There are some artists who become part of the fabric of Scottish music. Eddi Reader is undoubtedly one of them.
When I noticed she was performing just across the Forth in Dunfermline, I found myself facing a familiar dilemma. Financially, buying tickets wasn’t the most sensible decision I could have made. Unfortunately, live music and sensible financial decisions have rarely enjoyed a particularly close relationship. After a brief internal debate, I did what I usually do in such situations and bought two tickets at the last minute, taking Emma along so she could finally experience Eddi Reader live.
As it turned out, Emma’s knowledge of Eddi’s catalogue wasn’t quite as extensive as I had assumed. To my surprise, she had no idea that Eddi was the voice behind Perfect, Fairground Attraction’s timeless hit. At least that gave her one familiar song to enjoy. She also recognised Ae Fond Kiss, Eddi’s beautiful interpretation of Robert Burns’ classic work, although the experience was slightly altered by the enthusiastic woman sitting behind us.
Unfortunately, enthusiasm and ability are not always close companions.
Throughout the song she attempted to sing along with remarkable determination and considerably less success. At one point I was tempted to suggest that she bring a microphone next time so that the people sitting in the stalls would have a better chance of hearing her. Somehow I managed to resist the urge and behaved like a responsible member of society.
Before Eddi took to the stage, we were treated to a support set from Jill Jackson. She made an excellent impression and provided a perfect start to the evening. Sadly, my contribution to documenting her performance was somewhat less impressive. Having neglected to wear my glasses, I failed to notice that the camera resting on my lap was recording a detailed close-up study of the back of the gentleman sitting in front of me.
As pieces of concert footage go, it was certainly unique.
The audio survived perfectly well, however, which is fortunate because Jill’s songs deserved to be heard.
Sadly, the same problem affected parts of Eddi’s performance. Once again, my camera demonstrated a remarkable ability to focus on anything except the person I was actually trying to film. If you happen to be particularly interested in the hairstyles of audience members seated in front of me, you’ll be delighted. If you’re primarily interested in Eddi Reader, then I’m afraid the audio will have to do much of the heavy lifting.
Thankfully, Eddi herself was magnificent.
What has always set her apart is her ability to make every song feel completely authentic. Whether performing her own material, revisiting Fairground Attraction songs or interpreting the work of Robert Burns, she has a gift for communicating emotion without ever appearing to force it. The audience hung on every word and every note, creating one of those atmospheres that only truly gifted performers can generate.
Looking back, I’m very glad I ignored my bank balance and bought the tickets. Emma discovered a little more about one of Scotland’s finest singers, I enjoyed another excellent performance, and despite my ongoing battle with cameras, glasses and basic competence, we both came away having had a wonderful evening.
The videos below may occasionally resemble an accidental documentary about the backs of people’s heads, but the audio captures a memorable performance from a remarkable artist. And if you’re already an Eddi Reader fan, that’s probably the most important thing.
The Photos
Cheers!
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