Bígí sona! At Clannad’s Legend 40th Anniversary Concert @ the Royal Albert Hall, London

Whilst it was a sad moment as this was the band’s last performance on stage all together, it was joyful and a really enjoyable atmosphere. As well as featuring incredibly beautiful melodies, and some of the best lighting I’ve ever seen at a gig so far. Plus a unique gig moment — collectively booing the Sheriff of Nottingham (who was handily in the audience as both Robin Hoods were on stage).

A wonderful, wonderful time enjoyed at Clannad’s 40th anniversary concert at the Royal Albert Hall, celebrating the music of the legendary Robin of Sherwood — and the 40th birthday of that album, Legend. Fabulous atmospheric lighting — the colours and the timing throughout! It wasn’t as stroby as can often be the case in gig lighting. Beautiful, beautiful music, playing and singing. All the synths on stage too — (I counted 3 keyboards)… Sadly no dry ice for the fully ‘80’s feel.

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Performing almost a full Legend suite, sadly not ‘Battles’ though which is one of my favourites. However, we got the full harp action of ‘Lady Marion,’ (a piece originally composed for the Brennan siblings’ mother); the romance and urgency of ‘Now is Here’; the thrilling and delivering all the chills ‘Ancient Forest’; the energy of ‘Together We’ and ofcourse ‘Robin (The Hooded Man)’. Brilliantly, both Robins introduced the performance, in a kind of battle of the Robins as they traded titles. The Robins were of course Michael Praed (Robin of Loxley) and Jason Connery (Robert of Huntingdon) — together Robin(s) of Sherwood! Even better was having most of the cast back on stage too — Maid Marian (Judi Trott), Nasir (Mark Ryan), Little John (Clive Mantle), Friar Tuck (Phil Rose) — and Nicholas Grace’s Sheriff (affectionately boo’d by the Hall) in the audience somewhere. Sadly Ray Winstone couldn’t join this merry band this time, but his theme tune could, complete with a dramatically red background, for ‘Scarlet Inside’. What a wonderful piece of creativity Robin of Sherwood was, powered by Richard Carpenter’s impressive writing. But where was Much? (Peter Llewellyn Williams)? Sadly John Abineri could no longer be present and Guy of Gisburne (Robert Addie), but both were very much remembered. Abineri particularly in his role as Herne the Hunter in the music, for ‘Ancient Forest’ incorporates similar soundscapes and layered vocal themes to ‘Herne’.

Treated too to some rediscovered Robin of Sherwood music — ‘A Royal Procession’ and a party feasting dance tune. We also got to hear some different music to accompany a fight scene. This music was written for the third series, and forgotten until recently brought to light again. And for the 40th birthday album, it’s been recorded too!

Fully a family affair, with sisters and children making up the band, there were moments of sibling/family banter — and a equally family moment when Moya Brennan rebuked the whole audience of the Royal Albert Hall for singing along poorly and perhaps being in another smaller hall elsewhere. We improved!

The second half of the show was basically a greatest hits, cos the audience would have rioted, if not. Ofcourse this included, the one with Bono ‘In A Lifetime’ (only Bono, like Ray W, couldn’t make it, so there was an able stand in); a bit of Newgrange with impactful percussion; ‘The Theme From Harry’s Game’; the dramatically epic title song from Last of the Mohicans ‘I Will Find You’; the whimsical upbeatness of ‘Closer To Your Heart’ and a cheeky drinking song. As an audience we sang along poorly (and then better) to one of those songs about two sisters who fancy the same man, and one of the sisters ruthlessly dispatches the other. And the dispatched sister sings, for many verses, for mercy and justice. (This type of song was first introduced to me by Sam Amidon at King’s Place earlier this year). If we hadn’t done so well in our sing along there might have been a 42 verse edition to accompany!

Often characterised (and stereotyped) as synth-heavy ethereal new-age warbling, Clannad’s music is far more intricate than that. I spotted Irish folk mixed rock, pop, jazz, blues and some excellent saxophone and bass solos. The excellence and relaxed nature of their shows, the multiple instruments being played (Pól Brennan was switching between playing a flute, a Irish flute, a guitar on his back and a keyboard). Moya played the harp and sang. Marvel too at the band switching back and forth between Irish Gaelic, English and once Mohican and Cherokee. The exuberance of Pól’s playing and presence on stage was infectious. At the same time, as their stage manager, and others who had supported them since the beginning, were invited to stand and take their moment; as an audience we really connected to how personal an evening this was for the band too. A lot of thanks was given — this was a family affair.

Ofcourse we ended with some rousing folk including ‘Down by the Salley Gardens’, because we didn’t want the evening to end, so made the band come back on for more!

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