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Edinburgh Live
Edinburgh Live
World
David McLean

When Edinburgh Meat Loaf fans watched star dash off stage with nosebleed

With the news that the legendary rock singer Meat Loaf has sadly died at the age of 74, we've had a look through the vaults to examine the Bat Out Of Hell star's numerous visits to the capital.

Meat Loaf, born Marvin Lee Aday, performed here in Edinburgh on multiple occasions at the peak of his powers and popularity in the 1980s.

The American frontman, who, over the course of a 45-year career, sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, first entertained capital audiences way back in 1982 at The Playhouse.

This was an era when the 3,000-capacity theatre moonlighted as one of the city's premier rock and pop venues, attracting dozens of top acts, including the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen and Roxy Music.

Meat Loaf would go on to appear at The Playhouse a total of eight times, but it was that initial performance during his Neverland Express Euro '82 tour that was arguably his most memorable - due to an unfortunate onstage incident.

Meat Loaf was playing one of his two nights at The Playhouse when a sudden nosebleed forced the singer to run for cover backstage.

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Liam Rudden, Entertainment Editor at the Edinburgh Evening News, recalled his memories of the show for a 2017 article in The Scotsman.

Mr Rudden said Meat Loaf was mid-way through what was then his signature track, 1977's Bat Out Of Hell, when disaster struck.

He said: "Half way through, as Meatloaf went for a top note, he had a nose bleed. His nose just burst. Leaving the stage, his voice continued.

"I probably wasn’t the only one thinking that’s a bit dodgy, but one of his backing singers (who I assume had been singing along) stepped forward and finished the track brilliantly."

Bat Out Of Hell being the first song of the set, fans would have been distraught that the concert had been brought to a very abrupt and premature end - however, Meat Loaf wasn't about to leave punters disappointed.

Mr Rudden continued: "Recovered, Meatloaf returned to the stage throwing out beers to the audience. Bringing his ‘backing singer’ forward he introduced him: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Ted Neely’. It was only the star of the Jesus Christ Superstar movie, the one and only Ted Neely, himself. A legend.”

Meat Loaf would perform at the Greenside venue a further six times, with the final appearance coming in May 1988.

An audio recording of the '88 show is available to listen to on YouTube.

Meat Loaf never returned for a capital gig, however, in 1998 he was present on Princes Street at the reopening of the revamped HMV store.

A framed photograph of his ribbon-cutting visit hung above the entrance to the staff toilets, a former HMV worker told Edinburgh Live.

Meat Loaf's Edinburgh concerts in full:

May 2, 1982 - Edinburgh Playhouse

May 3, 1982 - Edinburgh Playhouse

September 30, 1983 - Edinburgh Playhouse

December 21, 1984 - Edinburgh Playhouse

January 20, 1985 - Edinburgh Playhouse

February 21, 1987 - Edinburgh Playhouse

February 22, 1987 - Edinburgh Playhouse

March 14, 1988 - Edinburgh Playhouse

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