Kim Edgar is one of Edinburgh's homegrown jewels. A teacher turned full time musician, she has garnered a dedicated fan base. This is evident from the very familiar atmosphere of the concert. However, our religion of choice is music and we play witness to some heavenly delights on this warm summer evening at the close of the Fringe.
First to note is her poignant lyrics, drawing on life events such as the birth of her niece (in attendance) or pressing issues like domestic abuse or the objectification of women. We even enjoy a number about her hopeless gardening attempts, which prove themselves quite the opposite when Edgar proudly presents a basket of vegetables from her allotment to a new mailing list member. Everything has this glorious personal touch. We have a raffle for Amnesty International, the concerns of whom are also approached in song in the touching 'Arms', which appears in Edgar's 2012 album 'The Ornate Lie'.
All are conveyed with an achingly honest voice, tinged with the softest of Scottish inflections. Edgar alternates between acoustic guitar and piano, which she plays with delicacy. As she tunes her guitar we are treated to the dreaded balloon joke, which receives many a groan.
As a tribute to her work in the community, Edgar played a song composed by her students from Broomhouse, as a part of the BIG project. We were told of her work with the Burns Unit, a collective counting Edinburgh stalwart King Creosote amongst its members. She has also recently joined Germany-based Irish and Scottish band Cara, which will take her off touring central Europe in October.
The standard never slips, and we were perpetually spellbound by Edgar's gorgeous songs and singing, as well as her anecdotes and introductions to each piece. Sharp songwriting and soft singing border on the ethereal as Kim Edgar carries us through the light and dark (mostly dark, she admits). We finished on some requests from Edgar's family members, which was fantastic as they allow us to see her showing off her unique and delicate voice on a familiar palette, 'Sunshine on Leith' for one. This is sparkling talent from a wonderful musician.
