There’s simply no legislating for the Scottish weather. Just when you think you’ve got our uniquely grey climate pegged and you whip up a fresh batch of scalding hot soup to warm the cockles of Edinburgh’s loveliest, the sun decides to scorch them senseless first. Not to worry, though, because there’s still an Assembly Roxy full of music lovers and broth enthusiasts willing to forgo the sunburn and come along to the seventh edition of Edinburgh Soup.
For those unfamiliar with the concept, four charities from around Edinburgh come to the event with a pre-prepared Dragon’s Den-style pitch up their sleeves. Local cafe Union of Genius, bakery Wee Boulangerie and sweet treat specialists All About Patisserie dish out soup, bread and cake to satisfy the stomach rumblings of the attendees as they deliberate over their charity of choice. Meanwhile, three music acts give up their time to provide a soundtrack to the evening, with all proceeds going towards the winning charity. It’s a thoroughly heart-warming idea, and in the wake of all that vitamin D, one that’s in keeping with the rest of the body’s blistering temperature.
First up on the musical front is Ciar Nixon, one third of Edinburgh alt rock band Favourite Customer, whose solo acoustic set is far more laid-back than the boisterous emo grunge found on the band’s newly-released second EP, Deciduous. Instead, the heavily-bearded songsmith gets the evening off to a mellow start with some huskily-voiced acoustic treats, including, among many others, a Paul Simon cover. Assembly Roxy is slowly but steadily filling up as the shell-shocked residents of the capital put their taps back an and stumble out of the sunshine, not quite sure whether the heatwave was a mirage or not.
Next up is Pete Deane and the Black Kites, a delightfully diverse outfit featuring an eclectic collection of instruments and more than one Scottish Chamber Orchestra musician. Deane’s easy crowd banter and strong vocals hold the ensemble together, but it’s refreshing to see a band where the guitar isn’t the principal stringed instrument on display. In song after song, the cello, violins and bass steal the show, and though the band do seem to be holding something in reserve, the anchor lines are well and truly hacked off with the introduction of Su-a Lee’s handsaw towards the end of the set. Some full-blooded howling from Deane follows in We Are the Wolves, which serves as a rabble-rousing prelude to the charity pitches that provide the main meat of tonight’s entertainment.
After the four worthy causes have had their say, headline act Amy Duncan steps up to the plate. Fresh from the successful launch of her latest album Antidote at the Traverse Theatre back at the beginning of May, Duncan immediately bewitches the audience with her incredibly haunting vocals, reminiscent of a mix between Kate Bush, This Is The Kit and Minnie Riperton. Indeed, much like Riperton’s big hit Loving You, Duncan utilises birdsong (among other effects) at the beginning of her tracks, rounding the night off in a soulful (if a little subdued) fashion. In stark contrast to the preceding act, Duncan’s own guitar is accompanied by two others and the lack of variation in instrumentation does confine the band to largely ballad territory; but her incredible singing voice is more than enough to keep everyone rapt withal.
Full of soup, cake and that warm fuzzy feeling that comes with giving to a good cause, the audience stumble back out onto the Edinburgh streets – which are still impossibly hot even at 11pm. To paraphrase the eloquence of Pete Deane (in a far clumsier manner), it’s nights like Edinburgh Soup which are so important in reminding us what really matters, especially in the wake of the recent nightmarish goings-on in Manchester. If we stop coming together and celebrating our community spirit, we’ve had it – but Edinburgh Soup just goes to show that we haven’t, not just yet. Roll on number eight!