Taking The Mother to see Rapalje "Met de billen bloot"

It's Mother's Day on Sunday the 14th and I decided to use it as a complete and utter excuse to take my mother to various things etc etc. I know that using such (now) commercialised days may not be the best way to show genuine appreciation for someone but if you're trying to find an excuse to 'force' them to come to a foreign country when you want to do things then such days are pretty darn useful!

Anyway, our week of adventures (*) started yesterday with a Rapalje concert in Rotterdam. I had planned to book this one anyway due its date, and to book a hotel, but I realised, relatively late, that it was a lunchtime concert meaning the hotel wasn't needed. Saved a bit  of time and money! One of the many joys of the Netherlands is that, as long as timings are okayish you can get from one side of the country and back with relative ease, at least if one's comparing to back home.

It was actually my first time visiting Rotterdam although I can't really say I saw much of it. We were highly conscious of my need to study for exams and therefore only really went to the show and back. First impressions seem to say that the city is a fair bit more modern than Amsterdam but that's based solely on the area around the station. I'll just have to go back to judge it properly ;-)

I'm not sure if the venue is also a theatre or solely a concert hall (although the layout suggests the latter to me). I'm too lazy to google it. Either way, it was a very easy to access place with a rather good hall layout which meant you could have a pretty good view from anyway, I'd wager. Can you tell I keep lists of decent places to sit in each place I visit? 

The show opened with a performance based person by person introduction to the band which was something I'd not seen before, and I assume it's new to this show although I cannot be sure on that front. Either way it was a lovely added touch. Maceal came on as a one man band and played a rather speedy piece that did get us clapping although there were multiple rhythms going on throughout the audience; William sung a song with guitar and harmonica... well, almost without the harmonica as it got left offstage until the last minute; Dieb and Maceal played "Into Folk" while wearing some stunning embroidered jackets (yep, no kilts!); David played a short bagpipe medley which was really cool for want of a better way of describing it! We were reminded, once again, of how (multi) talented the members of this band are. 

After that followed a more 'normal' set during which the band played songs off of their albums as well as some new songs (I forget how many so if there was just one please adjust grammar to match). It was a good fun show that saw the usual mix of fast tunes and slower pieces. I think this may have been the first time my mother's seen Rapalje play with dancers too so that was a nice bonus for her. Meanwhile, David playing bagpipes and leading the three dancers (and Maceal playing a drum) around the hall certainly impressed the audience. The final number was the "Wild Rover" which clearly lives up to the show's name. And all that, as my mother said, before lunchtime!

Of course, after that we did get lunch and then made our way home for me to fight with multiple assignments and a tonne of revision. Yuck. Just to clarify that the 'yuck' refers to work... the food was good ;-)

So yes, all in all, I think that the first day of the Mother's Day Week went rather well. I just have to survive a physics exam, for which I am poorly prepared, before the next treat in the form of seeing the musical Elisabeth in Essen. I've even managed to start a painting for that one... gone are the days when I used to paint something before every and any event!

Right, less blogging, more studying, right?

(*) I know, I know, I have the cheese factor turned right up again!

Also, apologies for the crappy post title. I've been up since forever and studying has stolen the little imagination I had... may also explain the repetitive nature of description throughout the post!!

More music time: Cesair and The Moon and the Nightspirit

Firstly I should probably apologise for the delay once again. This refers to last Saturday so I guess I'm under a week late which is good with my recent track record. Deadlines, exams, and illness have decided to destroy any semblance of organisation in my life, as usual! I did actually take my camera to this show and it was the first time I've attempted to take photos in low light conditions. Not the best results ever, as one might expect for a first attempt, but there are a few photos that might work out okay and I'll upload those onto facebook in the coming days... if they do exist ;-)

Anyway, I haven't said what I'm rambling on about yet, although the title has probably given it away. Saturday saw Thijs, Hester and I make our way to Leiden for a show of Cesair and The Moon and the Nightspirit. It's actually really nice to have Thijs who is basically into exactly the same eclectic mix of music as I am as we get to accompany each other to shows (well, he babysits me really, if we're honest!!) and Hester, who's just getting into the genre, is so so over-excitable. It's actually quite adorable. So we both babysit her ;-)

I have the most stunning friends.

Anyway, we managed to find our way to the venue which is tucked away a bit and probably would be quite unnoticeable unless you know it's there. As always, we were early. Yes, you can probably blame the paranoid about being late British person for that! Anyway, the venue itself was absolutely lovely. The staff members were polite and friendly. The layout of the venue was great with a stepped back area which served as a seating place and also would allow for people to see from the back quite nicely. Couple of annoyingly placed pillars but I guess you can't moan about structural necessity. The sad thing is that the venue faces closure at the moment which would really suck, to put it plainly. There is a petition on the go to save it which you should go and sign here.

So, after lurking at the back, at the top of the stepped area, and taking the obligatory pre-show selfies the lights lowered and my friends went down to the main area for the show. Of course, my delightful friends forgot that I have the whole vision disability, no night vision at all, and was therefore quite as blind as a kitten. I managed to get down the first step... misjudged the rest and somehow landed on my feet, propelling myself across the room and straight into aforementioned friends. That's karma for you! I'm hoping it looked like an elegant jump as opposed to the flailing reality!!

Anyway, a brief comment on the music is in order, I think. As always, I don't need to tell you that Cesair were great. They are a highly skilled set of people playing some wonderful pieces and it makes for a consistently marvelous show. Again, the set was a mixture of older pieces and the newer songs. It's also getting to the stage where Thijs keeps leaning over and going "oooh I like this one" after practically every next-song announcement. I'm not sure if he realised quite how often he was saying that but I guess he does now he's read this!! And it can only be a compliment to the music, of course. Also have to commend the lighting design this time, I think. Not the best for my first attempt at photographing this type of show but certainly atmospheric and fitting, of course, that's what really matters.

