Write a commentPopular acoustic duo Noctambule keep going up in the world. For Iúr Cinn Fleadh they played above Newry’s rooftops with their car park gig on Buttercrane’s Level 7. This Friday (20th September) they take their trad-with-a-twist to the lofty banqueting room of Bagenal’s Castle for Culture Night.
French for 'night-owl', Noctambule are Marla Fibish and Bruce Victor. There will be no admission fee for their concert in the historic setting of Newry and Mourne Museum, which starts at 7pm.
And that’s not all. Just before Culture Night, this hard-working couple will play at Rostrevor sessions in The Corner House from 10pm on Tuesday and Crawford’s Bar from 8.30pm on Wednesday – as well as two daytime sets at Synge and Byrne in Kilbroney Forest Park from 11.30am and 2pm on Thursday (19th September).
They've already won hearts not just at Iúr Cinn Fleadh, but also at the Gerry Whelan Memorial Weekend and Spirit Store, Dundalk, on this, their second Ireland tour. Marla and Bruce delighted local audiences last year when they launched their album A Sweetish Tune on their first ever tour of this island.
Noctambule play a variety of musical forms - traditional Irish tunes, their own compositions in a traditional vein, and compelling settings of a broad range of poetry. This unique collaboration brings out surprising qualities in these seasoned musicians. Their work is rendered with sensitivity and humour on an unusual array of strings - different guitars in varied tunings, mandola, mandolin, cittern, tenor guitar - and their blended voices.
Bruce and Marla take their audiences on a journey. Their love of traditional music shines through as they wrap you in their well crafted songs. They're warm-hearted and funny, too!
Reviewers have portrayed their work with descriptions such as - 'irregular phrases, unpredictable meters and strangely beautiful harmonies'; 'glittering musical imaginations grounded in joyful glorious experience' and simply, 'folk music at its best - hand made, without a template'.
Marla is a prominent voice of the mandolin in Irish music. She brings a deep and distinctive sensibility on one of its lesser heard instruments. Marla has also just recorded a new solo album which has been produced in Dundalk.
Bruce is an eclectic and accomplished guitarist and composer, who plays different guitars in different tunings. Seemingly resisting any single musical genre, he's been labelled a 'poly-stylist' by one of the editors of Acoustic Guitar magazine.
A Noctambule experience is like no other.
