Flook - Reviews


Flook Live on stage
		for all enquiries regarding bookings for gigs etc. please contact Flook 33 Lemsford Road, St. Albans, Herts, AL1 3PP, UK Tel/ Fax: +44 1727 861209

Flook, St Martin's School, Essex **** The Independent: You write the reviews There is a real sense that this talented band is open to new ideas, and that while their music is rooted in personal experience, they have no inhibitions about tackling a range of themes.
Transcendent is a word that lends itself well to the music of the Anglo-Irish band Flook, who won the Best Group gong at the BBC Folk Awards in 2006. In an intimate concert for the sixth-formers of St Martin's School in Essex, the evocative musical talents of the band were well appreciated, as was their willingness to converse with the audience about their influences. The atmosphere was heavy with anticipation as the band arrived on stage. The opening song, "Wrong Foot Forward", from their latest album, Haven, firmly established the skill of the flute-players, Sarah Allen and Brian Finnegan (who achieved a perfect blend of pace	and delicacy), the fluidity of the woodwind players, and Ed Boyd's mellow acoustic guitar-playing, all set against against the timbre of John Joe Kelly on the bodhran (an Irish frame drum). The second set, consisting of jigs, took inspiration from this close-knit band's travels, encompassing elements of traditional Irish folk in songs such as "The Mist on the Mountain". Finnegan poignantly dedicated "The Last of the Stars" to his late grandmother – his technique in this lyrical piece could not be faulted, and neither could his emotional sincerity. John Joe Kelly, renowned as one of the world's best players of the	bodhran, excelled in his solo, providing a driving, rhythmic escapade that engaged the audience. He managed to subvert preconceptions of the genre and strike a chord with the crowd. There is a real sense that this talented band is open to new ideas, and that while their music is rooted in personal experience, they have no inhibitions about tackling a range of themes. That they continue to accumulate fans and accolades is no "flook". Reviewed by Jessie Bland sixth-form student, Basildon Thursday, 20 March 2008

Flook: Celtic Connections 2008 ***** They turned a dreary January night into a sunny, celtic carnival.
This was my second live experience of Flook and just as I did the first time I saw them, I left the venue feeling uplifted and full of admiration. The scale of talent on stage was enough to inspire any young musician. The energetic whistling of Brian Finnegan and Sarah Allen fitted together so well that it was like listening to one flute player with two mouths! Seriously. Plus it was entertaining for the eye when Allen played suspended on one leg. I’m not sure if this was a quirky habit or just a strange necessity in order to produce such a great sound. Who knows? But let’s not forget Ed Boyd (Guitar) and the irrepressible John Joe Kelly (Bodhran) without whom, the masses of dancers gathered at the back of the ABC Venue would have had no rhythm to jig and reel to.	The improvised percussion solo of Kelly and guest Seckou Keita from Senegal was truly breathtaking and I sat wishing it would never end. However, when the rest of the big band stormed back in to the original tune, the endorphins went into overdrive and the body involuntarily bobbed and swayed. Undoubtedly the presence of the ‘Flook Big Band’ gave the ears an extra special treat. Colin Farrell, not from Hollywood but Manchester, played a devilish fiddle and Ewan Vernal provided acute Double Bass to truly enrich the overall sound. Also, brave is what I’d call any man who partners John Joe Kelly on Percussion, but Keita was outstanding. And the understated Padraig Rynne on Concertina and Damien O’Kane on Banjo, both stepped up to the fore with great melodies that gave a variety that spoiled the listening hordes.	The fact that Flook can get the majority of a stern British audience up on their feet (or if you’re like me, feel incredibly guilty about staying in my seat) is a triumph that only the truly memorable live bands can achieve. I wanted twenty encores and the whole world to experience this gig. They turned a dreary January night into a sunny, celtic carnival. I don’t care who you are, see Flook before you die and you’ll feel you’ve achieved in life! Review by Frank Burkitt www.gardensessions.co.uk

