Trio at Royal Albert Hall

From the South Wales Argus, first published Friday 29th Jul 2005.

LOCAL band One String Loose are on their way to becoming something of an institution.

The three piece - two from Caldicot - are getting ready for their biggest gig yet - at London's Albert Hall.

They bagged the prestigious slot at the National Festival of Music for Youth in Birmingham, where they were rated outstanding by judges. The trio are at the top of their game musically, with all three being virtuoso players.

The band is made up of Jack Stewart, 13, Scott McKeon, 18, both from Caldicot, and Joe Brady, 13, from Weston-Super-Mare.

They play a mixture of traditional Irish music and their own compositions. They also won an Outstanding New Composition accolade at the festival. In the past months they have gained awards both at the festival and the Battle of the Bands competition held at the Riverfront, Newport.

Despite being the only non-rock band present, they managed an impressive second place.

One String Loose started three years ago, fitting practices in around school and college.

And their dedication and talent has ensured they're being noticed across the country.

Judges at the National Festival said their performance was "quite breathtaking in its virtuosity and artistry".

Front man Scott, who has just finished his A-levels at Caldicot Comprehensive School, said he was "over the moon" at getting to play at the Albert Hall.

He said: "I still can't believe it, it hasn't sunk in yet. I'm excited because of the history of the place, knowing how many people have played there. We never seem to suffer from nervousness before shows, because we have too much fun. We just get up on the stage and have a laugh."

He added he enjoys playing Irish music more than other types, saying: "I like it because of the speed you can play at - it's much quicker.

"It's not about reading music off a page, it's about enjoyment and the freedom of the music."

The band will be playing at the Albert Hall on November 7. If you want to catch them before, they are playing the Gwyl Pontardawe Festival on August 20, and at the Cardiff International Celtic Festival on September 2-4. To find out more go to www.onestringloose.co

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