Festival Music
The Music of The Incredible String Band
Edinburgh Playhouse
Ben Petrie
three stars
THE immediate sense of community and informality created by the performers, immensely passionate about the Incredible String Band, was the most prominent feature of this concert. The haphazard layout on the stage, combined with the easy-going musicians, made you feel as if you were sitting in a tenement flat in Edinburgh in 1967 rather than one of its proscenium-arch theatres.
But their laid-back demeanour didn't detract from the artists' deep passion for the music of the String Band. A wealth of Scottish names including celebrated singers Barbara Dickson and Karine Polwart all expressed their connection to the band in varied, often comedic ways.
There was an element of unpredictability throughout, through the presence of a harpsichord, as well as the contrast in musical influences and styles, from songs with a classical Baroque undertone to a Yiddish style violin and rhythm, into the operatic singing style of Janis Kelly.
Projected images of Edinburgh in the late sixties turned back time, as well as the music’s warm and nostalgic effect. Apart from unnecessary lighting changes, the tech didn't shift attention from the deep and meaningful compositions, retaining a raw and instrumental feel - no production required. The audience were invited to participate many times, but only some responded with minor clapping and uncertain humming.
Overall, the captivating and heart-warming abilities of the music of The Incredible String Band preaches that pitch-perfect singing and fastidiously structured melodies aren't they key to catchy, popular and vastly influential music.
Ben Petrie is a pupil at Royal High School in Edinburgh and this review was submitted as part of The Herald Young Critics project with the Edinburgh International Festival.
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