Death Star 4

Date 28 January 2006
Venue the eXchange
Address 55 Grove Street, next to Marco's, EH3 8AB
Reviewer Julian Davis

The saying goes that a good bottle of whisky matures with age. If you apply that analogy to this band of reprobates then you are looking for something strong, a slight hint of mellowing, tantalising the senses and, boy, doesn't it do you good!

Well, that's not far off the mark for the depth of talent and experience this local band has coalesced from, although you may be more aware of Marc's talents behind the lens of a camera. Tonight, the old met the new as the venue, the eXchange, which must rate as one of the best new places around Edinburgh in terms of acoustics, facilities, safety and the ability to be able to actually see the band that is performing. If you add to that, the management's adventurous and innovative 'livemusicX' scheme to help showcase new and local bands then you have an exciting recipe to entice fans of live music out into the cold Edinburgh evening.

So what do you get for your money? A band of raw power and dexterity belting out some good solid rock penned from the one and only Ewan Drysdale who over 30 years in the business has been integral with the punk and glam eras and covers of Stones and Who standards and, with a little attitude could have done a passable impression of Bryan Ferry.

The band play the sort of driving rock that you need to cruise down the freeway with the soft top down on a hot summer's day - or, alternatively, up the A1 to Wallyford!

The venue did its utmost to contain the sort of stadium rock that filled our screens with events over the last year. Ewan growled out the lead vocals in an uncompromising way, Marc drummed vigorously with arms and beard flying among the stage lighting, Roy's fx guitar provided some lovely lead melodies, especially when they play in a Zepplinesque fashion starting with an almost acoustic intro before plunging deep into the sort of rock that wouldn't go amiss at a Metallica concert; and then there was the welcome sight of Wullie, all recovered, delivering bass riffs as good as we heard during the early days of 'Blues n Trouble'.


They were only allowed a short set, but despite a little technical hitch with Ewan's equipment they came at us all guns blazing and like a good dram, blew the cobwebs away - they even managed to get some folk up dancing! If you were there and enjoyed what you heard or you are encouraged by this review, you can catch the lads who begin a regular slot at Edinburgh's Three Tuns - their website has the details. The band have been laying down some of the tracks in a studio and when mastered, a CD of many of this set will be available in about a month. And the auld dudes? Boy, they can still rock and show the young 'uns what the rock idiom is all about. They formed as part of rekindling the flame of playing in a rock band again; that beacon is shining brightly - get into Edinburgh and check them out!

- www.edinburghguide.com