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Natalie McMaster: Lively Canadian fiddler takes Wharton by storm by Lauren Talley
The plush, red seats of the Wharton Center’s Cobb Great Hall were nearly full by 8 p.m. when eastern Canadian fiddler Natalie MacMaster’s back up band appeared on stage this past Sunday. The show, which is part of the Michigan Radio Wild Card Series, showcased MacMaster’s and her band’s impeccable talent. Hailing from Cape Breton, an island off of Canada’s east coast, MacMaster provided lively entertainment for a predominately older crowd. Although there a few students and children attended, the audience mostly included older patrons. Even after coming straight from a 3 p.m. performance in Detroit, MacMaster and her band never lost energy. MacMaster’s individual energy was stunning, especially after she announced that she is nine months pregnant. At one point she retired her fiddle to display her step dancing skills during an upbeat drum accompaniment. The show featured traditional Cape Breton style tunes that resonated with inspirations from the area’s 18th century Scottish ancestors. “To hear the style at its truest would be to hear just the fiddle and the piano,” MacMaster announced to the audience before performing a song in this manner. While the concert mainly consisted of traditional Cape Breton music, MacMaster also performed some original work from her newest compact disc, Yours Truly, which she subtly advertised at various times. MacMaster’s entirely male ensemble used various instruments, including bass, piano, bagpipes and drums. The talented back up music completed the already impressive sound of MacMaster’s fiddling. MacMaster took time to introduce the members of what she considered to be her exceptional band. As promised, MacMaster shared the spotlight with her band mates as the show successfully highlighted each performer throughout the night. The band’s obvious chemistry helped to create a cheerful and comfortable ambience for listeners.
Only one song, a traditional Irish tune called “Danny Boy,” included lyrics and was performed by MacMaster’s lead guitarist Brad Davidge. MacMaster and her band gracefully disguised multiple instrument malfunctions. For many audience members, the mistakes went unheard unless MacMaster humbly announced that something had gone wrong. Before performing their last blast of tunes that included “a little bit of everything,” MacMaster thanked everyone involved in the show, including the audience. The band received a standing ovation for a stellar performance. It didn’t take much applause for a rock driven encore as MacMaster and her band willingly performed an extra song for the already standing crowd to clap along to and dance. MacMaster served as an ambassador for Cape Breton’s traditional style. For a listener unfamiliar with this genre, the sound is reminiscent of traditional Celtic music and Irish folk music. ed to work some extra hours on their own as well. |
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