Strathclyde Suite, Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, 17 January 2009

Malinky, 2009 vintage (photo credit - Thomas Gavin)

MALINKY, one of the country’s top song-based folk bands, celebrated their 10th anniversary by returning to Celtic Connections, the festival that launched their career back in 1999 with a Danny Kyle Open Stage award. It has led, so far, to four acclaimed albums, an ever-increasing number of tours and an enthusiastic following on both sides of the Atlantic.

There wasn’t a seat to spare in the Royal Concert Hall’s Strathclyde Suite, where current and former members of the band gathered for a reunion they clearly enjoyed, as did the audience. The varied programme – from jigs to lullabies, ballads, songs and instrumental pieces – was a romp along the group’s musical journey that showed off both their versatility and their deep commitment to Scottish traditional music and song.

The original line-up of Steve Byrne, Mark Dunlop, Karine Polwart and Kit Patterson led off with three numbers from their debut album, Last Leaves, bringing back fond memories for many of us. Then it was 2001, Jon Bews and Leo McCann joined the band and Malinky released another album, The Three Ravens, with its eerie title track.

The next line-up change brought in Fiona Hunter and Ewan MacPherson, with a lovely trio of ballads from Unseen Hours (the third album) taking us up to the interval. In the second half of the programme, the band’s current line-up of Steve, Mark, Fiona, Dave Wood and Mike Vass gave us a taste of their new release – Flower and Iron – that will surely have left everyone wanting to hear more.

Finally, all ten performers and instruments (from fiddles to guitars, mandolins, whistles, vocals, bodhran, accordian and cello) came together for ‘The Penknife Murderer’s Tune’ – a song that, like Steve Byrne and Mark Dunlop, has spanned the whole life of the band. This brought the audience to its feet, and there was dancing at the back of the hall during the encore – a fine celebration indeed. Malinky are looking good – here’s to the next decade!

© Terry Williams, 2009

Links

• Celtic Connections
• Malinky