A Star is Born @goNORTHFEST

Day 2 of goNORTH. It will go on record as the day I heard Siobhan Wilson sing.
Remember the name...
I thought I'd expended all energy reserves by 6pm after a long day - make that a long few days - but accompanied by the redoubtable Lady Walker, I soldiered on...
After first lining our rumbling tummies, we headed to Inverness Town House for a networking reception to find award-winning singer-songwriter, RM Hubbert, entertaining the assembled crowd with his very definite style of misfit blokey geek-in-bedroom musical narrative.
He even interrupted one song to ask for 'ten minutes of your time please' which hushed the room right down!
Revived by live music and wine, Lady R and I went off on a musical odyssey around the bars of Inverness...
Dorec-a-Belle at the teeny Market Bar consisted of three women singing beautiful harmonies and playing guitar, sax and accordion. Sounds a mismatch but it worked.
Next up, we caught the end of Beecake's set. (I'm now feeling v fond of Billy Boyd and the boys, especially after meeting Paul, the drummer's gorgeous wee baby, Enily.)
Over the road to Mad Hatters, to be bowled over by Elgin's own Siobhan Wilson.
The effect this young woman had on the audience in this tiny venue tonight was quite astonishing. It was like mass hypnotism. Grown men looked stunned. while grown women like myself and Lady Walker felt a weird mix of longing and joy as she sang her self-penned songs.
I swear the whole room fell in love on the spot.
With a sound that is all her own, she has an amazing range. Not tricksy or fey. Slightly breathless but utterly controlled delivery.
The writer, Chris Dolan, was with us and he said she brought to his mind the stripped back lyrical honesty of The Blue Nile.
Chris didn't want to go anywhere else after Siobhan's set for fear of spoiling the moment.
Lady W and I decided to head across the road to hear Glasgow hip-hop rap meister, Hector Bizerk. The perfect foil.
He was bloody brilliant too in an altogether opposite way!
You'd think that was it but such is the half-hour slot democratic brilliance of goNORTH, we also saw the end of Crieff-based Angus Munro's set followed by a blast of The Hazey Janes.
All good but Siobhan Wilson is the one to watch. Just mesmerising.