From Scotland to London: Lau’s unplugged tour

Lau – the trio of musicians. Image by Tim Sandle.

Lau is a contemporary folk band producing music in the Scottish folk tradition, but with a modern twist and post-punk sensibilities.

During the band’s current unplugged tour, they played at King’s Place in London, where they gave a spectacular performance to a packed house. Digital magazines A London reporter was there – tapping his toes.

The concert was part of the hall Scotland unpacked season. This is designed to celebrate Scotland’s music and spoken word culture, highlighting both its traditional and regionally diverse contemporary assets.

Lau consists of Kris Drever (vocals, guitar), Martin Green (accordion, Wurlitzer, keys, electronics) and Aidan O’Rourke (violin). The group is named after an Orcadian word meaning ‘natural light’.

With ‘unplugged’ this meant that any electronic additions normally associated with the band’s studio albums were largely sidelined and the emphasis was on the traditional instruments of violin, guitar and accordion. Intermittent beats complemented the music, produced by a box-like device that served as a 4-track tape recorder.

The evocative atmosphere of the music, enhanced by incidental theatrical effects: smoke, resembling an island fog, often spreads across the stage.

The performance was previously described as “complex, accessible, challenging, reassuring” and that was certainly the case for the impressive performance in London. Others describe the eccentric and experimental music “as an acid trip mutation of Scottish folk”. Whatever it is, it’s fun to tap your toes and roll your head.

The performance spanned the band’s repertoire, combining instrumentals with candid songs sung by Kris Drever, a voice born for folk music.

The tempo and dynamics are constantly changing, even within the same song, keeping the audience guessing as to the next move. Every song was played to the highest standard of musicianship.

The upbeat set included songs like She put on her headphones And Ghosts. Impeccably played, surprisingly well choreographed and introduced with good humor.