Edinburgh Castle Concerts: Modfather Paul Weller reigns supreme in the rain during impressive two-hour set

Despite the rain coming and going throughout the former Jam and Style Council lead singer’s set on the esplanade at Edinburgh Castle on Saturday, July 13, the sell-out crowd were royally entertained by the Modfather.

He started with new songs from his recently released 17th solo album, including ‘Soul Wandering’ which he told the poncho-laden crowd he had written with Primal Scream frontman, Scot Bobby Gillespie, as he apologised for the rain, jokingly adding "but you'll be used to it".

Paul Weller played an incredible two-hour Castle at the Concert set last night. Photo by Damien Thomson.

Style Council classic ‘My Ever Changing Moods’ got the crowd dancing as the rain stopped for a brief period, followed by another classic from his second band, the jaunty ‘Headstart for Happiness’. 

Weller was joined on stage with an impressive ensemble of top-class musicians including Britpop guitar legend Steve Craddock, a brass section and two drummers. His voice was note-perfect throughout despite the indie rock legend recently turning 66, hence the title of his latest studio album.

Solo hit ‘Out of the Sinking’ had the crowd dancing again as the rain returned, before Weller took a seat at his piano draped in a Palestine flag for ‘Stanley Road’. He stayed there for more solo tracks from his vast and impressive back catalogue.

Despite recently turning 66, Weller showed no signs of slowing down as he rocked Edinburgh Castle on Saturday, July 13. Photo by Kevin Quinn.

He was back on guitar for the album title track from his 2021 release ‘Fat Pop’, steaming through more solo material before delighting his fans by playing Style Council classic ‘Shout to the Top’.

The crowd then went wild for the first Jam song of the night, singalong anthem ‘That's Entertainment’, quickly followed by another Jam classic, the Beatles-inspired ‘Start’.

By now Weller had the crowd in the palm of his hand and he kept them dancing with solo hit ‘Peacock Suit’, and proper rocker ‘Into Tomorrow’, before he and his band left the stage.

The crowd were kept entertained despite the on-off rain throughout Paul Weller's Edinburgh Castle set. Photo by Damien Thomson.

Weller then enjoyed a hero’s return for a triumphant encore, with him telling the Edinburgh crowd "it's our last gig for a few months so we were always going to play more tunes”, before launching into ‘Changing Man’, much to the delight of his fans.

This was followed by a proper sing-along for ‘Wild Wood’ the title track of his second solo album, released in 1993. Weller then slowed it down for psychedelic Bowie-esque ballad Rockets, with Ocean Colour Scene’s Craddock impressing on slide guitar.

Taking to the piano again, Weller dedicated ‘Broken Stones’ to the people of Gaza “so they know we still care about them”, adding "this is about human beings, we're all the same".

The sold-out crowd, most of whom wore a poncho during the set, absolutely loved Paul Weller's concert at Edinburgh Castle. Kevin Quinn.

He stayed on the piano for Stanley Road classic ‘You Do Something To Me’, with couples dancing and hugging everywhere as the rain returned, but by this point nobody cared!

“You've been a wonderful crowd, beautiful people, thank you,” Weller told his soaked Edinburgh fans, before he finished on a high with Jam classic ‘Town Called Malice’, leaving a delighted, if rather wet crowd in raptures.

With half a century in music behind him, it appears the Modfather himself is showing no signs of slowing down, with a career-spanning set in the Edinburgh rain a proper masterclass to teach any young indie darlings how to rock.