Review: Capercaillie ***

I don't go to a lot of live music gigs during the Festival, as I'm of the opinion you can see most bands at other times of the year, and there's so much unique and unmissable going on elsewhere.

However, I picked Capercaillie almost as a brief respite from the rest of the Festival mayhem, and on the strength of last night's show, I'm glad I did.

The 8-piece band play a tight and well-blended mix of traditional Scottish Celtic music, world influences and contemporary sounds, all topped off with the beautiful and at times haunting voice of Karen Matheson. I've been a fan of their uniquely Scottish sound for over 20 years now, and it was great to see them play to a mix of fans and first-timers, drawn to the Queen's Hall by their official Fringe appearance.

Because of that, Capercaillie's set was slightly curtailed due to timing and the audience reaction was a little muted, given many people's unfamiliarity with the band. However, the music shone through, and the collection of uplifting and melodic reels, waltzes - as well as some beautifully moving laments and ballads - gave us all a welcome opportunity to hear one of the best Scottish folk acts in the business.

Capercaillie play the Queen's Hall again this evening.