The big top on Leith Links was the place to be on Saturday to hear Craig and Charlie with that great opening line – “Hello Leith!” followed by a brief but joyous mention of the eleven men in Norway who had just pulled off something very special in Oslo. (Two winning goals in the 80 somethingth minutes proved too much for the Norwegians in case you haven’t heard.)
The feeling inside and outside the tent was of a massive act coming home to play for their local crowd, and the audience were up for it, if the singing – even ahead of the band taking to the stage – was anything to go by.
Sunshine on Leith was of course the pinnacle of the almost two hour long show with everyone joining in. The emotion was a palpable pent up desire to see and hear live acts, most probably born from the last few years, but it was more than that. The proximity to the stage was unlike the big show at Edinburgh Castle a few years ago where the band was elevated and a bit distant.
The big top really worked – well done Regular Music. This was a safe place to be and easy to get to. There seemed to be many, many security staff with someone helping out at the beginning of the bar queue with a handy menu – making sure you knew what you were going to buy (no time to waste).
Admiral Fallow and Hamish Hawk had already played some of their own fabulous music for the crowd standing in the huge tent which not only made you feel close to the action, but provided back up for those who needed it with two big screens either side of the stage. There was plenty of space – and we really should not complain in Scotland about it being a bit warm should we?
Songs from the Dentures Out album may be less well known, but with their usual repertoire of at least half a dozen songs (Letter from America, I’m on my Way, Sunshine on Leith and 500 miles the most prominent among them) there was plenty of opportunity for the singers and the would be singers in the audience. The band were not taking requests as the list “would have been as long as Boris Johnson’s Honours List”, but nobody can have gone home on Saturday night (or on Sunday at their second show) disappointed.
We have to hope that this is the first of many events at Leith Links – where people sat outside the big tent basking in the Sunshine and the sounds from within. It was a big event with a genuinely local touch – maybe just what is needed to foster that spirit of community we hear so much about.
Regular Music have several other concerts this year including Rod Stewart, The Who, The Lumineers, Dermot Kennedy and Jerry Sadowitz.
Proclaimers – Leith Links 18/06/2023 Pic shows: Admiral Fallow open for Iconic Scottish rock duo, Craig and Charlie Reid AKA The Proclaimers, on the second day of their summer concert on Leith Links. Credit: Ian Jacobs 
Proclaimers – Leith Links 18/06/2023 Pic shows: Hamish Hawk opens for Iconic Scottish rock duo, Craig and Charlie Reid AKA The Proclaimers, on the second day of their summer concert on Leith Links. Credit: Ian Jacobs 
COMMUNITY
Leith Links Community Council and other local groups had stalls around the enclosure making sure that everyone had the chance to meet them and talk about the hot potatoes such as short term lets.
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