Monday 19 December 2016

Roddy Woomble's Christmas Hootenanny, Teviot Debating Hall

So what's a hootenanny?  Roddy says he doesn't know, but it makes the gig sound a bit more festive.  If Jools Holland can get away with it....

With a solid four piece backing band behind him, and the excellent Sorren Maclean and Hannah Fisher on either side to provide lead guitar, fiddle and backing vocals, Woomble delivered a set list that mixed favourites from his three solo albums with covers of Xmas and party songs.  The voice appears to be gaining a bit of depth as he enters his forties, but as ever the main strengths of his performance lie in the poetry of his lyrics and the deft vocal phrasing that is his signature.  This ability allows him to turn the cheesiest festive number into something that's both familiar and fresh.  The old Drifters classic Save The Last Dance For Me had a new lilt to it, whilst even hoary old chestnuts like White Xmas come out sounding like they've had a makeover.

Adding a bit of variety, the second set opened with Woomble offstage and the Maclean/Fisher duo taking the limelight with a lovely interplay between their voices.  In between numbers Roddy's understated introductions and gentle humour develop a sense of intimacy with the audience, as if he'd just come along to sing in your living room.  It's an enjoyable antidote to more 'showbizzy' approaches and a pleasant, hype-free way to put on a seasonal gig.  Lovely.

Sunday 11 December 2016

Paterson

Every weekday Paterson wakes early, kisses girlfriend Laura, has breakfast, walks to work, and drives a number 23 bus through the streets of Paterson, New Jersey.  After work he walks home, eats dinner with Laura, takes Marvin the bulldog for a walk and has a beer in Doc's bar.  It sounds like a mundane, dull existence, except that it frees his mind for his great passion in life, writing poetry, taking his inspiration from the minutiae of life.

Each day has it's small differences too, not least those provided by Laura who likes to experiment.  Food, decor, clothes, career path are all full of possibilities to her imagination, even if the results don't always match expectations.  But she also wants his to share his poems with the world, while he's content to write for his own satisfaction.

Paterson's equilibrium is challenged by events, and his reactions can sometimes surprise, but throughout it all he displays an inner calm, even a hint of heroism.  Adam Driver is superb as the lead, a man at peace with his world, and Golshifteh Farahani's Laura is a high-energy visual and verbal rollercoaster, rushing from one high to the next.

There are some striking images, and several recurrent themes that add to the overall coherence of the movie, and the sense of beauty in the mundane.  It's a reminder that the key to contentment lies less in possessions and more in finding out what really makes you happy, and that life continues despite the bumps in the road.  Some might think the ending contrived, but it provided a strong illustration of the verbal magic that good poetry provides, and a reminder that it's magic of that kind that makes life worth living.

Paterson is that kind of magic.  Certainly the best film I've seen this year.

Merry Hell, Atkinson, Southport

As in my Merry Hell review of a year ago this was the six piece 'acoustic' line up of the band, and the evening was run under the banner of Grateful Fred's.

The opening act was teenage Liverpudlian singer/songwriter Eleanor Nelly.  A powerful, gutsy voice and an outgoing personality.  Mostly her own songs which are lyrically promising, with People Like Us standing out, but lacking memorable melodies - there's nothing here to pass the old grey whistle test.  Good to see her guitar accompaniment going well beyond simple chord strumming, even if ambition still outreaches technique on occasion.  But Nelly is a promising act and could have a strong future ahead in the music business.

She was followed by the Grateful Fred house band, with the same three front men described in my earlier review, but with the addition of a drummer to give a stronger feel to the set.  Their rocking faux-Americana might not be exciting, but it's certainly enjoyable, and that's all you can ask of a local support act.

Then on to the main point of the night.  Nick Davies on bass, Neil McCartney playing fiddle, and the four Kettles up front.  Most of what I wrote in that year old review, and much of the one I wrote for the full band last July still applies.  They continue to light up a stage with their presence, the musicianship is solid if unspectacular, the vocals excellent, the songs themselves as good as ever.  There were several from their newest album and it promises to add further depth to the back catalogue they can call upon.  And politically they remain as sensibly left wing and people oriented as ever.

In my previous review of MH I ended with a single word.  Joyous.  It still applies.

Monday 5 December 2016

Lau, Queens Hall

Do you remember the first time you heard a piece of music and wondered why it had been written just for you, so immediate and personal was the impact it made?  It's only happened to me twice, and the most recent of those was at my first Lau gig, now almost a decade ago.  Since that time the trio have grown together to become one of the leading names in the folk world, with a reputation for innovation and imagination that few can match.

No matter how often you've seen them, Lau will continue to surprise, and this home town concert was no exception.  With no support act this was a pure Lau affair.  In the first set most of the stage was screened off, and the group assembled around one omni-directional mike to deliver an acoustic set.  This was something I'd been hoping to see for the last couple of years, a stripped back performance with just the three instruments - accordion, guitar and fiddle - and Kris Drever's vocals.  It was a reminder that behind all the electronic cleverness that's become their trademark there are three exceptionally gifted musicians, steeped in traditional music and intuitively feeding off each other's abilities.  Watching them felt like falling in love again.

After the interval they returned to their now more familiar setting - a spaghetti trail of cabling linking pedal boxes, amps, mikes and some of their own wacky creations.  Only at a Lau gig will you see a fiddle being played with two bows whilst strapped to what appeared to be a remnant from a Victorian coatstand, or a window frame gone wrong turned into a strange electronic harp.  Who but Martin Green would create music by pulling on what looked like a bit of string?!

But it's the music itself that matters most and Lau continue to deliver.  Fans would recognise the tunes and songs drawn from their four studio albums, but each one had some new twist to the arrangement and/or instrumentation, and there were some intriguing segues.  Horizontigo morphing into Far From Portland was especially impressive.  And the wonderful and haunting Ghosts remains ever relevant in promoting understanding of the plight of immigrants.

In between there's plenty of humour, and they take a delight in winding each other up, but it's very clear just how much they enjoy working with and off each other.  The set ended with the trio once more coming to the fore and performing acoustically, this time to lead the hall in a rendition of Hamish Henderson's Freedom Come A' Ye.  Musically, artistically, politically, Lau remain as significant and original as ever.  As as superb a live act as any.  Simply glorious.

Saturday 3 December 2016

Blue Rose Code, Queens Hall

For Ross Wilson, aka Blue Rose Code, this was his Homecoming gig, marking his return to residence in Edinburgh after many years in London.  So no surprise that it was near enough a sell out, with many old friends in the audience.

Both halves were opened by Ryan Van Winkle, an Edinburgh based poet originating from Connecticut.  An engaging and self deprecating personality, he can raise a laugh with his introductions, but loses his audience once the actual poetry begins.  Not that he's a bad poet.  But performance poetry requires an immediacy, an ability to instantly conjure up images and situations and characters, the capacity to get the quick laugh, the brief moment of anguish, the empathetic connection.  This work felt more contemplative, the kind of verse you want to absorb slowly, words to be pondered on.  It's poetry to be read, not heard.  Although his description of a job he once had scooping up roadkill was an honourable exception.

