Trembling Bells with Bonnie 'Prince' Billy 03.05.12

The generosity and the joy of tonight's music at The Trinity Centre were clear from the very first harmonies of Muldoon's Picnic. Just two of the Glasgow company were on tour, but the whole band's commitment to traditional harmony singing and their mastery of it were wonderfully realised by combinations of the two (Harry Campbell and Katy Cooper) with members of Trembling Bells, and one appearance of Will Oldham. Beautiful pitching, excellent articulation and an obvious love of the tunes and the forms swept all before them.

Trembling Bells' Alex Neilson and Will Oldham (tonight as Bonnie "Prince" Billy) are exceptional musicians who contribute to projects great and small, connect with artists from here and everywhere, and enrich us all by sharing and moving on. Tonight's set focussed on the current album "Marble Downs" that credits "Trembling Bells With Bonnie "Prince" Billy" and features outstanding songs written by Alex Neilson. Appropriately enough, they covered one Merle Hagard song in a medley and they him into one of their own. The Scots folk tradition, filtered through the poor white colonial states and Nashville, runs through the music.

Bonnie "Prince" Billy's mordant glory and restless presence filled the room. Duets with Lavinia Blackwell were wickedly teasing. He turned Neilson's sometimes dark lyrics into thoroughly convincing expression of his own psyche. "Ferrari In A Demolition Derby" was a great romp for Blackwell's keyboard playing and "I Can tell You're Leaving" was perfect. Coming in straight after the traditional lament of lost potency "My Husband's Got No Courage In Him" Oldham's song "Riding" crashed in like early Jefferson Airplane tune with Bells' guitarist Michael Hastings scrolling off a great squealing riff.

"Love Is A Velvet Noose" and "New Year's Eve's The Loneliest Night Of the Year" were heart bursting highlights. Two very fine songs amongst an hour and a half of high pleasure that delighted a sell-out crowd.

Words and image: Sam Saunders