Following Cesair was The Moon and the Nightspirit, a group from Hungary who have a perhaps more atmospheric sound. This is the second time I've seen them and, if I'm totally honest, I think this set was a lot stronger than the other one I saw. Despite liking their recorded music, I felt the first show I saw was good but not great. However, this time, I felt they did perform well so I suppose I managed to catch them on an off day last time... or my own mind wasn't in the mood for it, who knows. The audience was really dynamic for their set too, a lot of movement and dance. I know that isn't a comment on the music so much as the atmosphere but the combination of the two matters when it's a live show. In fact, I wonder if that was the difference here compared to the previous show, the audience seemed much more engaged and that has to increase the overall energy. Anyway, I'm rambling on again, as usual!

After the show we attempted to get a photo with the bands which has become rather our habit and is actually really nice for me as a scrapbooker. Seriously, the fact that my friends are into getting photos and taking selfies and whatever makes my life so much easier because heck, I'm too shy to ask so I'd leave without. Also got to test my Dutch skills while Hester and Thijs socialised a bit. The diagnosis: I understand it pretty well now but still can't actually speak a word. Urgh, I need to get classes. Didn't even speak any Hungarian ;-) Mind you, I'm losing the minimal amount I had anyway through lack of practice!

Photo very kindly taken by Kees who also photographed the event.

I'm not quite sure how this developed from a blog post about a gig into a rant about my failings as a linguist but there we go. That's how my mind's working tonight!

Oh, and I have a wonderful weekend to look forward to as some of my music-y friends from the UK are coming over to adventure in Amsterdam. Very excited. 

Now to get healthy before tomorrow!

The imaginatively titled SeeD and Omnia post

This is one of those posts that is quite simply going to make no sense... something to do with the time of night. However, it's either that or it won't get written with the way life is going so there we go. It's also going to be hardly any writing and a couple of pictures... not so interesting ;-)

The support act of the evening, SeeD (*), were great. I'd heard a bit by them but this was the first time seeing them live and it was certainly worthwhile. I'd really like to see them again and will certainly be buying their album when it's launched. 

With SeeD after the show

Omnia's show was high energy, as always, and the crowd seemed rather into it which always helps to build a good atmosphere. There were a group behind us, who I believe were from Italy, who were just having so much fun! While I don't agree with everything that Omnia says - and it kinda matters because they're rather outspoken - it was great to dance along to music that I really know and with friends, once again. I was also pleased that they played the tracks I had managed to get into off the new-ish album Earth Warrior. All in all, an enjoyable show!

Thijs got cut out and the photo's poor but with Omnia.

It was also lovely to hang around afterwards a bit and soak up the open atmosphere that seems to come hand in hand with folk music. Special shout out to the girl who complimented my hair so kindly when we were queuing together! That said, apologies to anyone and everyone who spoke with Thijs and/or Hester and who had to suffer my seemingly antisocialness... my Dutch comprehension may be improving but I am quite incapable of conversing!

Almere selfie time!

So yeah. Great time. Going to collapse in bed now as I have an essay to fight with and several exams to revise for tomorrow :-(

(*) I still don't know how to format the band name... oops.

This post is not for facebook because even through my exhaustion I know it makes no sense!!!

The things I do for Reckless Love

I guess that flying to England for a show is one of the more extravagant things I've done in my time. That said, the fact I got to eat curry from the restaurant I've visited since I was three, got to have a bath, oh, and see old friends made it all worth it. Wednesday day was dedicated to dress shopping with my mother and The Best Friend, while the evening was set aside for a bit of music!

Me, Jessica, Aimee, Kim. Waiting to go in, trying not to freeze!
From Jessica's camera,

Queuing in the cold and the rain is always one aspect of the gig experience that I dread but then ultimately love. It's a complete social experience and before this show, in particular, it was a riot. It meant, in reality, that once we got inside there was a rather good fun little group formed of old friends, people I vaguely knew from other shows, and totally new faces. 

Kim, Jessica, Me, Aimee. Entertaining ourselves before the set began.

There was only one opening band this time, The First, a melodic rock band from Cambridgeshire. I will admit that their sound tech was not great but, from what I could hear, I think they were rather good. Certainly, I plan to look up some of their music and give it a proper try (and buy a CD if I do indeed like it). In addition, there is no way I can fault their live set. All members were engaged and energetic without seeming silly or OTT. It was a very strong performance. There was one moment when the vocalist decided to put a microphone in my face to get me to sing along which didn't work on two counts (recovering from a phobia of singing and I don't know their music) but, other than that, they really knew how to perform to a crowd.

The main act was, of course, Reckless Love. The Finnish glam rock-ish band who attempt, and succeed, in making every show a party. This night was no exception. If anything, Olli was more chatty with the crowd and I enjoyed watching Olli and Pepe, in particular, play to Jessica's camera.

One of Jessica's many photos from the show.

The set was great, as always. Although it was cut a little because of illness (not mine for once!) it was full of some great tracks and to just dance away was rather liberating. It really did help that both Jessica and Aimee are little party animals, albeit in different ways, so I simply could not help but dance, jump and bounce along.

However, Hessu, bless his heart, was quite clearly ill. Seriously, that man should not have been on the stage at all yet he soldiered on until all but the end. Ultimately the set was cut by a couple of songs but I feel incredibly lucky that we got a set at all. It would have been annoying as anything, of course, but completely understandable.

After the show we had a bit of a chat with Jalle, Olli and Pepe; Hessu quite rightly escaped to the bus and hopefully put himself to bed! We then had the joy of walking back to Aimee's house (and beyond for some of us) in the rain and wind of Wales. Wasn't the highlight of the evening but was worth it all the same.

One day, Pepe will forget about the pen incident. This was not that day.

A quick goodbye to The Best Friend and Kim kindly drove me to my hotel. We said goodnight but with the knowledge that the day after we would meet once again but this time in Amsterdam!

Midwinter Fair

So, I have decided that festivals and I simply do not mix. Seriously, right before this festival, having had nothing for months, I had a major flair up that meant I slept not a wink the night before and felt like utter crap for the Saturday (and not so great on the Sunday but there we go). That aside, I had a wonderful time but my photos were a bit lacking and the descriptions, no doubt, will be similarly so.

