Search - Old Blind Dogs :: Play Live

New Tricks, anyone?

o dubhthaigh | north rustico, pei, canada | 06/20/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"OBD is one of the best Scottish bands ever and they are a force to be reckoned with as a live act. From their earliest incarnation with Ian Benzie and Davy Cattanach, Jonny Hardie has driven a Scots band with exceptional fiddlework, second only (and that's a maybe) to Johnny Cunningham. Hardie's a better singer. Anyway, when Benzie and Cattanach left, Hardie rounded up an incredible group of colleagues who not only kinda resembled the previous sound of the band, but made the band stronger in almost every respect. Jim Malcolm sounds exactly like Ian Benzie, so even the old tunes in concert still have that Aberdeen roll in the burr. Rory Campbell is on pipes and is a veritable hurricane. Drummer Simon Jones brings a different beat but still puts forth that calypso/dub atmosphere that Cattanach did so successfully.

The concert here is spectacular. From "Harlow" on through the music has a dynamic and energy that is infectious. You'll want to pull yer knickers down and dance around in a skirt all through this disc. It's just that good. The body count is always a highpoint in an OBD concert, and this one doesn't disappoint. "Young Edward" features all manner of intra-family homicide. Makes rappers look like nancy boys. Most of the material comes from FIT and THE WORLD'S ROOM, and the balance was done for these shows, and that's also cause for purchase. This is a brilliantly recorded concert where the audience response has a definite presence, unlike most Celtic live recordings where the audience is either barely alive or anemically dropped deep in the murk. The people who came to these shows intended to make noise.

So, I'd love to hear "Pills of White Mercury" from this line up and would not care at all if what they did was nothing but live CDs from here on. In concert Hardie and Campbell drive this band with enormous passion. This is a must for fans of Scots tradition. If you ever wondered what it feels like to wear a kilt and feel the breeze tickle your gorse, this is the CD for you."