Tony McManus / Martin Simpson #ccfest2018

I've been a fan of Tony's since a friend lent me his first album in 2002. I always try and catch him whenever he's in the area, but this time, in a double header with Martin Simpson, it was a no brainer. I'd seen Martin once before, also at Celtic Connections as part of the Bert Jansch tribute night. I knew that a double header with Tony and Martin would be right up my street, and it was. 

Tony played first. He played nothing I hadn't heard before, but that mattered not a jot. The CC audience was quiet and appreciative and the sound was superb. They were playing in the Strathclyde Suite at the Royal Concert Hall, so a smallish box-shaped room. 

Martin played the second half, covering a lot of new material from the new album Trails and Tribulations. His banter was great, his singing suited the material perfectly and his playing was sublime. Lots of slide work and just guitar, no banjo, which was a little disappointing, but hey ho. 

As I'd hoped, the played a couple together at the end - Tony played his Sleeping Tune, which I love, with Martin starting out accompanying with an e-bow or something similar. Then they played one of Martin's with Tony accompanying. 

Superb gig. Music of the highest quality and delivered with love and passion.