Afro Celts

Afro Celts Live Review

All things being equal, the fact that the Afro Celts somehow missed being in the official listings, mainly due to a stage change from the Pyramid to the One World, the fact the sun came out just as they hit the opening bars of their set and that the numbers had swollen by the sheer gravitational pull of their hyper-hybrid fusion of dance and folk is completely justified.

Simon Emmerson’s band of merry men and women got some practice in last night with the start of their tour in Dublin and, despite having a reduced line-up, minus the new bass and full drum kit that has marked a new era in the Afro Celt history, they proved themselves performers of the highest order, bringing the entire afternoon’s program to life.

Joined by tabla player and Dhol drummer Johnny Kalsi, this was just what the crowd needed to focus (or un-focus) their minds on what Glastonbury in the sun is all about. Dropping a dirty trance bassline, Kalsi and the drummer did battle in ever decreasing circles center stage while other main man James McNally took things down to the bare bones with a brilliant dobro display.

With the twin, female-lead, attack on fiddle and Uillean pipes, this onslaught of cascading, high-octane melodies and rhythms was seemingly only limited by the cloudless sky above. A perfect reminder of both the Afro Celts ability to make pure, life-affirming music, by fusing the intricacies of African and Irish folk music with the international language of beats a plenty, this was classic festival fun from some old hands in the art of the party.

Mike Flynn

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