The Next Big Thing

37 years ago, I was in the Edinburgh Tattoo. Somewhere around here there's photographic evidence of that. We were paid three quid for the trouble, and I bought Electric Warrior by T.Rex with my divvy. So it's a little odd to be back there on the esplanade watching Wreckless Eric rip it up with The Proclaimers all these years later. 8500 people on a Saturday night, and the rain stayed off so that was a result. It was also just a stone's throw from the place I first encountered the Reid brothers with The Cateran. In fact we walked past the Onion Cellar when we (Amy, Eric and I) were looking for a quiet place to have a coffee and a natter.

We found said sanctuary in The Elephant House. A nice, civilised place away from the stowed pubs that were full of folks limbering up to scream several alternative national anthems til hoarse. I know that's the way we pronounce another animal name up here but I'm referring to the vocal condition. Despite the huge flock and the train coming back being sardine-like, it was all good-natured and there were no real signs of noisy, drunken bastardism at all. There were a couple or three rubber individuals but they stayed schtuum. All I really wanted to do was get back and listen to Eric and Amy's album. Didn't even go for a haggis samosa. It was a full shift but it was great to see those two and they're headed for Inverness to do it all again today. Massive props to The Proclaimers for making it possible.