Edinburgh Castle Concerts review: Skippinish had crowds dancing from start to finish at 25th anniversary gig

It’s safe to say Skippinish had the crowd at Edinburgh Castle in the palm of their hands from the minute they took to the stage on Friday evening to mark the band’s 25th anniversary.

And it certainly was a celebration, with the band members having been joined on stage by special guests, including the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo Pipe and Drums, over the course of the night. 

Hits Lands Below the Waves and The Island had everyone - even those in seats high up - dancing, jumping and belting out the lyrics, while a touching performance of Western Ocean, which was dedicated to late members of the band, turned the bouncing arena into a sea of swaying arms holding phone torches.

National World

The night was brought to a close with Farewell followed by, of course, Walking on the Waves, which despite being extended by many repeats of the catchy chorus, clearly finished too soon for the fans. 

So much so, that crowds were still belting out the lyrics as they left the castle grounds and made their way down the Royal Mile. This was followed by ‘No Scotland, No Party’ chants and a quick Loch Lomond singalong before everyone went their separate ways.

Towards the end of the show, lead singer Norrie McIver said it was the biggest show the band had ever played, and it’s difficult not to imagine that it lived up to every one of the members’ and fans’ expectations. 

And judging by the roar of the crowd when he announced that the band would be playing an even bigger gig at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro in September 2025, I’m sure there will be many now counting down until they can experience it all over again.