COLIN VEARNCOMBE STAR CLUB AT THE ATTIC ****
"IT'S been 13 years since I was last in Edinburgh," said a sheepish Colin Vearncombe. "No excuse though, the excuses come later." No excuses were necessary from the artist formerly known as Black.
Midway through his set he apologetically said: "I'm going to play that song" and the crowd instantly knew which one. The song, Wonderful Life, must sometimes hang as heavy around Vearncombe's neck as an albatross. Its phenomenal chart success has unfairly eclipsed the rest of his work and the average punter might struggle to name another of his songs.
At least you would until you heard Vearncombe sing: "I think my heart must be made of clay, because everyone said it would break one day" from Sweetest Smile - and the memories came rushing back. But this was no mere exercise in nostalgia, Vearncombe was showcasing songs from his new album, The Accused, and it was a pleasure to hear that a spell out of the limelight hasn't affected his songwriting.
In fact, Vearncombe could have got away with not playing "that song" and still merited his wildly enthusiastic reception.