Celtic Connections review: Rura & Friends, Theatre Royal, Glasgow

Rura at the Theatre Royal PIC: Gaelle Beri

Rura were joined by some fantastic guest artists for this Celtic Connections concert, but sadly some of their contributions were obscured by overblown sound, writes Jim Gilchrist

Rura & Friends, Theatre Royal, Glasgow ***

Confronted with the opulently tiered splendour of the Theatre Royal, Rura clearly decided to fill it sonically. The Glasgow-based quartet of fiddler Jack Smedley, Steven Blake on pipes and keyboard, guitarist Adam Brown and David Foley on flute and bodhran constitute a powerful entity in their own right – on stage here they were bolstered by a string quartet led by Seonaid Aitken, as well as additional electric guitar, bass and drums, as they introduced guests with whom they’ve collaborated on a new EP, Our Voices Echo.

Unfortunately this mass of players tended towards overkill at times, the quartet’s keen pipe and fiddle edge blunted by some booming bass sounds. Their initial sets included the anthemic In Praise of Home, with its snatches of recorded elderly reflections, before they shifted into acceleratory mode.

Their first guest was Highland fiddler Duncan Chisholm, who has a fine way with a slow air, his playing eventually borne off by the ensemble.

The poised Gaelic singing of Julie Fowlis was sadly obscured by overblown sound, although flautist Michael McGoldrick fared better with some nimble reels and jigs. Perhaps the most effective collaboration here was with Perthshire piper Ross Ainslie, who joined Blake in a fiercely blazing Highland pipe duet.

Hannah Rarity, supported by Fowlis, led off a warm-hearted closing song, Take This Heart of Gold, joined by the band and an enthusiastic audience.

A loudly demanded encore prompted Rura’s Horizons, another air which gathered pace, joined by the strings, before subsiding back into wistfulness.

A highly receptive audience keen for the live music experience had already been primed by an energetic and good-humoured opening set. It was a very different sound, generated by the Guinean balafon player and singer N’famady Kouyaté and his band, the keys of his marimba-like balafons whirring and chiming animatedly under his whirling mallets.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription at https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions