Around the World in 40 Songs

Nectar Desserts

August 2, 2010

How pleasant. How quaint. Colin Godbout is an optimist at heart, who sees the wonder and harmony in the world. That, and he plays guitar like a Buddhist god. Softly narrated, Godbout takes you on a tour of world songs from fluttering Japanese ballads, East Indian plucks, Russian gypsy songs, and Scottish folk tunes.

Not quite a proper fringe show, Around the World is more like a relaxed break from the frantic frenzy of venue hopping and crazy antics. It’s at Nectar Desserts, so you can grab a coffee, have some sweets, and settle down for some captivatingly skilled acoustic guitarwork before a late show. He scrapes, slaps, and flicks the strings with dizzying speed, and the styles blend together seamlessly.

To spice things up, Godbout modifies his guitar with tin foil to simulate a sitar buzz, or sticks a straw in it for a thicker sound. The only misstep is his occasional addition of sound effects, which is infrequent but cheapening to the moodscape he creates.

Some songs are Godbout’s own, and others are standards, but they blend into various medleys and genres, from classical pieces like The Blue Danube, to Paris jazz standards, country folk songs, and what he himself calls ‘impressionist blues’. Soon enough, you stop trying to pinpoint every song, and just settle into his flow. Great for some Fringe downtime.