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A review from 5D Music & Theatre writer Maria Robertson.
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The evening featured 3 lads with guitars, so similar and yet each so different!
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First up was Billy Liar. Billy’s Instagram advertises him as “Scottish sad bastard plays punk songs”. He played a great set intermingled with some fascinating stories. I particularly enjoyed a song called Change about a band that got rid of him and was intrigued by which pub in Edinburgh he was talking about that had a slug infestation. He apologised for singing about such old fashioned things as CDs by explaining that was a song he wrote back when he was 16. Many of us in the room were old enough not to notice this as strange though!
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Next up was Tommy Arch with a lovely folky voice and a distinctive look. I must admit I was a bit distracted during his set by some drunken chaps talking to me, so apologies to Tommy!
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Finally it was Beans on Toast, the chap so loved that his fans buy canvases he’s written wee phrases on and clutch them happily as they leave at the end of the evening. His merchandise table was rather different to the usual CDs and badges, I was especially drawn to a box set of books about Little Bee. One man, on meeting him, declared “I fucking love you” and brought a lump to my throat, so fabulous to see people meeting their idols – and he had time and a smile for everyone! What a super chap Jay McAllister is!
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Beans on Toast’s songs tend to be very message lead – there’s definitely a political party he’s not a fan of and he’s not keen on the monarchy either. Intrigued to see the video he told us about that comes out soon…
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For one song he told us he had decided to trial the new AI technology for it so the chorus was written by AI. He did say that he thought robots would do the heavy lifting rather than creative writing, something I definitely concur with! I loved his song Old Grunge which mentioned Counting Crows (my first ever concert, I still “blame” them for my live music addiction!). The song also says his Mum made him listen to the Beatles and that’s how he learnt the importance of a song, actually gave me hairs on the back of my neck! Just perfection!
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Other songs were not so joyous, such as one about the collapse of Society. It made the point that more people take their own lives than die in wars. Other lyrics state there is always money for war, tanks and bombs, bullets and guns, but no money for teachers or nurses so maybe we stop starting wars. Very thought provoking.
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One lady I spoke to made the point that Beans on Toast is a great festival act, and I see what she means, but I also really enjoyed being shut in a room with Jay
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Further information: https://beansontoastmusic.com/
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Maria Robertson is the Chief Music & Theatre Writer for the 5D Pop Culture Website and provides reviews & coverage of local Aberdeen music & theatre gigs. She’s an experienced writer for numerous sources and is a self-confessed live gig addict ever since seeing The Counting Crows at the Barrowlands in 1994.
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