Le Vent du Nord

On the hottest day of the year it was more warm air than north wind wafting through the marquee set up outside The Hawth – and Le Vent du Nord did nothing to cool things down. The multi-talented Québécois quartet played a sparklingly virtuosic set on a plethora of instruments – hurdy gurdy, fiddle, acoustic bass, guitar, bouzouki, accordions and feet – in styles ranging from unaccompanied four-part harmony singing to wild and slightly rock-infused trad – as well as probably the only protest fiddle tune in existence about the lack of ice hockey on TV. All this was accompanied by warm banter and translations of the French lyrics that alternately teased and charmed the audience.

The Hawth, Crawley, 1 August 2013

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