About
Auld Alliance is a musical duo for hire in Melbourne, VIC.
Ukulele, double bass and two voices in close harmony. The Auld Alliance pairs Glasgow born Graeme McCoglan with Australian singer Amie Brûlée, reviving the old Scottish and French union through folk songs from Scotland, Ireland, France and Australia. Expect Caledonia and Loch Lomond alongside La Vie en Rose, upbeat traditional numbers mixed with quieter ballads, some written as far back as the 1790s. And it doesn't have to stop at the music. They run Scottish ceilidh dancing with a caller and full instruction, host wine tastings, and can bring in bagpipers if the occasion calls for it. All they ask for is a PA and shelter for two, though they can supply gear if needed. Fully insured.
The show
Two voices, a ukulele and a double bass, and a Scottish-French thread running through the lot. Graeme McCoglan grew up in Glasgow, Amie Brulee is Australian, and the songs they pick sit somewhere between the two: Caledonia, Loch Lomond, La Vie en Rose, Sur Le Pont d'Avignon, plus Irish and Australian material. Some of it is rowdy, some of it is quiet and close to the bone. Graeme also calls ceilidh dances, which he did for years in Scotland before moving out here, so if you want the floor full rather than the room seated, that's on the table too. Kilts on, harmonies tight.
On the day
Not much, honestly. A PA with a four channel mixer, and somewhere shaded or covered for the two of them to stand. If you don't have a PA, ask, because they can bring their own gear. Worth sorting that in the conversation before the day rather than on it.
Performance options
You can book them for the music alone, or add Scottish ceilidh dancing with a caller and proper instruction so nobody has to already know the steps. Wine tasting is another option. And any combination of the three works too, sized from a small evening at home up to something bigger. Bagpipers can be brought in if the day calls for it.
Insurance and paperwork
Public liability insured
Song list
A range of Scottish, Irish, French and Australian songs from modern day musicians all the way back to the traditional songs written in the 1790s
