When Braebach came to town

I wish I could blame my silence here on hours of pipe playing, but sadly I'm playing very little at present. It's partly the pre-Christmas knitting rush. Like other knitters at this time of year I am knitting against the clock. One neck warmer done, one pair of socks cast off this evening. A scarf will be cast on this evening, then that leaves another scarf and another pair of socks. How long
until Christmas?

At least I've been out to see some piping this week, when Braebach came to town again. They are a good band to see live. They have a good line in banter and jokes. The pipes have more power live - I find them a little washed out on their CDs. Our local folk club is in an old church, with a fantastic acoustic for pipes.

They mostly played from their new album, Urlar. They threw in Good Drying, from Desperate Battle of the Birds, and the Caber Feidh set and The Rolling Hills of the Borders from The Big Spree. I like this song, and I enjoy the use of Gaelic song that Megan has brought to the band. I can live without Calum's singing. He's a fine piper and whistle player, and presumably a decent string player, so I don't know why he persists in singing. I'm not keen on either his voice or his choice of songs.

The band is definitely Scottish, but they have lots of big bass lines, and a jazz feel. Perhaps this is the way the Easy Club might have gone! They have a good mix of traditional (how many bands play pibroch?) and modern. I love James D M's piping and did the fan thing at the interval and went to tell him (he was on the merchandise stall) how much I am enjoying his solo album.