Other Reviews

14/04/2009

Maclaine Colston & Saul Rose Live

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Bath Folk Club: 10.04.09

Saul Rose was in Spain on the morning of this gig, so consequently, he is a little frayed round the edges. And the strain is showing as he rolls his eyes for the umpteenth time at Maclaine's increasingly surreal stories. To call it banter would be to severely downplay these ale fuelled skits which tend to finish on the announcement: 'Meanwhile back at the gig'. However, these guys are professionals and the bouts of comedy - that only a true curmudgeon wouldn't have welcomed - are balanced by some truly inventive and captivating roots music.

Besides us, there were other fans of the guys 'Sand And Soil' album in the audience, who must have been very satisfied with it's delivery. All the highlights are present: the majestic 'Emily's Waltz' and the Anglo-Saxon curse packed 'Lazy Farmer' - voted 'best accompaniment to a pint by the Spiral panel tonight.

Resplendent in a new 'Animal Rocks' Muppet's T-Shirt Maclaine is a hammered dulcimer veteran and brings all his knowledge to bear on the lilting air 'Tuesday Morning' and his foray into 'The Lord Of The Rings' - for which he joins the London Philharmonic to perform a live soundtrack of, this week, at The Royal Festival Hall. Whereas Saul must be saving any jet-lag for tomorrow, as his feet beat out the rhythm of 'Bold Fisherman', and he puts a fair dose of passion behind 'Devil And The Feathery Wife', whilst all the time his melodeon pours out its liquid melodies.

The combination of instruments is as uplifting as people have commented and the occasional addition of harp (Jennifer Crook) and vocals (Bethany Porter) were an inspired move.  All the time the duo back each other up with touches of musical telepathy. As my Spiral colleague commented: 'A match made in heaven'.

Tonight they are ably supported by, fiddlers extraordinaire, Nick Wyke and Becki Driscoll. This Devonshire duo take their instrumental interplay from chattering subtly to minimalist forcefulness, in the blink of an eye, churning out motorik trance-inducing phrases. Their original 'Barnstable To Umberleigh' has a beautiful journeying motion as the cavorting riffs hold the crowd in a musical spell. A new track - 'Edward' has a similar effect, but instead, its minor-micro-motifs are dished up in unison as Nick proves he's a convincing fiddle-singer and narrator of this Child ballad from the Appalachians. At the end the pair accelerate together and jig away for a footstomping finale.

One of the biggest cheers of the night is saved for a 'Widcombe' instrumental from Maclaine and Saul - an audio celebration of this area of Bath. And so we should cheer. It's a pure delight to be in a packed club with such a joyess atmosphere. The Bath Team really know how to put on a party.

With musical appetites sated, and our beerometers reading full, the rest of the bank holiday weekend had a lot to live up to. 

David Kushar

MACLAINE AND SAUL | NICK AND BECKI | BATH FOLK CLUB