FRINGE REVIEW: FLAMENCO GUITAR ODYSSEY WITH PHILIP ADIE

Rosie Morton reviews Philip Adie’s Flamenco Guitar Odyssey. 

ONE man and his guitar. Amidst the madness of The Fringe, it pays to keep things simple.

Aberdeen-born Philip Adie, who now lives in Seville, did just that with his ‘Flamenco Guitar Odyssey’. Taking to the stage in Alba Flamenca, an intimate venue on East Crosscauseway, Adie transported his audience to the birthplace of flamenco: Andalusia.

Sat under a spotlight, Adie modestly introduced himself and began a performance that (within minutes) became one of my all-time favourites of The Fringe.

My own fascination for the colourful cultures, traditions and people of Spain was born of my Modern Languages studies at university. But the universal language of music is even more powerful than the spoken word. Adie’s passion for his adopted home, which he conveys through sensational musicianship, can be appreciated no matter what your mother tongue.

Adie, who studied under flamenco master Paco Peña, began by playing the lyrical ‘minera’ – a style of flamenco related to songs that were once intended for working in the mines. This was followed by the beautiful guajira, a Cuban-influenced flamenco form. Perhaps my favourite though was a passionate, poetic piece called Tango de Alanís that laments the loss of wolves in Andalusia. He continued to play a complex mix of trémolos, golpes and rasgueados with such dexterity that his fingers were a blur.

It’s always a privilege to watch someone who is a master of their craft. To me, the whole joy of The Fringe comes in the exploration of small venues that are playing host to talents like Adie. His musicianship – which he has honed while performing for over two decades in Spain – is a love letter to Andalusia. His audience was caught up in the beauty of this stripped-back performance.

4.5 STARS

Find out more about Philip Adie HERE. 

Read more reviews on Scottish Field’s Fringe pages.

Plus, don’t miss the September issue of Scottish Field magazine.

Aberdeen’s Philip Adie studied under flamenco master Paco Peña. [Credit: Gracia Gata]