For nearly 15 years now, the three members of The Langan Band have been carving out their own lawless, virtuosic path of sound, rampaging through the boundaries of conventional genre and cavorting into the territories of wild abandon, purest intimacy, and unconditional musical elation.
The trio initially bonded over a deep respect for traditional song and music. Yet, they discovered a mutual love of the evisceration and regeneration of these pieces into provocative and fascinating new compositions, as was recognised by the band winning the prestigious Danny Kyle Award at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections Festival at the start of their journey together. This sound and process informed the band’s now mostly original repertoire, resulting in a musical experience quite unlike any other.
Centre stage is Ayrshire-born John Langan, seated on an explosive foot percussion rig of his own devising and fronting the trio with intricate fiery guitar rhythms and witheringly sweet and scathing vocals. To his right stands Alastair Caplin, a classically trained violinist who is equally discerning in both the London Prog-Folk/Jazz scenes he has been a part of for years and the blistering traditional reels and jigs of his native Outer Hebrides. Stage left is the domain of Angus-born Dave Tunstall and his double bass—from here emanates a seductive concoction of eerily bowed soundscapes, heart-stopping bass lines. In conjunction with Caplin’s blurred bowing, it creates a truly monumental wall of orchestral noise.
The trio’s sound reaches its zenith when these instruments blend with their three voices singing together in razor-tight harmony to create an absolute cacophony of joy.
Whilst it is possible to see the evidence of influences the band has drawn on and enjoyed (Trad. Scots music, Eastern European Gypsy, Progressive Jazz, and American Old-Time, to name a few), the true nature of The Langan Band sound is best described as “…un-pigeon-holeable, yet utterly irresistible.”