The Saturday was the long day of the Midwinter Fair so, in order to ensure we could get home again afterwards, Thijs, Zoë and I cycled to the central station. That's normally a really easy ride but with me in my stupid no sleep and no food state it took us a heckishly long time and I am so grateful to my companions for not getting really annoyed with me! Anyway, that adventure over we caught a couple of trains and arrived in Alphen aan den Rijn which is where the thing was held.

I can't say that I got to look around Alphen aan den Rijn much at all but the bits I saw were very sweet and rather pretty. When it starts to get a bit warmer, and with my newly purchased travel card, I may visit again to chill a bit in the sun. Definite bonus as the streets (etc) were named after continents, countries, and cities. The only place where, if you get lost, you literally go round the whole world in order to find your way ;-)

At the event

The Midwinter Fair itself was lovely. It's quite small which is actually really nice because, to be quite honest, there's only so many places you can be at once and only so many things you can do in a short period of time. On the Saturday and the Sunday we took things rather slowly and just enjoyed looking around and taking things in a bit.

The fact that it's held in a living museum (I think that's an accurate description) means that it's rather atmospheric. With old fashioned buildings from multiple time periods, tree lined winding paths and little streams with simple plank bridges it really does allow you to take a step back from the rush of modernity for just a little while. There were also some lovely food stands and a little market selling a mix of stuff from statues to clothes to drinking horns. Talking of which, I managed to buy some mead to take to England for Christmas so that's a definite bonus!

AmmA

As for the music, the first full set we caught was that of AmmA. I keep managing to catch a few songs by them but never a full performance so it was a bit unusual to sit at the side of the stage and watch from beginning to end. Really do love their sound though!

After a fair bit of exploring and lurking, which involved sitting round outside fires pretending that we were keeping warm and not simply getting a face full of smoke, we went to catch the evening shows of LEAF, Shireen, Harmony Glenn, and The Dolmen.

Poor LEAF had some technical issues setting up and so on which must have been so annoying for them. Kept the audience in suspense mind ;-)

Shireen are a group that I've had a very limited awareness of, hearing their EP when it was featured on Wyldwood radio, I think. I was really impressed by their sound, however, which is quite an open, somewhat jazzy and rocky one... I've not really described that well but yeah, they have their own sound, do it well, and stand out for it. 

Thijs and I have discussed our wish to see Harmony Glenn live at some point and this was our day. Oh my goodness, what performers. I think I can speak for both of us, and probably Zoë too, when I say that they were worth seeing. And I guess I'll be hoping to catch them again too! In fact, I can't help but think that my mother would love them so lets see if I can book tickets for one of their shows when she comes to visit.

My stunning friends enjoying the evening entertainment ;-)

Finally, The Dolmen closed up the evening with their loud rocky music. Actually, a gentleman asked Thijs is they were the "noise band" so I think that pretty much sums up The Dolmen!! This would be my fourth time, I think, seeing them in the Netherlands yet they are from just down the road of my old home in the UK so I'm still not sure how this has worked out. That aside, it felt wonderful just to let down my hair and dance/bob to the music with no care in the world. It always feels good to just let go but when you're listening to good music, with friends, and in the midst of a flurry of finals it is pure bliss, I tell you!

On the downside, I did have "Dead Cats Don't Meow" stuck in my head all night... I also fell asleep on Zoë on the way home but shhh, that's our secret!

Day two was just Zoë and me as Thijs was being sensible and working on the paper we both had to hand in on the Monday. His absence did mean I was suddenly the Zoë-translator of the onstage banter and explanations which was a rather scary position to be in with my beginners Dutch! We did quickly develop a series of shorthand between us for the most common concepts such as which could see speeches of a minute reduced to the concise version: "Buy our stuff" ;-)

During Sowulo's set

Anyway, the first act we saw on Saturday was Sowulo, another group whose music I knew but whom I had not yet managed to catch live. Their show is quite clearly a real experience and it was great to be in the audience. I mean, their music is something special in its own right but the energy that you get when you're in a room hearing it live... that gives it a whole new dimension. Thijs did insist that we saw them for a very good reason!

Zoë and I followed up by watching the full set of Kaunan as we'd only managed to see part of the set on Saturday. There was something lovely about the lack of pretense to their set. Everyone sat down on the floor (or a couple danced) and just listened to three men playing tunes with the odd bit of explanation and banter in between. It wasn't a performance per se, as much as I enjoy performances, and it was refreshing to see something so stripped back. The fact that we went to see them twice, and both wanted to, probably says something about the quality of the music here.

During Rapalje's set

Finally, it was Rapalje time! More dancing and singing along and generally enjoying myself. It seems they went down well with Zoë too so I'm classing that as an all round success. Wasn't quite so strange to see them without my family this time, possibly because I had a friend from home and possibly because I'm getting used to it... who knows!

It was certainly a good way to spend the weekend and I'm pleased that Zoë was there to share it with me, and Thijs too. 

This post is not for facebook because it is long, rambling, and late. Oops.

Wow, wow, and wow once again!

I don't normally write blog posts straight after shows - I'm incoherent even when I'm mentally at my best - but this one time I feel an exception must be made. I've just come back from seeing Apocalyptica with Maria and I simply have to write.

I don't normally feel both as exhausted and exhilarated as this after a gig. I guess the cycling home burned off the post gig adrenaline while my mind is still on fire from the experience. 

I didn't expect the band to be quite that amazing. I expected brilliance but they surpassed it. Wow.

Everything ready to go!

Apocalyptica are one of my childhood bands. I first discovered them back when I was first developing my own music taste. As I started to play the cello myself they became an inspiration. Seriously, one the first proper pieces I learned to play was one the parts of 'Cortege'. They could have been pretty disappointing and it still would have been an amazing night but, trust me, they were anything but disappointing.

