There’s a particular electricity that hums through St. Luke’s on a sold-out night, and tonight it felt especially charged. The converted church—its stained glass glowing softly and its imposing pipe organ looming like a silent collaborator—proved the perfect backdrop for Brooke Combe’s homecoming victory lap. Fresh off a successful run in the United States, Combe returned to Glasgow not just triumphant, but visibly evolving.
Touring her 2025 record, Dancing at the Edge of the World, she’s leaning confidently into a sound that blends Northern Soul grit with smooth R&B polish. It’s a combination that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly modern—and crucially, it suits her.
Before the main event, the crowd was treated to two compelling support acts. Alice Faye, newly crowned BBC Introducing Scottish Act of the Year, opened with a set that was as intimate as it was quietly commanding.
Alone on stage with her guitar, she initially seemed dwarfed by the venue. That illusion lasted all of thirty seconds. Her voice—deep, resonant, and steeped in vintage character—filled the space with ease. Drawing from Black Americana and mid-century influences, her songs carried a haunting weight, often circling themes of rejection and longing. Between tracks, her dry wit and candid chaos grounded the performance, turning what could have been a solemn set into something warmly engaging. One to watch feels like an understatement.
Next came Muireann Bradley, whose reputation has been steadily growing since her breakout television appearance on the Jools Holland Hootenanny show. Soft-spoken and unassuming, Bradley’s stage presence contrasts sharply with her musical prowess. Her fingerpicked guitar work was nothing short of mesmerising—each note precise, each phrase steeped in traditional country blues.
Covers and originals blended seamlessly, with clear nods to the Deep South’s musical lineage. At moments, you could almost trace a line from her set back to the roots of rock ’n’ roll itself. It was a masterclass in restraint and authenticity. For reference… check out ‘That’s Alright (mama)’ by Elvis Presley as even the King of Rock n’ Roll had to get his influences from somewhere.
Then came the headliner.
From the opening bars of “Lanewood Pines,” Combe wasted no time asserting control. She’s developed a stage presence that belies her relative youth—confident without arrogance, charismatic without calculation. There’s a looseness to her performance style that suggests instinct over choreography, and it works in her favour. She doesn’t just perform songs; she lives them.
Her connection with the audience was immediate and sustained. Whether prompting singalongs or sharing knowing glances with the front rows, she radiated genuine joy. At one point, she singled out an especially enthusiastic fan whose vocal contributions to a sing a long nearly rivalled her own—a moment that encapsulated the communal spirit of the night.
The setlist struck a careful balance between new material and crowd favourites, with tracks from Dancing at the Edge of the World forming the backbone. A couple of well-chosen covers added texture, but this was very much Combe’s show—her voice, her vision, her moment.
By the time the encore rolled around, the atmosphere had tipped into full celebration. A crowd-pleasing rendition of “Yes Sir I Can Boogie”—a song now firmly embedded in Scottish football pop culture—was a part of the encore that brought the night to a euphoric close.
On a Thursday night, no less… look out Friday night you’re about to be visited by the BC train!
If this was night one of two, Glasgow may well have been in for something even bigger the following evening. But as it stood, this was an artist not just meeting expectations, but exceeding them with ease. Brooke Combe isn’t just riding a wave—she’s shaping it.
Review & Photographs by John Brown Photography
