More of the same, thank you very much! We saw LVdN in January (yes we love them that much!) and this was, I'm happy to report, more of the same. The same energy, musicianship, high quality vocal harmonies, and pleasure in each other's company. While most of the numbers are foot tapping and spirit rousing, they can also provide moments of musical beauty, times to pause and take stock. And their intros combine information with humour.
A distillation of the sights and sounds of pure joy.
For the third time in four years here we were again. Same band, same line up, same nostalgia. And the same quality of entertainment
There isn't really much to add to what I've written about them before both in November 2022 here, and in November 2024 here. Age continues to take some toll, primarily it seems on Jones. The voice is again a little less than it once was, but still decent enough, and his ability to stand on one leg reamins but with much reduced times. Still the ever engaging front man though, and his harmonica playing remains top noth. McGuinness, originally not in Jones' class for vocals, has not really been affected, and he still sings well. His When I'm Dead and Gone is still one of the great highlights of the evening (but I do love a bit of mandolin!).
While the old Manfred Mann hits remain crowd pleasers, they have been improved with jazz and blues influences being added to the arrangements. While the real quality lies in the blues numbers, notably the Howlin' Wolf songs. Maybe this is just a night for the oldies, but at least it's one of musical quality.
Support came from UK-domiciled New Yorker Annie Dressner. Singer, guitarist, and and writer of songs with a story. A very pleasant voice, good lyrics, and even a few memorable melodies - Dumb Boy and The Thrill of It stood out.Good audience interaction too, with a line in dry humour and nice way of pushing her merch. I heard someone say she reminded them of Suzanne Vega, and there's definitely something in that.
Mr Drever had his usual band lineup - Louis Abbot on drums and guitar, Euan Burton on (electric) bass, and Rachel Lightbody providing soaring backing vocals and a bit of keyboard. Plus a couple of extra, the excellent Cahalen Morrison on banjo and guitar, and Michelle Willis on keyboard. And Annie D returned a couple of times to add her voice to the ensemble
This was an album launch gig, so he began with new material, and lack of familiarity didn't dull the impact. Drever has a mastery of lyrics and melody that marks him out as one of Scotland's top songwriters. And a mastery of his instrument which places him comfortably in our top 10 guitarists too. He'd move on to older material as the gig progressed, and a reminder of his folk roots with a solo performance of a 19th century whaling song.
Behind Drever's comfoting vocal style, Abbott added some lovely percussion flourishes, Burton was a solid as ever, Lightbody added in the purity of her vocals, Willis' keyboard filled out the sound, and the addition of Morrison was a real bonus, the banjo adding a new dimension to some weel kent sounds. Throw in Kris' dry humour and this was a performance to savour.
A rare solo outing for Dean, a more intimate kind of gig. He'd previously asked, on social media, for requests which meant that as well as many of the usual favourites, he also played many songs from his big back catlogue that aren't heard much nowadays. Starting, I was delighted to hear, with my own request, My Town. This was the song that got me into Owens, over 2 decades ago, when it made me feel homesick one night in Liverpool. I've been a fan ever since.
So, if you've seen Dean often, this was a refeshing gig, with a mix of the usual classics like Raining in Glasgow, and songs he rarely sings now. Plus an excellent Elvis cover. As ever Owens is chatty, amusing, full of laughs. A very enjoyable gig, yet again.
I wrote a review of a performance from the Hungarian duo back in 2019,and it was good to see them again after such a long interval. This time the theme, as the tile iplies, was primarily Spanish, with works from composers from Iberia, or other strongly influended by the traditions of Spain. Many of thw works not intended for two guitars, so these were very much the siblings' own interpretations and arrangements.
Amusing and informative introductions, if a little slow, set the scene, each taking turns in doing so. Incredible virtuoso guitar playing, with melodies constatnly swapping from one pair of hands to the other.
The evening ended with their version of the Beatles tune Come Together, a tribute to their adopted home city of Liverpool. The evening was refreshing classical change to our more usual musical fare, with crispness and exactitude, played with passion.
A warm, happy group, having fun and laughs and tea, bringing the audience into the atmoshpere, by distributing tea and bsicuits. They sing, a rough and ready choir, there for the enjoyment of using their voices, the minister directing them with humour and affection.
