Sleepy Sun, Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh

Sleepy Sun

August 19, 2010

The Edge Festival at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe has at times had that “back of a fag packet” feel to it (misspelling Phoenix on early adverts, the process to get reviewer tickets, tonight’s gig not featuring in the month’s programme), but at the venue they at least extend the courtesy of displaying clear stage times for each act – albeit these are diminished in use as we’re told things are running late and a post-Midnight headline show is on the cards.

Sneaky’s is about the size of the cupboard in my childhood bedroom, but the potential for severe hearing loss is staved off by a sound engineer who clearly knows how to get the best out of the small space’s acoustics. Echo effects feature heavily in tonight’s mix, both for Sleepy Sun and the support, but to good purpose. What takes a little getting used to (and unfortunately some of the small crowd never manage to and so can be heard chattering throughout the latter part of the set) is the near lack of vocals that Sleepy Sun employ. At times it’s like watching folk drown – you can see their faces making word shapes but you can barely hear the results. This though makes for a thoroughly absorbing show that bears very close resemblance to their recorded output.

They’re not the most mobile of bands, and the six of them can barely all fit comfortably on the stage at the one time, but Rachel Fannan manages to throw some interesting shapes in between singing in her clear-as-a-bell voice and Bret Constantino (bearing a fair resemblance to Gary Oldman) lopes about and scowls a bit as well as getting in some harmonica action. They manage to transport the crowd to somewhere in the realm of a contemporary Woodstock of the mind with their faultless folk-psych playing, genuine pleasure at being in a live setting and those gossamer light and ethereal voices. An intimate show to be proud of.

Tonight’s support act (Milk, from Glasgow via Fife) are a different beast altogether. Fronted by a hipster version of Jim Kerr in his heyday (who should maybe lay off the beer a bit before hitting the stage) their sound’s combination of all the best bits from favourite bands is reminiscent at times of wilder incarnation of The Killers in its breadth (as well as a short lived local group from yesteryear, Cholo) whilst the energy they perform with brought to mind The Magnificents. They feel at the time like the most up to date thing you could possibly see and yet once they step off stage, albeit to ringing applause, it’s hard to imagine they’d manage to sound that good on a recording or even to remember any particular highlight songs. They’re tight and play well though so there’s definitely something there.

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