Emily Scott & Rob St John

The Scottish Scullery, the refectory of St John's Episcopal Church on Princes Street, is better known for its excellent high teas rather than its use as a live venue. For the next few weeks however, that is all about to change. Amongst the rattling of teacups and the smell of cinnamon buns will be the general humdrum of The Retreat! Festival. Put together by various local folk collectives such as the Gentle Invasion and Tracer Trails, it has a line-up of great diversity and quality. This is reflected by the sizable crowd that has assembled for this, its opening night.

Tonight's entrée is Emily Scott, a local lass known for her deft double bass playing and her laid back take on life. She's joined tonight by a friend on acoustic guitar, and together they combine to create songs of surprising swing. The double bass is her not-so-secret weapon; its rich, deep sounds are what drives these songs, and it compliments her soft voice beautifully. 'Sea Shanty' in particular is a delight.

Served up next is Rob St John, a lad barely out of his teens but already with a fearsome reputation as Edinburgh's most gifted young songsmith. Tonight, he's joined by an assortment of his friends, who, as he puts it, will “help flesh out my quiet wee tunes.” St John's voice and guitar playing are both unique in their originality, and the vivid imagery of his lyrics recall the beauty of nature, the joy of life and melancholy of frosty mornings. His short set is over all too quickly, leaving the crowd banging their teapots in appreciation. A thouroghly enjoyable evening, Retreat! Looks set to be a tremedous addition to the already thriving Edinburgh music scene.

www.myspace.com/edinburghretreat www.myspace.com/emilyscottmusic www.myspace.com/robstjohn