Calvin Harris Fringe Festival Headliner: Review

Popular music can be defined equally according to commercial success or aesthetic qualities. Tonight's headlining star Calvin Harris fits neatly into both categories: his music is the epitome of pop while his records have been hugely successful. Though his first album had a rocky landing in most countries other than the UK, there can be doubt that—on these shores at least—he has rapidly reached the status of a pop star.

The proof is more than evident this evening: the long queues, the sold-out gig, and of course the strong youth presence in the audience. After a spikey warm up set from DJ Burns, marked by fast, catchy beats and rave stabs in between, it is Harris’s turn to reciprocate the crowd’s enthusiasm.

Supported by five musicians, the ensemble's crisp sound ensures that Harris’s expertly crafted songs are reproduced with fidelity. Ecstatic responses from the audience to hits like 'The Girls' and 'Acceptable in the 80s' fuel a brilliant and energetic performance by the young Scot. Musically diverse, his set brings together electro and house beats, while dubstep’s influences—wobble bass makes a strong showing here—are also implicitly present. This is party music, reminiscent of a 1980s pastiche filtered through the prism of contemporary dance tunes. Yet the impeccable song mixes in his album underline the fact that this is club music and should be consumed in clubs – in all its pop glory.