Blueflint are an Edinburgh-based five-piece whose Americana music, alongside their popularity and professionalism, has prompted The Proclaimers to ask them to support them on tour later this year.
The evening was their only Fringe performance. In their set they played upbeat country songs and slower, darker, more melancholic tunes. Their original songs stayed close to the country genre with lyrics that ranged from depression and heartbreak through to devastating tales of displacement.
The band’s lineup consists of two female vocalists, both with banjos, a double bass player, a drummer whose snare gave a subtle beat to the performance, and a violin player. The violinist added flair to the occasion with the addition of an occasional impressive solo.
Their songs were heartfelt reflections of the songwriters’ lives, with love songs said to be based on personal experience adding a sentiment to the lyrics that was almost profound.
Whilst their musicianship was strong, their performance lacked any movement. If they had been more active, perhaps the audience members might have broken from their statuesque positions and produced a smile. Their music was also very conservative and lacked any experimental, improvisational edge. Their talent is plain to see; maybe on a different night they might stir up real emotion in the crowd and each other.
