Natalie Merchant - Celtic Connections

The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, the grandest of Celtic Connections venues was the setting for 10,000 Maniacs singer Natalie Merchant.

A low key appearance saw Natalie Merchant perform with a backing of 2 acoustic guitarists and a cellist. Things started ok, but I got the impression it would take a few songs for her and the band to warm up and get into things. This didn’t happen.

The 2 guitarists failed to boost the sound enough, and it seemed to me they were unsure of the songs, as a number of obvious mistakes were made, and at a few points Natalie stopped the song in order to whisper what I assume were the words to one of her band.

This stopping of songs became more and more an irritation. She did it frequently. Stopping to speed things up, stopping to burst out laughing and stopping to ask the audience what the words were to her own songs were.

Now, every performer makes mistakes and forgets the words occasionally however it was the manner in which these mistake were attempted to be correct which ruined the show. This constant stopping prevented any mood from being created with her obvious talent and superb singing. The band also seemed hesitant in their playing so never really got into it.

She even admitted before a few songs that the songs were unrehearsed and she hoped they would get through it. I hoped they did too, but they didn’t.

When Irish group Lunasa appeared to play backing for a couple of poem songs to be released on her new album the sound was instantly lifted. Fine musicians that they are - Lunasa new the songs, even if Natalie didn’t.

By the end of the show I began to cringe, none more so when Natalie got a member of the audience to come up and sing with her, whilst the girl in the crowd did an excellent impromptu job, I was really hoping to hear Natalie perform a full song on her own without interruption!! Aaarrgh. Especially after paying £20 for a ticket.

Maybe next time don’t make the mistakes so obvious, it is hard not to notice mistakes when they are highlighted in such a way, or maybe nextime rehersals would avoid this completely and we can hear the superb songs that Natalie Merchant has to offer.

Comments

[Mike]

I think you got to see a great concert....maybe it wasn't up to snuff to your standards, but that is NM - it's hit or miss with her.