Both the opening band, The Greenberry Woods, and the main act, The Proclaimers, contain sets of twin brothers.
The Greenberry Woods' three vocalist-guitarists played carefree, happy rock inspired by the Beatles, wearing shoulder-bobbed brown hair and dark green T-shirts, continuously swapping lead vocals and backup.The Maryland-based band is touring for the first time, pleasing crowds with "More and More and More," "Christine," and its new MTV debut, "Trampoline."
The band sparked the mood of the crowd, which went into a delighted frenzy when The Proclaimers burst onstage.
"I would walk 500 miles and I would walk 500 more
Just to be the man that walks that 1,000 miles to fall down at your door . . ."
Anyone who saw "Benny and Joon" remembers the powerful, feeling song that pealed across the opening credits. The Proclaimers, Craig and Charlie Reid, (twin brothers) are responsible for that energetic piece of music.
Joining vocals, guitars, keyboards and drums with a tambourine, a pipes and an occasional hiccup for sound effects, the Proclaimers starred at DV8 Friday night with high-energy songs like "Don't Turn Out Like Your Brother," "Let's Get Married," "Shout, Shout" and "Cap in Hand." Of course, "I Would Walk 500 Miles" proved to be the audience's smashing favorite.
They charged onstage with four musicians behind them Friday night, wowing the crowd with strong Scottish accents and looking more like math students than rock stars, in yellow and green button-up shirts and horn-rimmed glasses.
Through direct, simple words and cheery, almost-yelling voices, they sang about life, true devotion and the visions of the lovelorn.
During the filming of "Benny and Joon," actress Mary Stuart Masterson was asked to bring music to the set to help her relax. She chose the Proclaimers' 1988 album "Sun on Leich" (Leich is the Edinburgh harbor the Proclaimers call home.) The song "I Would Walk 500 Miles" became an instant hit with the entire crew and was chosen as the film's theme song.
That song, like the rest of the bold, infectuously catchy tunes the Scottish band played Friday night, had the jam-packed dance floor jumping, all in unison. (Jumping was the most anyone could do - it was far too crowded to dance.)
The Proclaimers caught the crowd with bold strokes both in the lyrics and the tunes. Deliberate, heavy beats supported pretty melodies with funny, thoughtful lyrics. Either the lyrics, cram-packed with rhyme, or the music itself could have stood entirely alone. Combined they were irrestistably catching.
The crowd listened intently to the slow songs, too: "Misty Blue" brought howls of approval as did "The Light Made Me Blind," which sings of the day "I know I will stand to meet my maker," and "A Song for Sean" which Charlie wrote for his son, in which he sings that grown men cry.
The Proclaimers exited the club to a swarm of audience members hoping for photographs and autographs. Craig and Charlie politely stood for photo after photo, arms around fans, and answered questions about their wives, their music, and their country. They spoke with each fan until they were the last ones remaining on the sidewalk.