Ryan Adams Edinburgh Festival Theatre Review

Before I went to see Ryan Adams I expected three things – guitars, a moody atmosphere and heartbreak – all the essentials for a Ryan Adams track.

What I got however was something completely different. Ryan was engaging, told little stories and was funny – yes funny!

About two tracks in, Ryan asked for some crowd requests, with one over eager fan shouting ‘on yerself big man’ – something the American singer found both entertaining and inspiring, creating an impromptu tune about Edinburgh castle and some of Scotland’s mythical creatures.

Fans of the Jacksonville native were thoroughly entertained, providing rapturous applause throughout.

Following the comedic interlude, Ryan once again silenced the theatre with a beautiful acoustic of “Please do not let me Go” from his fifth studio album, Love is Hell.

Swiftly followed up by “Why do they Leave”, and then a moment of reflection for the 9/11 tragedy in New York.

Explaining how he filmed the video to New York New York in front of the city’s skyline from Brooklyn just four days before the September 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Massive applause before breathtaking silence as Ryan goes to the piano for New York New York.

Tunes 16 Days from his Whiskeytown days, followed by Jacksonville City Nights and grand finale of ‘Come Pick Me Up’ form his 2000 Heartbreaker album, lead the way for a standing ovation.