Flook **** ABC, Glasgow Almost a year to the day since Flook last performed in Glasgow, this dazzlingly prolific outfit still merited a standing ovation.
In a band, as in a marriage, things can get a little predictable when you've been holed up together for 12 years. The occasional spat (over set-lists), the arrival of a baby (flautist Sarah Allen is now a proud mother), plus the routine of seeing each other every day (the slog of constant touring) can often lead to indifference. But one thing you can't say Flook have lost during their long career together is passion. Right from the word go, the Anglo-Irish folk quartet jigged, marched, waltzed and even discoed their way through a merry set that, entertaining as it was, wasn't without its flaws.	"Too much fannying about" (as one Glaswegian punter put it) between tunes sapped momentum, and a chilly temperature at this Celtic Connections concert didn't help, either. But these were the only major drawbacks. The cosmic interplay between Sarah Allen's flute and Brian Finnegan's whistle ping-ponged over the heads of Ed Boyd's raucously rhythmic guitar and John-Joe Kelly's booming bodhran with magical impact. Boyd later cajoled the audience into accompanying them by making trombone noises, with mixed	results; and in The Sleeping Tortoise (where all of Flook's special guests combined to fine instrumental effect), we discovered Allen's favourite yoga position. The highlight was the percussive face-off between Kelly and Senegal's Seckou Keita – a Celtic-African exhibition of flawless skin-smacking ability. Almost a year to the day since Flook last performed in Glasgow, this dazzlingly prolific outfit still merited a standing ovation. BARRY GORDON

Colchester Arts Centre Monday 5th June Flook play the music of dreams, half-heard, half-known and they make it a very definite reality.
CONTEMPORARY beats took Colchester Folk Club to a new dimension last night with the arrival of the hugely-talented band Flook. Flook, voted best band in this year's BBC Folk Awards, melded traditional folk tunes and instruments with modern percussive arrangements, creating a thoroughly modern music which is at the same time, rooted well in the past. The twin flutes of Brian Finnegan and Sarah Allen took on the roles of bass and melody, and the guitar of Ed Boyd added rhythm to the chasing tunes and reels which Flook revel in.	But the star of the show was bodhran player John Joe Kelly, providing an astonishing range of sounds from one simple instrument, creating beats that would have been at home in any pop single. The music of Flook is very hard to pin down, sounding more like a free-flowing jamming session rather than a structured show. But it is this unrestrained element in the music of Flook which draws their audiences in, creating a trance-like state in a listener. More than once, as a piece of excellently-performed music ended, the crowd at the	Arts Centre really did blink, shake their heads and remember to draw breath. This effect is even more remarkable, when you take on board the sheer energy which the musicians infuse into their set, creating an evening which is lively, yet relaxing. Flook play the music of dreams, half-heard, half-known and they make it a very definite reality. GLEN OLDERSHAW Colchester Evening Gazette With thanks to Elaine Barker Colchester Folk Club

Flensburger Tageblatt „Flook“ and flute tones How is it possible to kindle such a precise and differentiated drum-fire only by the use of a hand drum and a stick?
The quartet Flook, recently awarded as best British folk band 2006, delighted the audience of roughly 250 people at the Waldorf school with traditional music from Britain. Flensburg - It already starts after the first few bars: the left foot gently slides backwards, the knee bends, the foot slowly lifts, pushes forward and finally gets clasped above the right knee. This way Sarah Allen would stand bolt upright on one foot without even slightly waggling – but just when she is playing the flute. We do not know whether she copies the great virtuoso Ian Anderson from Jethro Tull. But since Thursday night we do know that she definitely does not need to hide behind the wild Rock	dervish. Sarah Allen together with Brian Finnegan builds Flooks flute-wing: On the far left the blond fuzzy head Allen, strapless even in February, with the bulky Alto transverse flute; on the far right the bald Finnegan from Northern Ireland with the whistle. The two of them build a congenial couple in which Sarah Allen often represents the softer counterpoint to the higher esteemed whistle. The choice of instruments used is one of the specialities of the award-winning band, which already for years belongs to the innovative forces that develop British folk. No fiddle, no banjo and, above all no chant: Flook solely stresses the fascination of flute tones, Ed Boyds (guitar) precise rhythmic work and John Joe Kelly who already has been entitled to be Britains best	Bodhran player. His solo part set the audience in pure astonishment: How is it possible to kindle such a precise and differentiated drum-fire only by the use of a hand drum and a stick? Flook mainly performed Jigs and Reels which are traditional dance pieces. Nevertheless, performed in a very modern style and technically on an immense high standard. The audience was full of fanciers who knew how to appreciate their music. Those how came as layman, however, may have experienced the music as a little monotonous because of the confined choice of instruments. Translated by Kerstin Bellmann from the original German (click here for original)

