On Tuesday 30th September, it was time to see Edwyn Colllins at Komedia in Bath for the fifth stop on The Testimonial Tour 2025: A Last Lap Around The UK.
There's something poignant about knowing that you're seeing an artist perform live in concert for the first and last time. I mean, it's happened plenty of times before, but I've never knowingly gone to a gig with the knowledge that this would be my one and only opportunity to see them. And unlike acts that seem to be stuck in a revolving door of "final" tours, there is little question that Edwyn means it.
The fact that Edwyn is even able to do "A Last Lap Around The UK" is nothign short of a miracle. In February 2005, Edwyn was struck by a major cerebral haemorrhage, then a second. He survived, but was left with right-sided weakness and speech difficulties. Resultant aphasia meant that at first Edwyn could only repeat four phrases: "Yes", "No", "Grace Maxwell" (his wife) and "The possibilities are endless".
That last phrase proved to be prescient as, following an operation and a long-term rehabilitation programme, Edwyn returned to performing live and recording music, releasing four albums up to now. The latest, Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation, emerged in March this year and is as good as anything in the Edwyn Collins catalogue.
The latter point then raises the question: how on earth did Edwyn decide on a setlist for your final tour, when his entire career is bursting with pop gems that other prospectors can only wish were theirs?
As the five-piece band took to the stage, followed by Edwyn, assisted to reach and assume (seated) position at the mike, it was not long before we had our answer.
Edwyn reasonably determines that there are two key milestones for fans: his debut album with Orange Juice in 1982 and his third solo album, 1994's Gorgeous George, which spawned the monster hit single A Girl Like You. The set serves both albums well.
Opening with Falling And Laughing and Dying Day from You Can't Hide Your Love Forever, Edwyn then launches into three songs from Gorgeous George, including the title song. It's a wonderful start to the evening, and the first of many moments where I'm grinning from ear to ear, yet also feeling a bit choked up.
Despite the lasting impact on his speech, and confessing to losing his voice after the previous night's gig in Buxton, Edwyn is chatty between songs, and the audience are enthusiastic in their engagement.
And despite the obvious challenges with ad-hoc conversation, once Edwyn starts singing, it's like he's free of neurological and physical constraints and just soars. Although he acknowledges that his cold has resulted in an even deeper baritone than usual. On occasion, there are fluctuations in key but really, who cares? The joy of seeing Edwyn perform and the joy that he clearly gets from performing, is overwhelming.
Perhaps the best example of this is midway through the show, when son William takes time out from staffing the merch stand in the foyer to join Dad on stage for a wonderful version of In Your Eyes, from Losing Sleep, the first album that Edwyn wrote and recorded after his recovery and rehabilitation.
It's a wonderful moment, not least seeing the love that William and Edwyn have for each other. Yep, and more welling up from at least one audience member, I don't mind admitting.
The band are tight, having regularly performed and recorded with Edwyn over the years. A special mention for Patrick Ralla, who performs the guitar parts and solos that would previously have been Edwyn's lead. When Edwyn praises his contribution later in the night, Patrick nods and modestly replies, "I had a great teacher".
We're nearing the end, and Edwyn marks the occasion by standing up. Crowd pleasers - and obvious contenders - Rip it Up and A Girl Like You sandwich the surprise inclusion of 1987 standalone single Don't Shilly Shally, much to the delight of me and pretty much everyone else.
In fact, the entire show has been full of these delights. More or less half-and-half Orange Juice and solo songs, it's breath taking to realise how many songs are aired over 75 minutes or so. Much as I would have been happy to hear more than two picks from the current album, or classics such as Johnny Teardrop, one of the greatest singles ever written, I could not fault any of the selections.
There's a beautiful moment about halfway through when Edwyn sings Intuition Told Me, Pt 1 from the Orange Juice debut, segueing seamlessly into Simply Thrilled Honey.
After A Girl Like You comes to a crashing end, everyone leaves the stage and if those 18 songs had been it, then it would have been a superb night. Yet, minutes later, they're all back on for a four song encore.
Keepng with Gorgeous George, the "Last Lap" opens with a pared down reading of Low Expectations, followed by the title track of Home Again, recorded before but mixed and released after Edwyn's cerebral haemorrhages. Then, to end as it began, a return to Orange Juice for Felicity and Blue Boy, their sixth and second singles respectively. Those tears were threatening to flood again.
