Stirring and thought-provoking songs for our time
The second night of the inaugural Soundhouse Winter Festival opened with an inspirational performance from Edinburgh-based pianist Victoria Hume, accompanied by her collaborator Chris Letcher.
Deep within the subterranean and dimly-lit depths of the Traverse Theatre, the small but appreciative crowd was treated to a rendition of this year’s album “Radical Abundance”. A succinct album of nine songs, funded by Creative Scotland and takes inspiration from principles of degrowth and the potential of a post-capitalist world as proffered by “Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World” by Jason Hickel. Rounding out the set, was a further five songs, from previous work. Inspiration is taken from all manner of sources, from the previous Conservative governments, through to cultural shifts, plastic tat, Peterborough train station, and a mining town in Australia.
The songs are simultaneously ethereal in composition, but the lyrics are deeply grounded (I know, I know, but bear with me here). With folky roots, we’re spoken to, without preaching or superiority, with songs that are acutely observational but retain a lightness of touch, and an otherworldly air. Words that your heart wants to hear, but you hadn’t realised until now.
Victoria was accompanied on a variety of guitars, keyboard and piano by her collaborator Chris Letcher. The accompaniment added an extra dimension to Victoria’s playing and singing, effortlessly intertwining. In one touching moment, they played the same piano, with Victoria standing by Chris’ shoulder, and striking a low refrain, alongside his playing.
Between songs, Victoria addressed the listeners warmly, sharing various anecdotes and inspirations in a friendly and conspiratorial manner. This intimacy made it feel like we could be transported to any venue, or even just sitting in her living room, and we would still be richly rewarded for what we have heard. As part of this open dialogue, Victoria apologised for omitting a few songs due to a lingering cold, however, this didn’t impede the audience’s enjoyment, and any unintended extra throatiness only added to the texture of her performance.
My group chats are always the first to know when I’ve seen something extraordinary – and tonight I started messaging people from the bus home, spreading the word about this performance. So consider this review an extension of my group chat – you really need to listen to “Radical Abundance”, and anything else from Victoria that you can get your hands on. The Soundhouse Winter Festival, a new 5-day music festival in Edinburgh, runs from 28 November until 02 December 2024. Produced by the Soundhouse Organisation, it incorporates performances by some of the very best musicians from Scotland, showcasing some of the most exciting newcomers, and offers a full programme of workshops over this weekend.