A very worthy event for the benefit of the Edinburgh Carers Council, with the artists very commendably giving of their time to help out.
First up was Jo Mango, a trio led by their eponymous vocalist. Featuring an eclectic mix of instruments, and sparse but clever instrumentation, they play their own material with Jo very much the voice of the group. And a sweet voice it is, with some interesting lyrics, and melodies that have originality but lack the distinction to make them memorable. But it was an enjoyable set, and fascinating to watch a xylophone being bowed.
In contrast The Cathode Ray line up was a conventional as they come for a guitar band - drums, bass, rhythm and lead guitars. This is solid vanilla pub rock, complete with the occasional off key guitar solo. But none the worse for that. They have some excellent tunes, a Mark Kermode lookalike singer with personality, they get the feet tapping, and keep the arrangements simple.
If Jo Mango was a spritzer, and The Cathode Ray a pint of heavy, then headline act Admiral Fallow was a Tanqueray and Fever-Tree with a bit fat wedge of lime. A class act for musicality, imagination and character. Playing as a trio, without their usual drum and bass section, gave the set a more intimate feel than their usual folk-rock style. Louis Abbot is a charismatic front man with a feel for language and charm to spare. The mix of old and new material was well suited to the event with an audience of both diehard Fallow fans and those who'd come along to support the cause. There was some beautiful interplay between Kevin Brolly's clarinet and Sarah Hayes' flute, and lovely harmonies from the vocals of Abbott and the flautist. There was some indication of being under-rehearsed as a trio, and Louis used it effectively to add to the humour. Great stuff.
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