On June 16th, 2024, BRUACH closed out Solas Festival with a set that we’ll never forget — not for the size of the crowd, but for the heart behind the music.

The weather had turned rainy, and most of the festival’s performers and attendees had left by the time we took the stage. To add to the drama, Pheely’s guitar strings snapped in the early part of the set, and our bassist Sean — who ran off to assist — both was taking very long time.

So there we were: Davie on vocals, Niall on drums, and myself on fiddle, holding the stage as we launched into “Take Me Home, Country Roads” — equal parts panic and perseverance. At the time, it felt like a scramble, but now? It’s one of our favourite stories to laugh about.

Among the small but wonderful audience were two young girls, dancing joyfully throughout our set. Their energy lit up the tent, and we gifted them BRUACH T-shirts as a thank-you.

The day before, under clear skies, I had taken part in my first-ever folk session — an entirely improvised, deeply human exchange of sound and spirit. In that moment, I truly felt how much my life had shifted, and how far music was taking me from anything I’d imagined before.

Solas was more than a festival. It was a turning point.