Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2016 – Gone Native with Nicholson and Gore****

Kevin Gore and Bobby Nicholson take the stage in the basement of The Royal Oak at 6.30 every evening. This is not just a show about politics, although it is clearly a heartfelt passion for Gore who stood at the last Holyrood election as a candidate.

While it is always inspiring to meet someone who holds very strong views on the serious stuff of social justice, poverty and Scotland, it would surely make for a long hour if there was not some humour and musicianship injected. And there is!

There are pandas and trams for the Edinburgh people in the audience, and great lyrics and music for the music aficionados. There are traditional songs thrown in the mix, but it is the song featuring the demise of the late politician Willie Macrae which stays with me long after the show has ended.

Whether or not you hold the same political views as the pro-independence pair is fairly irrelevant, but clearly an important issue for some in the audience who applaud  them with some reverence . Mainly this is a musical show to enjoy in a relaxed setting, and a great way to get your night out on the Fringe started.

The Edinburgh pair are selling out in the same way that they have done in their previous years at the Fringe, but now they have new material to use. The show has great singing and fierce guitar playing from a stage made quite simply of a pallet draped with a blue and white cover. No microphones or fancy lighting here either!

One woman in the audience told Gore: “We came all the way from Boston to hear you!” And yes, she loved the show which wound up a short hour later with a winsome version of Wild Mountain Thyme which had the whole audience joining in.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0vzFo9GQKM?feature=oembed&w=696&h=392]