ShareNigel Kennedy performing his An Evening With Nigel Kennedy Tour at The Royal Concert Hall Nottingham on Saturday 23rd May 2015.
Images and Review by Kevin Cooper
Images taken at The Royal Concert Hall on 8th May 2013.
You don’t so much as go to a Nigel Kennedy concert as enter his world for the evening. Back performing one of only three dates, Kennedy was once again joined by the Philomusica Orchestra to perform an evening of mesmerising music at The Royal Concert Hall.
From the programme we were promised a version of Anton Chehov’s Three Sisters, but what we got was so much more. Bounding onto the stage, touching fists, clasping hands and doing a variety of low and high fives, you saw glimpses of the brash, rebellious, musician who was once tagged ‘the enfant terrible’ of the classical world.
But when he starts to play, something extraordinary happens. The moment he puts his £2 million 1735 Guarneri Del Gesu violin under his chin, he is transformed. Conducting the orchestra with a nod of his head or the stamp of his iridescent green clad trainer, he transported us into a world of Bach, Handel and even his own compositions.
With Julian Buschberger and the thoughtful former Robert Plant sideman, Doug Boyle on guitars, and Orphy Robinson on xylosynth and percussion, the stage simply oozed with talent. The audience were enthralled as Kennedy impressed with his skilled intonation, speed and the effortlessness of his fingering and double-stopping.
With his own composition, Fallen Forest, there was light fingered guitar work over the soft drum and bass which gave a lovely warmth to Kennedy’s sublime violin playing. It was simply magical.
It was a mesmerising evening and from the moment he came onto the stage, it was clear that he was set on having the most fun he could. His banter with the audience was full on as this wonderfully talented, but slightly eccentric Aston Villa supporter captivated this audience and held on to them for a little over two hours.