Live Review

Iona – King Tut’s, Glasgow

• 13th Jun 2011

Iona headed an eclectic bill for a Sunday night at King Tut’s that featured three fine performances. An early start and the main act playing in the middle of the bill gave this show a very different feel, but all three bands contributed to an excellent evening’s entertainment.

Glasgow singer/ songwriter Yvonne Lyon opened, her acoustic folk voice perfectly suited to her songs. Much of the set was taken from her latest album Ashes And Gold, and included the gentle All Is Not Lost and her excellent single The Coffee Shop. I Am Loved was a highlight, with a distinct country twang added to Lyon’s warm voice.

Iona have been around for over 20 years now and it is surprising that their potent fusion of Celtic rhythms, rock and folk has not afforded the band greater recognition in the UK. With lyrics that draw from Celtic and Christian mythology and a wide range of instrumental inputs their music is both varied and exciting.

The set began with the seven minute epic Ancient Wells, from the new double album Another Realm. Like many of Iona’s songs the lyrics express their Christian faith and this one references St Patrick. Jo Hogg’s voice carried strong and clear over a powerful Celtic beat and Dave Bainbridge added some excellent lead guitar work.

The music moved from rock to joyous gospel and even a few jigs, the more traditional sound getting quite a few of the audience moving. New band member Martin Nolan played the uilleann pipes, the Irish version of bagpipes, which have a sweet tone and a much flatter sound, to good effect.

Another change in pace saw Hogg take a back seat for the instrumental Ruach. The dark and atmospheric track has both a Hebrew name and a Middle Eastern feel, with drummer Frank van Essen playing violin over Bainbridge’s keyboards. The lovely melodies were played to a respectful silence from the audience.

Hogg was back front and centre for Edge Of The World, her voice perfect on what is close to a mainstream pop song, and White Horse, which feels like a rock song, full of heavily sustained guitar, and taking its imagery from Revelations.

The set finished with a number of reels, again drawing from traditional music and featuring a tin whistle duelling with the guitar over keyboards as the pace grew ever faster. For a while Glasgow’s premier rock venue was converted to an impromptu ceilidh.

The band didn’t actually leave the stage, the vast amount of equipment making this impractical, but there was an encore. A gentle whistle led off Irish Day, a lovely track with wistful lyrics that showcased Jo Hogg’s vocals perfectly.

Iona have a unique approach to music, both in their lyrics and their sound. The production is big, the songs at times grand and the musical abilities of the band members are great. The overall effect was of a tremendous performance that delighted the audience.

Sharon Martin and her band had the difficult task of playing after Iona to a much reduced crowd. But they rose to the challenge well with a fine set featuring Martin’s strong, low pitched voice and confident stage presence. She has a rock edge to a pop persona and commands the stage in fine style. The beautiful Natural High and the closing rocker Black Kettle showed that Sharon Martin is a talented young woman with a big future.