Flook/Luar Na Lubre **** The Arches, Glasgow Tue 31 Jan 2006 ... their customary miracles of aural acrobatics ...
THE Celtic sounds of north-west Spain have been a vital strand in Celtic Connections' programming since its inception. The Galician nine-piece Luar Na Lubre were the latest new arrivals, but failed to match the standards previously set by compatriots like Carlos Núñez, Susana Seivane and Berrogüetto. With a line-up including fiddle, accordion, flute, gaita (Galician bagpipes), guitar, bass, bouzouki, percussion and vocals, their mix of traditional and original material was tight and proficient enough, but suffered from poor sound	separation and a dearth of dynamic contrast. Overall, too, it simply lacked that extra spark of originality or oomph that's needed to shine at this festival. Ace Anglo/Irish posse Flook alternated tracks from their superb new album Haven with older favourites such as the showpiece medley Flutopia, Sarah Allen and Brian Finnegan worked their customary miracles of aural acrobatics on flutes and whistles, powered and counterpointed by the precision-honed rhythms of	guitarist Ed Boyd and John Joe Kelly on bodhrán. Kelly's breathtaking solo workout may be a longstanding fixture of Flook's gigs, but he somehow succeeds in outdoing himself each time, while Saturday's show also featured a memorably manic yet moving finale, with Highland piper Ross Ainslie joining the band for the late Gordon Duncan's tune, Pressed for Time.

Folk on Tap January -March 06 Playing at Wimborne Folk Festival, 2005 When four musical maestros combine there is enchantment indeed!
... and then it was the turn of Flook. My, oh my! How can they keep getting better when they are already perfect? I suppose it must just be me each time, forgetting how superior and outstanding this band is. Charismatic, exceptional musicianship, some hilarious stories drawing in their audience, they're true entertainers - and the interplay between those flutes! Wow!! Why do I hear those flutes	and think of magic? And why do I look at Sarah Allen and think of a little pixie princess? As she stands there foot tapping (at least 6 inches off the floor), then swinging her leg as it finally comes to rest on her right knee! How can she stand for so long on one leg like that? I find her quite fascinating and I wonder if she is giving signals to the rest of the band. Or is this just how she prefers to stand and play? And	then there's the marvellous soaring heights of Brian Finnegan's flute, the captivating rhythms of Ed Boyd's guitar and the sheer brilliance of the country's leading bodhran player, John Joe Kelly. When four musical maestros combine there is enchantment indeed! Sandy Satyanadhan

