The Magnets: Homegrown

Good a capella is the vocal equivalent of a trompe d’oeil, and when The Magnets perform it is hard to believe that there isn’t a band secreted off-stage.  The six-man group are long-term festival favourites and on this performance it is not hard to see why. Their combination of technical virtuosity, insouciant sexiness and easy-listening song choices is guaranteed to please audiences. Their new show Homegrown features only British music, and apparently came about as a result of the group’s homesickness while touring abroad. Mercifully, in spite of the Union Jack backdrop and an encore featuring a hilarious romp through the past 60 years of British music, nationalism never becomes jingoism – unusual in the year of the Jubilee and the Olympics.

Particular highlights of the evening include a joyous rendition of Madness’s ‘It Must Be Love’ and Bad Religion’s ‘21^st Century (Digital Boy)’  – a song the group attempts to perform without their beatboxer, who they jokingly accuse of always stealing the limelight. As accusations go, it has some foundation, since beat-boxer Andrew Frost’s solo set needs to be seen to be believed – or rather not seen. The synchronisation between his beat-boxing and his miming playing the drums is so perfect that when the physical action stops one is puzzled as to how the sound can be continuing.

Homegrown offers the ultimate in unchallenging, feel good fun. And on the basis of the delighted reactions of the audience, The Magnets will continue to be favourites at Edinburgh for many years to come.