Dervish – Pavilion Theatre – Celtic Connections – February 1, 2025

Dervish came on stage to a rapturous reception that never diminished throughout the evening’s entertainment.

I use the word ‘entertainment’ advisedly as Cathy Jordan showed herself a mistress of stagecraft with a stream of witty banter that had the auditorium in stitches.

Around the banter, there was an alternation of skilfully performed sets of reels and jigs (that had many a foot tapping) with songs performed by Cathy, by a succession of celebrity guests, and by both together.

The guests included the legendary Moya Brennan – founder member of Clannad as well as having her own successful solo career, Atlanta’s pride and joy The Indigo Girls, and, for the home crowd, Glasgow’s Eddi Reader plus that voice that seems so central to Celtic Connections, North Uist’s own Julie Fowlis – who was, as she always is, wonderful.

The show was billed as celebrating Dervish’s 2019 album The Great Irish Song Book, which featured a host of celebrity singers including Steve Earle, Kate Rusby, and Rhiannon Giddens. I was rather hoping that Rhiannon Giddens – whose own excellent concert I had attended earlier in the Festival – would make a surprise appearance to repeat her role on the album, but, alas, it was not to be.

The title of the concert proved to be a bit of a misnomer as the guests generally performed from their own repertoire – which meant that rather than the entire album, only a representative selection was performed.

Not that that bothered the audience who cheerfully joined in whenever appropriate. Indeed, the crowd formed a mighty choir towards the end for The Galway Shawl, the finale Molly Malone (followed by a standing ovation), and, for the encore, The Parting Glass.

The crowd, well warmed-up, headed happily home.

BOB LESLIE