l ()l K EN SPECTACLE: LA BOTTINE SOURIANTE Queen’s Hall, 20 Aug, 8.30pm.
Back here for the first time since their crazy Hogmanay Gallic version of ‘Auld Lang Syne’ ushered in Edinburgh’s new Millennium, La Bottine Souriante are about to put their smiling boot up the bum of capital cool. An unlikely- sounding candidate for the ‘Best band on the planet’ tag — from Canada, all male, no longer young, singing folksongs in French - they’re described as such by so many that you have to believe there’s something in it. That’s if you haven’t felt the blast coming off the stage when this Quebec nine-piece are full-on. Then you know it’s true. Not one of their studio recordings, even the albums with the Chieftains and Kepa Junkera, brilliant though they are (since 1976 they’ve shifted half a million) comes anywhere near capturing the effect they have live. Their sound starts at the bottom, so to speak, with les pieds of superb fiddle and fretted string player Michel Bordeleaux who, seated, clogs out the rhythms with steel tipped soles and lays down a track for the unstoppable juggernaut of acoustic sound. At the instrumental front end is the band’s folk-group genesis — the accordion, fiddle, mouth organ and mandolin. Backing them to the hilt, the wild and dangerous rhythm and horn sections, the latter graced by two trombones, one of which is the
POP promote Hocking lilo Suburbs. and is
BEN FOLDS Liquid Room, Mon 20 Aug, 7.30pm.
boundloss onorgy and a fantastic
it's boon a rrroro nrno months srnco tho break up of Bon l-olds two. but fr‘orrfman ljolds has already complotod his first solo album Hocking lho \‘Srrbur‘bs. ()n the taco of it. that may
a dan not to bo mrssod. l olds it; an incr‘odrblo lrvo poilormor‘. ‘.'.'rth
rapport ‘.'.’|iil hrs audronco. lt rs apparont that he loves what he doos. and his enthusiasm and larger than lrfo p<,-r:;onalrt\,' onsuro that ovoryono rs six/opt along wrth irrm.
la l
t i.
Back to convert a few more to the cause
bass version and punches out lines you can feel as much as hear.
Arranged by tenor saxman Jean Frechette (his brother handles keyboard and accordion) the songs and instrumentals are as tight as Gordon Brown, set in create great swathes of ear-bending harmony and punchy punctuation. They cover all corners, from complex a capella vocal harmony to turbocharged Quebecois dance band, to old Acadien (Cajun) ditties, cafe waltzes, post- bop breaks and cheesy circus.
Founder, front-man and lead vocalist Yves Lambert is a brilliant singer, accordionist, mouth organ, and jews-harp player — but it’s his flamboyant on-stage patter in mangled English, his not inconsiderable physical size, dapper dress-sense and, above all, the energy and commitment to the Bottine cause of painting a smile on the face of the planet, that eventually wins over even the most cynical.
There’s only one bit of bad news though: There are only a few tickets left for their one Festival gig. The Queen’s Hall does, however, promise to bring back the band and what Bordeleaux describes as ‘the raison d’etre for this music. It communicates this value, the value of fun.’ It’s what Lambert calls ‘the rhythm and energy that allow [La Bottine] to appeal to audiences all over the world.’ (Norman Chalmers)
not soom lrko such a spootacuiar' a<;hro‘«.'orriorrt. but when you consider
that. apart from writing all t‘.'.'ol‘.io tracks
on the album. ho also playod all tho instruments hrrrrsolf, including piano. syrrtlrosrsors, guitar and bass, you roalrso It's actually gurto a foal.
Multr talorrtod though ho is. ovon loldi‘, couldn't manago to play oxorythrng hrmsolf durrrrg a live show, so ho has put a band togothor to ]()|li lrrrrr on tour. rncludrng formor 2’1 i' Spy/ drurrrmor Anthony .Johnson, and Millard l’o‘xrors. an old lr'rond of l olds on bass.
llrs appearanco at l on the l rrngo is Just part of a world wrdo tour to
44 THE LIST FESTIVAL GUIDE 'i: 1}} Ar; 1
Although tho tradonrar'k Hon l oldt; sound is still very much in oxrdonco swooping molodros. (ratcny tunos. gorgeous harmonics. and of (:ourso. l olds' unrguo vocals tho addition of
oxtra rnstr’umonts has (:roatod a brggor.
rrchor sound than that of tho 'l rvo. lyrically, his now rrratorral is a .ol moro rnaturo. touching on ssuos of It ss in all its forms. although he has. bi, no moans lost h s sonso of humour. particularly in tho trtlo track and first srnglo. a sond up of tho nu rrrotal rnrddlo class n'rhrto boy angst.
Srnco this rs a solo tour, tho rrraiorrly of tho sot will comprrso rnatorral from tho now album, but tho ()()f;f;li)llli\, of
Plinky plonky crowd pleaser
lioarrng somo Hon l oldt; i no laxourrtos is not out of tho ()tl(:;;il()ll. 'If any of those songs; are rolomnt and too! ‘om, thon wo'll play ‘om_' saw
i olds. 'lhoy 'll be somo ()i)\.l()tlf; (:rox'rd ploasors. and I'll have to rnalxo a docrsron on if to play thoso or not.‘ iKrrsty Knaggsi
“it. Sparklehorse Planet Pop heralds the return of Mark Linkous lpicturedi, maverick altcountn/ , genius with hrs rz-irrishackle electro acoustic experiments v-ritl'i support from local heroes Pilotcan and I Am Scientist. Gala. 20 Aug. i’.3()pm.
La Bottine Souriante See inevievr. left. Queen's Hall. 20 Aug. 8.30pm.
Ricardo i Elena l'hrs avish si.)ectacular finds writer director Caries Santos bringing hrs own Roman Catholic upbringing and his thoughts on the miracle of birth to bear on this intense but rewarding production. King theatre, 21 --23 Aug, 8pm.
Mac Tontoh and the Kete Warriors So loud they had to move venue. lvlac Tontoh and his hand crank out and almighty afro funk riot. led by the man's soaring trumpet lines. (go. until 27Aug. tinres vary.
Kathryn Williams and The Posies A cracker of a double bill at T on the Fringe as Williams plucks at the heartstrings with her frail singer sorig\-vrrtery and one- time pop grungers l‘he Posies throw some acoustic shapes.
ligurdRoonr. 19 Aug. 7.30pm.
Parthenogenesis .James lvlaclvlillan explores the bizarre concept of the ‘virgin birth in his newest opera. Queen's Hall. IS) Aug, Spin.
4-Mailty Rhythmic madness as this quartet of beater. erm heaters create a plethora of SOlll‘.(iS()£tl)(-}S from their vast array of percussion instruments. Bongo Club. 20-25) (‘4 2;" Aug. (3. 15pm.
Mystery Juice More Scots lads making good overse: s with the \luice going down a storm in Russia of late wrth their hip hop blues hybrid. Queen's Hall. if Aug. lip/n.
Ben Folds See pr'evrew. left. liquid Room, 20 Aug. ,«‘.;)’()pm.
Salsa Celtica Still high on their extremely successful US touring i jaunt. these Latin Scot cross- pollinators enjoy a home coming 1' shindig or two. Sp/ogo/tent, if 8 18 Aug. 1 1pm and Queen's Hall. QQALIQ, 10.30pm.