Here is a band than can go from zero to 100 in three seconds.
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From the opening beat of What Makes You, they are explosive; mesmerising and engaging. There is no need for a singer when you have five musicians so intensely in tune with each other.
While there is an expectation of their traditional Scottish music roots to stand out, that's not always the case. Song two is Search Party, a super funky piece of jazz kicked off by Seth Tinsley on synthesizer and Alasdair Taylor fingerpicking on his mandolin. Euan Smillie brings his fiddle to the party, taking off down a mysterious riff. A big back beat drum line underpins it all. It's like nothing I've heard before; bits of pieces, thrown together, to create something with class and style, with the lightest touch of tradition.
The crowd is taken by their chemistry from the start, dancing, clapping, moving closer. This is a finely-honed act of exquisite musicianship, with a dynamic stage presence and awesome sound. It's impossible to resist interacting; and of course the band is constantly encouraging rhythmic clapping and dancing.
Elephant Sessions is popularising a new genre, mixing jazz and folk and rock, that is worthy of stadium-sized audiences.
There is no fat in this band. The contributions of electric guitarist Mark Bruce and bass guitar (and synth) player Seth Tinsley are just as valid as amazing fiddler Euan Smillie and Taylor on mandolin. Drummer Greg Barry is a key part of driving this frenetic machine, which heaves and halts, changes direction and switches sound and shape sometimes in mid-song.
They often begin with a hot bass or synthesizer beat, as in I Used To Be A Nice Boy, as a jazzy mandolin riff jumps in and the fiddle takes over. Up and down, all around, blitzing into rock, classic, jazz. Taylor and Smillie cross musical paths frequently. You lose track of instruments, wondering where did that curly riff come from? It's right in front of you, somewhere.
Just when you feel you're going to explode with the pace pushing madly, they back off, giving you time and space to regather. But not always.
They clearly remembered playing the Stag two years ago on their first tour of Australia. The crowd barely outnumbered the band. This time, fresh off headlining the main stage at Woodford Folk Festival and with shows booked at several festivals, the room was heaving. With good reason, this act is catching on worldwide.