We at Bluesbunny, with our love of vinyl and all, could easily be accused of turning our nose up at the mere mention of convergence. With that in mind, we took great pleasure in hearing a DVD release from Scottish folk stalwarts, the Battlefield Band, who have represented Scottish music with pride for over thirty years.
At a time when national pride extends no further than the national side's relative prosperity, the Battlefield Band are a potent reminder of the true beauty of Scotland. An array of sets, packed with fiddle and bagpipes, are sure to rekindle in any man with a modicum of Scots blood in him a sense of pride in his forefathers. This showing, to those still unfamiliar with the Battlefield Band, will surely be incredibly moving.
Time has seemingly done little to alter the importance of this band who have done their bit to remind the world of Scotland's true beauty. There's nothing offensive here but reminders of what it is to be Scottish. "Forward with Scotland's Past" goes their slogan, after all. The cinematography of this performance is at times irritating - the fans want to see the band in action not in slow motion - but that is one small misgiving with an otherwise delightful performance. But then, who buys a music DVD for its camera work? You either like it or you don't!
In its umpteenth line-up, the Battlefield Band are still as relevant as in times before, and this DVD proves their indubitable worth to Scotland as a nation, and to world music as a whole.