An amphitheatre constructed entirely of upcycled pianos, the Pianodrome is one of the Fringe’s most unconventional venues.
The theatre’s beautiful, creaking structure bears the marks of decades of previous ownership: the scratches, the scuffs, the etched graffiti. You can see piano lids repurposed as banisters, engraved panels making up the seating, and if you listen carefully during quieter performances you can hear the resonating strings of the several intact pianos hidden within the structure.
As well as their daily free lunchtime concerts, held throughout the summer, this singular venue is showcasing a variety of local and international act each evening of the Fringe. On the night of review, the show features two sensational Scottish bands, each fronted by a trombone player, offering a radically different approach to the instrument.
First up are Noushy 4tet, a Glasgow jazz outfit led by Anoushka Nanguy. The band begin with two of Nanguy’s own compositions, the first a lush, expansive piece of free-flowing, liquid jazz, the second a scratchy, angular track. They follow this up with an arrangement of John Legend’s Save Room, enriched with percussive breakdowns, bubbling guitar and Nanguy’s gorgeous, languid trombone, and complete their set with a hypnotic cover of Nick Drake’s River Man.
Things get a good bit rowdier when the night’s second act Soundbone take over with their set list of reimagined Led Zeppelin songs. The jazz-rock trio bring all the noise and intensity of the classic rock originals, but infuse them with a colourful, jazzy sensibility, bringing out the music’s bluesy flavour and deep, driving grooves.
Their chaotic rendition of Communication Breakdown is aptly unhinged, with trombonist Chris Greive using an octave pedal to alternate between a watery wail and pummelling bass notes. He even brings out a didgeridoo to bolster Whole Lotta Love with a deep, throaty growl. Meanwhile, the crowd go absolutely wild for guitarist Graeme Stephen‘s intricate, hyper-focussed finger-picking, and the glittering web of sound it sends reverberating around the Pianodrome.
But the most mesmerising moment of the night is the band’s dreamy interpretation of Going to California. Greive’s trombone aches with longing, its soulful tone rich and golden in the centre but feathery and frayed around the edges.
It’s intimate, breath-taking moments like this that the Pianodrome is made for. With its transcendent acoustics, warm atmosphere and community ethos, it adds that extra touch of magic to every performance, taking grassroots live music to the next level.
Comments