NORTHUMBRIAN MUSIC
NIGHTS
What they said about
'Beating Time'
Young ceilidh band
warms up with Flook
It was cold enough to turn your teeth blue -- but Allendale village hall was a snug place to be last Saturday night when the Allendale Middle School Ceilidh Band joined the current No. 1 Folk Band Flook on stage.
Once again Allendale has attracted another fine group of musicians and again they leave a lasting impression upon those lucky enough to see and hear them play.
For the young musicians who were accompanied by the four profesionals on stage it was surely a character building experience and a great encouragement to carry on playing into adulthood.
There were some justly proud parents there that night as their kids sauntered through their two well paced numbers in the midst of an enchanting evening.
If you've seen Flook play once, you know you'll have to see them again. Sarah Allen, Brian Finnegan, Ed boyd and John Joe Kelly combine to play a variety of instruments from flute, accordion, bodhran and guitar to bouzouki, whistles and mandolin.
They follow each others' playing with their eyes, allowing their music to create waves of feelings and images, from stark and beautiful Hungarian mountain ranges to the windswept shores of home. The slow waltz numbers lulled a few young children to sleep in the arms of their parents and then Flook coaxed and lifted us ull into foot stomping (ish I was dancing) rousing sounds. The bodhran solo by John Joe Kelly mesmerised the audience, amazed at the range and depth of sound from the hand-held drum.
For Flook, Allendale was the last gig of their 1999 world tour.
Their remarkable playing has entertained crowds in Australia, Canada and the USA, with traditional tunes and original music from their new CD Flatfish.
The Australian duo Nancy Kerr and James Fagan joined the last five nights of the Flook tour with songs and instrumentals from Ireland to Australia.
Originally from Warkworth, Nancy's deft strokes on the fiddle and kind singing voice harmonised freely with the temper and rhythm of James' bouzouki playing.
"Touring with Flook is great," he said. "Like fireworks every night."
Flook are a 'must to see' band. So even if you have to brave snow blowing sideways, get there next time.
Led by Chrissie Rosby, the Allendale Middle School Ceilidh Band were:
Katie Kerry, Katie Forsyth, Ruth Morton, Adam Doxford, Ben Mahon, Rebecca Nixon, Heather Bell and Rachel Robson. Thanks to David Oliver and Folkworks.