Waiting for the show to begin, I tormented Maria with my excited bouncing. Poor girl, she kindly agreed to accompany me even though she wasn't a fan herself and then was subjected to an excited me! We decided to sit on the balcony which is not my usual style but was actually an excellent choice. The view was brilliant of both the stage and of the band. It was really interesting to watch the crowd dynamic from this angle - you don't see the patterns when you're a part of it even if you're aware they exist. It would have also been a great place to take photos but I gave up in the end because the lighting was not nice to my little compact and, with the number of pro photographers there, there will be plenty of images floating around in a few days :-)

Anyway, you'll notice I'm avoiding talking about the show itself. It's really hard to work out what to say, how to put it into words. The music was great. They're talented live musicians not just talented recording artists so that was not surprise. I guess the tech was a bit odd to start with as the drums were too prominent but that was quickly resolved and then everything was great.

What did surprise me was the dynamic on stage. Something that's to Apocalyptica's credit is the way in which each member has their own role within the band's sound. They're not just several cellists, and drummer, attempting to play coherent music but they're a band with defined roles melody, rhythm, bass... drums. While they make stray from this format from time to time it gives their music a real structure. But this wasn't what I was wanting to say... oh what was it? Yes, the fact that, on stage, there is also a clear structure. Eicca seems to be cool and in control, Paavo really interacted with the crowd and got them involved, Perttu was 100% full of beans and all over the place, and Mikko drew it all together with the drumming. In this sense, you have a really rounded stage atmosphere. There was a real feeling of fraternity amongst the band and that was lovely to see as an audience member. It felt like they were loving being on stage and that simply transferred. Yeah, it was great.

Not only was the potential of the important bits of music and performance fully realised but the design of the performance, both visually and set-list wise was also on form. I will admit that there were times when the strobe lighting was simply to flashy for me but then there were also moments of beautiful lighting design that really set up an atmosphere to compliment the piece in question. The louder, faster pieces saw the stage divided with beams of light and colour while the quiet, peaceful numbers received a more harmonious treatment. And the balance between those fast and slow pieces was just right. While the majority of the set was centred around, as one would expect, Apocalyptica's heavier pieces, it was interjected with two moments of calm. Not only were the tunes played in those moments stunning but this division of the set ensured that the heavier tunes did not fall into a monotony, allowing the audience to appreciate every moment.

So, a wonderful night? Undoubtedly. Did Maria enjoy it in the end? Well, from her grin at points during the show and from the brief discussion we had afterwards... I think she might be a convert ;-) Sadly, we didn't manage to meet the band afterwards (and I couldn't get my scrap-book signed!) but as I'll be seeing them next year I think I'll survive! Truly cannot wait to see them again - they've set themselves up at near top of my 'best live bands list' and exceeded the already high expectations I held. Wow.

Sorry for lack of decent images. I only took about 20 as I thought they were coming out even worse than they were. Of course, that means the semi-decent ones, and I use that term very loosely, are limited to no more than a few!

Musings on Lisa Cuthbert's 'Paramour'

Genre: ??? Some form of beautiful alternative thing

I seriously don't know how I've manged not to review this CD yet. In fact, I'm sure I've started to write a review twice and never posted it! Anyway, with my recent splurge of Castlefest CD reviewing, I think it's time to have a focus on Paramour (even if I didn't get it this Castlefest!)

Paramour is a concept album centred around the Magdalene Asylums, of Laundries, which were institutions for the reform of whoever were considered to be fallen women. In reality, 'reform' is an optimistic outlook and 'fallen women' spanned a whole bunch of categories... basically anyone who could have been a threat to the 'morality' of society. Anyway, I'm going off on a tangent about a subject I have only read a little about but it's worth researching, if only so that some of the horrors committed in the name of morality are not forgotten.

Right, back to music.

The songs within Paramour are all from the points of view of those affected by the Magdalene Laundries, not just the women themselves but the people connected to them. In that sense it  covers the broader contest of a social institution that will have touched many people's lives in different, if unforgettable, ways.

The lyrics themselves, the words that have been assigned to the people within the album, are really well written. Without falling into an overly narrative voice, Lisa focuses on the human emotions that we can all associate with. 

And it's emotion that she does so well. Her vocals, while musically beautiful, are most striking for the raw connection they make with the content. This is not someone who is just singing a song but someone who is truly communicating an idea and it is quite wonderful. Combined with effective instrument arrangements, the tunes are generally affecting, if all quite different in actual sound.

Choosing a couple of songs to focus on at this point is nigh on impossible. I know that my personal favourite is 'Garten Mother's Lullaby', a moment of gentleness, and I would certainly recommend that you listen to that one! As for the others, I cannot pick a track that stands out as 'better' which is a compliment, I think. 'Madame's Secret Pain' is playing as I write this sentence so, if you're unable to pick which one to listen to, go for that one ;-)

Writing this review, I suddenly remembered why I've scrapped previous review's of this album. The eloquence and beauty of the thing is made clunky by any explanation. So, forget my thoughts on it and go listen for yourself, after all as you can preview the album on bandcamp for free you have nothing to lose and, potentially, a lot to gain! 

If you want to find out more about Lisa Cuthbert you can visit her website or facebook. Paramour can be previewed and purchased on bandcamp and you can read the lyrics in a PDF from her website. 

Musings on Finvarra's eponymous album

Genre: Folk

If Finvarra were one of the best pleasant surprises of Castlefest then it is perhaps not overly shocking how much I have listened to their CD since then.

This CD is one of those that you can put on in the background quite happily and I've found that a lot of my studying and essay writing has been completed with it playing. It's also something that's gentle enough to have playing when you have guests yet it's really lovely too. I appreciate albums that can be used as background music and enjoyed in their own right.

While the whole album is enjoyable there are a few pieces that stand out for me. My favourite is probably 'Only our Rivers run free' for it's stunning lyrics and a simplicity that allows the emotive aspects to shine. The vocals are emotive while the arrangement is simple, with instruments emphasising certain key passages.

Finvarra's 'Drink Down the Moon/Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine'

The other song that I've been playing way too much off this album is, in fact, the next one on the track listing, 'Drink Down the Moon/Bonaparte Crossing the Rhine'. Starting slow and building throughout the song, and into the tune, there's a real pace to this piece which makes it good fun to listen to. The song is not just sung but, as a story, it's really well told, a compliment that can extend to the vocals on all the tracks.This is also really clear in the final track 'The Blacksmith'.

