Dean Owens and the Sinners

Dean Owens and the Sinners + special guests

“Owens sings with a dark majesty that matches the gigantic emotional pull of his songs ****” – Mojo

returns to the Pleasance Theatre for his annual gig, in what is now a winter tradition, and a pre-Christmas cracker of a gig! With his Sinners band - Craig Ross (electric guitar), Adam McMillan (double bass), Chuck Dearness (trumpet), Andy Duncan on drums and a special guest or two, it’s a home town gig like no other for one of Leith’s favourite sons.

A glorious, brass infused, thrilling, unique blend of Scottish roots and rocky Americana, with hints of Latin rock, and Dean’s searingly soulful voice front and centre.  The songs are both monumental and deeply personal, masterpieces of economic, movie-like songwriting, with themes of family, the displaced, and the wanderers in the world.

His recent album Spirit Ridge was recorded in Italy (the land of his lion tamer ancestor) and followed directly on from his highly acclaimed collaborations with Calexico, with songs rooted in a half imagined hinterland connecting the lush Italian hills, the US desert states and post industrial Scotland. 2026 saw him return there, with The Sinners, to record the follow up (Glimmers, due for release in 2027), and in the meantime they have released an “as live” recording – Our Favourite Sins - of their current favourites.

Expect a joyous mix of songs and stories from Dean’s 12+ album career, and a life on the road. Earworm inducing melodies and great songs; the heart of a rock’n’roller combined with the spellbinding delivery of folk’s best storytellers, with humour and melancholy intertwined.

Tickets: £23/£17 + booking fee
Date: Monday 14 December 2026
Doors open: 7:30pm | Music starts: 8pm (bar open all day)
Location: Pleasance Theatre, 60 Pleasance, Edinburgh EH8 9TJ