When Pinegrove released their second album Cardinal in 2016, the record stood out for various reasons. It was an exciting blend of country and old-school emo, it signalled a new confident voice in American rock and it had one of the best opening tracks you could wish to hear (the nostalgic and sublime Old Friends). Tonight Pinegrove are making their Edinburgh debut and the venue is electric in anticipation.

Support act this evening is Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Withered Hand. He is no stranger to Summerhall, having headlined here in the past and due to headline again in the summer. Tonight, he plays without a band and treats the audience to stripped-down acoustic versions of his own brand of folk pop. The set is mostly made up of tracks from his two existing albums and the depth and quality of his songwriting is obvious in these raw renditions. Withered Hand jokes that he is performing in front of an audience that is younger than he is used to and it looks like he has totally won them over.

The Dissection Room in Summerhall has played host to many gigs since the location transformed into a multi-arts venue several years ago and tonight’s sold-out show feels like it might be something special. Pinegrove take to the stage to thunderous applause and have the crowd singing along from the get-go. The six-piece New Jersey band sound clear, vibrant and energetic and are clearly delighted to be in Edinburgh. The band seem taken aback by the passionate response to their music.

Singer Evan Stephens Hall has an Americana twang to his voice that is reminiscent of Ryan Adams in his Whiskeytown days. Pinegrove sound like the perfect blend of country and emo and in a live setting, this is a powerful and enthralling mix. Tracks from Cardinal receive the greatest reception from the audience, with the aforementioned Old Friends performed early in the set. Then Again is delivered with a punk edge and the energy is uplifting and inspiring and this vitality carries on throughout the duration of the show. The band end with New Friends, which is also the closing track of Cardinal . The audience laps up the buoyancy of the song, as the show reaches a rousing, sensational conclusion.