The other track that stands out, and because I've ended up having a conversation with a friend about it, is 'Dimna Juda'. I believe this is a Macedonian song, although I could be wrong, and about a folk story witch figure, again, I could be wrong. However, what I am sure about is that this is a really beautiful almost spiritual sounding piece. It's very vocal based with a build of harmony throughout and is relaxing and uplifting at the same time.

Finvarra's 'Dimna Juda'

While I may not have chosen the greatest range of tunes to showcase this album, it is a CD with a diverse range of music but maintaining a unity throughout that makes for a great album. As I said, this is one of the CDs I've been listening to most since Castlefest and both mother and I am looking at booking to see Finvarra again soon (she's actually going to fly out for it, hopefully!)

If you want to find out more about Finvarra then you can visit their website and listen to previews of their CD there. Struggling to find how to buy the CD easily. There's information on how to buy here but the Etsy shop is currently closed so if anyone, who's a friend, from England wants it I'd be happy to act as a Dutch intermediate and order it to my address and do a swap when I'm in the country visiting again :-)

This post is not for facebook

Musings on Scrum's 'Killing Time'

I've been a bit of an online fan of Scrum for some time now. Hearing them every now and then on Wyldwood radio, last.fm playlists, and looking them up on youtube, of course. However, being one of those annoying foreign fans, I didn't manage to get my hands on any of their CDs until Castlefest when I bought Killing Time. In my defense, I also requested Pro Libertate for my birthday and converted my mother to the band so I think I'm making up for my slowness ;-)

The title track is a pretty good sign of what is to come. Energetic rocky music with a clear folk influence, it's certainly a good opener. If you manage to stay still once listening and, once you get to know it a bit, if you don't sing along then you're a stronger person than me! Most of the songs are in this vein although with a few notable exceptions.

The Scrum version of Caledona stands out as the first slower piece. The addition of a female voice, and for the final verse, works really well. The highlight of this piece, for me, has got to be the way that the bagpipes enter out of no-where and just add so much. Okay, I might have a thing for bagpipes.

Another cover (if once can call it that), Loch Lomond, is quite traditional in style but still has its own unique sound with some uplifting harmonies that give it strength while allowing it to be a relaxing calm piece. Under the Scotsman's Kilt, however, is given a more rocky sound in the second half. For some reason, this rendition of this song reminds me of my late grandmother who I can picture in the place of one of the girls in the story so I, personally, enjoy this track!

Probably an appropriate 'final song' to focus on is one of the first tracks I heard from Scrum, 'Going Home'. This fast paced piece is another bob and sing along one (maybe I just have a weakness for this?) and is really good fun. The lyrics aren't overly complex but capture the idea of the tune so well.

With a combination of sentimental and lively songs, this album works as a balanced listening experience. The continued themes and genre links some dramatically different pieces together to make a holistic experience which is thoroughly enjoyable, and on many levels.





If you would like to find out more about Scrum then you can visit their website. You can purchase Killing Time direct from the band or, probably easier if you're in the UK, via amazon. 

Apologies for this post being even more disjointed than normal... wrote it late at night and after hours of studying!

Musings on Rapalje's 'Hearts'

Genre: Celtic Folk

As the latest offering from the Celtic Folk band, Rapalje, Hearts manages to live up to the high standards that previous records have set.

The album opens with the familiar sound of the Manowar cover, 'Hearts of Steel'. This piece is probably one of my favourites performed by Rapalje as the raw sound combined with the lyrics makes for really powerful listening. The arrangement is something special from the driven fiddle, to the heart beat rhythm of the drum, to the entrance of the bagpipes. It's a real experience.

'Heart of Steel' with video from Bastaard.net

The other song that you're pretty much guaranteed to know, no matter your usual genre, is 'Fairytale of New York'. Proving that it's not just a Christmas song (*), and not just a duet, this is a slightly different, if authentic rendition of a well known mainstream piece. 

Although I love the two above, the highlight of the CD is probably 'Teddy O'Neill'. This love song is just so beautiful lyrically and I can't help but listen to it over and over. I also rather enjoy the unity that can be drawn between this and the earlier 'Spancil Hill'. Intentional or not, those two have become a pair in my mind.

The instrumental pieces take the form of 'The Butterfly-The Kid on the Mountain' and 'Busindre Reel'. Really pleased find 'The Butterfly' on here as that's a really fun piece to play (when I gave Aimee some basic whistle lessons she really enjoyed the first bit... until it gets a bit trickier!). Will be nice to chuck this recording at her next time I see her! As one would expect, it flows nicely into 'The Kid on the Mountain'. 'Busindre Reel' is a fast little bagpipe led piece and gives a nice contrast.

Okay, as I've spoken about all but one tune now (not what I intended). Guess I better mention the final track, 'The Sick Note'. I won't go into too much detail lest I ruin it but this one is a good fun little a cappella story detailing why a gentleman won't be going to work... Must try this on one of the uni lectures one day ;-)

Overall, I have high expectations from Rapalje and, with high expectations, comes a greater possibility of a fall. Putting this CD into the player for the first time was always going to be scary... just in case. However, as always, they've put out a great selection of folk style music that's both authentic sounding yet with their own signature sound. Brilliant as always.

If you would like to find out more about Rapalje then you can visit their website, where you can also order this CD. I'm not sure if you can get it on the UK Amazon but I think you can, and it will probably trickle through to iTunes soon.

(*) Anyone who knows me in real life will be thinking how I play Christmas songs all year round anyway. Talking of which, it's October now so we can certainly start getting excited, right?

This post is not for facebook

Reviews

It's no news really that, every now and then, I post a review of a CD or a gig or so on. These, to date, have been titled as such and can be found on the links at the top of my page.

However, particularly when talking about music, I feel that I'm talking as I would to a friend. Often I write reviews with a specific friend in mind either because I think they would like something or I know they're interested to hear my thoughts on that thing. I'm therefore uncomfortable to call them 'reviews' as such so you'll notice some new titling patterns. 

Book reviews will remain as reviews... when I get time to read that is!

