Introducing Dave Gibb
Dave Gibb is a singer-songwriter and storyteller from Wanlockhead in Dumfries and Galloway, a man who cheerfully describes himself as a left-handed, balding, middle-aged songwriting folky from Scotland’s highest village. An early winner of a Danny Kyle Open Stage Award at Celtic Connections, he has since released eight albums and built a reputation as one of the folk club scene’s most dependable entertainers.
A Storyteller First and Foremost
Lyrically, Dave is determined to keep the art of storytelling through song alive, drawing his material from real events and an inquisitive imagination alike. His compositions range widely in mood and subject: from wistful, regretful ballads to impish comic pieces about Edinburgh madams and late-night fish suppers — set alongside traditional songs and carefully chosen covers. Musically he draws on Scottish and American ballad traditions, with fingerpicking that spans blues, ragtime, and jazz.
Guitar, Voice, and a Great Deal of Banter
Dave is a superb guitarist with a style as distinctive as it is effective, and a warm, earthy voice that carries traditional and contemporary material with equal conviction. What makes an evening in his company memorable, though, is the space between the songs: anecdotes, tall tales, and a west-coast sense of comic timing that leaves audiences thoroughly absorbed one moment and laughing the next. As Falkirk Folk Club put it, he is sometimes humorous, sometimes wistful, but never dull.
Why You’ll Enjoy Him
If you love songs that tell a story, guitar playing of real quality, and a performer who can move you and make you laugh in the same set, Dave Gibb is exactly that kind of evening. Warm, funny, and genuinely skilled — a perfect fit for an intimate room and an appreciative audience.