Ellie Beaton & Iona Fyfe @ Under Canvas, Inverness, 13 Jul
With their distinct visions of the tradition they've inherited, singer-songwriters Ellie Beaton and Iona Fyfe are a striking and complementary bill pairing for today's Under Canvas show
Inverness is still basking in a rare Highland heatwave as the Under Canvas tent fills for an afternoon of Scottish trad music. Beneath the canopy, the crowd settles in the lingering warmth, the air humming with anticipation. Today's bill brings two powerful voices to the stage – Ellie Beaton and Iona Fyfe – each offering a distinct vision of the tradition they’ve inherited.
Ellie Beaton opens the night with quiet command. Singing in a mix of Doric and English, the Rothienorman-born artist moves seamlessly between timeworn ballads and fresh, personal material, each carefully selected and rooted in memory. There’s operatic control in her delivery – the result of formal training – but it enhances the storytelling rather than stealing the spotlight.
Image: Ellie Beaton by Gillie O'Flaherty
Joining her on stage is Dylan Cairns on fiddle, his understated playing a calm but powerful match to her vocal presence. From Rigs o’ Rye to the melancholic The Shores of Oban, every song feels considered and close to the bone; anchored in nostalgia and emotion. Between songs, she shares personal anecdotes – just enough to place you in her world. Closing her set with a bothy ballad, after a little coaxing the audience joins in. For a moment, we’re not just strangers under canvas, we’re part of something shared.
After a short break, Iona Fyfe takes the stage with a different kind of presence – bold, bright, and utterly sure of herself. Her voice is light and clear, but her delivery carries power and precision. Backed by Michael Biggins on piano, she blends song, humour, storytelling, and sharp social commentary with ease. Fyfe reflects on how leaving home sharpened her sense of self, and it's this clarity that pulses through her set. She’s a fierce advocate for the Scots language, and her rendition of Nick Cave’s track The Ship Song translated into Doric is both playful and poignant.
Image: Iona Fyfe by Euan Anderson
A rousing take on The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen brings a knowing grin from the crowd. Between songs, she riffs on language, identity, and the absurdities of the streaming economy – sharp as ever, but never losing the room.
Together, Beaton and Fyfe are a striking pairing – not opposites, but complements. They show two distinct takes on the same tradition, but both feel fresh and rooted in the present. What links them is a clear sense of identity and a shared belief that tradition isn’t just something to preserve, it’s something that’s living and evolving.
Under Canvas runs at Eden Court until 23 Aug