From Scotland to London: Lau’s unplugged tour

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

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

The band’s current unplugged tour saw them play King’s Place in London, giving a rousing performance to a packed house. Digital Journal’s London reporter was in attendance – toe-tapping away.

The concert was part of the venue’s Scotland Unwrapped season. This is designed to celebrate Scottish music and spoken word culture, highlighting both its traditional, regional diverse contemporary riches.

Lau comprises Kris Drever (vocals, guitar), Martin Green (accordion, Wurlitzer, keys, electronics) and Aidan O’Rourke (fiddle). The group are named after an Orcadian word meaning “natural light”.

By ‘unplugged’ this meant that any electronic additions, normally associated with the band’s studio albums, were largely sidelined and the focus was on the traditional instruments of fiddle, guitar and accordion. Occasional beats complemented the music, produced from a box-like device serving as a 4-track tape recorder.

The evocative atmosphere of the music, enhanced by occasional theatrical effects: smoke, resembling an island mist, often eased across the stage.

The performance has previously been described as “complex, accessible, challenging, comforting” and this certainly was the case for the impressive London gig. Others have described the eccentric and experimental music “as an acid trip mutation of Scottish folk”. Whatever it is, it is toe-tapping and head-rolling fun.

The performance was drawn across the band’s repertoire, combining instrumental numbers with hole-hearted songs sung by Kris Drever, a voice born for folk music.

The tempo and dynamics are in constant motion, even within the same number, keeping the audience guessing the next move. Each song was played out to the highest standard of musicianship.

The joyful set included songs like She Put On Her Headphones and Ghosts. Impeccably played, surprisingly well choreographed, and introduced with good humour.