Under Canvas’s manifesto for music

Under Canvas, Eden Court Lawn | Adam Ross + The Gillian Fleetwood Band | July 4

by Margaret Chrystall

Election day had the perfect antidote – the return launch of this summer’s Under Canvas at Eden Court.

The lights were on above the sign, adding a welcome “Ta-da!” even though it was only 4.30pm.

The chance to choose your performance time – 4.30pm or 8pm – is a great way to let people plan their entertainment.

And the partnering of sets from the playful Adam Ross (originally from Nairn) and Gillian Fleetwood (originally from Inverness) added a light feel to the two early evening sets where kids, mums and dads were among the audience.

The afternoon needed any lightness it could get, deep in the grey skies, wind and rain mode we’ve had most of the summer so far.

It’s tempting to change Under Canvas to Under Cover as the tent allows you to enjoy the entertainment inside, safe from the elements of Highland Summer 2024!

But blankets to wrap up in offered by the staff, plus your chance to go to both food and drink stands alongside – or grab a coffee first from inside the theatre – keep a relaxed feel.

On this second night of Under Canvas – Tim Edey and Ainsley Hamill had kicked off the first one ­- theatre boss Rebecca Holt welcomed the audience, invited guests and launched the summerful of music and special events ahead.

Adam Ross has an impressive career in music – from Scottish indie favourites  Randolph’s Leap and now two solo albums, to the songs that inspired the 2018 Right Lines musical The Isle Of Love, performed at Eden Court.

In the blurb for that musical, Adam is described as a “quirky lyrical genius” – and getting the chance to hear some of the latest songs from new album Littoral Zone, you couldn’t disagree. Merchandise later revealed one of the best lines from the album makes a lovely tote bag (check it out on Adam’s Bandcamp shop!)

First, a couple of older favourites, Weatherman and Asphalt, were good for getting new listeners and older fans alike onside. Weatherman – based on an asked-for review of his ex’s new guy – had the audience sniggering at lines like “He talks like a weatherman”.

And the laugh-out-loud lyrics from the new album kept coming: Free Will – a tragic tale of Frazzles in the wrong place, Ego – “What shall we do with the rest of our lives? We can’t just wait for cancer and the drift to the right” or announcing Brambles – “Guess this is a murder ballad” Adam introduced his final song setting the audience laughing with a pithy description of aging “… his physique turned to playdough in 1963”.

But the darkness is always there under the laughs and most of the songs come with a twist of perception and the blues under the humorous lyrics.

The chat was as good as the music ­– and at times apt for election day. As a helicopter flew over, Adam instantly joked: “Rishi Sunak leaving the country …”

Adam on guitar and Gillian joining in, singing and gently adding texture to the music with the harp, created an easy, relaxing vibe.

At the start of the set, Adam told us he had released his new album in May and revealed with a grin that this gig was part of the promotional campaign.

And it was a good advert for album songs that had you instantly wishing to hear them again, the “littoral zone”, he told us, is the place where sea meets land, and the title was inspired by Adam’s move to the coast at St Cyrus on the East Coast.

Song of the set was possibly the album’s Caught The Sun ­ – and the audience’s finest hour.

“The next song relies entirely on audience participation,” Adam informed us. And frankly, we were remarkably good singing along on our bit:

“What do we want? Nostalgia! When do we want it? Yesteryear!”

Any musician could do with a friend like Gillian, for fast one-liners and – having brought her vocals memorably to his album – impressive sales patter too.

Adam told us his album had been produced by Dundee’s Andrew Wasylyk, and Gillian added cheerful, slightly tongue-in-cheek endorsements: “It’s really, really, REALLY good!” And on Wasylyk: “He’s really VERY good!”

Returning for her own set with The Gillian Fleetwood Band – featuring Scottish dance producer C Duncan, fiddler Laura Wilkie and cellist Suz Appleby – Gillian had her own latest album to feature.

Together With Yourself At Sea Level literally transported you to Arbroath and Hospitalfield House, where Gillian had been invited to play a rare harp from 200 years old – and had made the album with C Duncan producing on a “windy night””.

Some of the pieces were inspired by the unusual historic rooms, such as Drawing Room, or Dining Room, Gillian setting the scene describing green and gold leather wallpaper or ceiling panels of flora and fauna.

The songs let her clear, appealing voice soar with the string music of fiddle and cello complementing the often dramatic, deep rumbling sound of the harp.

Tracks Monkey Puzzle and Cedar added to the sense of history in the new music with Gillian also filling in a little background to some difficult personal times that had powered her album – “Also having a baby in a pandemic, a really weird time!”

The musician also gave musical tributes along the way to her musical past – former head of performance at Eden Court, Roz Bell, Feis Rois’s CEO Fiona Dalgetty and fellow harp Duplet, Fraya Thompsen.

“Harps don’t like outside gigs,” Gillian commented wryly in the dank afternoon, as she tuned up at the start of her own set.

But the sound of the instrument floating through the Under Canvas tent and Gillian’s effervescent presence in voice and stories – plus her stunning band featuring album producer and music creator C Duncan playing live, instantly made special memories.

Like Adam Ross’s set, Gillian’s made you want to stash their new albums in your bag to take home – and waft back to that Under Canvas gig.

OK, the weather was nothing to write home about. But on an election day that was invisibly changing the world around us, these two special Under Canvas performances got my vote.

AT UNDER CANVAS THIS WEEK …

The first duo of sets for Friday is sold out, sadly. But the Saturday Spotlight brings Danny Mortimer + Pat Dennis & Liza Mulholland to the tents at 4.15pm on Saturday, July 13.

Later on Saturday, Karawane and friends bring world dance vibes to the venue from 7pm. And from 2pm and later 5.30pm on Sunday, July 14, there are another two talented musicians performing sets: Scott C Park brings his alt-country solo sound from Lewis. There’s a new album on the way (enticing social media hints from him about recordings for it from December 2023). Plus there is about to be a new album from Kenna Ross, who is launching hers at Sunday’s Under Canvas! In The Moment, will have a few musical friends helping Kenna “recreate the album live”. Hannah Rarity + The Routes Quartet play next Wednesday (July 17).