This is one of the not so rare occasions that I’ve gone to a gig more interested in the support than the headline act.
I first crossed paths with Dlù when they appeared at the Danny Kyle Open Stage a few years ago. The Open Stage is a competition of sorts. The main prize is a supporting slot at the following year’s festival. Although as Liz Clarke who runs the thing always says, everyone who appears on that stage is a winner.
Just some win bigger than others.
For some playing on that stage is the pinnacle, while for others it’s the first step. When Dlù appeared you knew instantly it was the latter They seemed almost fully formed and returned as one of the winners.
After that I went to their ‘Anmoch’ single/EP launch and saw them at the Celtic Connections Festival Club. Then COVID got in the way and I missed their ‘Moch’ album launch. In the time since I last saw them they’ve released another album called ‘Close To’.
Musically they have grown and the obvious difference is instantly apparent.
They sing.
Beginning with their version of the old song ‘Mogaisean’ they looked quite assured and comfortable on the large Tramway Stage – Moilidh singing the lead with Zach on backing.
Musically they’ve always been a mixture of trad and indie with some dance beats and a bit of rock in there too. It’s like they’ve studied and learned the tunes that went before but take little bits of them and put them into their own thing.
The perfect example is ‘Close To’ Parts 1 & 2. Which were the standout tracks for me, played right at the end of their set.
The crowd seemed to really enjoy them too.
An Dannsa Dub are a band that do exactly what it says on the tin. They’re a mixture of Celtic music and dub reggae.
What makes them different is that they play it live.
So it’s not just a couple of guys with dreads and beards staring at laptops with some guest musicians. They had a proper full band with different vocalists.
Josie Duncan, The Horseman, Lana Pheutan and Lewis McLaughlin all took centre stage and lead vocals. Euan McLaughlin on fiddle, Maxi Roots on bass and Tom Spirals on flute taking over on the more instrumental tracks.
It didn’t matter if you didn’t know the songs – firstly as they’re all banging dance tunes anyway. These are not foot-tapping tunes, they’re jump up and down tunes. And the crowd did just that.
And secondly, quite a lot of them were new. So new that they didn’t have proper names yet.
An Dannsa Dub are definitely one to watch – a riotous and fun band that will keep you dancing till the end of the night.
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