Festival 2006 Reviews
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THURSDAY
Bodega
Bodega have an impressive C.V. The young five-piece who hail from various corners of Scotland, first met and began playing together in 2005 at the National Centre of Excellence in Traditional Music in Plockton, near Skye.
It was there that they entered and promptly won the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award 2006, typically billed as a 'traditional Celtic band with a contemporary twist.' Since then, the band have had a hectic schedule. They've continued their musical education in a range of Scottish venues, toured extensively and recently finished recording their début Album, Bodega (set for release in August.)
Watching the band prepare for a live radio set in Stornoway's Woodlands Centre café, it was hard to tally this reputation with the subdued 17 and 18 year olds. Even June Naylor, the band's quiet and polite clarsach player, expressed surprise at the band's stellar success, saying of the Young Folk Awards, "I don't know how we did it, but we managed to win!"
But, as soon as the quintet took to the stage in An Lanntair for their first Lewis gig, the hype suddenly made sense. They clearly live for music and love playing together. They delivered a fantastic mix of original Gaelic compositions and American folk tunes, with a wide array of instruments including fiddles, guitar, pipes and djembe. Their fingers were lightening-fast, their voices harmonised perfectly and their performance seemed, to an untrained-musician like me, to be note perfect. The lead singer, Lewis's Norrie MacIver, was particularly memorable, with his mature, powerful voice and hilarious banter!
Bodega certainly ensured everyone had a great time, encouraging much clapping, feet-stamping and a sing along to Bob Dylan's Wagon Wheel. The fact the band managed to break no less than two strings during their short and often frantic set, is testament to the sheer fun of the evening.
More than this, though, the band 'does what it says on the tin.' In fact, they do more than that. Their approach to traditional music is extremely exciting. It has an edge which has to be seen to be understood. And, if there's any justice, people will flock to see them. These guys deserve to be bigger than Franz Ferdinand!
Susan Szymborski
Mauvais Sort - Thursday 13th July
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Apparently Mauvais Sort play traditional Quebec tunes with a contemporary twist, or so I was informed by my festival programme. The explanation sounds simple enough if you know what traditional Quebec tunes are, and to be honest, French Canadian music is not my area of expertise.
That didn't stop me joining thousands of revellers to see what they had to offer and the goods were nothing short of explosive. Dressed in black and red the six piece band seemed very much the rock stars of the traditional music world. The music was Celtic at its heart with a strong rock beat pumping through it. Drums pounding, guitars strumming, the band was alive with energy as they jumped and danced around the stage. Mauvais Sort would be as comfortable and loved at T in the Park as they were at HebCeltFest.
There were moments of pure drama as the drummer ran down to embrace the cheering crowd; he was soon joined by the percussionist to play the spoons on and around lead singer Nicolas Geoffroy who held up his arms in a mock protective gesture.
The songs - electric, eclectic and always in French - often had a mystery about them, a slightly ominous atmosphere which along with the musician's energy and zeal excited the crowd. Teenagers jumped around madly with their arms held triumphantly aloft, while their pinkies and forefingers displayed the tradition rock salute.
The music was, to put it simply, cool, man.
There was even a wild disco highlight when the boys donned curly black wigs while the only girl of the group - who had already impressed by playing her accordion behind her head - was kitted out in a red bob.
Then to my amazement for a Celtic festival, a large number of the audience was persuaded to copy her 50s style dance moves. It was all reminiscent of that classic musical, Grease. Swinging arms, palms facing outwards, the dancers both on stage and off wiggled their hips and generally got funky with it.
Mauvais Sort was totally unexpected and utterly brilliant.
Festival Club - Thursday 13th July
It was with aching feet and ringing ears that I came to end my second day of the HebCeltFest at the packed Festival Club.
Upon entering my mood immediately mellowed on hearing the soft, sweet voice of Julie Fowlis echoing through An Lanntair. Having reviewed this rising star only yesterday I won't go into detail here, suffice to say my heart was literally warmed at the sound of her.
By the time her set finished, undeterred by it now being the wee, small hours of the morning the audience were ready to be entertained once more. Bruce MacGregor (of Blazin' Fiddles) and Brian O'Headhra kindly obliged.
I ended the evening relaxing to some beautiful Scottish tunes, while others enjoyed drinks with friends both old and new, talking over the day's entertainments and speculating on what was to come.
Sarah Hunter
The Levellers
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The main marquee was packed with close to 5000 people. Smoke filled the air and lights scanned the stage. This is the moment many festival goers had been waiting for: The Levellers.
True to form, the six men from Brighton entered the stage with rebellious swagger. The lights were set to anarchic red, a basal beat thumped from the massive amps and the band themselves cut an impressive image, replete with long hair, dreadlocks, hats and beer.
When they finally belted out their first song, the crowd was rapturous, lapping up every second of such a large band on the small island. They did an energetic set which included favourites such as Fifteen Years, One Way of Life and Hope Street as well as a brilliantly executed Beautiful Day.
Although they seem to distance themselves from their folk routes (apparently preferring to be categorised as Punk-Rock, if anything) their Celtic influences were inescapable. Intricate fiddle melodies weaved through many of the songs and Simon Friend's guitar solo had a distinctly folky feel. Indeed, toward the end, the gig descended into a massive, frenetic stramash, as they said themselves, where they "played at 100bpm!"
The set was rounded off in a typical Levellers form, with an edgy and exciting dance number....and a crazy kilted man with painted white face playing the didgeridoo! The Levellers certainly do things differently.
The crowd came away buzzing. On the walk back to the town centre, many people were belting out the catchy songs they'd just heard - a sure sign of a brilliant gig.
Susan Szymborski