The musical support act was Zervas and Pepper, a duo from Cardiff.  Paul Zervas and Kathryn Pepper are self confessed fans of the Laurel Canyon school of music, the soft folkrock of 60s and 70s west coast America.  More usually playing as a full six piece band, tonight it was just one guitar and their two voices.  Good voices too, with excellent harmonising, and Zervas is more than just a strummer on the six string.  Their self penned material is lyrically interesting, but melodically unmemorable.  A quick look on YouTube suggests that this would be improved with the full line up in play, but as a duo they felt more suited to an intimate folk club setting, and were just too underwhelming to convince in one of the city's major concert venues.

Which can't be said for Mr Wilson.  OK, there was the advantage of a welcoming home crowd, but he clearly has the charisma and confidence to project his music and persona into a bigger venue.  And the songs.  Much of the material is very personal, looking at past mistakes, failed relationships, but also positive about the future, and his own strong connections with his Scottish roots.  A varied mix of tempos, from contemplative to full on rocking, and an ever changing line up on stage.  Ross solo, on guitar or piano, through duo, trio and full band line up with pedal steel guitar, lead guitar, bass and piano and/or drums.  There was some added folkiness from the accordion of Blazin' Fiddles keyboard man Angus Lyons, and an all too brief appearance from innovative cellist Graham Coe of Jellyman's Daughter fame.   One thing Wilson failed to do was properly introduce, and credit, his fellow performers.  I recognised Lyons and Coe from past experience, but couldn't catch the muttered name of the excellent guitarist and don't think the pedal steel man was ever mentioned.  A shame as they were a tight and effective outfit.

For the big finale on came the massed ranks of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Contemporary choirs to add a rich gospel feel to 'Grateful', a hymn to being alive, and 'Oh North', Wilson's take on the Caledonian diaspora's longing for home.  There looked to be a few too many to fit on the stage, but their contribution was worth the cramped conditions.



Thursday 24 November 2016

Southern Tenant Folk Union, Storytelling Centre



A band whose live performances I've reviewed three times in the past, and with the same line of personnel for tonight's as for those on 10 December 2015 and 12 May of this year, so there's not all that much new to say.  The fact that I've been to see them again indicates I'm something of an established fan, and this was another excellent performance.

There was plenty of new material though, from the recently released seventh album, Join Forces.  Once again much of the material is political, McGarvey happily wears his left of centre views on his sleeve, and the act is all the better for that honesty.  Tories will not always feel comfortable at a Southern Tenant gig.

The evening mixed up the old and new, with more recent material dominating the first set, the back catalogue more apparent in the second.  It's a reminder of how much the band's styles and personnel have changed over the decade in which they've been recording and performing.  The current five piece has survived for some time now, and is all the better for it.  It's proving to be one of the best yet, with Rory Butler's thin but  interesting voice providing his own fresh interpretations of older songs and setting the tone for those on the last two CDs.  Musically the style is more folk than country at the moment, with Katherine Stewart's fiddling at the forefront, but McGarveys plinking banjo always providing a reminder of their Americana roots, even on the superb, and very Scottish, sets of tunes that Stewart sparkled on.

Always enjoyable, especially in front of a home crowd, Southern Tenant continue to impress as a live act and wouldn't disappoint any fan of quality folk and acoustic music.



Friday 18 November 2016

A Street Cat Named Bob

Based on the book of the same name, this is the true life story of James Bowen and the cat that helped turn his life around.

Bowen is a recovering heroin addict, living on the streets and earning just enough from busking to feed himself.  The opening scenes, showing a few of the harsh realities of that life, suggests Ken Loach territory.  But director Roger Spottiswoode has chosen to go down the feelgood route and there's little grit to the drama from that point on.

Helped by his drugs counsellor Val, he is given a flat and the chance to get himself clean.  Further good fortune comes in the shape of eccentric neighbour Betty, and, sneaking in an open window one night, a ginger tom.  It's the latter who proves to be the biggest influence on James' road to recovery.  With Bob at his feet, or draped across his shoulders, his busking, and later Big Issue selling, never fail to draw crowds of admirers.  And far more money than he's been used to.  He and Bob also become, without being aware of it, a YouTube sensation (go have a look).  This will eventually lead to the book deal that propels him to greater fame and fortune.

It's concentrating very much on the heart warming stuff.  The difficult relationship with his father is quickly glossed over, and the portrayal of his final withdrawal from methadone is a long way from Loach.

Luke Treadaway gives a strong performance as a somewhat sanitised Bowen, and Joanne Froggat is excellent as the stern but supportive Val.  There's only one real star though.  Much of the cat action was undertaken by Bob himself, and any cat owner will marvel at how you can get one of these highly independent creatures to accept direction!

Is this a movie designed to get you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside?  Very much so.  Is it over sentimentalised?  Check.  Is it shamelessly emotionally manipulative?  Yup.  Does that mean I hated it?  No.

But I'm a cat lover/owner.  If you're not then this is one that's best avoided.  If you are then you'll probably fall in love with Bob.  I must admit to crying during the film, from the memories it brought back of a ginger cat who once helped me through some difficult times.  You might not have such an immediate emotional connection, but if you can ignore all the fluffiness of the script this is great fun for cat fans.

Wednesday 16 November 2016

Heidi Talbot, Eastgate Theatre, Peebles

Her sweet and husky Irish lilt has established Heidi Talbot as one of the finest singers on the contemporary folk scene, with several fine albums to her credit and an excellent live act.  The current tour is to launch the latest album, Here We Go 1,2,3, which features more lyrics penned by Talbot herself than her previous work.

With her trademark fairy lights enhancing the stage, she's joined by two mutil instrumentalists in husband John McCusker and the risng star Toby Shaer, plus the magical guitar work of Sorren Maclean.  And, this effectively being their home gig, Heidi and John had brought along their young daughter Mollie Mae to join them in a couple of numbers.

They played two sets, with a mix of new and familiar material.  And Talbot made way for the talents of her band with a couple of rousing sets of tunes, mostly written by John and a song from Maclean (who provided backing vocals on many of the songs).  The new material feels very personal, the lyrics drawn from experiences in Talbot's life, and there's a good mix of themes and tempos.  The standard of musicianship is high.  McCusker is rightly sought after as musician and producer, Maclean is well established in Scotland and beyond.  And Shaer was absolutely their equal, providing some delicious flute solos.

Talbot's an endearing presence, funny and open, and there were several dry remarks and amusing stories from her spouse.  They create a warm atmosphere, and whether it's a tender love song or a rousing reel the audience always feels complicit in the event.

Highly recommended.

Tuesday 8 November 2016

Sheesam & Lotus & Son, and The Crooked Boys

Two very different Canadian bands, but both providing great entertainment via their own routes.

