Aly & Phil concerts postponed after fiddler’s heart surgery

Two Shetland concerts with Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham have been postponed after fiddler Bain underwent open heart surgery

Fiddler Bain “started to feel increasingly unwell” during the spring tour and was admitted to hospital urgently.

Last week surgeons operated on him and a triple heart bypass was successfully completed.

Along with long-standing musical companion Cunningham, Bain was due to play in Mareel and at Hillswick Hall in on 16th and 17th August respectively. The gigs have been cancelled and will be rearranged when Bain is recovered.

Bain and Cunningham say they have decided that August “is too soon for Aly to be back in the saddle and regrettably they will have to postpone all concerts for most of that month.”

It is hoped he will be well enough to play on 31st August at Eden Court in Inverness.

They added that it was the first time in their 33-year duo career that a tour had been cancelled due to ill health. “When Phil had his heart attack in 1997, he waited till after the tour!”