Celtic Connections 2009: Millish, Box Club and The Catriona Watt Band

1 Feb 2009 in Festival, Music

Strathclyde Suite, Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, 30 January 2009

Box Club

THIS WAS an inspired piece of programming. Lewis-born Gaelic singer Catriona Watt (who recently won enthusiastic reviews for her first album, Cadal Cuain) opened the concert, with her all-Highland, all-girl band (piano, fiddle, whistles) and an alluring combination of songs, arrangements and original compositions. From waulking songs to mouth music, it provided a fine traditional springboard for the next act of the evening.

Millish (“sweet thing” or “awesome” in Irish Gaelic), flying in from Michigan for their Celtic Connections debut, will surely be invited back. This experienced foursome – fiddle, guitar, small pipes, whistles, double bass and drums – are formidably accomplished musicians who perform with breath-taking passion, skill and daring.

Their astonishing display of virtuoso playing ranged from Celtic, through jazz, to the Middle East, the Balkans and flamenco – big sound, flying fingers, high-octane performance. By the interval, the fiddler’s bow had lost most of its strings and Millish had won several hundred new fans.

Box Club had a hard act to follow, but they made it look easy. This band – of four-accordians plus rhythm section of guitar, double bass and drums – are a seriously-talented and well-drilled group of young musicians with a relaxed manner. They are some of Scotland’s best home-grown talent and their appearance was greeted by a huge cheer. Their popularity is well deserved.

Firmly rooted in the Scottish tradition, Box Club have brought a fresh, dynamic approach to the repertoire and to their own original compositions. We heard many familiar favourites from their 2008 album, Box Club – others were new and equally exciting. With names like ‘Cold Chips’, ‘Stuck in Port Askaig’ and ‘Number 62′, the stories behind the tunes were worth telling, and worth hearing.

These musicians are clearly enjoying their music. They smile a lot, they interact with each other and with the audience. On Friday night they had people on their feet, dancing in front of the stage – apparently unprecedented for a Celtic Connections concert in this venue. That says it all, really. I wonder when the next album’s due?

© Terry Williams, 2009

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