Review: Woodenbox/The O’s, Stirling Tolbooth

DESPITE having newly shortened their collective alias back to the one with which they began their evolution, Scottish festival favourites Woodenbox retain the six-man line-up – previously under the sobriquet A Fistful of Fivers – together with the penchant for Ennio Morricone-esque reverb and guitar grandeur reflected by the latter name.

They also continue boldly to embrace the label of “folk-rock”, secure in the knowledge that their sound steers well clear of either the Fairport/Steeleye or Runrig/Wolfstone genre templates, having more in common with the rough-hewn yet tautly delivered roots-rock of the Clash, complete with plenty of punchy reggae/ska beats. Sweetly vibrant three-part harmonies and sometimes manic, sometimes mellow brass added further distinctive twists to the songs, which elsewhere ranged from wistful country-folk to stirring, stormy electro/Gothic-tinged soundscapes.

But while their energy, attack and gusto certainly explained their popularity on the summer circuit, smaller shows or home listening might benefit from a little more polish and dynamic variety.

Texan duo The O’s, opening the show, manfully outfaced not just an extremely thin early crowd but repeated attempts at shouted repartee from an elderly, solo-dancing eccentric, well in his cups.

Though they understandably seemed a little thrown off stride, their tight-knit vocal blend of gutsy grit and plaintive lyricism, allied with niftily spliced guitar chords, imaginative banjo picking and lots of percussive wallop, certainly whetted the appetite for further investigation.

Rating: ***