And then He arrives, The Boy, and all changes. The choir fade into the background, the conforntation between their leader, Claire, and the stranger, slowly taking shape, him chipping away her secuity with his own insecurities. He the perperpetraro of a mass shooting, she a survivor, and it become sclear how he has marked her life, changed her. He offers explanations for his actions, a litany of far right fantasy themes on race and immigration. She unravels as the memories seep through, the fear and horror of the moment. The choir, the community, the only anchor she has.
It's a poerful journey. Sam Stopford is excellent as The Boy, constantly switching in and out of other characters in the story, a threat not through his presence but from his beliefs. Claire Lamont's Claire gets a little too lost at times, but reamins the humane centre of the tale. And the choir are there to remind us that events like these affect us all.
Davie Greig wrote The Events in 2013, but the themes it raises are still all too contemporary.
It had been almost three years since we last saw LVdM (at this performance in London), and they remain as wonderful as ever. There's been a change to the lineup, and the album now being promoted is Voisinages (Neighbourhood), yet most of what I wrote back then still applies.
The lineup change is down to Simon Beaudry (guitar and bouzouki) becoming the mayor of his village, to be replaced by André Gagné. He's an excellent addition, with, if anything, a better voice, and clearly happy to be part of the band.
Voisinages brings interesting concepts about neighbours (and a bit of political comment about reckless country to the south of Canada, and Quebec's own struggle for recognition), plus some excellent new tunes. The playing, the vocals and harmonies, and the sense of joie de vivre reamina as strong as ever, and nobody leaves without a smile.
Ths was also a new venue for us, making the trip south to Alnwick fr the pleasure of seeing the band. The Playhouse is comfortable, has good viewing angles, and a welcoming atmosphere. Well worth the trip, especially when there was the pleasure of barter Books to visit the following morning!
Support came from Sidiki Jobarteh, a hugely talented Gambian balafon player (a gourd based xylophone), with a percussionist and guitarist to provide the backing. Jbarteh is also an impressive vocalist, and the others provided backing vocals too.
He is very much rooted in the Gambian folk tradition, with a mix of old and new, including several self penned, and composition by his mother (Sona is a renowned kora virtuoso). He has a sympathetic feel for the music, and the old rhythms that underly the melodies. It's impossible to sit still when listening, this is music to move too. The beat almost jazz like, Jobarteh's hands a literal blur at times, and the crowd were borought into play singing along to the final number. This lad has a big future, and this was a great way to open the night.
The Kinnaris Quintet have now become, with the departure of Laura Wilkie, a quartet called Kinnaris Q. But nothing else has changed. Still the same high standard of musicality, still the origninality and variation in theoir m usic, and still having enormous fun with each other. Aileen Gobbi remains as bubbly and hilarious as ever in her introductions, the music as complex as ever. It was a shame that the sound balance sounded a bit off at times, but even that couldn't hide the quality of the music, or the way it engages their audience.
A wonderful gig.
Wonderfully evocative setting, wonderfully evocative band. Shortly before the start time the trio - Drever, Green and O'Rourke - came out to say hello and announced that they wouldn't be talking once the music started, but would play on uninterrupted. Which is exactly what they did, with a wide range of songs and tunes from their 20 years of music making and some surprise segues. Magical.
The opening act were introduced as a new, young band, The Agents of Happiness. But the joke was already clear to some of us. Out came Dean, with guitarist Craig Ross, bassist Adam MacMillan, and a couple of oild chums of Owens on guitar and drums. They were rocking, great fun, and it was good to have 2 lead guitars playing off one another. Not exactly youngsters though...
After the AoH short set out came the Sinners, looking very familiar! Dean, Craig, Adam, trumpeter Philip Cardwell and drummer Andy Dunlop - very much an established Sinners line up now. The following 90 minutes, was funny, emotional, superb entertainment. Deam was in great form, noptably with his whistling. The band gave us a wide range of songs from the Owens back catalogue, with Cardwell often adding that Tex-Mex feel to some material that predates thos einfluences appearing. Plus the crowd, as always at these Christmas home giogs, got to join in on the old favourites - Man from leith and Raining in Glasgow.
As good as it ever was.
