Edwyn Collins at the Roundhouse

Edwyn Collins graced the Roundhouse with an intimate gig for an all seated audience. The frontman of Scottish post-punk group Orange Juice has lost none of his magnanimous stage presence, backed by a band who he wasn’t afraid to wind up when they fluffed an intro. 

The setlist was thankfully populated with Orange Juice hits, with fantastic re-worked versions of What Presence, Dying Days and long-standing fan favourite Rip It Up. Orange Juice were a band that preserved the quality of their lyrics whilst their songs gained popularity, and the audience’s reception of Edwyn Collins when he began his set showed this fact more than ever.

They greeted his newer solo material well, energised by his opening track, Losing Sleep, which is steeped in northern soul – a welcome sound to hear in the north of London.

The cheeky Glaswegian delivered a smörgåsbord of a concert, which bounced from punk to blues to soul, in such an intimate environment that every song managed to impact the audience in some way. This was most evident in Collins’ rendition of In Your Eyes, for which he was joined by his son William.

For a singer whose solo material has held its own in the years since Orange Juice split, the set list really reflected his fantastic career and, most importantly, his unquestionable talent. He finished the performance to a great reception and infinite gratitude, playing the 90s iconic track Girl Like You.

Returning for a generous encore, it appeared that, like the audience, he didn’t want the show to end. A wonderful opportunity to see a great do what he does best.

Melissa Hoban
Photos: Erol Birsen

For further information about Edwyn Collins and future events visit here.

Watch the video for Girl Like You here: