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By Mark Espiner, Evening Standard, Mon 30 Mar 2007
(Web link)

JULIE FOWLIS , Union Chapel, London, 29th Mar 2007
***** (5 stars)

SPELLBINDING MAGIC OUT OF THIN AIR

There are some voices that carry much more than a melody. They transport you to another place, give you goose flesh and make magic out of thin air. Julie Fowlis has just such a voice - and last night the Scottish singer left her audience spellbound with her supreme vocal talent.

Since taking the folk singer of the year prize at this year's BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards she has put out a fine record, Cuilidh, which she drew on for last night's show and filled the cavernous Union chapel with Gaelic ballads from her homeland - the outer Hebrides.

The rapt audience might not have understood the language, but there was no mistaking the power of her voice nor the astounding musicianship of her band.

Fiddle, guitar, whistles and bouzouki provided a note-perfect backing that was on the button for the syncopated rhythms and rapid-fire tempo changes.

Her witty song introductions ("This is a song about a man who likes potatoes, butter and women - but doesn't say in what order") set the audience at ease before she launched into delicate arrangements and at one show-stopping moment a powerful solo that rose to the rafters and seemed to have the auditorium itself catching its breath.

This brilliant performance was made the more exquisite by her seeming unawareness of her virtuousic talent. Unpretentious, committed, musical and on the cusp of greatness - it doesn't come much better than this.