Support came from The Cabin Hill Band - guitar, double bass and 4 voices. Plenty of good musicianship and singing quality on offer, but their arrangements of some pop classics were weak. Things imporved greatly when they moved on to some old time Americana - blues and gospel - and a self penned number from the guitarist.
And then on to the stars of the night. Howe and Freebo bring very different backgrounds and experiences together to form a duo that performs with love for the music and laughter never far away. Freebo is a hugely experienced and talented musician, who can write some good songs and sing with the confidence of his years. Alice is not as strong on the strings, but has a voice full of warmth, expression and range that can bring new life to oldies and passion to her own material. Her cover of Joni Mitchell's A case of You is outstanding, standing up well to the original version. While her own material shows her depth of songwriting experience, and ability to write from the heart. Add in a lot of funny moments, and some audeince participation, and this was a wonderful evening of music.
Tickell is a folk veteran, a great creative and has her heart in the right place. She was accompained by a 4 piece Darkening. Amy Thatcher on piano accordion, vocals and... clogs! Heather Cartwright on acoustic and electric guitars. At the back sat Joe Truswell and his drums. And finally Stef Conner playing a lyre (!), mini keyboard and bits of percussion. All bar the drummer contributied vocally as well, with only Heather not having a turn at singing lead.
While they form a very talented line up, the main attraction remains Tickell, playing the Northumbriam smallpipes and fiddle, and adding her own excellent vocal contribution. Together they played a mix of new and trad Northumbrian music, with many influences from other lands, such as Galicia. Indeed the set list was notable for variety, with a wide range of tempos, swithing between tunes and songs, traditional tunes given modern arrangemnts, no fear of experimentation, and the fun addition of Amy's clog dancing. All that and a bit of audience participation too. Tickell is a fun raconteur between numbers, and the interplay within the band was ofrten hilarious.
KY reamins one of English folk's powerhouse performaers, a virtuoso on an unfashionable instrument, with a delightful accent to talk to us in. She is matched by the incredible Thatcher, and soaring vocals of Conner. Hugely entertaining. and a night that brought a lot of smiles.
A Spanish widow leaves Franco's Spain for London, seeking a job which will allow her to send money back to her poor parents and children. She gets a job as a cleaner, is miserable, desperate, and then finds love. That's about it for a plot, simply conveyed with screen subtitles over the Spanish narration.
But this isn't really about the story, less so than an opera might be. This is the vehicle for dance and music, prinairly flamenco style, but with modern touches. The dancing is impressive, especially the male lead. The music is good, and the use of flute for solos was a nice touch. The singing is traditional flamenco style, well done, but an acquired taste.
It did get repetitive at times, and I'm not sure diehard flamenco fans would be impressed by the 'flamenco lite' approach. But overall it was entertaining enough to avoid boredom, and had several highlights in the dance..
A solo perfromance from Scots balladeer Fyfe, piano and voice. A good mix of material - tradional ballads, self penned compositions, a bit of Dylan and Nick Cave (in Scots), an Appalachian song. A few unaccompanied, with just the purity of her vocals to enjoy. Her introductions can be amusing and informative, she tried to get the audience singing along (response was muted...), and kept things flowing. Low key but enjoyable, and I'm glad I made the effort to go.
A different location, way out at the Gyle, a different Spiegeltent (plain outside, fancy inside, with a central stage), and a different show for us, outsiode our usual comfort zone. I am not, historically, a fan of cabaret, but this one sounded intriguing.
And I came out very happy that I took the risk. It was certainly different, but it was great fun. Music, dance, some spectaciular acrobatics, a thread of a story about the poor of the favelas stadning up to the rich property developers. Colour, spectacle, audience interaction, and some breathtaking stunts (the woman spinning from the ceiling by her hair was a highlight). Very enjoyable.
What is there to say that I haven't said before in several reviews of Dean's shows? The line up was the same as the last time I saw him, last December, but without the drummer present. The quality, both of music and Owens' storytelling, was high as ever. A fun show, that left me buzzing with enjoyment.
A sold out crowd, a sunny sky and the castle looking down on the event. The perfect setting for a big choral effort.
