Reviews / Shannon wows Shetland once again
SHARON Shannon made a triumphant return to Mareel with a superb set which looked back through her illustrious 21 year solo career on Friday night. Patrick Mainland was there for the occasion.
Playing tunes old and new, notable and obscure, Sharon Shannon was radiant, clearly delighted to be back in Shetland, and showed once again how accomplished her playing truly is, particularly on the accordion she is so well-known for.
She had previously visited the isles last year at the same venue and before that the 2007 folk festival, and has built a eager following here over the years.
Preceding her on stage were the Yell-based duo Megan Nisbet and Lauren Johnson, who warmed the crowd with their perfect vocal harmonies.
The pair showed a quiet confidence through their songs and engagement with the audience, and displayed a good mix of styles within their half hour on stage, with contemporary Americana like The Civil Wars’ 20 Years alongside songs they said they had grown up with, like material by the Everly Brothers.
They handled complex harmonies with admirable ease, and the Dixie Chicks cover that they enthusiastically finished their set with was a highlight.
Shortly afterwards, Sharon Shannon and Alan Connor took to the stage, with an hour long set encompassing a wide range of the accordionist’s material from nine studio albums, the first of which is the biggest selling Irish traditional album ever, going platinum upon its release in 1991.
Shannon is not only a stalwart of the traditional Irish scene, but a keen dabbler in other styles and musical cultures and this became particularly evident with Connor’s inspired piano playing.
Leaning towards a New Orleans ragtime blues style, his playing contrasted very effectively with and breathed new life into time-honoured reels, while his use of a stompbox brought a welcome rhythmic backbone to the set.
Connor was an animated and at times unpredictable performer, whose own tunes, while something of a departure from the folk-dominated set, were enthralling, and fully exploited his piano and Telecaster guitar.
The pair were versatile – Shannon switched between accordion, fiddle and whistle, while Connor used guitar and keyboard to full advantage, at one point alternating very quickly between both mid-tune!
Shannon’s accordion playing shone, such is her expertise, but she was highly impressive on her other instruments – the tin-whistle on the Rathlin Island Reel set particularly.
They wrapped up with a favourite of many islanders’ and Shannon’s signature tune, Galway Girl, sung by Connor and transformed into a trad set, which sped up and built to a soaring conclusion. The pair then returned for a well-received encore, entitled Bungee Jumper.
The smiles on the audience’s faces and the crowd that waited for signed CDs afterwards were a clear indication of Shannon’s lasting popularity in Shetland, so hopefully it won’t be long before she makes a return.
Patrick Mainland
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