THE PONSMERE HOTEL, PERRANPORTH (21ST OCTOBER)

GIVEWAY

As part of the Lowender Peran Festival of the Celts in Kernow, the good people of the Ponsmere Hotel in Perranporth played host to a five day celebration of all things folk, from storytelling to traditional dancing, from arts and crafts to live performances from some of the most inspiring celtic performers. There were Irish and Scottish Ceilidhs, Irish, Welsh and Manx dance workshops, guided walks around the local area and above all, fine local real ale provided by Skinners of Truro! The audience was unsurprisingly mainly adult, with a few children in tow, (teenagers always seem sparce on the ground at these events). Having the festival located in one venue made much more sense as you found events running after each other and not crossing over, which always annoys me that I have to choose between two things at other festivals, (being inside also made for a more `conference` feel to the event, but hey we were a damn sight warmer!). The festival was also well supported by Hobgoblin Music, who are surely becoming the first word in folk music in the county after rescuing the annual Wadebridge Folk Festival earlier in the year, (and supplying my own fiddle - natch).

And so to Giveway - four sisters from Scotland who performed for three days running at the festival, (between surfing the local waves), and wowed the crowds everytime with their panache and skill. Playing a mixture of haunting traditional accordian led instrumental sets and reels with some fine homegrown tunes that whipped the audience into a stomping, hollering frenzy, the sisters Johnson produced one of the highlights of the festival.

The cheeky introductions between songs endeared the girls to the near-capacity crowd, but it was the music that we`d come to hear and having seen the band twice this year at different events, I can tell you that we weren`t left in any doubt about their greatness.

There was Fi on guitar, fiddle and whistle, backing the vocals of her sister Kirsty, who led the band on the piano accordian for most of the sets. There was Mairi lending a bass melody on the keyboard with her jazzy style; delicate at times and at others pounding and then there was her twin Amy hidden in the shadows at the back, keeping it all together on the drums. Tunes such as Calum`s Waltz and For the Love of Mhairi spliced into each other seamlessly, but it was the collection of pieces under the title `Rockin` that hit home with my ears. An hour and a half set from the girls wasn`t enough for me, but thats all there was after a much deserved encore and many a happy punter away home for their Sunday night supper, (...or up the stairs for a quick pint of Skinners in my case!).

Giveway could so easily fall into the gap left by the recently split Corrs, (and I`d bet it isn`t the first time this easy comparison has been made), but they have so much more to offer; apart from the obvious age difference between the two bands, Giveway are by far the more talented musicians and the songs that they have written themselves show a maturity and depth that suggests a much brighter future.

(Photos by Lord Itchfield)

www.myspace.com/givewaymusic

http://www.lowenderperan.com/