Dean Friedman: In Concert

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“The plan is, I’m gonna play some songs for you tonight, is that all right with you?” says the legendary singer/songwriter Dean Friedman, as he takes to the modest stage at the Malmaison Hotel. But this upbeat and rhetorical question sets the scene for an evening of laughs, anecdotes and music, which is both entertaining and moving.

Featuring some of his classics, such as ‘Ariel’, Friedman’s Fringe gig also includes work from some of his newer albums, such as Squirrels in the Attic and his latest release, Submarine Races. While a substantial guest slot is taken up by his daughter, Hannah, the focus is clearly on Friedman himself, as the concert includes some of his best known songs, from the outrageous ‘Death to the Neighbours’, to the controversial ‘McDonald’s Girl’, which was banned by the BBC for mentioning the name of the illustrious fast food giant too many times, to the much more moving songs in his repertoire, namely ‘Lydia’.

It’s this carefully constricted set, which gently balances between the humorous and the heartbreaking which makes the evening so successful, as the audience experience Friedman’s signature uncomplicated and brutally honest vocals. The show also showcases Friedman's enviable talent for playing instruments - from the guitar, to the keyboard and even the ukulele. Expect laughs, smiles and the chance for a wee sing-a-long in this gig which serves as a perfect distraction from Fringe excess.