Live and let die blares from the speakers as Marc Burrows circles the room, high-fiving everyone in sight. This sets the scene for the show – a childlike, joyful celebration of the power of music from a man that knows it far too personally.
His utter joyful enthusiasm and complete lack of cynicism however - coupled with his ridiculous anecdotes about Boy George and Shakira - make him possibly the coolest act of the Fringe.
Marc Burrows' manic charm quickly puts the audience at ease, before catching them off their guard by revealing humorously personal truths according to various members' favourite music genre. There is a tangible sense of love for the subject matter, and having worked as a music journalist, musician and celebrity social media strategist, it is understandable why. Burrows has seen the highs and the lows of the music industry, and this forms the basis of a bittersweet show about the importance of music to his own life, and the absurdity of the business that surrounds it. There are plenty of gags, some so eye-rollingly awful they elicit a groan from the spectators, but delivered with his cheeky appeal he somehow gets away with it.
The Ten Best Songs Of All Time in question is a subjective list of tracks that are important to Burrows, all of which have a connection to formative - and frequently hilarious - points in his life. This creates a narrative thread that keeps the show moving, allowing for tangents and off-topic observations, but providing a solid backbone that prevents the show from rambling. There is an emphasis placed on the importance of music to the audience as well, with regular input from those watching - culminating in a heartwarming finale that unites the room and successfully highlights his message.
Music itself plays a big part in the show, with short bursts of each song providing just enough time for Burrows to note down its name on the hastily constructed flipchart list at the side of the stage. His distinctive singing voice is utilised regularly as well, helping to illustrate the points he is trying to make. Due to being part of a Steampunk band, as well as having all the wrong haircuts at all the wrong times, Burrows complains of his 'uncool' status. His utter joyful enthusiasm and complete lack of cynicism however - coupled with his ridiculous anecdotes about Boy George and Shakira - make him possibly the coolest act of the Fringe.
