Tom McRae, Summerhall: from Hotel Cafe to Etrange Hiver
Watching Tom McRae wander round the old dissecting room at Summerhall strumming his guitar and leading the crowd in a sing-along rendition of Bloodless took me back to the very first time I saw him play live. It was 2008, and he was touring his Hotel Cafe - a glorious concept which introduced singer-songwriters from America to UK audiences, and vice versa. Upstairs above the old Waterloo Bar, just off Princes Street, we got McRae, Brian Wright, Jim Bianco and, I think, Katherine Feeney. They doubled up as each other’s backing bands, and ended the night in the middle of the room for another glorious sing-along. It was a night which could easily have rolled well into the wee sma’ hours - and had it done so, no-one would have bothered about rushing for the last train or bus home, such was the quality and warmth of the performances. My gig buddy from back then is now too ill to attend concerts, but I will always be grateful for their introduction to the music, and humour, of McRae, one of ...