Where it all started.
Biggar Accordion and Fiddle Club opened it's doors in October 1974 at the Clydesdale Hotel, Biggar, which had been purchased the previous month by Alex and Evelyn MacArthur. As anyone who visited the club in those days will remember, the room where the club met was extremely small, lined with chairs (no room for tables) and with a stage which consisted of an old piece of flooring sitting on empty beer crates. Players will remember the great atmosphere in the room with only a small space between the stage and the the first row of the audience. Consequently this was a great training ground - if your nerves could stand playing at Biggar, you could play anywhere!
Alex (or Sandy as some preferred to call him) had a long playing history behind him. Firstly with the "Arthur MacLeod Trio" consisting of Alex on accordion, Jim MacLeod (later of Dunblane Hydro fame) on piano and Willie Tervit on drums. Then he enjoyed a long spell with the famous "Ian Powrie Band" before forming his own band based in Elgin. Alex then moved South to play with the "Jim Johnstone Band" before his move to Biggar where he reformed the "Alex MacArthur Scottish Dance Band" (pictured below)
Alex (or Sandy as some preferred to call him) had a long playing history behind him. Firstly with the "Arthur MacLeod Trio" consisting of Alex on accordion, Jim MacLeod (later of Dunblane Hydro fame) on piano and Willie Tervit on drums. Then he enjoyed a long spell with the famous "Ian Powrie Band" before forming his own band based in Elgin. Alex then moved South to play with the "Jim Johnstone Band" before his move to Biggar where he reformed the "Alex MacArthur Scottish Dance Band" (pictured below)
As well as being a fine accordionist, Alex was a marvellous MC which ensured the club was never short of either players, listeners or just plain old fun! Alex and his new right hand man John Anderson (both pictured below left) settled on the second Monday of the month as their meeting date. Jim Johnstone's Band (below right) did the honours as first "Guest Artiste" with Ian Powrie, who was home on holiday from Australia, and numerous other well known musicians arriving to make it a night to remember.
Also in attendance was Alex's 11 year old nephew, one Nicol McLaren from Blairgowrie (pictured below left) who is today Chairman of the National Association of Accordion and Fiddle Clubs. Initially Alex did almost everything himself but soon John and other willing helpers began to assume some of the duties. Since Alex knew many of the people involved within the accordion music scene it was he who usually made suggestions, with John making the arrangements. It was on a visit to a competition in Ireland that Alex first heard a young accordionist called Paddy Neary (below right) whom he arranged to bring over on a short tour which lead Paddy to a successful professional playing career.