Is it possible for a little known band to have a comeback gig? I think I witnessed one when I went to see Edinburgh band Little Buddha play a gig at the Heriot Watt University in the city. They are a hard to categorise 5 piece rock band who had been building a following up but, with their first album in the can and ready to go, they had to cancel their latest tour as they parted company suddenly with their drummer and one of their guitarists. After going through the inevitable recruiting process for new members they agreed to go ahead with this gig despite only having four days of rehearsal, obviously a band keen to get out on the road.

Some may question whether this band are rock enough to be HRH material and there are enough touches of 80s synth, jazz and pop in their output to make it a valid question, but live this is a two guitar, bass and drums ROCK band with a flair for melody, a few good tunes and the plaintive melodic vocals of Kat McDonald to add emotion-and of course some sex appeal! This same combination made Garbage a world wide hit so why not again? Opening song “Karma” started with some atmospheric guitar and a driving bass line with the song gradually building to a catchy chorus showcasing all their flair for melody but with the guitars riffing harder than they do on the recordings I’ve heard. This may be in part to new guitarist Stewart Zollinger who played some mean and even metal-like solos throughout especially in “Transitional Man” and set closer “Leaving You Behind”. 

 The musicianship throughout was excellent with bass player Grant Tyrie showing what he could do in the reggae and jazz tinged “I Could Fall” but it is inevitable I suppose for a female fronted band to live and die on how their singer goes. I don’t think they have anything to worry about though as Kat McDonald has a melodic, understated vocal style which carries plenty of raw emotion highlighted during the plaintive “Shadow”. She’s easy on the eye too and has a way of moving and chatting which holds the attention, even on a small stage such as they were on tonight. 

I obviously like this band but to be even handed I would say that they do lack a little stage presence wise, very much having a t shirt and jeans look and no one does much moving around the stage or reaching out to the audience leaving it to Kat to be the one who makes it work. While the small audience was appreciative that side didn’t work tonight but this was a 35 minute set on the first live outing for the new line-up so maybe I’m being harsh. I look forward very much to seeing Little Buddha again when they have a few more gigs under their belt in this guise, I think they’ll be a live experience well worth catching!

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