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.
Friday 28 October 2016
Tuesday 18 October 2016
Walking on Walls, (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse
Claire has Fraser securely bound and gagged and the police are on their way. But what dire criminal activity has she prevented? She might be a stats geek by day, but at night her crime fighting alter ego comes out, a suburban vigilante superhero. As Fraser is forced to listen Claire relates the backstory that brought them to this moment.
The tape will be removed from his mouth, his chance to rebut the accusations, and maybe make some of his own. He might have taken a blow to the head, but is he the one who's damaged?
With lessons on the long lasting aftermath of bullying, and importance of being able to let go of grudges, there is some serious content to hand, and for all the tension of the situation there are several laughs too. But for much of the action all we get is Claire's monologue, and a greater degree of interaction and conflict would have been welcome. However there's a satisfyingly ambiguous ending on hand.
Helen Mackay makes a convincing nerd, and gradually reveals the vulnerable, flawed person within. Andy Clark does a good job as Fraser, but has little to really work with.
Enjoyable, certainly worth seeing, but there's a suspicion it could have been better.
The tape will be removed from his mouth, his chance to rebut the accusations, and maybe make some of his own. He might have taken a blow to the head, but is he the one who's damaged?
With lessons on the long lasting aftermath of bullying, and importance of being able to let go of grudges, there is some serious content to hand, and for all the tension of the situation there are several laughs too. But for much of the action all we get is Claire's monologue, and a greater degree of interaction and conflict would have been welcome. However there's a satisfyingly ambiguous ending on hand.
Helen Mackay makes a convincing nerd, and gradually reveals the vulnerable, flawed person within. Andy Clark does a good job as Fraser, but has little to really work with.
Enjoyable, certainly worth seeing, but there's a suspicion it could have been better.
Monday 17 October 2016
Mischief, (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse
On a remote Scottish island in centuries past, Ronnat and daughter Brigid live alone, tending their cows and making butter. Their sole contact with the outside world is the boatman who comes over from the monastery on the larger neighbouring island, bringing the women scanty supplies and leaving with milk, butter and the occasional cow. It's a hard life, but keeps them alive and safe.
When a stranger, Fari, is washed up on the beach their world view takes a knock, and becomes ever more complex when Fari becomes their regular boatman. He appears to be falling into line with the authoritarian orthodoxies of the monks, but his relationship to the two women changes him and them.
Their unnatural isolation is both a sense of security and a source of frustration, their lives dictated to them by the men over the water and the changing seasons. But being shut away from the world can't dampen natural curiosity and desires. Whilst some bonds are unbreakable, change is inevitable, and boundaries are there to be pushed against.
An intriguing script raises issues of loneliness, belonging and human need. With some doses of the mysticism of the time. At times bleak, there are a few lighter moments to keep things moving. Time flows swiftly, but is never confusing. All three actors give excellent performances, with Elspeth Turner standing out as the protective mother.
An enjoyably thoughtful piece of theatre.
When a stranger, Fari, is washed up on the beach their world view takes a knock, and becomes ever more complex when Fari becomes their regular boatman. He appears to be falling into line with the authoritarian orthodoxies of the monks, but his relationship to the two women changes him and them.
Their unnatural isolation is both a sense of security and a source of frustration, their lives dictated to them by the men over the water and the changing seasons. But being shut away from the world can't dampen natural curiosity and desires. Whilst some bonds are unbreakable, change is inevitable, and boundaries are there to be pushed against.
An intriguing script raises issues of loneliness, belonging and human need. With some doses of the mysticism of the time. At times bleak, there are a few lighter moments to keep things moving. Time flows swiftly, but is never confusing. All three actors give excellent performances, with Elspeth Turner standing out as the protective mother.
An enjoyably thoughtful piece of theatre.
Wednesday 12 October 2016
The Beatles : Eight Days A Week
Can anyone find anything new to say about The Beatles? Director Ron Howard has had a crack at it with his latest documentary and makes a decent job of providing some fresh insights into a particular period of their musical career.
Using a mix of contemporary footage, later interviews and modern talking heads he covers the heyday of their live performances and the enormity of the phenomenon known as Beatlemania. With a brief nod to the early development of the band in Liverpool and Hamburg, the film concentrates on the years between 1962 and '66, from their first number one single until the final live performances. It's now easy to forget just what a visceral impact they made on popular culture in that short time.