Flook at Lift Global Music Club, Glossop, Derbyshire, England (21 February 2004) "an exciting, funked-up four-piece British acoustic band that always impresses its audiences without fail"
For those that do not know them already, Flook is an exciting, funked-up four-piece British acoustic band that always impresses its audiences without fail. Combine this expectation with a hip and happening venue like the Globe and you are guaranteed an explosive gig. The small room at the pub was absolutely packed to capacity and the band warmed to the atmosphere from the outset. It is a music club which does not seem to rush things unnecessarily -- hence Flook only came on at 9.45 p.m. (finishing at 12.15 a.m.) after an excellent support set from three young musicians from Matlock. The band was straight into its upbeat stride from the opening "Beehive" -- one of a range of exciting numbers from their latest album Rubai (2002). John Joe Kelly, world renowned bodhran player, and Ed Boyd, guitarist, were clearly up for this gig from the outset as were fellow band members Sarah Allen, flutes and accordion, and Brian Finnegan, flutes and whistles. This opener was met with a huge cheer from the audience. An impressive feature of the band is the startling interplay between Allen's flutes and Finnegan's whistles, but Allen shows even further versatility by playing the accordion too on some numbers, as she did on a set of Donegal tunes during which she	seamlessly reverted to flute. There is always a lot of excitement surrounding Kelly when he is on stage and he was really belting it out during "Granny" -- one of the band's most popular sets. One of the highlights of the gig was an astonishing interpretation of former band member (now with Capercaillie) Michael McGoldrick's "Trip to Herve's," which he includes on his own Morning Rory album. The band showed great verve and virtuosity throughout this number. It was good to hear some new material too, including two tunes both intriguingly called "Wrong Foot Forward." The band's earlier album Flatfish was not forgotten either with the long and varied set "Flutopia." There was great hilarity during this number when Kelly momentarily dropped his beater in the heat of the moment. The band was impressed with the Glossop audience's willingness to engage with some encouraged "finger dancing" during another set -- there certainly was not any room for dancing of any other sort. The last slow tune of the night was "Glass Polska," which allowed Kelly a short breather off stage before his heroics at the conclusion of the gig. The pace picked up again with "Pod," in which Boyd included some new guitar embellishments, and "Larry."	The penultimate tune, Gordon Duncan's "Pressed for Time," is perhaps the epitome of the band at their best with flute and whistle balanced superbly by guitar and bodhran -- and with everything played at tremendous speed. The band finished the scheduled part of the gig with their trademark conclusion, "The Dub Reel" (another McGoldrick tune). After a tantalisingly slow introduction the band reached full tilt again before leaving the stage clear for Kelly's bodhran solo. Although I have seen this before, it is a most incredible sound and sight as he seems to strain every muscle and sinew to maximise the instrument's potential. The audience was spellbound throughout and frequent gasps of amazement were heard. After a huge reception, and congratulations to Kelly from the rest of the band, too, they returned to the stage to play Eb reels from Flatfish -- a very pleasing finale. The Lift's organisers are to be congratulated for bringing this increasingly popular band to such a modestly sized venue. I think next time they might have to find somewhere in Glossop with a rather larger capacity! Rambles written by Andy Jurgis published 13 March 2004

Flook at the National Centre for Early Music, York, England (23 February 2004) "their lyrical, often urgent and very expressive playing weaves magic"
The prospect of seeing Anglo-Irish acoustic band Flook live at the National Centre for Early Music was enough to tempt my daughter and I out on a bitterly cold night. Flook have won far too many awards for their immensely exuberant, vibrant live act, and this gig, played to a sell-out audience, gave the band a great opportunity to perform some new material, together with tunes from their award-winning albums Rubai and Flatfish. Many of Flook's gigs are sell-outs; they've built up a loyal, lively following through their frequent touring and their great rapport with their audience. The audience was hugely appreciative, and this was another great event sponsored by the Black Swan Folk Club of Peasholme Green, York. The band is 100 percent acoustic and comprises four inspired musicians: two enormously talented flute and whistle players, London-born Sarah Allen (alto flutes/piano accordion) and Armagh-born Brian Finnegan (flutes/whistles). Ed Boyd hails from Bath and is a craftsman on	the steel-strung guitar; and John Joe Kelly from Manchester is the undisputed maestro of the bodhran. Despite some irritating sound problems Monday, the band blasted its way through a superb set, including "Beehive," "Granny," "Trip to Herves," "Flutopia," "Pod" (inspired by an empty car roof-box!) and "Wrong Foot Forward." The interplay between these musicians is second-to-none. Finnegan and Allen have a superb mutual empathy -- their lyrical, often urgent and very expressive playing weaves magic, and it's fascinating to see Allen balanced on one leg, flamingo-like, as she plays alto flute! There were several undisputed highlights this evening, most sensational being John Joe's "Dub Reel" bodhran solo (when the rest of the band leaves the stage to allow the audience to focus 100 percent on Kelly), which must be seen to be believed -- it usually lasts at least 15 minutes. This is a player who uses his beater to hit every last centimetre of the bodhran	skin's surface, while moving his left hand against the skin to create an astonishing array of sounds and textures. Gasps of appreciation abound as he plays, and you could have heard a pin drop in York. Asked why Flook haven't yet recorded this brilliant track, Allen says nonchalantly; "Oh, it's a gig thing!" Whatever it is, it's brilliant. Other highlights included the incredible "Glass Polka," where Allen and Finnegan's breathing control was consummate, and Gordon Duncan's exhilarating "Pressed for Time," which was flung at us with breathtaking urgency. Live acoustic music at its best, and almost on my own doorstep! This was another excellent booking by the Black Swan Folk Club's Roland Walls. If it hadn't been for the sound hitches, it would have been perfect. Rambles written by Debbie Koritsas published 13 March 2004

