Well, the CMU team is still at the Edinburgh Festival reviewing the 1500 odds shows that take place up here (so far we've seen 1100 of them, which is pretty good going if you ask me). Being up here makes us extra extra busy - which is our excuse for delivering your Daily at 3.45pm. Sorry.
Anyway, here's some Edinburgh Festival music reviews from the ThreeWeeks team - don't forget you can read more reviews at http://www.threeweeks.co.uk and you can hear our daily festival round up through the wonder of internet radio each day at 7pm at http://www.festivalfm.net. Sorted.
Burns 'n' Blue: The Merry Muses'
Morran, Wetherby, Bruce, Freeman
Only once my ears accustomed to the thick Scottish accents, and a few Gaelic words had been translated, I began to grasp the content of the hauntingly beautiful songs being sung onstage. From then on I was torn between appreciating the music and laughing at loud at their strictly adult content, so I decided to do both. I was not wholly aware of Burns' verse before now, but the songs, written originally for his drinking buddies, were introduced and explained by an informed MC, then played out by four very talented musicians. The music was all that you'd expect from a traditional folk unit, meandering to and fro between up beat thigh slapping numbers and melodic tales of love and lust. A real treat. [jh]
The Spiegel Garden, 8,11,12,13,15 Aug, 9.00pm (10.10pm), £10.00 (£8.00), fpp 90.
tw rating 5/5
Glenn Tilbrook and the Fluffers
T on the Fringe
When, half way through a gig, the band appear from a break to play a second set, and start that set in the crowd, you know you're watching something remarkable. This gig was. The first set was excellent, mixing Glenn Tilbrook's solo stuff with some Squeeze classics, but the second instalment of all Squeeze songs was so good that it had the power to reverse time. For an hour in the Liquid Rooms it was 1986 all over again. When the hits are played continuously you realise how good Squeeze were, and when they are played like this, with a crowd in the palm of Mr Tilbrook's hands, they sound as fresh as they must have done in the eighties. [rj]
Liquid Rooms, 14 Aug, 7:00pm (10:30pm), £13.00, tw rating 5/5
The Dirty Rascals
Bums on Seats Productions
This may be one of the smaller Big Bands I've seen, with only twelve pieces, but undoubtedly it was one of the best ones. Made up of students and graduates of Newcastle University, they played a mix of jazz classics by Charlie Parker and Duke Ellington, feel good vocal numbers like 'They can feel it all over', and Latin dance such as 'Caravan' and 'Night in Tunisia'. The music created such a lively and happy atmosphere in the venue that many people got up and danced and each number had a loud and triumphant ending. Improvisation on sax, trumpet, trombone and piano was inspired, brilliant and characterised by a group of musicians clearly out to enjoy themselves. [sk]
C central, 14 - 19 Aug, 9:45pm (10:35pm), £8.50 (£7.50), fpp 94.
tw rating 5/5
The Chalets
T on the Fringe
The Chalets are just one of those bands that would still be hideously cool even if they sounded shit; luckily they sound great and are very very cool. Made up of two sexy, sassy female singers/keyboard/xylophone players, two sexy, cool male bassist/guitarists, and a drummer (he may have been sexy but, I was at the back and couldn't see). The sound they produce is electro, spiky, indie, disco, pop, a sonic clash of dirty guitars, syrupy sweet vocals and melodic zappy keyboards, with a male/female vocal dynamic similar to Frank Black/Kim Deal. Tons of fun to be had by all! With support from The Shrinking Violets, who were also rather good, in a rocky/emo style. [hks]
Cabaret Voltaire, 14 Aug, 7:00pm (10;00pm), £7.50, tw rating 4/5