Talisk play fast and furious Folk with the energy of a Rockabilly band. Think of the Pogues without a vocalist. It is a rousing ceilidh with wild dancing, good music and great company.
Presented by the Auckland Arts Festival 2025.
They come from Glasgow, Scotland which is a cultural hub and an artistic centre. The band was founded by concertina player Mohsen Amini and a bunch of mates who liked to jam in local pubs.
Talisk always play as a trio and current incumbents are Benedict Morris fiddle, and Charlie Galloway guitar.
No surprise about the name, Talisker whiskey is from a famous distillery on the Isle of Skye. Many people in traditional Scottish kilts are milling about as we await the start.
This is the band’s first Australasian tour which included an appearance at the WOMAD New Plymouth festival a few days ago.
They come with a growing reputation amongst the traditional Folk scene in the UK. Amini, when asked to describe their music in a recent Rolling Stone interview, offered absolutely fucking banging.
They kick off with fast reels from the fiddle and concertina. At times they harmonise, at others they take breaks as in Bluegrass tradition.
The guitar generally lays down the rhythm anchor.
Drum percussion effects from foot pedals. They can reproduce deep bass drops like Drum’n’Bass.
First few tunes and it’s all meshed riffing, evened out by quiet bridge pauses to gather breath.
The joint was rockin’/ Going ‘round and ‘round.
They vary the break-neck pace with a few quieter melodic tunes.
A finger-picked melodic intro, the concertina is lamenting, and a keening drone from the fiddle. On the hillside picking wild mountain thyme amongst the heather.
At one time we hear heavy electronic effects. This must come from the gadget box in front of the guitar. The fiddle is skirling on top of what is essentially rolling thunder.
Help us oot! Amini requests of the audience. All we need to learn are simple chants. Drone rhythms and percussion like tribal Indian bajans.
A shout-out for Glasgow. Many respond from the floor. Then the fiddle weeps, until the sunshine breaks out like a blessing.
Coming back for their encore, the big stadium sound with deep bass drops.
Remarkably, Talisk reproduce all this live on stage. A monumental sound and of course, they do promise to return.
Rev. Orange Peel