If You've Got It, Flaut It KOMEDIA, BRIGHTON Thursday, February 26 2004 @ 08:51 AM GMT "Flook are good as a folk band, that's undeniable; but they become fantastic when they mess with the traditional formula, adding beats and effects to create a 21st century monster."
Flook are good as a folk band, that's undeniable; but they become fantastic when they mess with the traditional formula, adding beats and effects to create a 21st century monster. During their first set at Brighton's packed out Komedia, it was obvious that they were a band of confident professionals, able to play traditional music (f)lawlessly and with all the rambling stories, anecdotes and between songs banter you expect from wandering folkies. Using two flutes, bodhran and guitar the band played a downright funky set, with an occasional growling accordian and tin whistles adding extra textures to the sound. It was when they returned for a second set that things got really interesting, though. There had already been an undercurrent of something	unusual, and during the interval I compared them (to somewhat blank looks from my companion, it must be said) to Hawkwind and Ozric Tentacles. It was hard to say what led to the comparison - the way Sarah Allen's alto flute was playing basslines, that John Joe Kelly's Bodhran sounded like a full drumkit, the occasional aggression of Ed Boyd's guitar or frontman Brian Finnegan's elfish persona? But when they opened the second half, with a set of tunes titled Flutopia, it became obvious why I wasn't far of the mark. It was the way that, despite almost psychedelic excursions on recurring themes, the whole band kept locked onto a laser-guided goodtime groove. Suddenly, with digital effects and loops bouncing around the quadrophonic Komedia soundscape, Flook were inventing	something new. It seems obvious, really, that music created now should reference more than just traditional jigs, reels and laments; how could any musician not have noticed jazz, psychedelia, punk and dance along the way? But too many folk outfits are willing to just play old tunes old ways, and what make Flook great is that, acknowledging and interpreting these influences, they have used them to create a whole new sound. Flook come back this way on Saturday 28th February, for a gig at Crawley's Hawth Theatre. Try and be there. Dan Thompson RAG - Artists & Makers www.artistsandmakers.com

Flook ***** QUEEN’S HALL, EDINBURGH "Flook’s uniquely lean-and-hungry instrumental framework fills the air with dazzlingly intricate, marvellously mercurial formations of blown, plucked and struck sounds"
For artists and audiences alike, there’s an ideal creative interface between inspiration, technical rigour, and the sheer delight of uniting the two. You can see this in action as you watch Flook’s four members - flute/whistle players Sarah Allen and Brian Finnegan (Allen also on accordion), guitarist Ed Boyd and bodhrán player John Joe Kelly - interacting onstage. More to the point, you can hear it, as Flook’s uniquely lean-and-	hungry instrumental framework fills the air with dazzlingly intricate, marvellously mercurial formations of blown, plucked and struck sounds. This electrifying riot of colours and rhythms was drawn from a broad international palette. The resplendent fullness and diversity of Flook’s sound though, came as much from the players’ individual inventive prowess, be it the rich throaty warble and extraordinary percussive effects of	Allen’s alto flute, or Boyd’s ringing, finely-chiselled guitar strokes; Finnegan’s impossibly lissom, fluttering skeins of jazz-hued ornamentation, or the formidable tonal and textural compass of Kelly’s bodhrán work. Flook just keep on getting better. Sue Wilson 15 Dec 2003 The Scotsman