With a singing master leading proceedings (taking over from a Radio Forth DJ) we had three community choirs performing a couple of numbers each. One mixed voices, one women only, one male voice, with one from Edinburgh and two from Glasgow. All interesting perfromances, but by far the most ineresting was the female voice collective, comprised of women from other nations, often refugees, and songs of liberation and struggle.
Then it was time to give the audience a bit of instrcution and practice in an arrangement of one of Scotland's best loved songs, to be fronted by the singer/songwriter who made it famous. Getting it right provided some laughs, but it was just about there by the time Dougie MacLean took the stage, joined by a scratch choir to help out. The song was, of course, Caledonia, and it did sound good. Another couple of numbers from Dougie, a final rendition of the anthem, and that was that.
A pleasantly gentle and fun way to spend some of a Sunday afternoon.
A low key event of poetry, song and music. The music came from the cello of Clea Friend, two beautiful classical compositions. And from the a capella singing of duo Gail Turpin and Kerry Houston, a varied and often joyful couple of short sets.
Two poets read from their work, with the theme of mothers and fathers, and played compere - Diana Hendry and Hamish Whyte. Some interesting poems, some laughs, some sadness, and interesting imagery.
The star of the show was former Makar Liz Lochhead, aided by a crutch as she recovers from a knee replacement. Her work is as imaginative, as funny and as intriguing as ever, as she deliverd both old and new works. But her performance, as with Diana and Hamish, was slightly marred by a poor sound system which made for some lost words - not ideal!
An unusual feature of the show was an invitiation for anyone from the audience to come up and read one of their own poems. Four did, including myself. If nothing else it added further variety to an already varied show.
The word Conservatoire tends to summon up images of restrained string quartets. Which is long way from the enrgy, enthusiasm and mass joy that appeared on stage.
This ensemble, from the Birmingham Conservatoire, have been going for over a quarter of a century, with an ever changing line up, other than founder and leader, Joe Broughton. Broughton is an exceptional fiddler, musiecina, teacher, who has also gained fame in other line ups, notably the Urban Folk Quartet. He's joined by students from his courses, with well over thirty packed on to the stafge for this gig.
So many instruments it would be impossible to list them all, not least nbecause iot was often hard to see who was at the back. We were well into the second half before I realised there was an electric guitar! But there were five percussionists, large wind, brass and string sections, an accordion, and more. Mostly they played as the full ensemble, but at times the stage thinned out and we had a couple of solo performances, a duet, and a quintet. The mateial was eclectic - tradional tunes and song from England and Ieland, a sea shanty, spirituals, self penned numbers. Some excellent vocalists. And while the inspriation was folky, there were clwearly rock, jazz, blues influences thrown in.
It looked shambolic at times. It wasn't. This was well rehearsed, yet with considerable fluidity to the arrangements, and audience participation was often encouraged, even demanded (!). Above all it never ceased to be entertaining, and Broughton is a perfect front man. He will never steal the limelight from his proteges, but brings wit and interest into his linking introductions. The man is a top class musician, entertainer and, on this evidence, educator.
If you get the opportunity to see them then grab it. Nobody leaves the room without a smile on their face.
Fronted by experienced cabaret act Paulus, and supported on piano and the odd quip by Michael Roulston, the show features, as promised by the title, a wide range of the late Ms Wood's songs, both famous and more obscure. Because, as Paulus tells us from the start, it takes two men to do the job of one woman. There's nothing wrong with the voice or the playing, and they clearly enjoy and revere the material.
Woven around the numbers is Paulus' tale of growing up with Wood as an important influence in his life, and then career, even though they never met. He clearly sees himself as something of a superfan, with considerable knowledge of the national treasure. So it's a very personal show, and Roulston an enjoyable dry collaborator. There's no denying that it is often entertaining.
But the show stumbles on two counts, one of which I doubt anyone could overcome. Paulus is very self consciously camp, and the arch home counties persona doesn't always sit well with Victoria's bluff north of England sense of humour. And even grates at times, feeling OTT in realtion to the memories of the woman herself. Which also applies to my second quibble. The lyrics and melodies stand by themselves, but watching this show reminds any Wood fan of just how much came from her own delivery, and how hard it is to replicate. There was always a sense of something being lost, missing.
Entertaining, but disappointing.