I've reviewed S&L&S before, in September last year, and everything I wrote then still stands.  A central core of fiddle, banjo, sousaphone and two excellent and complementary voices with additional sounds from an eclectic mix of instruments, tap dancing and body parts (by which I mean Sheesam playing his own body, not that they bring along an assortment of bits of corpses).  Plus, on this occasion, a song from the usually silent Son Sanderson who might not equal the others in vocal talent, but is their match in entertainment.

It's foot tapping feelgood music, with the benefit of visual and verbal comedy.  Not to be missed if they come your way.  (They have a few more dates in England this week.)



In contrast I came to The Crooked Brothers with no expectations, or any idea of the type of music they played.  With drums and double bass anchoring, the three front men  play an assortment of guitars, dobro, mandolin, banjo and harmonica, and all three take their turns at lead vocals.  There's variation there too, from a gruffness the equal of Tom Waits to a sweeter balladic tenor.

The music is hard to pin down.  Country rock, blues and folk are mixed into an appealing chunk of Americana sound.  There's a lot of energy in the songs, even the slower numbers, with solid rhythms, diverse harmonies and lyrics covering a variety of subject matter.  The sinisterly titled 'Organs on Demand' is well outside the usual remit of country music!

There was also a solo number, the excellent and bluesy Mean Mean Baby, with just voice and harmonica, and a duo performance, but for the most part this is very much an ensemble performance, tight and fun for all involved.  All three singers take their turns providing introductions and showed off some pleasantly dry humour.

Although the standard of musicianship, and sheer originality, falls short of the standard set by the first act, it was a hugely enjoyable set and immediately enjoyable.  Being called back for two encores testified to the rapport they built up with their audience.  They can be seen at various venues around Scotland in the coming days, before they move over to Holland.


Sunday 6 November 2016

I, Daniel Blake

Franz Kafka's The Trial is famed for it's depiction of an impenetrable labyrinthine bureaucracy, the banality of totalitarianism, the powerless of the individual faced with the complexities of authority, and for providing the inspiration for Iain Duncan Smith's vision for the DWP.

OK, I may have made that last bit up, but I, Daniel Blake is a powerful reminder of the narrow boundary between truth and fiction.  A fifty something carpenter who is recovering from a serious heart attack, Blake has been told by his doctors he should not return to work for a lengthy period.  But the DWP have been instructed to ignore expert medical opinion and instead heed the decision of the rather less than expert staff at Atos.  Blake is told that, by DWP standards, he is considered fit to work.

He tries to help a young mother, Katie, who has been moved to Newcastle from London where the authorities are unable to find her suitable accommodation, and is having similar problems getting enough money to live on.  She eventually resorts to desperate remedies just to feed her kids.  Blake, with only himself to look out for, tries to hold out, but is forced into an action that reflects the downward spiral he has become trapped in.  The one thing that kept him going, hope, is steadily eroded by the obstacles that dog him throughout.

Meticulously researched, Ken Loach has produced a picture of Britain that most of us are fortunate enough not to experience, but could easily just be a mishap away from.  To be able to keep his life together Blake has to look for work he's not fit to do.  It's humiliating, confusing, and, if you've no experience of accessing the internet, inaccessible.  The whole system is dehumanising, not just for those trying to claim their dues, but for the staff who have to administer it, being forced to meet artificial targets at the expense of the human beings who have come to them for help.

Dave Johns is superb as the central figure, clinging to his dignity with humour and humanity, and understandable fury and frustration.  Hayley Squires' Katie is an intense portrayal of desperation.  This is drama, so there are moments of pathos, of tear inducing sadness, but the audience doesn't feel any sense of emotional manipulation.  The sense of reality is too ingrained in the fabric of the movie for any suggestion that this is melodrama (and Loach has been careful to use well documented incidents as the basis for his action).

Mhairi Black is right, anyone who has responsibility for the way we treat the less fortunate in society should be made to watch I, Daniel Blake.  Probably the most important British film of 2016.

Wednesday 2 November 2016

Dr Johnson Goes To Scotland (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

A follow up to 2015's very successful A Word with Dr Johnson, this is a headlong dash through the tour of Scotland Johnson made in 1773, with the Scot Boswell as his companion, guide and advocate.  The latter hoped to convince the great man of letters that his highly negative views of Scotland were misplaced, and that greater exposure to the land and people would change his mind.

Picking out some of the most interesting of the events documented by Boswell in his account of the journey, the play is fast paced, funny, almost cartoonish at times, with scenes following one other rapidly.  Gerda Stevenson and Morna Young have a lot of fun portraying the many characters the pair encounter along the way, including a couple of horses complete with pantomime coconut sound effects.  Yet still with time to pause and deliver some poetry and music, and there's a fine rendition of the beautiful Gaelic song Fear A Bhata.

Beyond all the laughs there's a serious side too.  Johnson is forced, reluctantly, to admit that in some ways Scotland is the superior country, especially when shown the development of a sign language for the deaf.  And there's a strong contemporary relevance to the dialogue when the travellers discuss Scotland's relationship with England and the UK, and the nature of national identity.  Their answer lies beyond being just about the people, or language, or historic culture, but in how a nation keeps evolving and redefining itself, how it relates to the wider world.  The contrast between the narrow tribal nationalism currently so prevalent in England, and the more inclusive, outward looking, civic nationalism that has developed here, is a stark one.

Lewis Howden is a pompous, at times arrogant Johnson, but one willing to change his mind when the evidence is put before him and generous enough in spirit to admit it.  Simon Donaldson excels as Boswell, disputatious and energetic, licentious yet learned, his narration holds the story together as it flies along.

Easy to enjoy just as a comedy, lightly informative as a historical piece, there's also enough depth to the script to give the audience more serious questions to ponder if they wish.  Highly recommended.

Tuesday 1 November 2016

One Thinks of It All as a Dream, (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

It's 1967, Pink Floyd are hitting the big time, and front man, and creative powerhouse, Syd Barrett is showing signs of erratic behaviour. Is that down to the effects of the drugs that flow plentifully around their rock star universe, or there something more serious going on?
Commissioned as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts and Film Festival, the action shows the changes in Barrett's mental state over a period of several years, and the affect this had on the other members of the band.  The costumes and set do a good job of taking us back to the sixties, but the dialogue says otherwise.  It's stilted, artificial and loaded with heavy handed references to contemporary events just to sledgehammer home the times.  This ersatz reality detracts from very real sense of Barrett's other-worldliness and the reactions of his musical colleagues.  At times it has the feel of a badly narrated documentary.

The play is partially redeemed by the final five minutes, showing Barrett some years after he left the band, when Euan Cuthbertson's portrayal is at it's best, and the ambiguity surrounding the real causes of Syd's problem is amplified.  Andrew John Tait gives a good performance as the voice-of-sense and commercially driven Roger Waters, but the other cast members are overly by the script.  And the cameo portrait of controversial psychiatrist R D Laing was a shoehorned reference too far.