BBC FOLK AND ACOUSTIC WEBSITE FLOOK LIFT THE ROOF AT CLEETHORPES Cleethorpes Folk Festival 24th May 2003 "Intelligent, sophisticated, seriously good-vibe music. What more could you want?"
The onstage enjoyment is palpable as Sarah Allen, Brian Finnegan, Ed Boyd and John Joe Kelly blast through a tune set inspired by disastrous journeys; Ed's jazz chords in The Empty Pod have evolved into something even more spectacular since the version on their latest album Rubai. The audience in the Winter Gardens' wonderfully rococo hall has never heard the like, as Gordon Duncan's Pressed For Time fills the room with an incredibly fluid, light soundscape. I recall being dismayed way back when Michael McGoldrick quit the first Flook line-up but although the dynamic is different it's absolutely as exciting and original, especially with the permanent addition of John Joe Kelly - unequivocally	the best bodhran player in the known universe. With metronomic, off-the-wall guitarist Ed Boyd, the two make a driving underscore to flute, whistle and Sarah's accordion. Through slow airs and Hungarian tunes to their own brilliant compositions, the four exhibit a symbiotic relationship; sets start bang-on without count-ins, rhythms unknown to man are executed with quadruple precision. It's a joy to see Brian working the airspace between flute and microphone, moving with the grace of a dancer and eyeballing with Sarah, who stands on one leg (her trademark - what is it about metal flute players?), rock steady at the mic.	After a percussive spitty start from Sarah, Michael McGoldrick's Dub Reel gets syncopated brushes from John Joe, liquid input from Brian and delicately picked guitar from Ed; after scary gaps and a flying thrash, the others leave John Joe alone on stage for a long, rivetting solo. The relaxed onstage craic is also a treat as Ed sets a competition for the audience to guess what esoteric item he used in his B&B the previous night (answer: a hot water bottle). After the encore, Beehive, huge grins abound in the audience. Flook: intelligent, sophisticated, seriously good-vibe music. What more could you want? Mel McClellan - May 2003

Scotland on Sunday FOLK PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR 2002
IT COULD have been La Bottine Souriante's barnstorming concert at Celtic Connections, but it was the Edinburgh Folk Club appearance by the three men and one woman in Flook! that remains the musical memory of 2002. In this great English/Irish all-	instrumental outfit Jon Jo Kelly takes the humble Irish drum into another dimension; Ed Boyd's relaxed, swinging guitar is full of harmonic surprises; Sarah Allen's occasional accordion roots the tunes in the British Isles - and her flute playing is masterful. But the star of the show, if that can be said	of a band that is so superb in ensemble performance, is their virtuoso lead flute player and musical mystic, Ulsterman Brian Finnegan. Sunday, 22 December 2002 Norman Chalmers Scotland on Sunday

Belfast Open House Festival
Flook wins "Best Festival Gig" Award at Belfast's Open House Festival. This beautiful, unique to Flook award, showing the band, was made by Linda McCann

