Vidlin Hall, Thursday 1 May 2008

It came a beautiful sunny night before the kick off of the concert in Vidlin last night.

The evening started with a set from young Shetland fiddler and guitarist Ryan Couper supported by his mam and dad on piano and double bass. Definitely someone to watch for the future.

Next up was Rory Ellis all the way from Australia accompanied by Tim Hatchett on slide guitar. What a great set with some really strong songs as well as great slide work from Tim.

After a short break for raffle tickets to selt and more drink to be bought the Henrik Jansberg Band hit the stage and nearly lifted the roof. This great Danish band - with one Swede, the madman Per - played a set mixing folk music with jazz guitar and thumping rhythm section of double bass and boom box percussion. At one point per got the whole audience on their feet for one song which lifted everybody up. Excellent.

Brother Mule from America played a bluegrass set around a single mic. A three piece band of fiddle, guitar and double bass, they sang some excellent songs and the harmonies could not be faulted.

last on the French-Canadian band Le Vent du Nord from Montreal. A storming set including the appearance of a hurdy gurdy. Mixing hi tempo fiddle tunes with songs that without knowing the language came across well. With everyone upstanding for the walking song.

To hear a taster of the concert nip on over to Zetcast.com to hear the first live podcast of the 2008 festival