I had assumed that Béla Fleck and the Flecktones was a bluegrass band. Well, they may take a few bluegrass instruments up on stage, but I can't even begin to guess at what they played! Best harmonica I've ever heard played to begin with. Yes, I know... I'm so experienced ;) His solos - all of their solos - frequently required me to remember to shut my mouth.
The bass player was absolutely fantastic! I didn't even KNOW that a bass guitar could lead the melody. He blew all preconceived notions that I had about how instruments are supposed to be played out of the water. Every minute they were up on stage, my eyes were opened to new ideas and limitations were annihilated.
His brother was the same; this big black pirate standing to the side with some weird instrument that looks like it came out of Davey Jone's locker strapped to him like a guitar. It took me three songs just to pick out what sound it was making. It was some sort of electric drum kit that he's invented, called the drumitar.
THEN, for the last song before breaking for intermission, they call out Casey Driessen. I nearly flew through the roof in surprise and giddiness! I had it in my head that he was Canadian - I've been listening to one of his CDs for the last year, in awe of the power and flexibility behind his playing. He wasn't even supposed to BE at Celtic Connections! My Canadian pride has now been crushed - he's American. But for the second half of the evening, I had the certainty that Canada was represented up on stage.
For the second half, there were 12 musicians up on stage, from around the world. Again, I frequently found my mouth hanging open, and from the reaction of those on stage, they were equally impressed by the melding and dance of music being created. It had a much more Celtic flavour to it. I wish I could list who they were, but to be honest I don't know.
I met an Austrian girl at the concert, who was likewise there by herself. Being so riled up by the concert, we joined forces and headed to the Festival Club next door for more live music. Roxanna, you'll never guess who opened. Just to continue an amazing day full of excellent surprises. Yup, Findlay Napier. You're right, he does have a nice voice. They had him turned up so loud though that both my ears were aching. I was about to take that as a sign to head home when Vent du Nord started setting up on stage.
Obviously I couldn't tear myself away at that point. Within the first song they had the dance floor full, and kept it that way for their whole set. French Candian music has a very definite flavour to it. For the very first time since moving here I felt a pang of homesickness. Alain, Marie-Maude and whoever else brought an instrument always turned our potentially boring staff parties and "retreats" into kitchen parties (who calls locking teachers out in the middle of the wilderness so they can't escape two days of meetings and planning a "retreat"?!?)
Éléa, I took one photo on my iPhone for you. I've got a very bad feeling that I'm going to be so busy experiencing this weekend that I won't be doing any photography :( Sorry. Plus, my camera doesn't do well in the dark. No idea who they are (again), but they're one of the groups following Vent du Nord. They themselves didn't even know the name of the guy on cello - some kid from New York that they invited up on stage with them. The guy on bodhran was one of the people on-stage for the last half of the Flecktones concert.
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