Le Salon du Jazz Ecossais

In spite of George Street’s reputation for being The Place To Go, many of the popular venues are in fact indistinguishable from one another. Their main appeal is a convergence of cheap drink, Top 40 hits and dim lighting and not much else. Walking down George Street on a Saturday night should acquaint anyone with the fact that the area is not the epitome of class that it once was. Thankfully, Billy Lowe, owner of Le Monde Hotel on George Street and the Hudson Hotel in the West End, saw that this had to change. In his speech at this past Thursday night’s launch party, he expressed his long-standing wish to bring “something new to Edinburgh”, and he certainly did.

This “something new” is Dirty Martini, a live music venue and bar complete with a cushy function room at the back for birthdays, work get-togethers, or any excuse to enjoy the atmosphere. The decor is a stimulating melange of a 1920s Oxford don’s college rooms and a Manhattan bar - which sounds like there was a huge miscommunication in design vision, but Lowe knows that if any bar wants to be head and shoulders above the rest, it needs balance. Lowe and his team have brought together the best in drink, food and entertainment to ensure that you won’t be needing a taxi any time soon. The live acts come from across the United Kingdom, and Lowe has extended plans to invite North American and European artists to the Dirty Martini’s stage. On Thursday night, Martin McLennan kicked off the evening with Billy Joel and The Script, but Elle & the Pocket Belles stole the show with renditions of the old standards, including “Swing on a Star” and “Summertime”.

But what will assure Dirty Martini’s longevity is not the music, nor the cocktails, nor the barbecue ribs at the buffet. It is that there is a very strong possibility that you will be sharing tables with people who remind you of your parents rather than your fellow students, and this is Lowe's real objective. It is rare to find a place like this, especially on George Street, where every club and bar worships at the altar of youth, or an approximation thereof. Rather than being a bit lame, the presence of older folks gives Dirty Martini a maturity which is unique and genuine. While growing up means saying goodbye to youth, the Dirty Martini shows that you don't have to bid adieu to the good life.