Edinburgh traffic chaos hits Fife band’s Fringe gig, but show goes on

Meanwhile Fife band Lights Out By Nine had eight members to be on stage by 2:30pm. I got there early on the 8:40 train and had seen an 11:00am show already so had plenty time to stroll in the rain along to the Jazz Bar. At the scheduled start they were three members down and could only stall for a few minutes.

With tight Fringe bookings the next show would be along in just over an hour and the sold out John Hunt audience was already in position along Chambers Street. So, just a few minutes late LOBN started their second of five appearances with sax player George Morrison’s Chapter 26 and it was faultless.

Soon Tom Stirling arrived so now we had a vocalist. He dug deep into his soulful roots to unleash a passionate Working On It. Like a progressive guest list lead vocalist, John Frame arrived to deliver some authentic blues originals and arrangements such as Ain’t No Love In the Heart Of The City, Mr. Brown and Why Did You Do It before gifting us Life During Wartime with more funk than Talking Heads ever had.

Crowd pleaser Pick Up The Pieces, learned from their time playing with Hamish Stuart of the Average White Band, not only highlights the brass section of John Beresford on trumpet and George Morrison on saxophone, but spotlights Alan Kyle’s impassioned electric guitar and Tom Stirling’s chords on Hammond Organ.

These along with other highlights like Love And Happiness are kept riveted together by the return of Malcolm Herpich on drums and founder member Dougie Hunter on electric bass. Finishing off with Wrap It Up, there was no time for encores as the Fringe rolled on and as the capacity audience departed into the Edinburgh sunshine.

Remaining dates at the Jazz Bar are August 25 at 2:30pm and Saturday 26 at 8:30pm.