and I have already also explored the sounds of the Sheds, recording a Filmpoem soundtrack live in the building.

"I'm fascinated by the connections of songs, particularly with the work songs of the slaves on the sugar plantations and their connections with our Scottish and even Gaelic work songs. There are bound to be interesting connections there. "

"I'm keen to foster creative collaboration with local schools, music departments and choirs to see how we can explore writing songs, learning together about our history through song and performing them live perhaps in the Sheds themselves."

Now that is something to look forward to...