A must-see for fans, the addition of the band adds an extra dimension to a cracking gig 

Full disclosure: I’ve been watching Beans On Toast (aka Jay McAllister) live in Edinburgh for several years now. The folky singer-songwriter with pithy lyrics is a firm favourite, and so this gig was eagerly awaited. 

Now touring his latest album “The Toothpaste and the Tube”, Beans On Toast has assembled an all-star band to accompany him on this tour. At Le Belle Angele, three of the band members had support slots, before the main event, resulting in an entertaining evening lasting nearly 3 hours. First up was Memphis Gerald (aka Ben Fitzgerald) on guitar, with a lovely folky-acoustic set, including songs from his concept album exploring the links between his native Scotland, and Appalachia in the US. Always tough to open when the room is still filling up, he was quietly charming and a great scene-setter. Next up, King Killership on keys and harmonica, kicking up in tempo and a thumping bluesy honky tonk set. A homecoming of sorts for him, revealing he used to play jazz piano in an Edinburgh venue, and first sang live. It’s a bold move to then follow this with a spoken word poet, but bass guitarist Bassie Gracie held the audience’s attention with a deft touch, and engaging stories about her life and poetry. Her rendition of “Gimme Dat Girl” was a particular highlight. I’ll follow the future careers and tour dates of all three acts with interest.  

On to the main act, and along with the support artists, plus Abbi Phillips on drums, Beans leapt to the stage with quintessential energy. The set list was complied thoughtfully and well paced – the band not only featuring on his new tracks, but some from his back catalogue too, with a few sung solo. It’s always a bit of a concern when a solo performer adds a new element, but the band felt a complementary addition, and a comfortable partnership. Throughout, the sound mix was great, but on occasion the enthusiastic keys were heard over the bass and guitar, and could have been slightly more balanced but only a minor point. 

The expected Beans On Toast mixture of songs with political commentary, those extolling love and peace, were all present and correct. A few friendly asides adding insight into how his songs have changed over the years, reflecting his life and that around him, added some familiar intimacy, alongside with his heartfelt joy at being so lucky to be able to share his songs with the world. During his love song to his wife Lizzie “I’m Home When You Hold Me”, there was a brief pause for a proposal in the front row (congratulations to the happy couple!) to the delight of the crowd. A typically good natured and appreciative audience, this reached new levels with the performance of new song “Sunny Sunny Scotland”. It opened with Jordan Aikman playing the bagpipes, and the crowd struck up the particularly Scottish refrain of “Here We, Here We, Here We [redacted] Go”, to the clear delight of the band. This one is definitely a hit for future performances north of the border.     

We finished with a favourite, “On & On”, and a final hopeful and heartfelt note to give peace another chance. As he sung himself, there’s a lot of work to do, but maybe we all just need some more Beans On Toast. I know I do.