Sometimes there’s just no escaping outstanding music, not that I would spend much time trying. Arriving on the Isle of Lewis to start a Hebridean road trip, the iPod was packed with enough music to keep us happy for the next four weeks. But there are posters around town for a gig at Stornoway’s arts centre, An Lanntair, by a band I’d never heard of, Còig. The gig’s the following night, and we didn’t intend to stay in town but, hey, we could drive back and boy am I glad we did. Thursday evening we headed to An Lanntair and, thanks to 4G internet at Butt of Lewis, the UK’s far northwestern extremity, I’d learned Còig was a Canadian four piece from Cape Breton.
Coming on stage, the welcome from a well-populated hall was friendly and encouraging, but when fiddle player Chrissy Crowley asked how many had seen them before, just a few hands went up and several of them turned out to be visitors from Germany. If the band had any nerves about bringing some of their music back to its traditional homeland, these were quickly dispelled by the reception given to the opening set of tunes, Time & Tide, two jigs followed by two reels, three out of the four being band compositions. Cheering, whistles and lengthy applause let them know they’d found a home from home. This mix of jigs and reels was taken, largely, at a breakneck pace with melodies from Chrissie’s fiddle shared with Rachel Davis’s viola. Rachel plays fiddle as well, switching instruments as needed. Behind the lead instruments, Darren McMullen on banjo and Jason Roach’s piano provided far more than simply a rhythm.
Darren is the multi-instrumentalist in the band, tonight’s show providing him with the opportunity to show only some of his skills. Banjo and bouzouki were his mainstays during the evening with occasional mandolin and one memorable outing for his whistles in a set, Uncle Leo’s Jigs that included Michael McGoldrick’s Farewell to Whalley Range. In contrast, Jason stuck throughout to his piano, but what a performance he extracts from that instrument. Chrissie told us that he’s known affectionately as Buddha Bear. Backstage he’s a gentle giant of a man but put in front of his piano; he attacks it like a bear enthusiastically devouring his dinner. His contributions to the arrangements, though, are hardly a reflection of his playing style. Ever present but never intrusive would be a fair description and both subtleties and extravagant crescendos are brought centre stage in an extended piece, largely solo but occasionally shared with Chrissie’s fiddle, that showcased his skills.
Though they’re writing more and more of their own traditional-style tunes, Còig are by no means a purely instrumental band. Both Rachel and Darren have fine voices, they shared lead vocals and provided backing vocals for each other. The songs also gave an opportunity for the band to introduce material they’ve ‘acquired’ rather than written. This ranged from one of Darren’s favourite Gordon Lightfoot songs, Home from the Forest, to Rachel’s version of an Ashley Condon/David Francey composition Deep Down in the River. Casting their net away from Celtic traditions, Darren guided us into an American old-time groove with Joe Blaylock’s tune, Farewell Trion, and, going even further into left field, they gave us an arrangement of Peter Gabriel’s Solsbury Hill.
As I said at the start, playing in Scotland, Còig were only bringing part of their music back to its homeland, their influences and repertoire are far more wide-ranging. But, at their centre, there’s a deep love and understanding of Cape Breton’s Celtic heritage. This resonated with a largely Scottish audience, ensuring a rapturous reception to their final tunes, The P.F.P. Set, and guaranteed them an encore of more strathspeys and reels.
Several of the songs and tunes were taken from their recent album, Ashlar; you can read the Folk Radio review here. No details have been fixed yet, but the band tell me they’re returning to the UK next February, look out for a gig near you, it will be an evening of sheer enjoyment. I needed to go back to An Lanntair the following morning and the centre staff were still buzzing, talking about the show, it was that good.