Tonight was a welcome breath of fresh air in the Celtic Connections schedule. Curated by intriguing musical character Future Pilot AKA, it was designed to showcase a collision between traditional Scottish influences and electronic innovation, while signposting the many different directions our heritage may point us in. At least that’s what I got from it.
Attempting to squeeze 8 different acts into one night was perhaps a little ambitious. Despite the speedy changeovers quite a lot of the evening was spent waiting for the next act, albeit with a pleasant soundtrack supplied by the Pastels on DJ duties.
Of the various performances Craig Armstrong’s specially commissioned classical work, ‘One Morning,’ was particularly striking, and not just because of its placement between some smooth exploratory jazz and a thick-as-pig-shit nu-rave group. Employing four cellos, two double basses, a laptop, piano and one vocalist, this languorous piece unfolded as gracefully and imperceptibly as the breaking of dawn projected upon the back of the stage. It’s a welcome reminder to the many of us who pay it little attention that classical music can be as (if not more) moving and awe-inspiring as the very best pop song.
The effect was only slightly disrupted by the constant hum of chatter that echoed around the venue. I think it is probably pointless to slag off the offending talkers given it was 11pm on a Friday night, but it does bring into question the quality of the venue itself. Throughout the whole evening the irritating acoustics of the building dulled each performance, swamping the room with bass and making us strain to hear the nuances that make music so exciting. I’m not sure of the acoustic treatment used in the Fruitmarket (if any considering how old it is) but there are definitely things that can and should be done about it. For a venue as prestigious and as beautiful as this I would have hoped more attention could have been paid to the way sound moves around it. I would strongly urge Glasgow’s Concert Halls to examine this issue before the Fruitmarket gains a reputation as one of those venues that actually ruin an evening of music for hundreds of paying punters.
It was this problem that neutered the most promising band of the evening; FOUND, the latest signings to Chemikal Underground’s roster. Already established as an art collective – their intriguing Cybraphon installation picked up a BAFTA in 2009 – and with two albums under their belts already, this three-piece from “the other place,” as frontman Ziggy Campbell put it, appear to be a veritable gold mine of wonky musical games. Their music nods in all the best directions, inhabits its own odd territory and skips about in unpredictable routines. If you haven’t already then check out the oodles of music on their website and buy a ticket to their album launch (March 3rd in the Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh or March 14th in the Captain’s Rest, Glasgow). Their stage set-up – guitar, vocals, bass and a variety of samplers and sequencers – is particularly minimalist and prone to the damage caused by the aforementioned sound problems. Yet they ploughed on, impressing both in their sophistication and their wilful desire to fuck around.
All in all it was a mixed and slightly confusing evening, but all credit to Future Pilot AKA for pushing the boat out a little bit. Here’s hoping he returns with something a little more refined next year.
For those of you looking for mentions of a specific act playing, check out Michael MacLennan’s (mostly) spot-on review here.
- Conquering Animal Sound - 24 February 2011
- John Grant - 14 February 2011
- A Night of Celtronika - 7 February 2011