Following this latest visit to Scotland, maybe we could give them the freedom of Princes Street or since that’s hardly a favour these days, pluralise Great King Street in their honour.
It’s no more than they deserve because this was an astonishing performance, even by the high standards they’ve shown previously in presenting their polskas and waltzes. If this repertoire sounds like it might constitute dry folklore, think again. Vasen have the collective dynamic of a string quartet crossed with a bluegrass band and the difference this time was that they chose to play without a PA system. Only Roger Tallroth’s 12-string guitar was amplified, and even that was to give slightly more presence rather than big driving volume.
