Gig review: Kid Canaveral’s Christmas Baubles, Edinburgh

The world, as you may have read, is going to hell in a handcart.

At Pilrig St Pauls Church, Edinburgh. Picture: Google

Kid Canaveral’s Christmas Baubles | Pilrig St Paul’s Church, Edinburgh | Rating ****

So what better way to go down screaming than with a triumphant roll call of cockle­warming Scottish indie artistes?

So, as yet another Christmas descends upon us like a tinselled nuclear winter, a convivial oasis of bespectacled boys and bob­haired gals converged – where else? ­ in a sacred place of worship for Kid Canaveral’s annual Yuletide hoedown.

A smart, beguiling Edinburgh quartet, KC and their adoptive label Lost Map have hosted this event for six consecutive years.

Their latest bill included the esteemed likes of spectral singer­songwriter Kathryn Joseph, who’s essentially Scotland’s own extraordinary version of cult iconoclasts such as Joanna Newsom and Karen Dalton, and the excellent Prehistoric Friends, whose euphoric dream­pop blend of organ, viola and dusky vocals is a wonder to behold.

De Rosa’s typically touching set of slowcore Celtic melancholy was incongruously followed by grinning, day­glo Hi­NRG soul­pop trio Bossy Love.

Like Betty Boo doin’ the do in no uncertain terms, they capped their delightful performance with a fizzing cover of Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses.

Kid Canaveral themselves were, as always, bittersweet charm personified. Trust me, one day they’ll be a national institution.

Entertainment aside, they also amassed a pile of donations for a local Edinburgh food bank. For a few hours at least, this charitable cabal made the world a better place.