Peatbog Faeries
An all-dancing highland rave in downtown Diss.
They came, they played, they conquered. On an otherwise fairly dank October evening in South Norfolk the seven members of 'Peatbog Faeries' turned the temperature up by several degrees and turned the historic Corn Hall into an all-dancing highland rave in downtown Diss. With pipes, blazing fiddles and guitars to the fore, and a thumping drum and synth backline to the rear, this highly acclaimed Isle of Skye folk outfit (two-time winners of "Live Band of the Year" at the Scottish Traditional Music Awards) added a certain Saturday night fever to their spirited set of Highland jigs and reels. No wonder the Corn Hall audience was so lively, and no wonder that the venue had wisely chosen to remove almost all of the seating for this event.
Beginning with 'The Jesster', a disco-beat, whistle and pipe-led reel from the band's latest album 'I See The World', the seven members of the band – Peter Morrison (pipes and whistles), Ross Couper (fiddle), Innes Watson (fiddle, guitar and vocals), Tom Salter (guitar), Norman Willmore (keyboards and saxophone), and Stu Brown (drums), instantly had us in the musical palms of their hands, their infectious rhythms and tunes quickly working their way to our feet, and whipping up a fervour on the dance floor.
This is what Peatbog Faeries excel at – blending traditional Scottish tunes with world-wide musical and cultural influences - everything from jazz to trance, and funk to reggae. And it has the entire audience on their feet and dancing. More tunes from the new album follow – 'Ortiguera' with its distinctly Spanish feel; the hot and speedy 'Darcy's'; and the band's cheeky homage to Ross Couper's apparently successful attempt to give up the cigarettes, 'I Haven't Smoked For Days'.
After a restorative round of whiskies in the interval, the band are back on stage for more music and tunes, and there are further genre-bending surprises. During the second half the band continue to reinforce the versatility and diversity of their repertoire, bringing a rock-heavy vibe to the party during 'The Humours of Ardnamurchin', and creating a wild Saturday night dance craic during 'Strictly Sambuca'.
A fabulous October evening at the Corn Hall, enjoyed by an audience of all ages, and proving, once again, just what a splendid venue this is.
