• The Proclaimers - Acoustic Set
• 9:00pm

ABOUT THE PROCLAIMERS

Scottish songwriting duo the Proclaimers may well be one of the best-kept secrets in music. Following early success on the strength of their blend of pop and politics, the brothers Reid – Charlie and Craig– have reached the rarefied status that few have been able to achieve: with nearly three decades of career longevity, the band are as innovative as ever. With every album and show played, they’ve garnered new fans, all the while consistently replenishing one of the most precious resources in music – thoughtful pop albums. Now, they’re poised for another wave of North American success, with an impressive hat trick of an acoustic EP, a new album and an acoustic tour, their first of that kind in twenty years.

Strikingly individual, twin brothers Craig and Charlie Reid have over the years enjoyed huge success across the globe as the emotional honesty, political fire, wit and sing-along raucousness of their songs and their extensive touring has enlightened and entertained fans new and old. The Proclaimers have carved out a niche for themselves in the netherworld where pop, folk, new wave and punk collide. In the process they have enjoyed Gold and Platinum singles and albums in UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

Born in Leith in 1962, Craig and Charlie Reid grew up in Edinburgh, Cornwall and Auchtermuchty in Fife. At home, they listened to early rock 'n' roll and country greats such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Merle Haggard and Hank Williams. At school they played in punk bands and formed The Proclaimers in 1983. With a fervent live following growing in Scotland, particularly in Inverness where they performed regularly, their first big break came late in 1986 when they were invited to tour with The Housemartins. Then in January 1987 they made a now seminal appearance on the Channel 4 pop programme The Tube, performing Letter From America & Throw The ‘R’ Away. Singing in regional accents about Scotland - its emigration and its politics - they were a far cry from the mid-Eighties playlist staples of Rick Astley and Sinitta, and became a phenomenon almost overnight, signing to Chrysalis within a month and recording their debut album acoustically, This Is The Story, a week later, produced by the man who also signed them to Chrysalis, John Williams.  Voted NME Readers Best New Band that year, they toured the UK extensively and a new ‘band’ version of Letter From America, produced by Gerry Rafferty went Top 3 in November.

Complementing their raw, stripped down delivery with the greater musical scope of a full band, they then embraced country and rock on their second album, 1988's Sunshine On Leith produced by Pete Wingfield, which also saw them form their first full live band and go on a 9 month World tour. In addition to the deeply moving classic title track which has gone on to be an anthem for Hibs fans, the album featured hit singles, the raucous, euphoric I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) and I'm On My Way, The latter track subsequently accompanied one of the pivotal scenes in the hit movie Shrek (2001) while in 1989 I'm Gonna Be spent 6 weeks at number 1 in Australia and a was a top 10 college radio hit in USA.

The song went on to soar to No. 3 during a 6-month reign in the US Billboard Singles Chart in 1993 after appearing on the soundtrack of the Johnny Depp film Benny And Joon. Previously in 1990 The Proclaimers had a huge UK & European hit with their King Of The Road ep. The Proclaimers returned with 1994's Hit The Highway, an album that featured a three-piece brass section yielding the hit Let’s Get Married. A longer than intended break then ensued before a fourth album, 2001's Persevere, was cut in Minneapolis. Produced by Chris Kimsey with an all star American musician line up, another fantastic collection of Reid/Reid songs re-established The Proclaimers as they went back on another mammoth year long World tour.

Their songs, too, have provided the inspiration behind an enormously successful, highly acclaimed, award winning new musical, Sunshine On Leith, put together by the Dundee Rep Theatre. Written by Stephen Greenhorn. The drama follows the highs and lows of 2 soldiers returning home from Afghanistan. Families, relationships and life in Leith are not all plain sailing in this exceptional love story about every day life in Scotland. Directed by James Brining, the musical first toured Scotland in Spring 07, returning in November 08 for a 4 month run that took in Dundee Rep Theatre, Edinburgh Festival Theatre, Inverness Eden Court, Aberdeen His Majesty's, Glasgow's Kings Theatre and its first foray into England at Coventry's Belgrade Theatre.

With over 140,000 people having seen the show so far, the success of the show ensures the musical will run again in 2010 not only in Scotland but likely to tour in England and abroad.

Matt Lucas is a huge fan and in the sleeve notes of their Best Of compilation he writes of Scotland's finest Celtic soul brothers: 'I find it hard to put into words quite how the music of The Proclaimers makes me feel. It makes me laugh. It makes me cry. It just makes me generally euphoric … Sunshine On Leith says more to me about my life and the way I feel than anything Morrissey or Cobain ever wrote.'