Vanessa Mae review

THE torrential rain could do little do dampen the spirits of those who gathered in the shadows of Westonbirt’s giant trees to watch Vanessa Mae perform a rare British show last Saturday.

(July 18) The concert was late to start, but mutterings of discontent from the damp audience were soon quelled by special guest conductor Anthony Inglis and the National Symphony Orchestra.

The grammy-nominated musician, who workled with Vanessa in her earliest days of fame, cheered the bedraggled crowd with a Gershuin Medley, before making way for support act All Angels, whose short but angelic first half set made them a perfect support for the famous virtuoso violinist.

The spark of energy that was Vanessa Mae ripped through the crowd, who enjoyed every moment of the eclectic performance which took us away from the usual cliched classical performance and around the world in every conceivable style.

Returning from the interval, a cheery Mr Inglis and his Proms-style clapathon - complete with rendition of Land of Hope and Glory – kept all those who had chosen to stay back in the mood for music, and All Angels’ rendition of ‘Sound of Silence’ was nothing short of spellbinding.

Vanessa’s short but frenetic electric set which began with Hocus Pocus by Focus – the prog rock classic that few were expecting. However, problems with the soundboard meant that Vanessa appeared relieved to return to her tradtional violin.

Her penultimate piece, Tocatta and Fugue, brought back many memories as it was the record that shot the child prodigy to stardom when she was just 12years old and made the audience appreciate just why we were gathered in the cold, wet Gloucestershire countryside in the first place .

The spectacular firework display ensured that the concert ended with a bang – but most would have been happy with the fireworks produced by Vanessa’s violin strings alone.