It all felt like a missed opportunity.  Disappointing.

PS.  On returning to the bar there was seventies Fleetwood Mac pouring from the speakers.  Coincidence, or did someone in the Traverse decide it would be ironic to suggest a link between Barrett and the equally tragic figure of Peter Green?  I think we should be told....

Friday 28 October 2016

Admiral Fallow, The Cathode Ray, Jo Mango @ Electric Circus

A very worthy event for the benefit of the Edinburgh Carers Council, with the artists very commendably giving of their time to help out.

First up was Jo Mango, a trio led by their eponymous vocalist.  Featuring an eclectic mix of instruments, and sparse but clever instrumentation, they play their own material with Jo very much the voice of the group.  And a sweet voice it is, with some interesting lyrics, and melodies that have originality but lack the distinction to make them memorable.  But it was an enjoyable set, and fascinating to watch a xylophone being bowed.

In contrast The Cathode Ray line up was a conventional as they come for a guitar band - drums, bass, rhythm and lead guitars.  This is solid vanilla pub rock, complete with the occasional off key guitar solo.  But none the worse for that.  They have some excellent tunes, a Mark Kermode lookalike singer with personality, they get the feet tapping, and keep the arrangements simple.

If Jo Mango was a spritzer, and The Cathode Ray a pint of heavy, then headline act Admiral Fallow was a Tanqueray and Fever-Tree with a bit fat wedge of lime.   A class act for musicality, imagination and character.  Playing as a trio, without their usual drum and bass section, gave the set a more intimate feel than their usual folk-rock style.  Louis Abbot is a charismatic front man with a feel for language and charm to spare.  The mix of old and new material was well suited to the event with an audience of both diehard Fallow fans and those who'd come along to support the cause.  There was some beautiful interplay between Kevin Brolly's clarinet and Sarah Hayes' flute, and lovely harmonies from the vocals of Abbott and the flautist.  There was some indication of being under-rehearsed as a trio, and Louis used it effectively to add to the humour.  Great stuff.

Tuesday 18 October 2016

Walking on Walls, (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

Claire has Fraser securely bound and gagged and the police are on their way.  But what dire criminal activity has she prevented?  She might be a stats geek by day, but at night her crime fighting alter ego comes out, a suburban vigilante superhero.  As Fraser is forced to listen Claire relates the backstory that brought them to this moment.

The tape will be removed from his mouth, his chance to rebut the accusations, and maybe make some of his own.  He might have taken a blow to the head, but is he the one who's damaged?

With lessons on the long lasting aftermath of bullying, and importance of being able to let go of grudges, there is some serious content to hand, and for all the tension of the situation there are several laughs too.  But for much of the action all we get is Claire's monologue, and a greater degree of interaction and conflict would have been welcome.  However there's a satisfyingly ambiguous ending on hand.

Helen Mackay makes a convincing nerd, and gradually reveals the vulnerable, flawed person within.  Andy Clark does a good job as Fraser, but has little to really work with.

Enjoyable, certainly worth seeing, but there's a suspicion it could have been better.

Monday 17 October 2016

Mischief, (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

On a remote Scottish island in centuries past, Ronnat and daughter Brigid live alone, tending their cows and making butter.  Their sole contact with the outside world is the boatman who comes over from the monastery on the larger neighbouring island, bringing the women scanty supplies and leaving with milk, butter and the occasional cow.  It's a hard life, but keeps them alive and safe.

When a stranger, Fari, is washed up on the beach their world view takes a knock, and becomes ever more complex when Fari becomes their regular boatman.  He appears to be falling into line with the authoritarian orthodoxies of the monks, but his relationship to the two women changes him and them.

Their unnatural isolation is both a sense of security and a source of frustration, their lives dictated to them by the men over the water and the changing seasons.  But being shut away from the world can't dampen natural curiosity and desires.  Whilst some bonds are unbreakable, change is inevitable, and boundaries are there to be pushed against.

An intriguing script raises issues of loneliness, belonging and human need.  With some doses of the mysticism of the time.  At times bleak, there are a few lighter moments to keep things moving.  Time flows swiftly, but is never confusing.  All three actors give excellent performances, with Elspeth Turner standing out as the protective mother.

An enjoyably thoughtful piece of theatre.

Wednesday 12 October 2016

The Beatles : Eight Days A Week

Can anyone find anything new to say about The Beatles?  Director Ron Howard has had a crack at it with his latest documentary and makes a decent job of providing some fresh insights into a particular period of their musical career.

Using a mix of contemporary footage, later interviews and modern talking heads he covers the heyday of their live performances and the enormity of the phenomenon known as Beatlemania.  With a brief nod to the early development of the band in Liverpool and Hamburg, the film concentrates on the years between 1962 and '66, from their first number one single until the final live performances.  It's now easy to forget just what a visceral impact they made on popular culture in that short time.

There was the constant cycle of number one singles and albums, but they made most of their money from live performances.  At a time before satellite communications or the internet had taken off the planet seemed a bigger place.  So it's all the more amazing just how much of a world wide sensation The Beatles became in a short period. The sheer size the crowds facing them at airports, on the streets and in venues went from bewildering to challenging to genuinely frightening.  In the end they would retire from live performing in part because their own personal security was becoming an issue.  Their final years were as a purely studio band, and their joy in simply making new music is clear to see.

Along the way they became the first band ever to do a stadium tour, drawing far greater crowds than anyone else could have commanded at that time. They received intense media attention, and one great strength that comes across is their strong bond as a unit.  Decision making was through unanimity and they always spoke as one.  There's also an inherent decency about them, exemplified by their refusal to contemplate playing to racially segregated audiences.

Whilst the contemporary interviews with Paul and Ringo, and some earlier footage of George, offer little that's new, the more interesting comments come from outsiders.  Eddie Izzard on their natural wit and comic timing which endeared to parents as well as teenagers; Elvis Costello on the difficulties of playing to large, hysterically noisy, audiences with the limited technology of the day; and, my personal favourite, Whoopi Goldberg on what it felt like as a young girl to be taken to a Beatles concert as a surprise.

There's a strong reminder of their strong ear for melody, but that lyric writing really only began to take off with Help, a surprisingly strong song when revisited.  And that their live performances had great energy and a sense of adventure, especially once they'd been polished up by Epstein.  There's no attempt to say anything about their private lives away from the band, which leaves much unsaid, but as a means to show us just how huge and intense the Beatlemania experience was this film does an excellent job, even if you're a Beatles fan of many decades.

It's followed by thirty minutes of the Fab Four playing to over fifty thousand people in Shea Stadium, New York.  There's a lot of screaming....

Saturday 8 October 2016

Breaking the Ice, (A Play, a Pie and a Pint), Traverse

Frank, recently appointed scientific advisor to the UK government, is in Alaska to give a speech at a conference on the Arctic.  Things aren't going well.  He's lost his script, and his suit is being dry cleaned after a yoghurt related incident.  So Frank has to face the world in his hotel bathrobe.