Rubai CD Launch Flook @ Spitz, Spitalfields Market, London Thursday 25th April, 2002 Running order: Beehive, Flutopia, Granny, Rosbeg, Pod, G.D.s, Glass, Herve's, Ballybrolly Jigs, Larry, Dub Reel, Eb Reels
There was a time (seems like only yesterday) when it was quite acceptable to invest your listening time on the likes of Fairport Convention and the Incredible String Band (and, yes, Jethro Tull) but, and this is the point, really, it was still OK to be completely besotted with Hendrix and Cream at the same time. Eclectic was a buzzword of sorts, and a certain type of musical sensibility reflected this, in spades. Down the years since then, things have got, well, safer. A friend put it to me like this the other day - that he'd rather spend time listening to something he knows he likes rather than risk wasting that time experimenting on something that might not hit the spot . Face it, the entire music industry is based on this premise. For a certain type of musical sensibility, though, there's something really exciting about venturing outside your comfort zone. It's a bit like going on safari after a ten year diet of seaside fish & chips and kiss-me-quick hats - you may see animals you think you recognise from the brochures but the whole experience is never quite as you expect; the skies, the sights, the lights, the sounds ... Ah, the sounds. We're not long-time Flook fans. We came upon them via a somewhat peripheral route (I fixed Sarah's Dad's computer) and saw the band play live for the first time only about a year ago. This is our third gig, and every gig is different, because every audience is different - Flook cross a lot of borders with their music, and it would do them a great disservice to try the easy pigeon-holing (and where would you put them, anyway?) ... Try this in any event - a nice juicy bit of controversy from an inveterate rock fan. Flook rock. Yes, really - Flook rock ... It's not so surprising a comment, really, and I suspect the London audience at the Spitz has known this for ages. The use of flutes in rock has diminished somewhat since Ian Anderson was in his pomp, (although fiddles seem to be enjoying something of a resurgence) but it's part of Flook's armoury to reach the parts that the standard guitar-bass-drums combos reach ... Amongst many, many other things ...	So what are they all about then, Flook? The CD database on the internet classifies Flook's glorious new CD Rubai as 'World' music, as distinct to the 'Folk' tag appended to its predecessor Flatfish. World music always suggests to me insistent primal rhythms fronted by whatever local melody-making tool comes to hand. Certainly John-Joe Kelly's bodhran playing falls firmly into the category of 'insistent'. I challenge anybody to experience John-Joe's extended bodhran solo on Dub Reel (particularly under the kind of coloured lightshow we had at Spitz) and not to react in exactly the same as we did - with stamping of feet, whoops of excitement, big wide grins and a communal willing the soloist on to the perfect climax ... Ed Boyd's guitars are not to be underestimated, either - he's solid as granite in Flook's engine room with a highly percussive rhythm guitar style which somehow manages to leave plenty of room for subtlety as well. The twelve-string made its concert debut tonight, we were told, which didn't exactly diminish the wall-of-sound potential. Against this backdrop the flutes (various) employed by Sarah Allen and Brian Finnegan dance and entwine with a powerful magic and tell you the story of your loves and your lives - the dance, the celebration, the loss, the grief - all human life is here. Anyone doubting the capacity of this music to move should listen to Brian's composition 'Suaimhneas Intinne' - the first movement of 'Rosbeg' - with Sarah in accompaniment on accordion. Then follow with the complex interplay of flutes on 'Pod' as the melody is tossed from one to another. Another thing. Humour is central to	Flook's body of work - from their endearing way of ascribing each new composition to an event in their personal life ('Pod', for example, refers to the occasion when one of those roof storage box was purchased for the car. Which was then driven the length of England only to discover that the key had been left behind. That sort of thing) - to Ed's invitation to the audience to provide a backing for 'Granny' by doing trombone impressions ... Anyway. Whatever Flook serve up, and it's not rock, but ... it's something I recognise that exists over in the rock genre as well. For that matter, it's probably in every genre - it's not exclusive. It is, I reckon, that buzz you get when the muse has grabbed the band and the result (the whole, of course, being greater than the sum of the individual parts) makes you want to leap up and down and wave your shirt in the air with the exhilaration of it all. But, look, this review isn't by any means intended to be an apology for liking Flook (for 'liking' read 'loving to bits'). It's a rare privilege to be in the same room as them when they're in full flow. Perhaps this can be summed up as follows ... It's a catharsis. A blessed release. It's the joy of witnessing a bunch of musicians so consummately talented that the playing stops being mechanical (you put your fingers here and the noise comes out here) and the music becomes an ethereal, ephemeral thing, rolling around the stage in can't-catch-me waves, bouncing from one willing channel to another. And in the space between the music the spirit that is the muse darts and weaves. The audience listens to the music; the musicians listen to the muse. And the music plays us all ... Words & pictures by JJ Arnold British Underground Rock Bands

