Bluegrass Sessions at MacGregors, Academy Street, Inverness
Back in 2013, this reviewer had the idea of touring local pubs to explore and review the sheer range of live music on offer. A small number of reviews emerged, but a combination of illness and personal circumstances meant the project stalled before it could really take shape.
Recently, rumours began circulating that MacGregors on Academy Street had started hosting bluegrass sessions on Thursday nights. That was all the encouragement needed to revive the idea and head back out.
MacGregors offers an informal, welcoming setting, with a cosy atmosphere and a genuinely appreciative audience. On the nights visited, the crowd was strikingly diverse, with people from across the Highlands alongside visitors from Scandinavia, Australia, and Canada.
Bluegrass music originates in the Appalachian region of the Americas. Its roots draw from a wide mix of traditions, including blues, jazz, and Irish, Scottish, English, and French folk music. The style is performed acoustically, typically featuring fiddle, mandolin, banjo, guitar, accordion, and double bass.
After two visits so far, one of the defining strengths of these sessions is their flexibility. The line-up shifts depending on who is available, with musicians free to drop in and out as the evening unfolds. This informality creates a relaxed, collaborative feel, and the blend of instruments and voices, both male and female, produces a rounded and engaging sound. The venue’s warm acoustics only add to the experience.
The repertoire is equally fluid. One week may lean heavily into traditional bluegrass, while another blends bluegrass and blues more evenly. Across the night, influences surface naturally, from French-Canadian clogging styles to clear Irish and Scottish flourishes in the fiddle and accordion playing.
The sessions take place every Thursday, starting at around 8pm. MacGregors offers an interesting range of beers on tap, and for those avoiding alcohol, tea and coffee are also available.
The venue reopens in mid-January following the Christmas and New Year break. These sessions are well worth seeking out.
