White Heat @ Cabaret Voltaire @ Edinburgh

It's not every night that you see a guy in a Dio t-shirt dancing to Kate Bush, and frankly that's a damn shame. On its return to Cabaret Voltaire, London's trendiest live music club offered up such elusive entertainment to an expectant and immaculately attired crowd. After a slow start to the night, local boys The Rushes delivered a tight set with so much energy that the crowd threw off the shackles of skin-tight jeans and danced up a storm. With a sound closer to the sweaty, long-haired Razorlight end of the current scene than the more mod-ish Bricolage, The Rushes should be ones to keep an eye on.
Headlining was Londoner Jamie T. Sparse acoustic guitar accompanied a vocal hybrid of Mike Skinner and Finlay Quaye – which you might think would be the musical equivalent of a cringe, but actually worked. One-man ska is a tricky thing to attempt, and although cheeky and engaging at first, his set quickly became repetitive. A little like hearing Hammel On Trial cover Mirror in the Bathroom by The Beat... and then hearing it again. The White Heat and Goulag Beat DJs delivered a wide array of catchy mod-pop that kept the dance floor and the bar busy all night. With four bands to choose from and plenty of drinks offers, it proved a generous Thursday night treat. [Caroline Hurley]