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Edinburgh's pubs must be toiling for staff: every Australian in town, it seems, is crammed into the Spiegeltent for sellout dates by their compatriot hero, singer-songwriter Paul Kelly. This time, he appears with a four-piece band, for a set of often full-throttle rock'n'roll, punctuated by more reflective moments. He opens in the latter vein, with a touching lone rendition of If I Could Start Today Again, a signature ballad of simply-spoken regret, before introducing his band.
Edinburgh's pubs must be toiling for staff: every Australian in town, it seems, is crammed into the Spiegeltent for sellout dates by their compatriot hero, singer-songwriter Paul Kelly. This time, he appears with a four-piece band, for a set of often full-throttle rock'n'roll, punctuated by more reflective moments. He opens in the latter vein, with a touching lone rendition of If I Could Start Today Again, a signature ballad of simply-spoken regret, before introducing his band. From here on in, heavyweight volume and power predominate, be it country-rock, gritty blues, pounding grooves or the Stones-style swagger of Somewhere In The City. There is further variety with the retro-pop harmonies of The Pretty Place, a luxuriantly smoochy version of Bing Crosby's Young Lovers, and the poignant How To Make Gravy, another trademark song - a Christmas letter from a jailbird to his family. Kelly's finely honed songcraft is equally evocative describing a jilted lover's desolation (Curly Red), or revisiting the Ned Kelly story (Our Sunshine).
After Kelly's show comes the final appearance in the short life of Button Up, an impromptu five-piece fronted by Del Amitri's Justin Currie. Devotion to classic soul and rare groove is the common currency here - together with a bit of whatever the band fancy. Currie's vivid, impassioned singing and showmanship prove a brilliant match for this material, while his cohorts display all the slick, raunchy verve of top-notch musicians enjoying an authentic labour of love.
Reviewed Paul Kelly Button Up The Famous Spiegeltent, Edinburgh
(Copyright 2003 SMG Sunday Newspapers Ltd.)