This overtone of farce is carried through the performance, with a succession of odd characters interrupting Frank's quest to be ready for his big moment.  So he has to deal with advice from a diplomat, threats from environmentalists, the concerns of locals, the power of the military and a bit of philosophy.  Underlying the rapid fire comedy there is some serious intent, with the complexities of guarding the planet against the military industrial complex balanced against the needs of progress.  But it's all a bit too haphazard and disjointed to make much of a point.  However, in a week where the Tory Party Conference has shown distinct imperialist overtones, it was amusing to see British delusions of still being a world power being effectively ridiculed.

Steven McNicoll is perfect as the bewildered Frank, while Jimmy Chisholm and Nicola Roy have a lot of fun with the various caricatures that swarm around the main man.  It might not always be as clever as it wants to be, but Breaking the Ice is very funny and that's to be welcomed.

Boo Hewerdine with Dan Whitehouse, Voodoo Rooms

The evening opened with a set from Whitehouse, all his own songs apart from one from the pen of Mr Hewerdine.  With his gentle, slightly breathless, voice and excellent guitar work he's a pleasure to listen to.  The songs aren't half bad either, with the stunning When We Were Sleeping standing out, and providing the chance for a bit of audience participation.

Dan has a pleasantly relaxed and modest approach, with energy emerging from his guitar playing, and his use of sampling and layering adds a welcome complexity to some numbers.  But's it the quality of the songwriting that stands out most.

After the break Boo took the stage, with occasional assistance from Whitehouse on guitar and backing vocals.  A few new songs from his forthcoming album, due out later this year, plus a clutch of old familiars, including some of his most famed, and even a couple from his old days as a budding rock star with the cult band.  If you haven't heard of Hewerdine there's a fair chance you'll know one of his songs, especially if you're a fan of the great Eddi Reader with whom he's worked for more than two decades.

There's nothing really innovative about Boo's songwriting, but that's no criticism.  Every one is beautifully constructed, a memorable tune and lyrics that tell a story or paint a picture, with memorable phrases abounding.  His voice is a paradox, combining both smoothness and tension, and always distinctive.

But a Hewerdine gig is also a chance to laugh.  Wry, self deprecating, witty, the gaps between the songs are as entertaining as the music.  It's a shame that the smallish audience was so quiet (but this is Edinburgh....), but the smiles at the end were obvious.  Boo Hewerdine is a class act.  And one of the greatest songwriters around today.

Friday 23 September 2016

Topical Storm, Stand 6, Edinburgh Fringe

Summary : Four Scots guys talking shite.

But very funny shite.  This was the final gig of the run so there was a 'demob happy' atmosphere up on stage.  Established local comedians Stu Murphy, Keir McAllister, Vladimir McTavish and Mark Nelson sit in a row, trade insults, put each other off and slide off into irrelevant anecdotes.  To be fair, McAllister made several valiant efforts to drag proceedings back in the direction of the script, and they ended up covering the fearful but always laughable rise of Donald Trump, the racism of Brexit and the funniest bits of this year's Holyrood general election (and yes, Willie Rennie's infamous pig got another chance for glory).  Complete with bits of video footage to illustrate just how daft politicians and their acolytes can be.

Shambolic?  Yes.  But as a comedy show it delivers perfectly, with even Murphy's most groanworthy puns sparking laughter - it's all in the delivery.  Four funny men doing what they're good at, having fun, and making us laugh.  Hilarious.

Out of the Blue, George Square Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe

Naff, camper than an entire MASH unit, clean cut and wholesome, they look like a big bunch of posh lads playing at being a boy band.

But they have some great voices, with all twelve taking a shot at lead vocals throughout the show, the harmonies and arrangements are complex and smart, the choreography is slick, and some of the guys exhibit some flair for drama.

They put on an entertaining, high energy show, and have the decency to laugh at themselves and their image.  There's nothing about them you could really take seriously, but you couldn't do much better if you fancied an hour of fun and froth.  

Big Bite-Size Lunch Hour: Best Bites, Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh Fringe

Another hugely entertaining and varied hour from the Bite Size team.  Five playlets ranging from a solo performance (as a dog) to six taking the stage for a scene in a restaurant.  There's the need to ignore our nagging inner voices, the dangers and disappointments of too much information, and a gentle mockery of the cliches of Film Noir.

Javier Rasero excels in generating sympathy for the brutal but faithful Boris the Rottweiler.  Billy Knowelden's ironic sax player gets the best laughs in Big Fish, Little Fish.  And Claira Watson-Parr gives a nicely buttoned up performance as the wife in Vintage who takes things a bit too far.

Funny, thought provoking and always fun, this is another excellent hour.

Five Kinds of Silence, Quaker Meeting House, Edinburgh Fringe

Billy's daughters shot him dead.  Thier mother is delighted.  Why?

With the dead Billy soliloquising from the grave, and the story of the three woman emerging through monologues and conversations with police, lawyers and psychiatrists, a harrowing story of abuse and endurance is pieced together, and silences that prolonged the tragedy.

Built up in a starway of short scenes, the play's structure builds up the pressure, but can also feel a bit disjoined.  Gordon Russell's Billy never quite manages to convey the sense of menace required, but Anna Dobson as older daughter Susan is excellent as the pressure cooker that has to blow.  There are four supporting actors playing the minor role, and their wooden performances were an unfortunate distraction.

Despite these flaws this is still an intriguing and disturbing tale, raising not just the issue of abuse itself, but the conspiracy of silence that so often allows it to thrive.  Worth a look.

Teatro Delusio, Pleasance, Edinburgh Fringe

In a beautiful, gentle opening sequence, three stagehands backstage bring to life a ghostly puppet girl who becomes the occasional observer of their joys and tragedies, and this sets the scene for a fantasy enactment of life behind the scenery.

Whilst opera and ballet and melodrama entertain the 'audience' beyond, we watch the actors, singers and dancers come and go, interact with an impressario and stage manager and choreographer and many other characters.  There's clowning, pathos, romance, dance and petty jealousies and hatreds, played out in a world that's just the other side of unreality.  With an underlying ripple of humour that can suddenly erupt into uproarious comedy, it's an imagining that draws you in and yet seems voyeuristic too.

Wearing lovingly constructed masks and the most rapid of costume changes, an array of characters are brought vividly to life without a work spoken or facial expression.  It's all in the body language.

This is simply brilliant physical comedic drama, and the realisation that the thirty characters we've had come and go are the product of just three performers is a testament to the viruosity, and stamina, they possess.  Wonderful.

Thursday 15 September 2016

Diary of a Madman, Traverse, Edinburgh Fringe

Gogol's classic nineteenth century short story transposed to modern Scotland.  Pop Sheeran has spent his life painting the Forth Bridge, an arch traditionalist who sees the old ways as best.  But his traditions are falsified by memory, and Braveheart is his favourite film.  When a new apprentice arrives he proves to be a threat to everything Pop's life is built on, and his descent into madness begins.