Edwyn and the band exited for the second and final time, then the lights came up, and it was time to go home.
I'd been there in the audience with friends Mike and Duncan but, in all honesty, for the entirety of the gig, I was completely and utterly transfixed by one amazing man and his incredible band. I think it was fair to say that we were all affected deeply by what we had just experienced.
Thank you, Edwyn. For everything.
Today's selection recreates Tuesday night's setlist, with a few alternative versions, re-recordings and extended versions thrown in to add flavour. I think the end result slightly outlasts the running time of the actual show itself, but I'm not complaining!
1) Falling And Laughing (Album Version): Orange Juice (1982)
2) Dying Day: Orange Juice (1982)
3) Make Me Feel Again: Edwyn Collins (1994)
4) The Campaign For Real Rock (Album Version): Edwyn Collins (1994)
5) Gorgeous George: Edwyn Collins (1994)
6) Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation: Edwyn Collins (2025)
7) Knowledge: Edwyn Collins (2025)
8) The Wheels Of Love: Edwyn Collins (1989)
9) What Presence?! (Extended Version): Orange Juice (1984)
10) In Your Eyes: Edwyn Collins ft. The Drums (2010)
11) In A Nutshell (Cover of Orange Juice): Edwyn Collins ft. Bernard Butler (1995)
12) Intuition Told Me, Pt 1: Orange Juice (1982)
13) Simply Thrilled Honey (Single Version): Orange Juice (1980)
14) Consolation Prize (Live @ Barrowland, Glasgow) (Cover of Orange Juice): Aztec Camera ft. Edwyn Collins (1990)
15) I Can't Help Myself (Long Version): Orange Juice (1982)
16) Rip It Up (The Intermediate Edit): Orange Juice (1983)
17) Don't Shilly Shally (Single Version): Edwyn Collins (1987)
18) A Girl Like You (Album Version): Edwyn Collins (1994)
19) Low Expectations: Edwyn Collins (1994)
20) Home Again (Harmonies/Album Version): Edwyn Collins (2007)
21) Felicity (Album Version): Orange Juice (1982)
22) Blue Boy: Orange Juice (1980)
1980: Blue Boy EP: 22
1980: Simply Thrilled Honey EP: 13
1982: I Can't Help Myself EP: 15
1982: You Can't Hide Your Love Forever: 1, 2, 12, 21
1984: What Presence?! EP: 9
1987: Don't Shilly Shally EP: 17
1989: Hope And Despair: 8
1990: Good Morning Britain EP: 14
1994: Gorgeous George: 3, 4, 5, 18, 19
1995: Volume 13: The Lucky Issue: 11
2002: A Casual Introduction 1981-2001: 16
2007: Home Again: 20
2010: Losing Sleep: 10
2014: The Possibilities Are Endless OST: 20
2025: Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation: 6, 7
Some of the photos are mine, but I've also used some fantastic pictures from other audience members that I'd like to give thanks for:
Lorraine Inglis (@lorraineinglisd.bsky.social) captured the incredible front-and-centre close ups of Edwyn, sitting and standing, as well as the set list sheet above.
Dave (@grooveisintheheart.bsky.social) took the striking photo of the empty stage. Admittedly, this was before Edwyn and the band came on but for the purposes of this post, it made sense to include it at the end. Artistic licence!
If you've made it this far, I should also include an apology to support act The Hanging Stars. I thought that they were due to play from 7.30-8.00pm and was feeling quite pleased that I'd managed to get to Bath from work in Gloucester without breaking the law and more or less on time.
I met Mike outside Komedia, Duncan arrived a few minutes later, we went inside and paused briefly to look at the merch stall and buy a drink, then found our way to the front. At which point, singer Richard Olson struck a chord on his guitar and said, "Thank you very much, see you soon!"
I guess that they came on at 7.15pm, not 7.30pm... Sorry, guys!
Anyway, The Hanging Stars have been recording their sixth album at Edwyn's studio in Helmsdale, produced by none other than Gerry Love. The album's out next year but the first single, Sister Of The Sun, was released on Friday.
If you're still here after that post-script detour then, as a reward, I've reactivated the previous Edwyn Collins selection that I posted in July. Happy listening!
