Torridon are a Scottish folk rock band from
Ross-shire
Ross-shire (; ), or the County of Ross, was a county in the Scottish Highlands. It bordered Sutherland to the north and Inverness-shire to the south, as well as having a complex border with Cromartyshire, a county consisting of numerous enc ...
formed in 2005.
The band have played throughout Europe and released their first album, ''Break The Chains'', in 2019.
Songwriting is done by lead vocalist Kenny Smith.
History
Formation
Torridon were founded in 2005 by Kenny Smith, the lead vocalist
and song writer
who is supported by Michael MacMillan.
Live performances
Torridon have played in
Loopallu,
Belladrum
Belladrum is a small community in the Mahaica-Berbice Region of Guyana, on the Atlantic coast, about east of Mahaicony.
Geography
Belladrum is a rural area close to the sea wall on the northern coast of Guyana. It is below sea level and is ric ...
, Killin, Tiree, Killin, Bute and Mull festivals, at The Ironworks in Inverness, The Lemon Tree in Aberdeen and at Glasgow’s
O2 Academy The O2 Academy may refer to one of a number of Academy Music Group venues in the United Kingdom (in alphabetical order):
* O2 Academy Birmingham
* O2 Academy Bournemouth
* O2 Academy Bristol
* O2 Academy Brixton
* O2 Academy Edinburgh
* O2 Acade ...
. Outside Scotland, they have played in Ukraine, France, and Italy.
Discography
Break The Chains (2019)
Fourteen years after forming, Torridon released their debut album ''Break The Chains'' on 20 September 2019.
The album deals with themes of mental health and suicide, referring to the lived experiences of band members.
Tracks include ''Lighthouse, Sweet 16, Highland Girl, Here We Go Again, Drinking Away'' and ''No Bills To Pay''.
Musical style
They are well known for their energetic live performances and use of bagpipes.
Their style was described by as being at the "rock/pop end of the folk-rock spectrum" by Paul Mansfield writing in
The Living Tradition
''The Living Tradition'' was a bi-monthly music magazine published in the United Kingdom between 1993 and 2022. It specialised in traditional folk music from the UK, Ireland and beyond. The original editors were Peter and Heather Heywood. In 20 ...
, Mansfield also compared their style to that of
Runrig
Runrig were a Scottish Celtic rock band formed on the Isle of Skye in 1973. From its inception, the band's line-up included brothers and songwriters Rory MacDonald (musician), Rory MacDonald (bass, vocals) and Calum MacDonald (musician), Calum ...
,
The Saw Doctors
The Saw Doctors are an Irish rock band. Formed in 1986 in Tuam, County Galway, they have achieved eighteen Top 30 singles in the Republic of Ireland including three number ones. Their first number one, " I Useta Lover," topped the Irish charts ...
,
Deacon Blue
Deacon Blue are a Scottish pop rock band formed in Glasgow in 1985. The line-up of the band consists of vocalists Ricky Ross and Lorraine McIntosh, keyboard player James Prime, drummer Dougie Vipond, guitarist Gregor Philp and bassist Le ...
, and
Big Country
Big Country are a Scottish Rock music, rock band formed in Dunfermline, Fife, in 1981.
The height of the band's popularity was in the early to mid 1980s, although they have retained a cult following for many years since. The band's music inc ...
.
References
{{reflist
External links
Torridon Official Website
Scottish folk rock groups
Scottish rock music groups
Scottish Gaelic music
Scottish Gaelic bands