Music
Phil Cunningham’s Christmas Songbook
Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh
Rob Adams
three stars
PHIL Cunningham has never made any secret about his love for Christmas. When he began his Christmas Songbook concerts back in 2005 he told this paper that it was because he was essentially a big kid at this time of year.
What started out as a hometown gig at a favourite venue has grown to the extent that this year, Cunningham and his regular team of elves – Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson, Kris Drever, fiddler John McCusker, guitarist Ian Carr, bassist Kevin McGuire and a five-piece brass ensemble – are on a six-date Scottish tour.
For those onstage – and doubtless for many in the near-capacity crowd – it’s the equivalent of the office party, with presents under the tree, tinsel, fairy lights, all manner of other decorations and even a visit, right on cue, by a comic Santa.
The music ranges from the sublime – the brass ensemble’s overture was gorgeously harmonious – to the harem scarem, in the shape of Eddi Reader’s Winter Wonderland. Everybody gets involved. Songsheets are distributed so that we all have the words of Cunningham’s choice of Christmas carols, and the “congregation” didn’t let him down here with its exuberant community singing of Once in Royal David’s City and Ding Dong Merrily on High.
While the cast are encouraged to co-present and McCusker’s introduction to a set of his own tunes was top entertainment, Cunningham is very much the host. There’s still a night to go so it wouldn’t do to give the punchlines away but Mr C’s knickers on head and Santa’s Christmas pudding jokes are among the highlights. All in all, it’s a good night out in amiable company.
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