RURA rocked Old Fruitmarket Celtic Connections 2016

A rip roaring set by this fun young band with quality support

This evening concert at the Old Fruitmarket was a triple bill mix of American bluegrass and Scottish music traditions. This venue with it's balconies and rustic old world charm creates its own uniquely inviting atmosphere.

One of the most exciting new folk bands on the scene, Rura were the Danny Kyle stage winners a few years back when I was impressed with their set at the #ccfest festival club. (Photos are in my Celtic Connections galleries)

The packed crowd in the hall were really up for it all. The band had carefully arranged their light show, prepared their instruments and their folk indie rock and were ready for a night of engaging dynamic energy with their charged fiddle, guitar, bodhran, pipes and flute. Rura exploded their challenged music with their power reels, beats and rhythms.

The singer Adam Homes with his husky tones joined them for several songs. Album 2015 Despite the Dark. They are - Steven Blake (bagpipes, flute), Jack Smedley (fiddle), David Foley (Bodhran, flute), Adam Brown (guitar), Adam Homes (vocals, guitar). http://www.rura.co.uk

The Canadian roots band The East Pointers began the night with their lively and earthy American roots music.  http://eastpointers.ca/

The gentle singer Aoife O’Donovan was up next and she provided pure quality vocals and songs. She releases her second solo album The Magic Hour in 2016.  She was previously with the band Crooked Still.   http://www.aoifeodonovan.com/

With my photos I try to capture those moments of the escape and joy of the music.

Top marks for this Old Fruitmarket gig!

Rachel Sermanni at Celtic Connections 2016

Rachel Sermanni was the quality support for Grant tonight and in contrast to John Grant's large bass tones - she is delicate, petite and has an ethereal, soft focus voice. 

I have heard her perform a few times with only her acoustic guitar, in fact the first time was at the Celtic Connections Danny Kyle open mic stage a few years back, where as a winner she first received attention for her music. So this was the first time I have heard her with a full, high quality band and with a chance to add more depth to her sound.

Her new album release Tied to the Moon, explores earthier themes and she spoke of how women are tied to the moon's cycles, wheras men are tied to the sun.  

 Her final song was a lullaby, The Camp before the Storm a song about her future self. A beautiful new voice and songstress!

(She might introduce her songs more I wondered.)  http://rachelsermanni.net

John Grant at Celtic Connections

John Grant American singer-songwriter was on fine form at Celtic Connections.

He performed songs from his third solo album Grey Tickles, Black Pressure -  Geraldine,

 Global Warming, Voodoo Doll and on Disappointing, 'Just One Smile, Disappointing compared to you.'

He also sang earlier material such as his song Pale Green Ghosts, and I particularly enjoyed his hit song Glacier when his sang in a slow loud note,  'This PAIN... and 'Don't become paralysed with fear.'  He sang, 'Happy 65% of the time' in his GMF song.

He took the tempo up quite often with electronic pop rhythms of waves colliding and crashing. And a few humorous songs as if to remind of the ridiculousness of life. 

And the thirty-something crowd showed their enthusiastic appreciation and love! 

His sound is all about his heart-wrenching vocal melodies. Many of his songs linger and resonate. His expansive choruses explode in free expressions and on the verse his voice asked why..... http://johngrantmusic.com

Interestingly he has been working with Icelandic musician Birgir Þórarinsson, a.k.a. Biggi Veira of Iceland's electronic pioneers on his second solo album and he now lives in Reykjavik Iceland.  Grant grew up near the Rockies Colorado.  He was previously with the Denver based alternative rock band The Czars in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Lucinda Williams rocked at Celtic Connections 2016!

Sassy straight talking rock on lady! This lady takes no prisoners and she seems grounded.

I came new to Lucinda, while I had read good reviews of her work. Looking at her Wikipedia page I noticed that at 62 she has unusually been having more success as she gets older.

As we waited in the packed Glasgow concert hall an enthusiastic man appeared at the side of the stage waving a set list. I got a photo - was this Mr Overby her manger and now husband? I wondered was the extra time before the gig to ground us to be ready to listen? 

She sang several tracks from her new 2016 album, Ghost of Highway 20, in which she sings of her memories of the deep south and of those lost to her. 'Places you can't let go of - they won't let go of you' and 'I found myself on Highway 20' 

On any given night there would likely be certain songs on her set list such as Drunken Angel, Lake Charles and Cold Day in Hell. 'Each time I look at the world there's a different story.' Another song was entitle Protection. 'Protection from the enemy of love, the enemy of rock n roll' And on Find My Joy she sang, 'You took my joy don't mess with me.' 

Her father was the poet, Miller Williams (who read at Bill Clinton's inauguration). He once took her to hear the preacher and street singer guitarist Blind Pearly Brown. She may have found setting his words to music a challenge but she managed on his poem Compassion and on Dust. 'You couldn't cry if you wanted to.' Her mother, Lucy Morgan was a musician.

The rocking high quality band Buick 6 performed with her. Guitarist Stuart Mathis took up mournful and joyous melodies along side dynamic drummer Butch Norton in his white cowboy hat and their bassist David Sutton racked up the energy. Often she turned her back to conduct the band so they are all in sync. Lucinda with her shock of blond hair and leather jacket is not your average softly dressed country gal! On a couple of songs there was just Lucinda on guitar.

For her encore songs Lucinda sang Robert Johnston's Stop Breaking Down Blues and JJ Cale's song Magnolia. She smiled as she searched for the last song among her pages of songs when her roadie came to assist. 

Her spiritual songs cover pathos, regret, searching. Lucinda's voice packs a punch with a rasp, unforgettable direct earthiness. At times with her head titled back slightly her voice soars and meanders those blues songs.  

She is a three times Grammy award winner and considered one of America's top songwriters. I can understand why, I was new to these songs and they registered and struck home right away.

Harmony, peaceful, rocking! 

She is a defiant lady who has travelled many roads. There were loads of stand outs and textured, layered songs with an artist of this calibre and there is nothing subtle about Lucinda. http://lucindawilliams.com/

Williams was well supported by Canadian singer songwriter Jenny Ritter.