“Another year, another edition of Strummin’, and this time round we’ll fit 80 guitarists on one stage,” read the opening line from the programme for this year’s edition of the popular concert.

An annual fixture on the local cultural calendar, this philanthropic event was first staged by the Żgħażagħ Ħaddiema Nsara (ŻĦN) 12 years ago and has grown bigger and better with every edition since. This year’s, in particular, hit a new high, featuring the concert’s biggest ever number of guitarists and reaching a very high standard, offering a variety of performances.

The concept of staging a concert with many musicians and several guest singers isn’t particularly new to Malta. It’s a must for each production of this sort to have an edge that will enhance its appeal to the masses and give it its own character. In the case of Strummin’, this is effectively rooted in the vibrant spectacle that having a mass guitar ensemble – colourfully kitted out for added impact – fill up the stage projects, both visually and musically.

It is a characteristic that has certainly proved successful, as the packed-out venue on the night clearly attests. Interestingly, the audience on the night was a rather mixed lot, spanning several generations whose collective musical preferences were surely as diverse as the songs that were to be performed later that night.

The concert started with the core band and backing vocalists dishing out an Earth, Wind & Fire medley, as the guitarists slowly filed out on stage and found their places. It was an appropriate pick to start with, given this year’s theme was The Elements, and one that injected the air with an uplifting vibe that lasted all evening, boosted also by the presence and antics of presenters Luke Dalli and Pawlu Borg Bonaci. I must say this dynamic duo did a splendid job of entertaining the audience, while keeping the concert’s principal focus – the music, and supporting Hospice Malta, which was this year’s beneficiary of the Strummin’ initiative – in check.

The musical aspect of the show was an eclectic, yet fascinating, selection that stretched far and wide in picking tunes that bore some connection to the concert’s theme. Gianluca Bezzina’s rendition of Coldplay’s Every Teardrop is a Waterfall, for example, supplied the liquid element that complemented the aforementioned Earth, Wind and Fire, as did Have You Ever Seen the Rain, sung by Nathalie Pace. One thing that was immediately obvious by the third song, a very eloquent take on Norah Jones’s Sunrise by Maria Cuschieri, is that just as the guitar ensemble involved newcomers as well as experienced guitarists, so did the choice of vocalists.

It was a pleasure to see and hear several new voices that hold such promise, and certainly a feather in the cap of Strummin’ for providing such opportunities for new talent to be discovered. The opportunity to shine was also there for those guitarists who were given a chance to step forward and play a solo on some of the songs. Admittedly, there were some who sounded a bit nervous. But on the whole, they mostly handled it well.

Soloists aside, I have to mention Cheyenne Xuereb – a name you will be hearing more of on the local scene for sure – who more than once swapped her acoustic guitar for a bass, and did an amazing job too.

The night was not without its standout moments, and the first of these was Cheryl Camilleri’s interpretation of Adele’s Set Fire to the Rain, which brought out the best of this young singer’s vocal range. What puzzles me is why she hasn’t yet broken through locally, although that can’t be far off, as she really is an amazing singer.

Bringing a touch of Italian to the concert, Jean Claude Vancell gave a bubbly rendition of Luca Carboni’s Mare Mare. This young singer-songwriter has already stepped out on his own on the Maltese music scene, and his confident performance reflects he is no novice.

In a different style and shade, Sean Borg and Deborah Vella’s Singing in the Rain was very entertaining and lively, as were the renditions of Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, and later on in the show, River Deep, Mountain High. Both songs were delivered by two female singers who added a touch of class to their respective performances.

And talking of female singers, Janice Debattista’s Kiss the Rain, was another highlight. An experienced singer, Debattista also shone alongside Vancell, Isabelle Camilleri and Matteo Depares later, when the quartet sang the classic Tramps number Xemx.

Just as the guitar ensemble involved newcomers as well as experienced guitarists, so did the choice of vocalists

Rock was also on the cards at this year’s Strummin’ and not only courtesy of the core band, namely Luke Grech, Joseph Axiak, Lesnich Vassallo, Matthias Mallia and Dean Montanaro, but also thanks to the presence of guest singer Kenneth Calleja. The latter sang the Scorpions’ Winds of Change (kudos to the chap with the flawless whistling here), while Daryl Ebejer did a fine job of the Guns ’n’ Roses epic November Rain.

Cream’s Sunshine of Your Love was left in the hands of Jodi Heckenlaible and Annemarie Mayo, with Alessia Micallef stepping forward to handle the song’s challenging guitar solo.

Towards the end – well, the official end before the encores, anyway, there were two great performances. The first was a duet featuring Benjamin Attard and Mark Anthony Bartolo, who gave an almost flawless interpretation of Michael Jackson’s Earth Song, and showcased their vocal abilities quite effectively.

The second was Mike Portelli’s take on AC/DC’s Thunderstruck, which provided an aptly rousing finale. I hadn’t seen Portelli in action for a while, but he has clearly lost none of his energy.

Although I’ve mainly mentioned the vocalists, I can’t leave out the splendid work done by way of arranging the songs for a strumming ensemble; perhaps not all songs lent themselves well to the scope in this regard, but they all certainly did keep everyone present entertained, and on many occasions, singing along.

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