Strathclyde Suite, Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow, 24 January 2010

Mike Vass

THERE’S much to like about Celtic Connections. For most music-lovers, it means staving off the January Blues until at least February. The popular Glasgow winter festival has its critics, too – ever-increasing ticket prices, a poor excuse for a festival club, and some bands whose Celtic links are dubious at best. Nevertheless, if there’s one thing worth dragging yourself out of your bed for on a Sunday, it’s the fantastic New Voices series.

With a strict 1pm start, sadly, for debutant Mike Vass, it meant only a dedicated glut of followers bothered to show up (filling just about half the hall). Indeed, about half of those who would normally frequent the Strathclyde Suite for this event were probably still nursing hangovers or just awakening from their slumber.

Which is a shame, because Mike Vass’s hour-long commissioned piece deserves an audience. The Malinky fiddler might not exactly be a ‘New Voice’ either; still, it’s (probably) the first time the Nairn musician has ever had total control in composing and leading a large ensemble of musicians.

“We got together for the first time last Friday,” Vass half-apologised. It certainly didn’t sound like it as the band whistled into action with ’42 Beach Avenue': a 15-minute piece that was delivered with all the confidence of a group who sounded like they spent the last five years living in the same house together.

With tunes inspired by films, New York bartenders, and a book that Mike discovered in an Oxfam bookshop about a Holocaust survivor, this was more like a straight-ahead gig than some cutting-edge, innovative showcase. No challenging leaps of instrumental daring nor any pretentious exploration of extraordinary themes – just good tunes played with precision, subtlety and attention to detail.

‘Man’s Search For Meaning’ was a dreich but always interesting segment inspired by the Jewish psychiatrist mentioned earlier, who survived and later wrote about the Nazis’ Final Solution. It’s not quite the sort of tune you’d want to listen to in a dark room all alone; nevertheless Vass’s mournful and utterly compelling piece was uplifted, courtesy of Calum MacCrimmon’s highland bagpipes, which (despite being slightly out of tune) gave the work a colourful, if eerie twist.

Later on, some triple unison fiddle playing alongside Anna Massie (also on guitar and funky banjo) and Megan Henderson (who doubled on accordion), plus a double-bass riff from James Lindsay – that, dare I say, sounded like a White Stripes tune – pricked up the ears to fine effect.

Complemented by Mike’s twin sister Ali’s dextrous piano playing, it was nice to see fellow Malinky cohort Dave Wood showing off his bouzouki playing as well as his nice tie, alongside Stevie Fyvie’s live drums and percussive tappings.

Then, just as everyone was getting into the swing of things, it all came to a sudden halt. The band returned for a deserved encore; but their apparent lack of rehearsal time meant they had no option but to return to a section from a previously-played piece. However, the benefit of that was ensuring the tidy wee segment stuck firmly in the minds of the audience as they headed for the exits.

At the end of the day – or should that be afternoon? – for me Mike Vass’s New Voices slot was, arguably, the most direct and honest since the idea was first conceived. That said, while this outing may have succeeded only in giving Vass the rare opportunity to hear his music played by other musicians within such comfy confines, unlike those who have used their New Voices commission as an opportunity to try and stretch the creative bar that little bit too far, it’s to his credit that what Vass did here totally reflects him, and his nimble fiddle playing: nice, charming, uncomplicated and dedicated.

© Barry Gordon, 2010

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• Celtic Connections
• Mike Vass
• Barry Gordon