Star rating: ****
A sell-out at the Royal Concert Hall for Deacon Blue's second gig in the city in three days. With a visit to Belfast in between, they are going to have to watch themselves at their age.
Following an excellent support slot from acoustic trio Mercuryman, the four remaining original members of Deacon Blue - guitarist Graeme Kelling having died from cancer, tragically young, in 2004 and bassist Ewan Vernal no longer participating - opened with a hauntingly atmospheric version of The Very Thing from their debut album Raintown.
Accompanied only by Jim Prime's superb keyboards, it set the tone for a low-key first half, which nonetheless contained some of their finest work. Raintown itself was terrific, as was Every Time You Sleep. But vertical take-off was achieved with the inspired coupling of Real Gone Kid with Wages Day, at which point the Royal Concert Hall stood up and danced for the rest of the evening.
Fergus Sings the Blues, Twist and Shout and Queen of the New Year kept things moving, but, again, their best moments were achieved when they threw the subtle switch. Orphans was beautifully done, but, for me, the highlight of the show was Lorraine McIntosh's reading of Paul McCartney's My Love during When Will You Make My Phone Ring.
Ricky Ross led the line in his usual shy and retiring manner, Dougie Vipond proved that drumming and not tv presenting is his particular expertise, and Lorraine McIntosh danced and whirled and sang her heart out, as usual.
They finished with Dignity, of course, proving, once and for all, what a genuine anthem the song has become. A great show and another old-school triumph.
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