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The
tour to promote the new album, 'Angels and Electricity', made only three
calls in Scotland, all at theatrical venues. Aberdeen's Music Hall provided
a setting more reminiscent of the variety era and Eddi took the stage
in a suitably sparkling dress for the event. She was accompanied by Teddy
Borowiecki on keyboards, Roy Dodds on percussion and Boo Hewerdine on
guitar. Any thoughts the audience might have had about a dull show with
only four musicians were soon to be dispelled. The sound quality was first
class, with all of the instruments identifiable, Eddi's voice clear and
distinct, and the result sounding much more than the sum of the parts.
The set began with Kiteflyer's Hill, with the chorus resounding around
the hall to give everyone a taste of what was to come. This was followed
by Prayer Wheel and Wings on my Heels. The latter song was introduced
by Eddi as being inspired by the council estate she grew up on where she
thought of herself as a Mary Poppins type character being able to sing
to make things better; with age has come the recognition of her naivete.
The Irvine (Scotland) fantasy of LA beach, California, came next played
in an almost boogie-woogie style with Eddi producing a mouth organ. After
Please Don't Ask Me To Dance, things were rocked up with Glasgow Star
which was then followed by another song from 'Candyfloss and Medicine',
Medicine. Before 'Dear John' Eddi explained that this had been written
for her about a particularly traumatic period in her life with the break
up of the relationship with the father of her children and the emotion
did get to her when she forgot one of the lines. She announced that she
wasn't in the mood for singing it and moved on to Dolphins. Hummingbird
gave her the first real opportunity to dance and the audience joined in
during the next song, Joke, in the space at the front of the stage. This
song was dedicated to Hillary Clinton. Boo Hewerdine then got his chance
to sing one of his songs, 59 Yards, before Eddi came back on stage to
perform Find My Love. Afterwards came Follow My Tears and the audience
were delighted when Eddi was able to have another go at Dear John, this
time successfully. Patience of Angels was the penultimate song of the
main set and matters were brought to a close with The Right Place, with
some of Everybody's Talkin' thrown in for good measure. The last song
was the only time an electric guitar put in an appearance all evening,
with Eddi the one to play it. The artists could not of course leave it
at that and Eddi emerged first on her own for the encore. She began with
Ae Fond Kiss, unaccompanied except for the audience being asked to help
with the chorus towards the end, and blamed shouting at her kids for being
unable to hit one of the high notes. Honeychild was requested loudly by
the crowd and Eddi duly obliged and the concert ended on a high with What
You Do With What You've Got and Allelujah. The entertainment had lasted
a shade under two hours and the audience were well satisfied with their
lot applauding enthusiastically at the finish - a show of appreciation
which Eddi seemed genuinely touched with.
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