Memorial Device were supposed to put Airdrie on the map, had they not turned down that support slot for Sonic Youth and sadly imploded in tragic fashion. We are told this by journalist Raymond Ross, who was a fanzine editor for the band at their peak. Ross is played fantastically by Paul Higgins, who pitches him as a man who realises the futility of what he’s saying but goes ahead and says it all the same.

Memorial Device are remembered as the quintessential underdogs, mixing the abrasiveness of Jesus And Mary Chain with the outsider poetry of Joy Division. Much of the story centres around Lucas, the lead singer, who has a short-term memory that puts the band in a constant state of ‘forgetting and remembering’. The idea of moments that are both fleeting and permanent is poignant, and it is with this that the show effectively transforms into something of a ghost story.

^{Pictures: Mihaela Bodlovic}

Graham Eatough directs the production, adapting David Keenan’s book for the Edinburgh International Book Festival. The specificity of the performance adds to its uniqueness; seeing this unfold is like being let in on a secret. In many ways, This Is Memorial Device is a more poetic version of that drunk guy telling you a bit too much about this obscure band that changed his life. The difference being that while you might want to do everything to get out of that situation, here you want to savour every moment. 

Wee Red Bar, Edinburgh College Of Art, until 29 August, 8.30pm.