Tony Hadley opened the show but for many his appearance at 11am was too early in the day with many saying he should be headlining.
I arrived during Livin’ Joy’s banging performance of Dreamer. The Italian house classic got bodies moving and the retro 90s vibe was in full flow.
Betty Boo has made a successful return to music after a long break from the industry. With tracks such as Doin’ The Doo, complete with 1960s dance moves, and Where Are You Baby? Now in her early 50s, Boo has changed little and is constantly on her toes during this exuberant performance that was both joyous and lively. She stops to take a breath and tells us about her Edinburgh roots around Portobello and Musselburgh. The more recent Get Me To The Weekend featured a Sample from headlines Human League.
Dr and the Medics fronted by Clive Jackson very much brought the rock element of the day. Jackson is a fun performer and their set closer Spirit In The Sky was an emotional moment after being dedicated to Jared, a friend of Jackson’s who recently passed away.
Hue and Cry delivered a smooth performance with Pat Kane in stunning voice, they opened with their 1989 hit Looking For Linda striking an immediate rapport. It was as if no time had passed for the slick Coatbridge brothers who cemented politics with Sinatra-style jazz. Hits such as I Refuse were lyrically ahead of their time, Kane dedicated the song to fathers and daughters. Violently is another track that mainlines straight to the heart all these years later. A foot-stomping Labour of Love let the soul, funk and jazz out into the open and was a reminder of the strength of the quality of music coming out of Scotland during the 1980s.
Liverpool’s The Farm took the stage for the hottest part of the day, front-man Peter Hooton in sunglasses even removed his anorak before the Scottish crowd during a set that included their hits Groovy Train and All Together Now.
The Glasgow band Wet Wet Wet, even without their original line-up, charmed the crowd with the same kind of energy that brought them much success in the 80s and 90s. The Let’s Rock audience loved every moment but Wishing I Was Lucky was the runaway highlight.
The Human League have significant links with Edinburgh, their first classic single Being Boiled was released by the capital’s independent label Fast Product back in 1978. Tonight it’s more about the hits that defined them such as their 1982 hit Mirror Man and the definitive smash Don’t You Want Me Baby.
For many they were the highlight of the day. The festival continues to thrive in Scotland, aided by the weather this was one of the most memorable.
Let’s Rock at Dalkeith Country Park.