There was the constant cycle of number one singles and albums, but they made most of their money from live performances. At a time before satellite communications or the internet had taken off the planet seemed a bigger place. So it's all the more amazing just how much of a world wide sensation The Beatles became in a short period. The sheer size the crowds facing them at airports, on the streets and in venues went from bewildering to challenging to genuinely frightening. In the end they would retire from live performing in part because their own personal security was becoming an issue. Their final years were as a purely studio band, and their joy in simply making new music is clear to see.
Along the way they became the first band ever to do a stadium tour, drawing far greater crowds than anyone else could have commanded at that time. They received intense media attention, and one great strength that comes across is their strong bond as a unit. Decision making was through unanimity and they always spoke as one. There's also an inherent decency about them, exemplified by their refusal to contemplate playing to racially segregated audiences.
Whilst the contemporary interviews with Paul and Ringo, and some earlier footage of George, offer little that's new, the more interesting comments come from outsiders. Eddie Izzard on their natural wit and comic timing which endeared to parents as well as teenagers; Elvis Costello on the difficulties of playing to large, hysterically noisy, audiences with the limited technology of the day; and, my personal favourite, Whoopi Goldberg on what it felt like as a young girl to be taken to a Beatles concert as a surprise.
There's a strong reminder of their strong ear for melody, but that lyric writing really only began to take off with Help, a surprisingly strong song when revisited. And that their live performances had great energy and a sense of adventure, especially once they'd been polished up by Epstein. There's no attempt to say anything about their private lives away from the band, which leaves much unsaid, but as a means to show us just how huge and intense the Beatlemania experience was this film does an excellent job, even if you're a Beatles fan of many decades.
It's followed by thirty minutes of the Fab Four playing to over fifty thousand people in Shea Stadium, New York. There's a lot of screaming....
Using a mix of contemporary footage, later interviews and modern talking heads he covers the heyday of their live performances and the enormity of the phenomenon known as Beatlemania. With a brief nod to the early development of the band in Liverpool and Hamburg, the film concentrates on the years between 1962 and '66, from their first number one single until the final live performances. It's now easy to forget just what a visceral impact they made on popular culture in that short time.
There was the constant cycle of number one singles and albums, but they made most of their money from live performances. At a time before satellite communications or the internet had taken off the planet seemed a bigger place. So it's all the more amazing just how much of a world wide sensation The Beatles became in a short period. The sheer size the crowds facing them at airports, on the streets and in venues went from bewildering to challenging to genuinely frightening. In the end they would retire from live performing in part because their own personal security was becoming an issue. Their final years were as a purely studio band, and their joy in simply making new music is clear to see.
Along the way they became the first band ever to do a stadium tour, drawing far greater crowds than anyone else could have commanded at that time. They received intense media attention, and one great strength that comes across is their strong bond as a unit. Decision making was through unanimity and they always spoke as one. There's also an inherent decency about them, exemplified by their refusal to contemplate playing to racially segregated audiences.
Whilst the contemporary interviews with Paul and Ringo, and some earlier footage of George, offer little that's new, the more interesting comments come from outsiders. Eddie Izzard on their natural wit and comic timing which endeared to parents as well as teenagers; Elvis Costello on the difficulties of playing to large, hysterically noisy, audiences with the limited technology of the day; and, my personal favourite, Whoopi Goldberg on what it felt like as a young girl to be taken to a Beatles concert as a surprise.
There's a strong reminder of their strong ear for melody, but that lyric writing really only began to take off with Help, a surprisingly strong song when revisited. And that their live performances had great energy and a sense of adventure, especially once they'd been polished up by Epstein. There's no attempt to say anything about their private lives away from the band, which leaves much unsaid, but as a means to show us just how huge and intense the Beatlemania experience was this film does an excellent job, even if you're a Beatles fan of many decades.
It's followed by thirty minutes of the Fab Four playing to over fifty thousand people in Shea Stadium, New York. There's a lot of screaming....
Saturday 8 October 2016
Breaking the Ice, (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse
Frank, recently appointed scientific advisor to the UK government, is in Alaska to give a speech at a conference on the Arctic. Things aren't going well. He's lost his script, and his suit is being dry cleaned after a yoghurt related incident. So Frank has to face the world in his hotel bathrobe.