Very funny to begin with, the play becomes much darker over time.  There are strong performances from all five members of the cast, but it's Liam Brennan's anchoring role as Pop that stands out.  Suspicious of a world that has caused him grief, his fears and fantasies are played out with a mix of vulnerability and aggressive self defence that makes us both fear and fear for him.

There are a lot of Scottish, indeed Edinburgh, references that both amuse and irritate.  There are times when the script has a laboured feel where it tries to hard to emulate the original - but the social environments of Gogol's civil servant and the twenty first century painter are very different and best not reconciled.  But the acting and direction (and the imaginative set design)  is strong enough to carry these flaws and produce a work that entertaining, disturbing and thought provoking, a reminder that mental illnesses are all too common in our society.  And that looking at the past through a blurry soft focus distorts the lessons of the present (something the Brexit people have clearly forgotten....).

Highly recommended.

Wednesday 14 September 2016

Barluath, St Bride's, Edinburgh Fringe

A young, talented, five piece band based in Glasgow.  Their material is largely traditional, but the arrangements are contemporary.  Guitar, keyboard, fiddle, whistles and highland bagpipes provide a mix of instrumentals and accompaniment to Ainsley Hamill's superb vocals.  The keyboards add much to making the Barluath sound distinctive, with sympathetic rhythms and some clever melodies underlying the lead instruments.  And there's nothing like the sound Edward Seaman's pipes for stirring the blood.

As a purely instrumental outfit they'd still be enjoyable, but the cherry on the cake is that remarkable voice.  High, sweet and soaring, lilting in Gaelic but showing the potential to be a great blues instrument in the beautiful "My Husband's Got No Courage In Him", Hamill deserves to be far better known than she is.

The band are definitely working on their stage presence, with all five taking a turn at introducing numbers (some with more success than others) and a few jokey lines thrown in.  On a few numbers a step dancer came out front, joined once by Ainsley, added some extra entertainment for the audience.  But when you've got that voice working for you there's not much else that's needed.  

The Simpsons Taught Me Everything I Know, Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh Fringe

I only found myself drifting into this show because one of our party felt cold and it was the first thing on offer in our vicinity, so expectations weren't high.  But even they weren't met.

It's basically a vehicle for showing clips, quotes and pictures that come from or are related to the well known cartoon.  With some attempt to make it seem relevant to real life.  His enthusiasm appears genuine though, and goes down well with others in the audience who shared his knowledge.  Which didn't leave much for the rest of us.

Yes, the show title does give a strong hint about the subject matter, but it's still not asking much to cater for those who haven't spent half their life cartoon watching (although there was one good Donald Trump joke).  However he does rely heavily on there being some ignorance in the audience, as this provides him with a stooge.  It's a technique many comedians use, but most have the grace and decency to thank their 'victim' for taking part and apologies for 'using' them.  Not Yianni, who continually picked on one person, trying (not very effectively) to make out their ignorance of yellow made up people was some kind of character flaw, and not coping well when receiving comeback.  I can't have been alone in thinking he made for a pathetic figure at times, a victim of his own insecurities.

Best avoided unless you've watched every single episode of The Simpsons at least twice.  And don't have much of a life.

Friday 2 September 2016

Susan Morrison : Walking Dead, Famous and Funny, The Stand Monument, Edinburgh Fringe

Less a walking tour and more a stand around under the trees of Saint Andrew Square, but none the worse for that.  Comedian and amateur historian Morrison gave a bit of background on Edinburgh's Old Town before launching into tales of the new Town and why it came into being.  Largely because of shit according to this version....

She used a tablet, and some old books, to illustrate her points, covering the seedier side of life.  If you ever wanted to know the finer points of our eighteenth century prostitutes then this was just what you were after.

Always hilarious, often informative, motormouth Susan crammed more into an hour than most historians would manage in a term's worth of lectures.  History was never so entertaining.

Tuesday 30 August 2016

Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show (Menu 1), Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh Fringe

My third helping of the Bite-Size guys this Fringe, and just as enjoyable as Menu 2 and Menu 3.  There were six playlets this time covering a wide range of subjects and issues.

Broken stood out as the most overtly serious piece, and it was impressive to watch an atmosphere of suspicion and confusion with such a short work.  All You'll Ever Want delivered a satire on the data acquisition and profiling techniques big companies use to market to us as individuals, and the way in which consumers are manipulated and controlled.  The final pair, Surprise and Ten Reasons Why Hamlet Was Gay are both hilarious, but with surprising depth to the latter.

It's definitely been worthwhile making time to see all three offerings.


Thursday 25 August 2016

Lost Voice Guy : Disability for Dunces Volume 2, Stand 5, Edinburgh Fringe

A stand up comedian who can't speak and has some difficulty fulfilling the standing up part of the job sounds an unlikely prospect.  LVG has cerebral palsy, and has turned his so-called disability into the central plank of his act.  His synthesised voice comes from a pre-programmed iPad, and if it's good enough for Stephen Hawking....

Taking some of the stupid, patronising questions he frequently gets asked as a starting point, the show takes the audience through the dos and don'ts of interacting with people who are seen as being further outside the physical norm than the majority.  There are some great jokes, his timing is excellent, and the disembodied voice is mined for it's own comic elements.  But he's informative too, and there's a lengthy serious passage that will leave you questioning your own actions.

In much the same way that Tourette's Hero uses comedy to promote greater understanding of her condition, Lost Voice Guy is doing the same, making a living out of it, and being highly entertaining.  And you certainly won't want to upset him once you've heard how he deals with the guy who thought it would be a good idea to take his hand and help him cross the road.

If you want a laugh he'll deliver.  If you want to learn something too then this is one of the best shows on the Fringe.  Recommended.

Lost Voice Guy : Disability for Dunces Volume 2 is in Stand 5 until 28 August.





Wednesday 24 August 2016

Nick Cody : Come Get Some!, Assembly George Square, Edinburgh Fringe

A beautifully crafted set from the confident, beardy Australian.  There's nothing innovative or adventurous about Cody's routine, just a man doing 'proper' stand up observational comedy.  And, done well, that's still one of the most satisfying art forms to see live.

Learn about his fiance's incredible ability to tell what he's going to say three sentences before he does; his gangsta nan who died age 102; and what it feels like to be 29 and not have a driving licence.  There are smart callbacks that ensure the hour has a coherent feel to it, and he's happy to indulge in a bit of audience interaction, improvising laughs from very little.

Cody is a class act.  Recommended.

Nick Cody : Come Get Some! is in Assembly George Square until 28 August.

Christopher Macarthur-Boyd and Rosco McLelland, The Counting House, Edinburgh Fringe

Short stand up sets from a couple of Glasgow's promising young comedians.

McLelland opened by saying he didn't really have a set and he'd just be talking shite to us.  He delivered on that promise, but it was, in the main, quite funny shite.  Ten minutes of audience banter which started and stuttered, but he followed that with some decent stories and then tried out new material on us as the ideas came to him.  You get the feeling his set will be very different every night, with big variations in the quality of his act.  But when he gets it right he can be very funny, and I enjoyed his lengthy tale of a four day argument with his girlfriend.