I will be posting about my Castlefest CDs (late, I know!) over the next few weeks so, if you're interested keep an eye out for those... probably not going to cross post to facebook but should cross post to tumblr and twitter or you can always subscribe to receive email updates on the blog by popping your email address into the relevant box over on the right hand side.

Castlefest review: Saturday

For introduction post and Thursday round-up click here, for Friday click here.

Saturday

My plan for the morning was to go and catch the very start of Finvarra's set and then go to see Asynje
while my mother stayed at the former. I'd heard bits of Finvarra's music and wanted to listen to them live but as they clashed with Asynje I knew I was going to have to leave. Well, that didn't quite work out. In the end, I ended up so wrapped up in Finvarra that I ended up staying for the whole thing.

Finvarra, apparently play celtic folk with oriental aspects. However we catagorise their music it's really, really good! Gwen, their normal vocalist, was away on maternity leave and hence lead vocals were provided by Monique of Cesair but it didn't impact on the general performance at all.

The general performance was wonderful. The audience were up and dancing despite the heat - and it was boiling - and the combination of music and dance was the perfect way to start the day. Of course, I bought Finvarra's CD after this set and am currently listening to it. I would certainly go and see them in their own right at some point.

After Finvarra, and conveniently on the same stage, it was time for Zirp. Zirp are one of my favourite live bands because they are simply such good fun. Every time I see them I wish that I could get up and join in with the dance. Seriously, their music will drive me to dance again and that will be dangerous for anyone in the area! Anyway, I digress!

Their hurdy gurdy led folk music makes it impossible to stay still or, indeed, to be unhappy. Intricate melodies, driving tempos, there's something infectious about their music. Before their set, my mother commented on how empty the area in front of the stage was, questioning if Zirp weren't popular... her question was soon answered when they started playing and that space became the dance floor!

It's the only photo I have of all the band, okay! ;-)

My favourite piece that they play would probably be Bourrée Inkarnation and it's probably easy to just listen to them playing than me blathering on about them!

After their set I, once again, decided to try and get one of my scrapbook paintings signed and I was so so pleased that I did. The band were so appreciative of the drawing and it really gave me a chance to chat to them and I can certainly vouch that they are lovely guys! It was weird though as my little scrapbook sketch garnered more attention than I could have imagined with the band asking to have a photo with it. There's something strange about something that you created for yourself to show your respect for the artistry of another receiving so much attention in its own right but I was so pleased too, of course!!

The next band that I was lucky enough to catch was Cesair. Cesair are probably one of my complete

favourite bands. Their music has this magical quality to it and I love both their CD and the shows I have been lucky enough to catch. Although I only managed to see the one show this festival (there were too many clashes between good bands!), it certainly lived up to expectations. I won't go on too much about their show as previous posts have already said it all but once again, I can only say that I would highly recommend catching them live, if possible, and purchasing their CD.

Once again, after the set I went to get my scrapbook painting signed and had another rather large shock with how nice everyone was about the image, based on their CD cover. Fieke, in particular, was so sweet and that did mean so much to me. I also spent a bit of time, while hanging around the Cesair merchandise area, talking to a lovely lady from Amsterdam who was, similarly, lurking. Although I have no continuing contact with her, these little meetings, comings together of strangers, are what make Castlefest such a special festival.

Mother and I then planned to sit down at the back during Corvus Corax's set as there was a real shortfall of seats. I didn't know Corvus Corax particularly well but, having heard a few tracks and a lot of good things about their live show, had decided to attempt to see them but I wasn't that fussed about sitting and not prancing around (etc etc). However, a few tracks in it became clear that there was no way you could sit still, or stand still, during one of their sets. While the music wouldn't be my choice on my iPod, the live show was so loud, energetic, and engaging that it was thoroughly enjoyable. There is no doubt that they are skilled musicians, even if the style isn't quite to my taste, and, moreover, great performers. I may not go out of my way to see them again but I hope that our paths may cross, nevertheless!

Following their set came the burning of the Wicker Owl. Each year, there is some kind of wicker creature/figure with some symbolism that is, on the Saturday, burned with messages etc within it. I won't attempt to describe the whole process as you can see for yourself in the video below. However, what I will say is that it's a profound moment of unity. At that moment, everyone is joined and it is something quite special. 

Video from Castlefest's youtube channel

Following this was Faun. Now, Faun have been one of my favourite bands for many, many years now and I would say that every show of theirs is special. Okay, I'm a bit biased. However, there was something really special about this show. I don't know if it was because it followed the Wickerman ritual, if it was because it was the 10th anniversary of Castlefest, or if it was just an amazing crowd. The atmosphere, the energy of this show was much greater than I have seen before. Wonderful!

 

I was also lucky enough to meet Faun after the show, something that I have not managed to do before (although I've met Oliver when I've seen Folk Noir, previously, and Stephan with Zirp, obviously!). Pleased that I managed to meet them but even more pleased I was at that show. Looking forward to seeing them again soon!

I have a lot more photos on my facebook page, and Sunday's review will be up soon!

DVD Review - 'Von den Elben: deluxe edition' by Faun

This is a rather long, description of the contents of the DVD part of 'Von den Elben: Deluxe Edition', reviewed here. The aim of this is to help people to decide if it's worth buying the Deluxe Edition of the album when they already own the CD and therefore includes quite a lot of detail as to what is discussed in the documentary, although it doesn't tell the stories of contain a full explanation of events that are discussed.

Personally, I think it's well worth buying, even if you already own the CD and can be bought on their website.

The menu comes up basically all in English unsure if this is, at least partially because I’ve had English subs on or if it’s English for everyone. To set up subtitles, or to switch them off, go to ‘optionen’. From what I can tell, there’s only an option for English subs, not for German or other language subs. Also, just to annoy people, the subtitles don’t extend to the live clips of shows even though the introductions of the songs are included.

