Gig review: Phil Cunningham's Christmas Songbook, Edinburgh

Published on Wednesday 22 December 2010 15:58

FOLK Phil Cunningham's Christmas Songbook Queen's Hall * * * *

TRADITION is very important at this time of year, whether it's trimming the tree, sending cards or watching Auntie Doris fall asleep in front of the Queen's speech after one sweet sherry too many, it all adds to the majesty of the season.

Over the last six years a new tradition has been slowly warming its way into our yuletide hearts, and for many now Christmas wouldn't be Christmas without Phil Cunningham and friends singing in the season.

This is a big warm figgy pudding of a night, with songs sacred and secular, old and new, all coming together to top up the audience's Christmas spirit.

As in previous years, Phil was joined on stage by Eddi Reader, Karen Matheson and John McCusker, as well as Ian Carr on guitar and Kevin McGuire on double bass and not forgetting the brass quintet who gave the whole evening a warm creamy topping to go with the delicious dessert.

The musical mix was excellent, with foot-stompers like their version of Santa Claus is Coming to Town balanced by the more angelic sounds such as Reader's In the Bleak Midwinter and Matheson's Gaelic version of Silent Night alongside reels, jigs and general merriment from McCusker's fiddle and Phil's accordion.

The show works on the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" principle, so the set list doesn't change much year to year, but when new tunes do make it into the mix you can trust they've been well chosen. That was certainly true of the two songs by Mindy Smith - I Know the Reason and Santa Will Find You - both of which hit the perfect note.

If the audience members thought they were going to get to relax, they were very much mistaken. There were plenty of choruses to be chanted back as well as the carolling portion of the evening when all voices were lifted in song giving them, to quote Cunningham, "laldy".

Cunningham was on fine form as host, full of twinkly charm and some of the worst jokes you'll hear this side of a Christmas cracker. He describes the show as a work night out, a chance for these performers to catch up and have some fun, and there's certainly the joyously chaotic flavour of the workers getting to let their hair down, which all adds to the warmth and charm of the night.

However low your Christmas spirits are this year, one thing is for certain: if you are lucky enough to get a ticket for this show then your festive embers are guaranteed to be relit and you'll walk out of the Queen's Hall with a glow warm enough to melt a six foot snowdrift. What's also certain is you'll spread the news of this new tradition to everyone you know.