Tradfest: Valtos
Queen’s Hall Edinburgh – 03/05/2024
Valtos, Josie Duncan and Assynt
Edinburgh Tradfest 2024 is off to a cracking start after an evening of brilliant music at The Queen’s Hall. The opening night was headlined by Valtos, with support from Josie Duncan and Assynt.
Josie Duncan took to the stage first, performing a wonderful set to an already full house. Her bubbly presence and warm chat welcomed the audience. She started off with some covers of Gaelic folk tunes, with her voice carrying beautifully around venue. Mid-set, she slowed down the pace a little and we got to hear one of her own songs, ‘Natural Disaster’ from her album ‘As the Moonlight Melts’. The lyrics flowed like a conversation, and they were matched by the sweet and catchy tune – this number marked the highlight of her set for me. She ended on a high with a cover of Blondie’s ‘Heart of Glass’. The fusion of traditional Gaelic folk music with modern, upbeat numbers was the overarching theme of the evening, and Josie Duncan’s set reflected this.
Next, we heard from Assynt. They opened with ‘Assynt House’, a set of reels that got everyone in the stalls dancing along. With Graham Mackenzie on fiddle, Innes White on Guitar, and David Sheddon on pipes, the trio brought about a surge in energy, building a real buzz amongst the crowd. After much dancing, we slowed down a little for ‘Where From Here’, the title track of their latest album. The group explained that this tune showcased a blend of styles, as they added a modern sounding twist to a more traditional folk track. The guitar carries a melancholic, somewhat haunting undertone to the piece, making this a beautiful and unusual number.
After a short break, the crowd were ready for Valtos to take the stage. I have to say, this might be the first time I've been a part of a ‘here we’ chant at a folk gig in the Queen’s Hall – what a fun crowd! After a couple of technical difficulties (which only served to build up the anticipation), Valtos hit out with fantastic opening number. Daniel Docherty and Martyn MacDonald are the duo who make up Valtos, and they were joined by their band onstage. We had Euan McLaughlin on fiddle, Finn MacPherson on pipes, and Eilidh Cormack and Lana Pheutan on vocals, with Josie Duncan making a special appearance and adding to vocals for a few numbers. Valtos shared an infectious energy – they were clearly having fun onstage, and this spread to the entire crowd. This interactive atmosphere turned The Queen’s Hall into one big party room!
Valtos’ style is pathbreaking in the Scottish trad scene, with their electronic-folk fusion bringing bagpipes and fiddles to a wider audience, particularly to young people. We were taken on an exciting journey of genre-bending sound exploration. Hearing their latest single ‘A’ Chuthag’ – which features vocals from the legendary Julie Fowlis – made for a special moment amongst the crowd, as swarms of young folk moved with the music and sang the Gaelic lyrics to the band. Similarly, ‘Home’ spoke of the pride of being from the Isle of Skye with a deep appreciation for the land, people and culture and facilitated the showcase of compelling vocals from Eilidh Cormack and Lana Pheutan. Later, we heard ‘1990’, a Valtos collaboration with Elephant Sessions. This track put the spotlight on Euan McLaughlin with an uplifting and quirky fiddle riff.
This evening shone a spotlight on what is a resurgence of Gaelic amongst Scottish young people, and honoured our shared history, culture and tradition. This is what Tradfest is all about! Valtos opened the festival wonderfully and have set a brilliant standard for what is yet to come.
