The Proclaimers

The Proclaimers play Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh, on 27 November 2026. Formed in 1983 by twin brothers Craig and Charlie Reid, the duo began with a stripped acoustic setup before opening out to a fuller band sound. Their songwriting sits at the crossroads of folk rock, roots and pop, carried by tight harmonies, direct lyrics and that unmistakable Scottish accent that anchors their identity. Early breakthrough years brought This Is the Story (1987) and Sunshine on Leith (1988), with songs like Letter from America, I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) and Sunshine on Leith quickly entering the collective memory. The path since then has been steady: Hit the Highway (1994), a return in the 2000s with Persevere and Born Innocent (the latter produced with Edwyn Collins), then a run that includes Life with You, Notes & Rhymes, Like Comedy, Angry Cyclist and, most recently, Dentures Out in 2022. On stage, the brothers shift naturally between bare-bones harmonies and band-driven punch, drawing across four decades of material, from early favourites to newer cuts, with the same straight-ahead delivery that made their songs travel far beyond Scotland.