There were huge cheers as the band took to the stage. Fronted by Ricky Ross, a tall lean character dressed in black, and Lorraine McIntosh – wearing a pale, ragged shift dress and Dr Marten’s.

Ricky picked up an acoustic guitar and launched into their first song – The One About Loneliness. He was really on song, his distinctive, slightly gravel-edged, voice hitting all the notes. Lorraine whirled around, banging her tambourine before adding her beautiful, pure voice to the mix. It is this combination that produces the unmistakeable sound of Deacon Blue.

Ross discarded his guitar, and for the rest of the night let his talented band – including original members Jim Prime and Dougie Vipond – handle the music.

The band’s website billed this as a warm-up show for Glastonbury – and they were on fire at the Opera House. The set featured songs ranging from their early days in Glasgow to newly written material. But, inevitably, it was their “greatest hits” that prompted the greatest responses. The audience rose to sing, clap and dance along to Real Gone Kid. And they provided the vocals for the first verse of Dignity.

Ross is a great songwriter, but the band is not averse to performing material by other legendary artists. On Friday they played renditions of Van Morrison’s Angeliou, Dylan’s Gotta Serve Somebody and Bacharach/David’s I’ll Never fall In Love Again.

To top it all off, they finished the night with a roof-raising performance of Fergus Sings The Blues.

So, can this white man sing the blues? Yes – most definitely.

Review by Steve Cowell