First up is Soho Dandy, whose name (oddly enough) is from a headline announcing the death of London artist Sebastian Horsely.
While their music lacks the flamboyance of their namesake it is still as interesting, with a particular hit with the crowd being a fiercely anti-Scottish independence tune that could easily have been as derided as it was applauded.
Next up is Captain and the Kings, originally formed by brother and sister Steve and Jolene and then expanded by various relations, who have that lovely wholesome feel that makes family bands just plain lovely to watch.
Opening song ‘It Is The Mercy’ sets the crowd up for a set of cheery-sounding tunes, occasionally with slightly depressing lyrics, and culminates with wonderful vocal harmonies between the two female singers.
Their self-proclaimed “smash hit single” ‘Can’t Go Back’ features Jolene changing from keyboard to mandolin for something a bit different, and wraps up the set nicely.
Headliners tonight are Haight-Ashbury, named after the area of San Francisco central to the hippie movement of the 1960s and while this is quite a namesake to live up to, Haight-Ashbury have certainly done the era of free love proud.
The echo-y vocals of the two female singers reverb around the Captains Rest, giving an almost mystical feel to their music, while backing comes in the form of psychedelic guitar playing that effortlessly envelopes the listener.
The set includes upbeat, poppy songs such as new single ‘Sophomore’, contrasted with the mesmerising ‘Sympathetic Strings’ which begins slow and deliberate, then speeds up, drawing the audience’s attention along with it.
The set ends with a wonderful mixture of songs, the depressing yet beautiful ‘Love Haight and Ashbury’, followed a couple of tunes later by the last track of the evening, ‘She’s So Groovy’, which harks right back to the ‘60s and the joy and freedom Haight-Ashbury stand for.
Words: Katherine Haig
Photos: Allan Reid