For this one night the pair brought in a mate to do a guest spot.  Stuart McPherson wanted to try out his material prior to trying for a prestigious comedy award.  He'll need to do a lot better than this to get anywhere as he never really got the audience behind him and most of his material was half hearted.

Last up was the elfin Macarthur-Boyd who proved to be by far the most polished of the trio.  His story of living with his No voting mother during the 2014 referendum led to the smartest punchline of the night.  He has an enjoyably self deprecating style, and a wide range of facial expressions to back up his words.  On this evidence he's the only one of the line up who we might be hearing a lot more of in future.

Christopher Macarthur-Boyd and Rosco McLelland are in The Counting House until 29 August.

Tuesday 23 August 2016

The Life Scientific (Ian Wilmut), BBC Tent, Edinburgh Fringe

A staple of the Radio 4 schedule in which Physics Professor Jim Al-Khalili interviews leading scientists to share some understanding of their work.  Today's interviewee was Ian Wilmut, famed as the "father" of the world's most famous sheep, Dolly, who was born twenty years ago.  The two talked for an hour and there was time for some questions from the audience at the end, but all that has to be edited down into less than thirty minutes of air time so it will be interesting to hear the finished product.

Wilmut has, unsurprisingly, developed an amusing set of responses to media questioning about Dolly so he proved to be an entertaining speaker.  The discussion covered his early career, the events leading up to the successful cloning, and what he has been involved in since.  Along the way they covered the practical applications and ethics of cloning science, the difficulties of communicating science in the face of journalistic hyperbole and politicians with a disregard for truth, and the importance of international cooperation in scientific research.  Al-Khalili is sharp in ensuring that obscure terms get explained so that a layman can follow the more technical aspects of the discussion.  The result is far from dry and entirely accessible.

The programme will be broadcast during the Autumn.

Ears on a Beatle, Greenside @ Infirmary Street, Edinburgh Fringe

The Beatle is John Lennon, the 'Ears' are the FBI, the time is the early seventies.  Now more than a decade old, Mark St Germain's drama uses contemporary news reports and publicly available FBI files to create the fictional relationship between two of the 'Feds'.

Howard is a Bureau lifer, an indurate cynic who will do what's necessary to defend the status quo and sees himself as a Bogart character.  Daniel is the youngster assigned to him to work as an undercover agent in the circles surrounding the rock star.  The action begins in 1971 when Nixon wants opposition to the Vietnam War minimised and hopes to have peace advocate Lennon deported, and moves through the decade, ending with the Beatle's murder in 1980.

While much of the story concerns the evolving relationship between the two men, their personal problems and attitudes to the 'subject' they are observing, underlying this are some serious and still relevant questions.  How do these agents retain an emotional distance from their targets?  Who watches the watchers, who controls their actions?  And why must they always be so paranoid and uncaring in their approach?  There are echoes of recent cases in the UK in which undercover policemen, infiltrating peace and environmentalist groups, have taken their role too far and caused damage to many in their wake.

There's an effective use of news bulletins between scenes to create the sense of time passing, but it helps to know something of the history of the period, and the significance of names like Nixon, Watergate, Carter.  The final scene, built around Lennon's death, feels too much like an add-on and the dialogue is stilted, but otherwise the play flows coherently and there are a surprising number of laughs pulled from the script.  Paul Broesmith is excellent as the older man, displaying a degree of human uncertainty under the hard boiled exterior.  Ben Adwick's Daniel comes across as too innocent to have been selected for a difficult undercover role and needs a bit more aggression in his nature.

It's a thought provoking hour that will stay with you for some time after, the flaws outweighed by the considerable strengths.  Well worth a look.

Ears on a Beatle is at Greenside @ Infirmary Street until 27 August.

Monday 22 August 2016

Asian Network Comedy, BBC Tent, Edinburgh Fringe

Hosted by DJ and TV presenter Tommy Sandhu, the evening brought together five Aisan comedians to do short sets, recorded on camera.  Sandhu did a good job of warming up the audience, while also making sure we had some idea of our role in the TV programme.

First of the five was a Geordie, Rahul Kohli, who made some play of his Mexican sounding forename, and reckoned that the EU Referendum result had brought in a new game - Paki-Man Go.  He's an engaging comedian, but there seemed little in his material to mark him out as a man to watch out for,

He was followed by Sindhu Vee with stories of inter-generational family conflicts, and the very different approaches to the Santa Claus myth that she and her Danish husband have.  This was the second time I'd seen her in little more than a week and although some elements of the two routines were identical I found her slow burning delivery style kept it fresh.

Bilal Zafar started slowly, but was immediately likeable.  He has achieved some fame through the Muslim-only cake shop spoof he used to wind up the lunatic right on Twitter, and his retelling of how that evolved was hilarious.

The most unconventional act of the night was Mawaan Rizwan, a grinning clown who played games with the audience and made use of popcorn and baby wipes.  An act of continual silliness with some clever, sometimes surreal, lines and clever use of repetition to build up the laughs.

With the final act held up in traffic recording was suspended for a few minutes and Sandhu did a bit of Asian Blind Dating which ended up with a likely couple on stage.  Well, I think she thought it might be likely....

Australian Nazeem Hussain completed the line-up.  The most self-assured of the bunch, he had a ready supply of material as he sought out the measure of his audience and found the laughter spot.  An excellent end to an enjoyable show.

But the lasting memory is of Rizwan's shyly seductive grin and the sheer daftness of his performance.  He'd certainly be the one I'd most like to see again.

The recording will be available on the red button on 3 September.

Sunday 21 August 2016

Will Franken : Little Joe, Stand 4, Edinburgh Fringe

Surreal, satirical, bizarre, imaginative character comedy.  Yorkshireman Little Joe has some outlandish ideas, but his words find echoes in strange places.  There's a dying woman, a New York lawyer, a Wall Street CEO, even Will Franken himself amongst an array of strange personalities and corner bending plot lines.  A story, of sorts, with live music and pictures, and definitely an experience.

It's an impressive performance, not a word is wasted and the pace never drops.  Franken's self-confidence brings forth a range of clearly delineated characters obliquely dealing with subjects ranging from the EU Referendum to perceived political correctness.  He demands close attention from his audience, and much of the joy in watching comes from picking up on the recurrent themes and phrases that circulate through the script.  There's some excellent work from the tech guy to keep up with events on stage.

Little Joe is a long way from being mainstream comedy, but if you're prepared to put in the effort there's a lot to take from this show.  Recommended, if you're a fan of the surreal.

Will Franken : Little Joe is at Stand 4 until 28 August.

