Last week, I saw Toumani Diabate at the Royal Northern College of Music. My
experience of the Kora is a busker who plays in Manchester at times; he’s
pretty good actually. In concert, though it becomes a different instrument.
The music is actually fairly repetitive, but the pieces generally play in
cycles, flowing rather than jumping following one theme, then moving to
another a note at time. As a result, it’s hypnotic rather than exciting and
lulls the audience. He only played four numbers (before the encore); I think
that like many people, I was surprised to find that this had taken well clear
of an hour.
The one negative part of the night was the accompanying blurb; this suggested
that the audience should stiffle any sneezes or coughs and not open sweets
during the performance to maximise everyones enjoyment. I mean what a load of
po-faced nosense; like the SAGE, it’s obvious that the RNCM is a snobbish,
uptight venue but this is really taking it too far. Music is to be enjoyed,
engaged in, not worshipped with great reverence. When I rule the world, I will
find the idiot responsible for this statement, and string them up publicly, in
front of an audience, to whom I shall allocated bubble gum, packets of crisp
and low velocity, high volumn sneezing powder air rifles.
Rachael Unthank and the Winterset at The Round was the an entirely different
experience. A small intimate venue anyway, they were playing on home turf;
their mum (the two main singers are sisters) was in the audience. The venue is
odd — basically someone’s put a roof on the gap between two buildings. The
sound proofing isn’t too great; you could hear music and people walking
upstairs, but this makes it more personal and engrossing. The music was
wonderful; like much folk, and Toumani Diabete it’s often hypnotic. Their
arrangements are remarkable, often highly melodramatic, and very innovative
especially when compared to more traditional folk. I think, we were lucky to
get tickets; I’m not sure that they will be playing a venue that small in
future or will sell out quicker than they did.
Wish she hadn’t done the gag about Hexhamshire though; it was about a misheard
lyric; I won’t repeat it. I’ve had the song (Fareweel Regality) running
through my head for the last week; now it will be associated with an
alternative version instead.
Originally published on my old blog site.