tradmusic.com Celtic Spring Festival 2004, March 18th 2004 in Schaffhausen, Switzerland
After a short break the fantastic 4 piece acoustic band Flook came on stage, Sarah Allen on flutes and accordion, Brian Finnegan on whistles and flutes, Ed Boyd on guitar and last but not least John Joe Kelly on bodhrán. They played tunes from their two CDs Flatfish and Rubai as well as Michael McGoldrick’s Trip to Herve’s and some new material. The set-list: • The Beehive (Rubai) • Flutopia (Flatfish) • Rosbeg (Rubai) • Trip to Herve’s (Michael Mc Goldrick – Morning Rory) • Granny in the Attic (Rubai) • Wrong Foot Forward (NEW) • The Dub Reel (Michael McGoldrick) There has been so much written about this fantastic band, I think everyone has heard of their latest album “Rubai” or John Joe Kelly’s bodhrán solo on “The Dub Reel”. Rubai has been voted album of the year and Brian musician of the year on www.liveireland.com and in the Irish American News. John Joe’s solo is the highlight for all percussion fans and in my opinion Sarah is certainly one of the best flute players ever. Now add Ed’s splendid guitar playing and you understand why the band doesn’t stop touring all over the world. At the moment they are probably one of the most successful and demanded live bands in the field.	I have never seen Ian Anderson live on stage, but I’ve seen Sarah Allen and she is at least as brilliant. Sarah kind of beats the rhythm with her flute (e.g. Flutopia - it´s similar to slap tounging on a saxophone). Let me quote the sleeve note on their CD: Rubai, a four line poem, In perfect rhyme, Full of music, rhythm and breath. Sarah captures the audience with her brilliant performance, moving gracefully while playing the most beautiful tunes on her flute. During the whole gig she and Brian keep eye contact and you can but admire their perfect interplay. I never listened to anything so beautiful played by two wind instruments The whistles transform in Brian’s hands to instruments never heard before, no wonder he has been recently voted musician of the year. Ed Boyd is a fantastic guitarist, who plays brilliant rhythms and thus seems to compete with John Joe’s bodhrán. While Ed and Sarah play the rhythm, John Joe makes his bodhrán sing (it reminds me of African talking drums) – rhythm and breath again. These four brilliant musicians together on stage guarantee a night of hauntingly beautiful music, pure rhythm and fantastic musicianship. After their set the band came back	on stage under the frenetic clapping of the spellbound audience and invited the three members of Rogaire Dubh to join in for the encores. Sarah asked us whether we prefer a tune or a song and the audience answered unanimous roaring out loud “BOTH”. • A kiss in the morning early (Song) • Plevin Jig/Battering Ram/Trip to Pakistan/the Abbey reel (Tunes) The final tunes were played with so much passion and the 7 guys on the stage really enjoyed it. Alan Burke and Ed Boyd were seen to be jamming along while playing the most stunning guitar riffs and the audience as well used the free space next to the stage to dance along. It was such a blast I’m still captured by those vibes and keep flying on a musical carpet as soon as I listen to my new Flook CDs. Finally I’d like to thank Dietmar “Hasi” Haslinger from www.weltenklang.at for adding two Swiss venues to the Austrian Celtic Spring Festival 2004. Adolf Goriup adult trainer Switzerland

Flook @ Edinburgh Folk Club, The Pleasance Wednesday 8th May 2002
Flook played to a full house at the Edinburgh folk as part of their UK tour promoting their new album Rubai. Anyone not already a Flook fan would surely have been impressed by this highly polished performance. The first half highlight for me was a new set called "Granny", which included two catchy Sarah Allen compositions. For this set Ed Boyd had the audience recreating vocally blast for blast the trombone riff from the album. A happy, chunky guitar and bodhran groove set the scene for the self-penned melody which lilted as you would perhaps whistle to yourself down a sunny country lane. Seamlessly the groove lifted and another of Sarah’s tunes skipped along, gaining momentum and another slick gear change into the last tune propelled the set to its satisfying conclusion. The crowd roared its approval.	Flook played three more sets in the first half, including a well-matched Scots-Breton medley with effective accordion touches and finishing strongly with the signature Flook piece, "Trip to Herves" which showed off Brian’s virtuoso playing. The second half began with a tune familiar to myself, the Asturian "Muniera de Casu" which was successfully teamed with several other melodies from disparate traditions. This was a great set, which built steadily holding the audience's attention and delivering a climax with the whole band going full tilt. Other highlights included two new sets; 'Pod' and 'Larry' and the last set, a show-stopper including a John-Joe special bodhran solo. The slow sets contrasted nicely and despite the party atmosphere, the audience listened attentively.	The variety of material and great musicianship, along with relaxed on stage banter, clearly won over the crowd and it was telling for me that I only noticed later that there had been no singing. This had been no session on stage and the controlled and inventive interplay between Ed Boyle’s guitar and John-Joe’s bodhran set up an impressive array of solid backdrops over which the catchy and beautifully played tunes of Sarah Allen and Brian Finnegan’s flutes and whistles could soar without fear. It was an assured and slick performance from all four members and you can catch them up till July 15th – check the Flook web pages for details. Reviewed by Simon Bradley BBC Scotland Celtic Roots

Flook @ The Ben Mhor Hotel
"... Flook had to contend with even warmer conditions in their late-night concert at the Ben Mhor Hotel, but triumphed over adversity in typically exciting fashion.	Their justified reputation as a high-energy live band does scant justice to their subtle and intricate arrangements, and their imaginative use of contrasting instrumental voices."	The Scotsman Tue 14 May 2002