2005 UK Tour

I suppose it is a sign of getting older when it only seems a few years ago that a favourite song was released, and then when it’s date of release is checked out, it is 26 years ago.

It’s something that is a complement to the writer that it in no way sounds dated today. The song I’m talking about, Ariel by Dean Friedman, was never a major UK hit, but for me is psynominous with the times. Taken from his self-titled debut album it was enough to lure me to the Usher Hall in Edinburgh where the track was only one of the many numbers this unique singer songwriter royally entertained the audience with that night.

I have had copies of the first album and the follow-up, ‘Well Well’ said the Rocking Chair for years and have enjoyed listening to them often, and it did cross my mind as to where this personable American had been hiding as I hadn’t heard of him since his involvement in writing the music for the TV series ‘Boon’. Then suddenly in 2003 he came back up on the radar with two shows at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, one show for Kids the other for Adults at The Assembly Rooms. Sheila checked out the kids show and dubbed him The Pied Piper of the Fringe for the superb relationship he struck up with kids and parents.

I saw the adults show which was probably more like the concert format, but was as popular with the audience as he had ever been. 2004 saw him return again and once more lived up to his billing but this time at the Pleasance.

Both Sheila and I were disappointed to find him ‘missing’ from this years Fringe, but that was until we saw that he was having an autumn tour and it was coming to our territory, so hence we joined a lot of his close friends, well it certainly seemed like a gathering of friends, at the Brunton Hall Musselburgh for the second date on his Squirrels in the Attic tour.

Dean has the knack of making everyone feel involved and the gig could almost be being played in one’s home the intimate feeling he generated with his laid-back style, a mixture of classics interspersed with a selection of tracks from his new, long awaited album also called Squirrels in the Attic.

Accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, upright piano and electric piano he voice soars through the high notes with ease and comedy songs with very clever lyrics and stories are all delivered with the unique Friedman style.

The show together was a touch under two hours in duration, and I’m sure that like us, for nearly every one in the audience it was over far too soon,

Highlights, far too many really to mention, but if pushed ‘Ariel’ proved to me that I was right in going to see him twenty something years ago, and I’m looking forward to the next time he graces these shores cause we’ll be there with bells on.

You can still catch Dean for the next few weeks at the dates below and to check out his excellent web site www.deanfriedman.com