Funk band James Brown is Annie stage back-to-back Thurso gigs
EDINBURGH-based funk band James Brown is Annie journey to the Far North this weekend to play two consecutive gigs at the Commercial Bar in Thurso.
Led by locally born musician Barry Gordon, the band has been having a great year so far supporting its heroes, The Average White Band, as well as Hayseed Dixie, with the possibility of even bigger things in the pipeline.
Gordon said the band’s sound is quite unique.
“It’s quite groove orientated and appeals to quite a wide age range,” he said. “We’ve got a bit of rock, rhythm and blues and funk so you can dance to it or you can quite happily sit there and listen to it. We generally get quite positive reactions.”
Gordon isn’t the only member of the band to hail from Caithness.

Darren Coghill, from Staxigoe (drummer with the Maydays), and Isaac Sutherland, from Dunnet (J. Fats Band), make regular appearances with the band.
Despite the majority of its members living almost 300 miles away, they do their best to return to Caithness at least twice a year.
Gordon describes it as a “labour of love” bringing his funky sound to the Far North and being able to catch up with friends and family still living in the area at the same time. Having started out life as a trio in 2006, a collective of around 15 people can be found playing with James Brown is Annie in 2011.
At some gigs, a cast of 10 often has to cram its way onto the stage.
However, Gordon will be bringing a slimmed-down version of the group to Caithness this weekend with five members of the band making the trek to Thurso.
Comm Bar owner Scott Youngson explained the band played at the pub last year and went down a storm.
“They were absolutely first class and are really something different,” he said. “They certainly rock the place, there’s no doubt about that.”
James Brown is Annie play the Comm Bar tonight (Friday) and tomorrow at 9pm.