Epic Film Music Concert – Venue 14: Gilded Balloon Teviot – Nightclub – 2.30pm
Symphonic Ibiza – Venue 302: Underbelly, Bristo Square – McEwan Hall – 11.20pm
CONTRASTS sit at the heart of Edinburgh’s summer festivals. From the high arts of the international festival and the toilet humour of the Fringe through to the noise of the Royal Mile and the quiet moments of reflection at the festival of spirituality, it’s those contrasts that make Edinburgh such a special place during August.
But what happens when those contrasting worlds collide? That’s the question raised by two music shows at this year’s Fringe.
In a very Ronseal way, “Epic Film Music Concert” does exactly what it says on the tin. Edoardo Romussi, one half of Italian film music compositon outfit Intermundia, has taken movie soundtracks played by big orchestras and arranged them for his keyboard.
Meanwhile, “Symphonic Ibiza” goes in the opposite direction, taking electronic dance music made famous on the White Island and scoring them for a mini-orchestra. It’s a tried-and-tested formula that club DJ Andy Joyce and musical director Steve Etherington have been using since 2018.
Romussi is joined on a tiny stage buried in the basement of the castle-like Teviot student union building on Bristo Square by singer Kitty Richardson – who sadly had a sore throat during the review performance – and fiddler Lucia La Rezza, who stole the show. She injected energy into the afternoon, not only through her sensational playing but also through her stage presence.
In contrast, Romussi’s links between the tracks he played felt flat and, while his choice of music ticked all the post-millennium boxes – from Hans Zimmer’s Dark Knight, Interstellar, and Pirates of the Caribbean through to John Williams’ Harry Potter, Ramin Djawadi’s Game of Thrones, and Howard Shore’s Lord of the Rings – a Star Wars medley appeared to be the only older offering. Intermundia’s two original tracks went down well with the crowd, but there wasn’t anything in the selection to lift the concert above the level of the regular soundtracks special editions of Chicane’s weekly Sunsets podcast.
Romussi’s narrative in between the tracks was earnest and well-meaning, as he attempted to encourage more people to listen to film soundtracks as pieces of music in their own right. But his audience was already sold on that idea, having bought their tickets, and his selection of tracks wasn’t detailed nor varied enough to satisfy hardcore movie music buffs.
Richardson’s harmonies were also largely lost against La Rezza’s fiddle and Romussi’s synthesiser, even towards the front of the basement, and so another look at the balance might be needed before the Fringe run ends. One to watch for the future though – this kernel of an idea has the potential to go on to become something much bigger.
Balance was also the issue last night for Symphonic Ibiza’s opening night inside the McEwan Hall. Sadly, the noise from Joyce’s decks was so overpowering that I wouldn’t have known there were even strings and brass on the stage if I had closed my eyes.
The problem persisted from the opening number – Fatboy Slim’s Right Here, Right Now – all the way through to Darude’s Sandstorm. The reverb as singer Ruby blasted out Castles in the Sky didn’t help either.
I was gutted – Symphonic Ibiza’s gig in the former Methodist Church Central Hall on Lothian Road during 2019 was the highlight of my Fringe that year by a country mile. Last night’s effort paled in comparison.
It’s still got all the right ingredients: an excellent selection of tunes, although perhaps a couple of euphoric trance tracks to vary the pace could help; the theatrical element that comes from having musicians on stage; and now an incredible venue, with a mix of mosh pit and tiered seating in the McEwan Hall.
Fingers crossed that the balance issue was a one-off, as this is usually a great show. Last night’s performance also demonstrated why contrasts must always be accompanied by balance.
Epic Film Music Concert – THREE STARS
Symphonic Ibiza – TWO STARS
Get the full details about Epic Film Music Concert here.
Get the full details about Symphonic Ibiza here.
Plus, read more reviews on Scottish Field’s Fringe pages.
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