This is an unconventional way to start a live music review, but let's talk about the venue, rather than the band. Why? Well, The Picture House might well secure the future of live popular music in Edinburgh. The city has been crying out for a music venue like this for years – a city-centre, theatre sized auditorium. Brixton has its Academy, Glasgow has the Barrowland. The closest Edinburgh had was the Corn Exchange, a soulless concrete barn miles from anywhere. At long last, this obvious inbalance has been rectified. Originally built as an art-deco cinema, some will probably remember—with a shudder—The Picture House in the days when it was called Revolution, when it was renowned for violence and cheap techno music. Now it has been transformed, and Edinburgh gig-goers have a new place to call home.

The accolade of being the first band to play this new venue falls to Idlewild, a band that you either love or you shrug off, casually. No one actually hates Idlewild. Nearly everyone enjoys at least a couple of their tunes. You just need to take a quick glance at tonight's crowd to see this. The venue is full, but there is little in the way of atmosphere.

Their set is enjoyable enough, but falls all too quickly into the routine of relatively new songs being met with complete indifference, and their older, edgier material being cheered to the rafters. We're treated to the brilliant 'Captain' from their debut EP, and rare b-side 'Meet Me At the Harbour'. Next to them, the new stuff just can't compete. 'Love Steals Us From Loneliness' just sounds silly, and worst of all, it looks as if Roddy Woomble is only too aware of this. He spends the entire gig looking vaguely bemused and completely uninterested, while the rest of the band leap around, acting like young punks instead of men long the wrong side of 30. It's a shame: there's clearly a good band still in there somewhere. Idlewild should take inspiration from The Picture House. What was once grand can quickly become faded, but with some care and attention it can still return to its former glory.