This overtone of farce is carried through the performance, with a succession of odd characters interrupting Frank's quest to be ready for his big moment. So he has to deal with advice from a diplomat, threats from environmentalists, the concerns of locals, the power of the military and a bit of philosophy. Underlying the rapid fire comedy there is some serious intent, with the complexities of guarding the planet against the military industrial complex balanced against the needs of progress. But it's all a bit too haphazard and disjointed to make much of a point. However, in a week where the Tory Party Conference has shown distinct imperialist overtones, it was amusing to see British delusions of still being a world power being effectively ridiculed.
Steven McNicoll is perfect as the bewildered Frank, while Jimmy Chisholm and Nicola Roy have a lot of fun with the various caricatures that swarm around the main man. It might not always be as clever as it wants to be, but Breaking the Ice is very funny and that's to be welcomed.
This overtone of farce is carried through the performance, with a succession of odd characters interrupting Frank's quest to be ready for his big moment. So he has to deal with advice from a diplomat, threats from environmentalists, the concerns of locals, the power of the military and a bit of philosophy. Underlying the rapid fire comedy there is some serious intent, with the complexities of guarding the planet against the military industrial complex balanced against the needs of progress. But it's all a bit too haphazard and disjointed to make much of a point. However, in a week where the Tory Party Conference has shown distinct imperialist overtones, it was amusing to see British delusions of still being a world power being effectively ridiculed.
Steven McNicoll is perfect as the bewildered Frank, while Jimmy Chisholm and Nicola Roy have a lot of fun with the various caricatures that swarm around the main man. It might not always be as clever as it wants to be, but Breaking the Ice is very funny and that's to be welcomed.
Boo Hewerdine with Dan Whitehouse, Voodoo Rooms
The evening opened with a set from Whitehouse, all his own songs apart from one from the pen of Mr Hewerdine. With his gentle, slightly breathless, voice and excellent guitar work he's a pleasure to listen to. The songs aren't half bad either, with the stunning When We Were Sleeping standing out, and providing the chance for a bit of audience participation.
Dan has a pleasantly relaxed and modest approach, with energy emerging from his guitar playing, and his use of sampling and layering adds a welcome complexity to some numbers. But's it the quality of the songwriting that stands out most.
After the break Boo took the stage, with occasional assistance from Whitehouse on guitar and backing vocals. A few new songs from his forthcoming album, due out later this year, plus a clutch of old familiars, including some of his most famed, and even a couple from his old days as a budding rock star with the cult band. If you haven't heard of Hewerdine there's a fair chance you'll know one of his songs, especially if you're a fan of the great Eddi Reader with whom he's worked for more than two decades.
There's nothing really innovative about Boo's songwriting, but that's no criticism. Every one is beautifully constructed, a memorable tune and lyrics that tell a story or paint a picture, with memorable phrases abounding. His voice is a paradox, combining both smoothness and tension, and always distinctive.
But a Hewerdine gig is also a chance to laugh. Wry, self deprecating, witty, the gaps between the songs are as entertaining as the music. It's a shame that the smallish audience was so quiet (but this is Edinburgh....), but the smiles at the end were obvious. Boo Hewerdine is a class act. And one of the greatest songwriters around today.
Dan has a pleasantly relaxed and modest approach, with energy emerging from his guitar playing, and his use of sampling and layering adds a welcome complexity to some numbers. But's it the quality of the songwriting that stands out most.
After the break Boo took the stage, with occasional assistance from Whitehouse on guitar and backing vocals. A few new songs from his forthcoming album, due out later this year, plus a clutch of old familiars, including some of his most famed, and even a couple from his old days as a budding rock star with the cult band. If you haven't heard of Hewerdine there's a fair chance you'll know one of his songs, especially if you're a fan of the great Eddi Reader with whom he's worked for more than two decades.
There's nothing really innovative about Boo's songwriting, but that's no criticism. Every one is beautifully constructed, a memorable tune and lyrics that tell a story or paint a picture, with memorable phrases abounding. His voice is a paradox, combining both smoothness and tension, and always distinctive.
But a Hewerdine gig is also a chance to laugh. Wry, self deprecating, witty, the gaps between the songs are as entertaining as the music. It's a shame that the smallish audience was so quiet (but this is Edinburgh....), but the smiles at the end were obvious. Boo Hewerdine is a class act. And one of the greatest songwriters around today.
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