Main menu

The Acoustic Tour videos are Sao Roma, Subrali, NeAludj El, and Belle Dame Sans Merci. The Eden Tour videos are Lupercalia, Rosmarin, Da Que Deus. They include a lot more of the aesthetic of the Eden tour which is quite nice to experience although I think that the visual of the video does sometimes suffer because of the lighting/smoke/curtains etc., which are effective live, making a clear picture difficult. There are then two videos from the Festival Medieval, Andro and Jyansa, which, again, suffer visually because the lighting seems too strong for the camera. That said, the clips are lovely and are also of a high quality sound-wise. The Video Clip of Diese kalte Nacht explains itself really and is the music video of the song.

The documentary, 10 Years of Faun, is by far the highlight. The documentary ties together footage and photos of the band performing/traveling etc. with the members talking about their memories of the band’s life so far and their views on each other. I've split the sections into the chapters included in the DVD, written a few words as to what's included, and then written a more in detail summary of the things discussed. I've not said when you get every picture or live clip or whatever because that would be even more confusing. I've also lost all of the charm and humour that comes across when the band are talking but this is basically a list so here goes....

CD Review - 'Folk for the People' a benefit compilation for the victims of repression in Ukraine

So, a few weeks ago I threatened you with promised another review post centring around the Folk for the People folk compilation. In my last post on the subject, I focused on the cause behind the subject, the recent events in Ukraine, and poked you all into buying the thing. Now I'm going to mainly focus on the music. 

I don't normally review compilation CDs because, lets be honest, they are, by their very nature, a mush. How do you write an overarching review of something that is not consistent in performer/style/sometimes quality? Anyway, I'm going to give it a go because I want to give the CD as much airtime as I can on my blog. Don't expect this to be as coherent as normal and normal's not all that coherent, I know.

Folk for the People is a folk compilation in its broadest sense. From the slightly strange but eerily enticing tones of the opening track, 'Sonnet' by Aldona to the chaotic rocky sounds of 'Once upon a binge' by Sons of O'Flaherty, if you like any form of folk style or inspired music then you will be able to find something here.

There are some tracks from CDs that I've reviewed in their entirety, for example Cesair's 'Dies, Nox et Omnia' and Rastaban's 'Aurora'. There are some tracks that are from bands that I know well and some from bands/artists that I had not encountered. I rather think that this download is useful for a 'music taster'. There are a couple of musicians who I will probably buy CDs from, having heard this sample. Mind you, I swear that if I keep buying compilations then I'll end up with all of Sowulo's album without actually buying it in its own right!

I'm going to give up now. Without going through track by track I will not be able to do this download justice. Yes, there are a couple of tracks that aren't to my taste but that happens in any compilation and, when there are 35 tracks in total, it hardly damages the playability of the overall album. The fact that there are so many high quality tracks from greatly skilled artists means that it is well worth popping over to bandcamp and buying yourself a copy.

To listen to the album and, more importantly, to buy it click here. The bandcamp page also has information on the cause the money is going to if you scroll down below the track listing. You can also keep up to date with the goings on around the album and the donations being made by checking in on the facebook event page.

Folk for the People - A benefit compilation for the victims of repression in Ukraine

It's no secret that if I come across a CD* that I really like I'll write a review of it. This is probably the first CD that I'm 'reviewing' but haven't yet listened to. This CD is one that I have been following through the creation process but, being away from the internet until now, have been unable to buy and listen to... yet.

Mitch Rozek, drummer of Rastaban, was inspired, if that's the right word, by recent (and ongoing) events in Ukraine and decided to do something to help from a human point of view, negating politics as much as one can in such a situation. To quote one of his posts from the event page as I can't embed it, sadly:

"There's no orientated political agenda/motivation or anything of this kind behind this project. Only an instinctive and spontaneous act of compassion guided by a sense of justice for people who have been killed, wounded, kidnapped or tortured by their own government just because they came on the street to claim a better life, the respect of their basic rights and the end of a corrupted system. 

If by this small project, we can help these victims and their families financially, at least a bit, it will be one of the small drops than can feed the ocean of a better world. So don't search for hate behind what we're doing here, because you'll only be disappointed"

And this is where 'Folk for the People' comes in. The CD is a compilation of tracks from various, mainly European, folk bands, all of whom donated the song to the cause.

Although I've not yet listened to the CD, it's full of songs by great bands, a few songs that I know well and can tell you are awesome, and some that I'm excited to discover. I'll probably review the CD properly when I have had it for a little while, if only to try and give it more of a signal boost. The fact is that the compilation is set to be of a high quality and for a cause that is undoubtedly worthwhile.


If you'd like to find out more about the project and read posts about its conception and aims, as well as the practicalities of how the money is being donated, then they can all be found on the facebook event if you click here. This is an open event so if you're interested in keeping up to date with how the project progresses then please do join.

If you want to buy the album then it's available on Band Camp if you click here for a minimum donation of 10 Euros which is about eight British pounds. 10 Euros for 35 tracks of brilliant music, going to a good cause. Of course you want to buy it. As though you needed any more incentive, you can preview all tracks and choose the file format of your download. What's not to like?

Also, can we all agree that Mitch is amazing for organising this and say a big thank you to everyone who has been involved. It's lovely to see something proactive going on in the name of compassion and peace.


*I keep saying CD, more than normal even, so just to clarify that it's only available in download form.

Seeing the musical 'Ghost'

Last night, a couple of days before the end of the tour, I finally managed to do something I had desperately wanted to do, see the musical Ghost.

Based on the film of the same name, the musical sees lovers Sam and Molly separated by a seemingly random robbery-shooting in which Sam is killed. While Molly attempts to come to terms with the loss, Sam remains trapped on Earth as a ghost, one of many who walk among us. However, when he discovers that he was in fact the target of the shooting, and that Molly is in danger, Sam attempts to communicate with her with the help of a (not so) phoney psychic, Oda Mae.

The show ran for, I think, just over a year in the West End but it was the Hungarian production that first caught my eye and prompted me to buy the soundtrack (Original cast CD) and I slowly but surely grew to love the songs and particularly their portrayal of the human aspects of love and loss. In fact, my mother and I have ended up in floods of tears while listening to that soundtrack in the kitchen but that's another story.

