Beth Orton Celtic Connections 2018

‘Short stories with some shimmering beautiful sounds’

Beth Orton is a Brit award winning English singer songwriter, known for her fusion of folk and electronica sounds (folktronica), performed a concert at the O2 ABC at Celtic Connections 2018. She played with her guitar and was backed by musician, Grey McMurray, on electronic keys, guitar and bass. During her set she was brightly back lit, which produced surreal atmospheric moods.

Beth used her strong voice to tell her story to sonic effect taking it both wide, introspective and reflective. She sang songs from her 2016 album Kidstick, which is full of imagery and one word song titles, such as ‘Moon,’ ‘Snow’, ‘Wave’, ‘Downstar’ and the teardrops of ‘Petals.’ As well as popular tracks from the range of her past catalogue, such as Call me by My Name, Only a Dream Away, All in Time.

She appeared shy and assuming and yet her voice is strong, hypnotic and mesmerising and reassuring.  Her songs are detailed and her experience flows through her songs. The electronic beats, rhythms and sways surrounded and perfectly back dropped her expressive voice. 

Many fans had travelled for her Celtic Connections gig and were hugely appreciative of her set. Beth apologized for swearing at one point, which seemed incongruously at odds with her soft thoughtful vibes!  

The depth of Laura Marling folk meets blues and electro beats. I enjoyed both her songs and voice. I was new to Beth and I am now a fan, worth checking out!

http://www.bethortonofficial.com

She was well supported by the Scots Celtic soul voice of Blue Rose Code and his band (further Blog to follow) who opened tonight’s concert.

Orton collaborated with the chemical brothers, Brit award for her 1996 album Central Reservation.  In 2016 Orton released her sixth solo album to critical acclaim. Her music has soundtracked American Tv shows.

Session A9 Celtic Connections

An entertaining night!

Session A9 are a multi-talented band led by fiddler Charlie Mckerron, who played striking music with four top fiddlers.

They played slow airs, songs, reel and jigs, with often times feet dancing rhythms and bows swinging with a powerhouse dynamism! They also played tunes with slow, melancholy, contemplative violin.

Fiddler Adam Sutherland spoke of his tune which was commissioned for New Voices in 2004. The band played a tune by Ross Ainslie, and also new tunes Charlie Mckerron. Meanwhile guitarist Marc Clement sang a couple country folk songs – ‘These Days’, and ‘Take away the Well So deep.’

This band have funny craic and banter with each other. Brian spoke of the 25 years of Celtic tradition and culture, to sell our culture on and how its amazing what the festival has achieved. He offered a big thanks to all involved with putting on the festival and all the work behind the scenes. He spoke of the scope and breadth of the festival and he wondered where the festival might be in another 25 years time!

For their encore the band performed the fitting song ‘One for the Road’ 

The players consisted of – Charlie Mckerron (fiddle), Gordon Gunn (fiddle & Mandolin), Adam Sutherland (fiddle), Kevin Henderson (fiddle), Brian McAlpine (piano), David Robertson (percussion), Marc Clement (guitar & vocals)

Session A9 played a residency at Epcot and celebrated their first decade with the  album Paths That Wind. They were voted 'Best Live Act 2012' at the Scottish Trad Awards

Max Richter at Celtic Connections 2018

A night to remember!

Max Richter, renowned composer for stage and screen, performed his eighth album of classical and electronic sound, Three Worlds: Music from Woolf Works (2017) at Celtic Connections 2018.

The music is from the score that Richter composed for the ballet Woolf Works in collaboration with choreographer Wayne McGregor and includes a recording of Virginia Woolf’s voice. The work follows a three-part structure offering evocations of three books by Woolf (Mrs Dalloway, Orlando, and The Waves).

Richter played on piano and electronic keys along with the world class Scottish Chamber Orchestra (SCO) at Glasgow concert hall. There were slow, nurturing bass lines along with a repeating piano melancholy, questioning violin, pondering cello and electronic beats. 

Then a violin menace as danger lurks, electronica beats too and a plaintive solitary cello repeated the forlorn melody. A sad xylophone played slow notes to release the tension, let it fly and brought us back to a more hopeful sound. 

 A bell tolled as we heard Woolf’s hesitant and strange voice speak of her memories, before she gave up words and life, ‘No one could have been happier.’ Then the poignant piano melody returned with waves in the background. And after in a powerful moment, there were mournful crescendos with the haunting soprano voice of Grace Davidson.

His music is at times pioneering, aching, immersive and searching for resolutions. The stage was lit over the performance with a flow of colours from soft purple to deep reds. For a Reprise Richter performed a short piece entitled ‘On the Nature of Daylight’.  A truly memorable concert. The performance was opened by harpist Catriona McKay and Alastair MacDonald with tales of Scottish times past.

Review and Photos by Pauline Keightley - http://pkimage.co.uk/

Richter is a British composer post-minimalist with contemporary and alternative musical styles with films such as Testament of Youth, Arrival, Miss Sloane.

**Three Worlds: Music from Woolf Works (2017) Three Worlds: Music From Woolf Works is Max Richter’s eighth album, released in January 2017. The music is taken from the score that Richter composed for the ballet Woolf Works in collaboration with choreographer Wayne McGregor at the royal Opera House in London. The work follows a three-part structure offering evocations of three books by Woolf (Mrs Dalloway, Orlando, and The Waves). The album features classical and electronic sound as well as an original voice recording of Virginia Woolf herself.

Shawn Colvin Celtic Connections 2018

 Shawn Colvin, is a Grammy award-winning American singer-songwriter, best known for her 1996 platinum album, A Few Small Repairs and her song ‘Sunny Came Home’.

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The concert was opened by a welcoming and accomplished duo from Colvin’s band, Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams.

Colvin is celebrating 20 years since the success of her Few Small Repairs album with a full band concert at Celtic Connections festival and the re-release of a newly expanded album edition.

Tonight she performed the songs from the album along with other fan favourites such as ‘Diamond in the Rough’. There were several stand out songs, ‘You and Mona Lisa’, ‘Simple Truth’, ‘Wichita Skyline’, ‘Nothin On Me’, ‘Suicide Alley’ ‘New Thing Now’ and ‘I’ll Be Back.’

She also stripped it back to only her voice and piano on a couple of songs. At one point she spoke of her lyric book. She sang a four songs encore encouraged by fans applause.

An enjoyable, quality concert. She sang of heartbreak and enduring and her sound elegantly mixes country, pop and contemporary. Colvin is an engrossing, subtle songstress with immersive and sensitive songs and voice.

Shawn Colvin is the recipient of the Americana Music Association’s 2016 Lifetime Achievement Trailblazer Award,

A Few Small Repairs SONGS: Sunny Came Home, Get Out of This House, The Facts About Jimmy,  You and the Mona Lisa, I Want it Back, If I Were Brave, Wichita Skyline, 84,000 Different Delusions, Suicide Alley, What I Get Paid For, New Thing Now, Nothin On M.   -  http://www.shawncolvin.com