I just had my socks blown off
It seems a bit silly to review something that was only on for one night at the Edinburgh Festival. But I saw the orchestral version of Martyn Bennett's Grit, and it was one of those amazing moments that you need to share with everyone. So you get to be wibbled at.
The orchestra was amazing. And presumably quite unorthodox. Not just because half of them were wearing jeans and t-shirts. Or the way they teased the conductor while he was talking to the audience a couple of times. But while I'm used to having a drumkit in an orchestra occasionally, I've not seen one with bagpipes in it before. And the sheer level of enthusiasm and energy was fantastic.
The mixture of scottish traditional music, electronica, and orchestral instruments kept me on my toes the whole way through, and when they involved the whole audience in singing the refrain it was, frankly, magical.
It's not even my type of music - but if you get a chance to see the orchestra live then I recommend you leap on it with both hands.
Original post on Dreamwidth - there are
comments there.
The orchestra was amazing. And presumably quite unorthodox. Not just because half of them were wearing jeans and t-shirts. Or the way they teased the conductor while he was talking to the audience a couple of times. But while I'm used to having a drumkit in an orchestra occasionally, I've not seen one with bagpipes in it before. And the sheer level of enthusiasm and energy was fantastic.
The mixture of scottish traditional music, electronica, and orchestral instruments kept me on my toes the whole way through, and when they involved the whole audience in singing the refrain it was, frankly, magical.
It's not even my type of music - but if you get a chance to see the orchestra live then I recommend you leap on it with both hands.
Original post on Dreamwidth - there are
comments there.