The UK tour production has some changes from the original production. No doubt there are other changes (as this is the first time I have seen the production, I'm not sure) but the most obvious are a few lyrical changes and a few song changes. "Ball of Wax" is changed to "You Gotta Let Go" and this change is positive, I think. The ghosts are more obviously attempting to help Sam come to terms with things and encouraging this. "I Can't Breathe" is now a reprise of "Unchained Melody", although I think it was to the same tune as "I Can't Breathe" but don't quote me on that. I don't understand what they were trying to do here. I don't see any weakness in the original lyrics and I certainly don't see the point of having the lyrics to "Unchained Melody" here. The other major change came in the form of "Life Turns on a Dime", mainly in Carl's part which was reminiscent of "Here Right Now". Personally, I feel that the original version is better with regards to Carl's characterisation but I don't think it matters, especially if you haven't seen/heard any other versions.

Anyway, moving onto the production itself and the cast. I must admit that during the first few scenes (and my mother said the same thing) I was cringing. It was not good. The cheesy New York accents really detracted from the performance, luckily they got weaker as the play went on, and you couldn't hear a word that was being said because the sound was fuzzy. Actually, that balance was out most of the time and you were lucky if you could hear the soloists over the chorus and/or band. Rebecca Trehearn (Molly) and Stewart Clarke (Sam) sounded positively out of tune during the first number but, to be fair, I think this was down to the tech team more than anything because there was dramatic improvement. By Sam's death the pair I had started to warm to the pair and I think you were more able to empathise and enjoy their stage time. I loved Trehearn's portrayal of the mourning Molly, in particular. Her body language was great.

I think the crowd's favourite had to be Wendy Mae Brown (Oda Mae Brown) who was simply wonderful. She oozed charisma and she owned the stage whenever she was on it. Of course, playing a larger than life character has to help with that but seriously, wow.

Because this 'review' is getting long and rambling enough as it is, I won't go into everyone's performance but the rest of the cast who played named character were excellent (David Robert's Carl was wonderfully nuanced and Stevie Hutchinson really impressed me as the Subway Ghost). The ensemble were also wonderful both vocally and with their dancing!

However, it was the tech that sold the show. As people who know me will know, I have a vision problem that makes projections very uncomfortable and that means that I can't see in 3D at all (along with other things). The projections were painful for me which is in no way the responsibility of anyone to do with the show... However, I could actually see some aspects of the projections partially in 3D which is truly wonderful. That says something about how perfect the design must have been. Similarly, a lot of the tricks and illusions used during the show were things that I knew how to do but even with that knowledge, which should make it easier to spot what's being done, they appeared flawless. To be fair, that part is complimenting both cast and tech but oh well, organisation. The best bit: the illusions and technology use was constant and amazing yet it always added to the show as a whole and never detracted.

I have to mention the sound once again because I really do feel that the actors have had a rough deal in this review because of things that were largely outside of their control. The general balance sounded out and certainly the volume was bizarre. Some songs were painfully loud without there being any reason (I know that sometimes one might want higher volumes to overload senses etc), and the vocals seemed distorted at times when they simply shouldn't have been. The chorus were great but if they were singing at the same time as a soloist there's no way you could hear that soloist. The band was also great but goodness did they overpower the singers. During the interval I heard a lot of people wondering what was going on because they hadn't been able to hear a lot of the words. What a shame.

Complaints about sound aside, perhaps it's the biggest compliment that despite this, everyone seemed to have a really good evening. And, if the amount of sniffing and smudged mascara eyes was anything to go by, the show really managed to connect with the audience even when the missed half the nuance of the script. Their enjoyment must have come mainly from the visual affects and the acting and isn't that the greatest compliment you can give?

I'm still not quite sure it really happened...

Every now and then there is a band, a musician, a song that comes along that means the world to you for some reason. It might not be the best but something happens that means that it will always be special. 

Within Temptation are one of those special bands for me (and are brilliant, just in case my previous sentence implies differently). They were one of the first bands I really got into, although not the first, and their style really opened my eyes and inspired me at a stage when I was first discovering music. My first band covered a lot of Within Temptation songs as we played together, my A level drama piece had a section inspired by the song 'Faster'... they're just a band that have been in my life constantly since I discovered them and always had some influence on my life.

The lighting wasn't great and my camera is poorly so I didn't get decent pictures.

Yesterday, I attended a Within Temptation acoustic show and signing, promoting their new album Hydra. It's a bit overwhelming. Did it really happen?

The performance itself was wonderful. Playing songs stripped down to vocals and acoustic guitar, and sometimes piano, it was possible to appreciate the pure talent of these musicians. It was brilliant. The band's interaction with the audience was free and relaxed and the 'niceness' of their personalities really did shine through.

If I remember correctly, which I probably don't, all but one of the songs was off of their new album Hydra. However, the opening song, from The Unforgiven, really made my night as it was 'Faster'. I believe I owe Celena, my A level drama co-conspirator, a bit of an apology as she'd said they would play it and I doubted her ;-)

They also played a cover of Lana Del Rey's Summertime Sadness, which features on the second disk of Hydra, and this was, perhaps, one of my favourite songs of the night. You could see how much Sharon was enjoying singing it and that was a joy to see!

Of course, me being me, things couldn't go smoothly and during the last song muggins starts to feel faint. In my defense, it was very hot in there! Mind you, considering that I got sunstroke when I was in the Netherlands, was ill and couldn't fly to Amsterdam, and then felt faint during the concert of a Dutch band, maybe I should just avoid the Netherlands all together hehe. Luckily, for me, the show ended quite quickly and I managed to sit down as opposed to falling down and the brilliant Kim and her mother (and others but I wasn't really paying attention at this point!) really looked after me. To be honest, this was embarrassing at the time but it adds to the memory, right?

Next came the signing, which I recovered for, thank goodness. We were towards the end of the queue which, in reality, meant that we were less pressurised and therefore managed to speak to the band and take photos with relative ease. My mother had also managed to get into the room to play photographer somehow... The band themselves were completely delightful and, I think, managed to make every fan feel special and appreciated. They just came across as genuine people!

All in all, I had a wonderful evening. I met (part of!) one of the bands that I love, met some amazing people who were at the show, and had an all over wonderful time.