18 October 2025 (gig)
21 October 2025
From the moment he stepped on stage at The?Queen’s?Hall, Edinburgh, acoustic guitar in hand and with little fanfare, Alberts set the tone for a performance that would rely on connection more than spectacle. The venue’s relatively compact but characterful space allowed the audience to feel close, no barrier between performer and fan, just a shared space in which song after song felt like a direct address. The sound mix was warm and natural, giving space for his voice to breathe and his guitar to resonate without needing heavy amplification.
Ziggy drew the listeners in with his soft tone and vulnerable lyricism. As the set progressed, he moved naturally between older favourites and new material from his latest album “New Love”, weaving in stories, reflections, and occasional humour. That balance — between nostalgia and fresh territory — was one of the night’s strengths: fans got the familiar comfort of hits like “Runaway”, but also the occasionally raw newness of songs from New Love such as “Where Does the Love Go?” and the title track “New Love”
One highlight came when Alberts moved from the main stage into the audience area, performing a couple of songs down amongst the delighted crowd. In that intimacy, even silence felt charged. It was a trick he’s used on other nights and it worked beautifully in Edinburgh’s with its wrap around balconies giving those above a unique perspective.
The pacing of the night was deliberate. It wasn’t rushed; Alberts allowed songs to swell, to linger, to land. He paused between pieces to relate small stories or reflections: on the writing process, on moments of doubt and release, and on what New Love meant to him (which, he has said in interviews, was about speaking from what is “real and true for now”). That emotional candour never crossed into indulgence — he kept the balance of performer and songwriter, offering enough but leaving room for the audience’s own interpretations.
When he played “Stronger,” a song built around vulnerability and perseverance, the hall hummed along so quietly you could hear the breath between notes. And later, as the finale approached, he brought in a more upbeat close — a version of “Laps Around the Sun” that built slowly from hush to communal crescendo, audience voices overlaying his own, hands raised, bodies swaying.
It wasn’t a show of pyrotechnics or grand visuals; there was hardly a backing band or effects. But that was entirely in keeping with Albert’s ethos: music born of connection, of minimalism, of directness. The show underscored why he has built his career on touring and on cultivating a community of listeners who deeply value presence over production.
If there was a critique, perhaps it was that in some corners of the hall — particularly the upper balconies — sound depth dipped slightly, and at times the emotional weight of slower material risked losing momentum. But those were minor dents in a largely compelling evening. A rousing encore was almost a given and duly delivered.
By the time the lights went up, the crowd stayed standing, unwilling to let the spell lift — many stayed to clap, to call him back, to linger in that quiet glow. That lingering sense was exactly the mark of a show that didn’t just play songs, but invited listeners into a space of reflection and shared feeling. In Edinburgh, Ziggy Alberts didn’t just perform New Love — he made it live, fragile and full, in the hearts of those who listened. Truly a night to remember.
