Star rating: ****
The Proclaimers playing at the top of Leith Walk is one of life's few sure things. Beneath a huge Hibs banner hanging from the balcony, they were 5-0 up even before they kicked into New Religion, from their excellent recent album Life With You. The twins aren't performers by any stretch of the imagination. They have an unflashy, stand-up-and-sing-'em-out ethos that harks back to Merle Haggard or the Everly Brothers, but the fact that their charisma is on a low flame is, you suspect, the whole point: their utter lack of rock star otherness is a major part of the appeal.
At the Playhouse, the twins lead a well-drilled, quietly versatile six-piece band into a set of songs that stirred the audience to the point of combustion: On My Way, Cap in Hand, Letter from America, I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) and - tonight, at least - Sunshine on Leith prompted mass outbreaks of bellowed singing and fist-pumping hysteria.
This was the easy bit, but the Proclaimers should be congratulated for not pandering entirely to the mood of the football terrace. A near perfect reading of Steve Earle's My Old Friend the Blues managed to soothe the throng, while Sean and an encore of Sky Takes the Soul were most welcome surprises. The Life Goes On material also earned its keep, particularly the title track which, judging by the audience reaction, is a future anthem.
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