Celtic Connections review: Eddi Reader, Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow

Eddi Reader performed everything from ditties about her cats to popular Burns songs at this Celtic Connections show, writes Fiona Shepherd

Eddi Reader, Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow ***

Eddi Reader learned from the best, or certainly the way she told it, the most entertaining – her family, who hosted typically rowdy parties as she was growing up.

Fast forward to 2024 and this acclaimed singer channelled that spirit through her Celtic Connections headliner in Glasgow’s beloved variety theatre.

She’s all grown up now and she arrived on stage in her TK Maxx winter coat but was soon warming up the crowd with her hometown patter.

In musical tone, however, she and her band harked backed to her early days busking around France, with Galway accordionist Alan Kelly largely responsible for the Parisian pavement cafe sound of many of the arrangements.

John Douglas and Boo Hewerdine, her partners in life and music respectively, provided a gentle pincer movement on guitars, while Kevin McGuire completed the line-up on double bass, providing a consistent musical base over which Reader could weave all manner of material, from ditties about her cats to refugee songs, gentle invocations to raucous declamations, popular Burns renditions to the hits which have dappled if not defined her career.

Well our Reader has got a squeezebox and she's gonna use it on Vagabond, exuding the kind of sepia romanticism to which her soaring voice is suited.

Eddi Reader at Celtic Connections PIC: Kris Kesiak

And that was before going full Edith Piaf on Fairground Attraction's self-titled album track which she teamed with Piaf’s own Bravo Pour le Clown.

It seems that a band reunion is on the cards following the repairing of “a 35-year huff”. That’s to be considered some huff by the way.

Fairground Attraction’s 1988 chart-topper Perfect was performed, by way of Elvis, with ukulele solo.

Since then Reader has made her way as a delicate interpreter of the songs of Robert Burns and a blithe rendition You're Welcome, Willie Stewart, tender take on My Love is Like A Red, Red Rose and closing Charlie Is My Darling were as well received as if Reader had penned them herself.