It's not difficult to spot where the gig is, on a dark and drizzly Saturday evening in Bristol. Proof of the appeal of The Old DanceSchool is evident in the crowd of bedraggled music lovers queueing outside Bristol Folk House, eager to get a prime spot in the seated concert hall. A venue with such a title might elicit certain expectations in the mind of the concert goer, but on entering the hall, preconceptions are quickly confounded. Firstly, the seats are arranged around tables, almost like, dare I say it, a jazz gig. Then there are the tuning sounds coming from the band itself: an almost orchestral flavour of dissonance. It foretells an evening of music that is, like the weather outside, full of contrasts, colours, twists and turns; stormy one minute, breezy the next, with interspersed moments of reflective calm.
A husky looped trumpet introduces 'The Enlli Light' to begin the concert. It comes courtesy of Aaron Diaz whom, it quickly becomes clear, has a few more skills at his finger and toe tips than his admittedly skilful trumpet playing. There are effects pedals at his feet, a technical looking box at his side and two microphones attached to his stand. With playing that ranges from strong and soaring to quiet and plaintive, he adds considerable colour to The Old Dance School's palette. 'Craigie Hill', a Dick Gaughan folk number, begins with his sultry jazz trumpet then builds via the strings of Helen Lancaster and Samantha Norman. Later, 'The Taxidermist' features sampled nature noises from his technological box. Added to an atmospheric twirled cymbal from Jim Molyneux, the feeling is less concert, more art installation: a very modern musicality.
Helen and Samantha's playing has been described as 'duelling fiddles' but to my ear, their sound is more complimentary that combative. In the spirit of this band, their relationship is an ever changing one. At times they deftly weave in an out of each other's musical space; a minute later they are luxuriously layered. 'Silver Tide' is a Helen composition. Clearly inspired by nature, you can hear wind blowing, waves lapping and eddies swirling in her slow soulful viola which is the centrepiece of this particular number.
The first half of the concert ends with a version of 'John Ball' that alone is worth the price of the ticket. It begins with the instrumental 'Wem', a slow mood-builder featuring chiming bells and a bodhran, courtesy of Jim. There's swirling lull between the two pieces: a mood manipulating moment that any dance DJ would be proud of. 'John Ball' features a sweet harmony between Robin Beatty and Laura Carter which makes you glow with all the rhapsodic fervour of the eponymous hero, leaving you with a warm feeling that sustains you for that interval trip to the bar.
To my mind, it's apt that this is a show of two parts. It evokes a bygone age in which The Old Dance School seems to have at least a few of its musical roots. Whispering Bob Harris is a fan, and it's easy to see why. This is music that rewards attention, reminiscent of a time when vinyl records were listened to on cans with curly cords, with the dolby switched off so as not to miss any nuance. It was a time when bands arranged their material accordingly, letting the listener down gently at the end of side 1 and picking them up on side 2 to send them soaring again, refreshed. And so it is tonight.
Act 2 begins with 'Silver Tide' and 'Where I'm From' follows.It's new one, featuring a funky plucked fiddle and a groovy guitar. The song is inspired by a legal dispute between a family and a fracking energy company. It shows that The Old Dance School, despite having seven members, are quite happy to go minimal when it suits the mood. Later, The Silver Pin is mostly Robin, backed by a single fiddle and a bit of bass from Adam Jarvis.
As the end of the concert nears, insight into the creative processes of The Old Dance School is revealed. Whilst Helen seems to be inspired by nature, as heard in 'Silver Tide', Robin seems occupied by the big questions. The Taxidermist reflects on the nature of mortality, and was inspired by his finding and subsequent preserving of a recently deceased Hare. 'Sula Sgier' commemorates a Scottish tradition whereby ten local men row out to the Gannet colony of the title to harvest the birds for human consumption. The piece explores the conflict between ancient tradition and modern ethical objection. You wouldn't think that a poo covered rock in the sea could inspire such beauty, but it's in the song for all to hear. 'Blue Horse' follows. It was written by Jim and was inspired by his Citroen Berlingo. The band's expansive sound obviously echoes the cavernous load space on offer, and the dynamic tension between the full-on septet sound and the restrained minimalism of the more reflective moments clearly expresses the sprightly performance with still reasonable fuel consumption demonstrated by Jim's beloved vehicle.
The evening ends with 'Chasing the Light', a crescendo of soaring strings and soulful low whistle from Laura Carter. Swifts and Martins is a well deserved encore; then we spill out into the blustery Bristol evening to reflect on an luxurious evening of contrasting musical treats. The Old Dance School may be at home in a venue with 'folk' the title, but that isn't their entire story. To intricately weave strands of folk, classical, jazz and dance into their musical tapestry and achieve such natural sounding results revels an act which must surely possess one the most varied musical palettes on the current scene. To see it all done before you; honest, organic and in the flesh; is one of the best uses of a tenner that I can think of. Catch them if you can.
FUTURE GIGS
sorry, we currently have no gigs listed for this act.