The Edinburgh Collective’s ‘Come n’ Dance’ was a sensational night out. Taking place at 8 pm in Teviot Underground and concluding in the wee hours of the morning at 1 am, the event delivered a selection of stellar artists and bands from start to finish. The venue was packed with students enjoying the tunes, the atmosphere was perfect with modish lighting, and the performers played with zeal and unrestrained pleasure. Undeniably, ‘Come n’ Dance’ was a wonderful success; every Edinburgh University student should consider attending The Edinburgh Collective’s future events.
Upon first walking into the Underground, the venue was already filled with people queuing for drinks and jamming out to the live music. Roy was on stage, singing with a crowd gathered at his feet. A solo act with just himself and his guitar, he sat proudly, looking vaguely like the legendary figure of Santa Claus with his sizable white beard. A girl working for the collective laughed and said, ‘I promise not every act is like this,’ which turned out to be a true statement; however, Roy’s uniqueness did not stop him from being a standout of the night. From Metallica covers to traditional Scottish tunes, the older man dominated the stage and easily engaged the audience, who sang and danced with grins on their faces. Roy’s charm, humour, and dedication to his art form make him sure to become an Edinburgh icon.
After the marvellous Roy left the stage, Late Night Chess took the spotlight. The suave pair passionately performed on stage, setting the tone for the rest of the night. Both Ailish, wearing her fashionably fun sunglasses and Oliver, manning the guitar, sang wonderfully. Oliver sang wonderfully, with Oliver manning the guitar. Their set was composed of songs that made everyone want to move and dance, including particularly beautiful covers of Childish Gambino’s ‘Redbone’ and Jackson 5’s ‘I Want You Back.’ Overall, the fabulous pair played their smooth, groovy tunes with effortless style. Declan Gibson and his band took the stage next and raised the energy of the whole venue with their vivacious and skilful performance. The whole band, from the lead singer to the bass guitarist, were wonderfully talented. A highlight of the night was Declan Gibson’s performance of his original song, ‘Lost in Amsterdam.’ Both Gibson and his audience jumped up and down to the beat of the chorus in an intense moment of musical connection.
Next up was Nat’s Band, a delectable treat for everybody in the Underground. Nat started his set with a striking solo performance, jamming out on the saxophone and rapping with stylish vigour. Then, the rest of his skilled band joined. They played with a funky, upbeat sense of joy and multi-instrumentalist Nat constantly interacted with the audience, sometimes even sitting on the edge of the stage to be closer to them. After Nat’s dazzlingly unique spectacle, Eloi took the stage. As a band without a vocalist, the instrumentalists truly got to shine in this set. From songs with tricky time signatures and intricate guitar solos, Eloi displayed their talents and musical savvy.
Grace and the Flat Boys shone on the stage with their slick tunes and chic production. Grace’s voice was strong and mesmerizing, with a delicious flair. The band’s cover of Jorja Smith’s ‘On My Mind’ was particularly affecting. The night continued after Grace and the Flat Boys left the spotlight, although I also left the venue after this. However, from the looks of the Instagram stories and friends’ say-so, the DJs and the remaining sets were indeed a blast.
‘Come n’ Dance’ was a fantastic, rollicking experience and a great way to support local Edinburgh artists. The Collective’s events are more than reasonably priced, costing only five quid with the perk of bringing a free +1 — so there is no reason to skip out on their next event. If ‘Come n’ Dance’ is any indication of the future of the Collective, they are only going up from here; so here’s to bangin’ bands that make everyone want to dance.
Image courtesy of Emily Moffett