Every day I Wake Up Hopeful, Sweet Grassmarket, Edinburgh Fringe

Written by John Patrick Higgins, this is a one man play featuring Irish stand-up Christian Talbot.  He plays Malachy, a middle aged man in crisis.  A life lived without making waves, unremarkable professionally and personally.  He's experienced tragedy though, and feels he's had enough.  He'd end it all, if it wasn't for hope.

Despite the dark subject matter there are a lot of laughs in the excellent script with some memorable lines throughout.  Talbot certainly looks the part, but maybe he's adopted Malachy's underachieving persona a bit too enthusiastically because the performance lacks emotional range and doesn't fully reach the blackness at the heart of the character's situation.  That said, it's still an enjoyable hour and it would be a hard hearted audience member who didn't feel some twinge of recognition in Malachy's dilemma.  Talbot's ability to extract the humour from the lines has made me want to see his stand up show too.

Every Day I Wake Up Hopeful is on at Sweet Grassmarket until 28 August.

Saturday 20 August 2016

John Gordillo : Love Capitalism, Stand 2, Edinburgh Fringe

Ever felt pissed off by websites and forms which insist you rate your 'experience' of something you had little choice in anyway?  Mr Gordillo certainly has and he relates, and shows, some of the worst examples. Highlighting the way in which big companies like Virgin Trains and Pret A Manger try to manipulate our emotions to cover up their essential rapaciousness.  He's honest about his own failings and how, despite knowing what is being done to him, he too succumbs on occasion to corporate blandishments.

This is isn't the funniest show on the Fringe, although there are plenty of laughs, but it is one where you find yourself nodding in agreement and recognition a lot.  Gordillo takes the thoughts we've all had and expresses them better than we ever could.  With punchlines.  If you despair of the rabid monetisation of everything in life then this is the show for you.

Recommended.

John Gordillo : Love Capitalism is at Stand 2 until 28 August.

Poetry Can F*ck Off, Stand 3, Edinburgh Fringe

A celebration of the power of language to help bring about change, the show weaves a narrative of resistance and revolution against oppression across the centuries.  With musical accompaniment the speakers quote poets from Catullus to Ginsberg and beyond and link their words to events they helped precipitate and the tyrants they pissed off along the way.  It's an intriguing concept and mostly works well, making a strong case for the power of the poet.  A couple of guest versifiers each day add contemporary voices on current issues.

The music added value at times, but was too often repetitive to the point of being soporific and made it hard to concentrate.  And although the coverage of events spreads across continents, there isn't a single mention of Burns, never mind the whole Scottish tradition of radical verse, which felt a strange omission for an Edinburgh show.

Despite these flaws it's an entertaining hour and well worth a look.

Poetry Can F*ck Off is in Stand 3 until 28 August.

Thursday 18 August 2016

Gusset Grippers, Woodland Creatures, Edinburgh Fringe

What do you get when you cross a comedian with a previously incontinent physiotherapist?  The answer to that rarely posed question appears to be Gusset Grippers.

Powered by a desire to help women, and men, take charge of their bladders, and a pronounced funny bone, Elaine Miller has created an educational, evangelising show about one of the least promising comedy topics.  I saw an earlier version of the routine a couple of years ago when it was both informative and amusing.  In it's latest incarnation there's a bit more erudition, with the science explained, and much, much more laughter.  Where once there were dead spots when the comedy dried up, now the show flows smoothly and the jokes are well crafted and honed.

Treating a potentially uncomfortable subject with humour opens it up to discussion, and the show has received praise from health professionals (there were several in the audience).  But the primary job of a stand up show is to make the audience laugh and Miller has this covered.   And you'll never forget her unexpected use for a rubber chicken nor the costume she dons to close the show.

Even if you don't fancy being educated this show is well worth seeking out for the laughs.  And that poor chicken.  Recommended.

Gusset Grippers is on at Woodland Creatures until 28 August.

Blazin' Fiddles, Queens Hall, Edinburgh Fringe

Although billed as a Fringe event, this was the first gig of a tour of Scotland in August and England in November.  A performance that confirms that the Blazers remain on top form as both musicians and entertainers, and you should go see if them if they come your way.

Six of Scotland's finest traditional musicians, including three previous winners of the Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician of the Year, each bringing with them the characteristic music of their own local styles of playing.  Four fiddles and a solid rhythm section of guitar and piano.  Complex, often fiery, ensemble pieces are interspersed with solo performances, each of the fiddlers showing off their own heritage and skills.  A hauntingly beautiful Ivan Drever composition from Kristan Harvey was a particular highlight.

On top of the virtuoso musicality and imaginative arrangements is what makes the BF experience so special.  You are left in no doubt that you are watching performers who passionately love what they do and have bonded as a group.  That sense of joy is ever present throughout, and there are several anecdotes to bring some laughs.  Anna Massey demonstrates genuine comic ability with her facial expressions, reminiscent of a young Jennifer Saunders.

 Rowdiness, beauty, comedy and bundles of energy make for a special experience.  If you can catch Blazin' Fiddles on tour I'd urge you to do so.

Tuesday 16 August 2016

A Boy Named Sue, C Nova, Edinburgh Fringe

Three gay men relate interweaving monologues, and occasional dialogue, in a striking depiction of having to live in a world where the norms conspire against you.  All three find that the fragmentation of the real world gay community into the virtual on-line world has taken something from their lives.  Teenager Louie is trying to find his identity with only casual pick ups to guide him, Ian laments the loss of real meeting places finding the superficial standards of the internet scene demeaning, and Sid feels defeated in his efforts to live his life as Sue.

The dialogue scenes, between Ian and Louie, and Ian and Sid/Sue, add something to the sense of loneliness, but feel too much like a distraction from the main event, and monologues offer greater insight into the pressures they face.  It's a powerful piece, with an excellent performance from Jack Harrold as the defiant Sid, but with a flawed script.  But this is a play worth seeing for the core message it delivers.

A Boy Named Sue is on at C Nova until 29 August.

The Kagools, The Caves, Edinburgh Fringe

This wordless duo perform a show suitable for all ages, as long as you bring your imagination.  A series of seemingly simple conceits are played out with wit and lots of audience involvement, their instinctive comic timing and acting talent ensuring a steady flow of laughs.  The synchronised swimming sequence was especially impressive, and who doesn't want to see a dancing unicorn?

There aren't that many shows around that can be appreciated by both young children, and adults who are looking for originality in comedy, but this one hits the mark.  The Kagools are a clever means to simple fun.  Recommended.

The Kagools at in The Caves until 28 August.

Mark Thomas : The Red Shed, Traverse, Edinburgh Fringe

A show in which I found myself with an unusual viewing point.  As the queue forms Thomas comes out, chats to a few people, and asks if they would be willing to help him out on stage.  So six of us found ourselves being invited out of the audience to sit at tables on either side of the stage, and hold up masks to our faces when the characters we represented appeared in the story.  A chance to see Mark working from close up, and to observe the reactions of his audience.

The Red Shed is in Wakefield, a Labour Club in which Thomas performed many of his early gigs.  To help celebrate the building's 50th anniversary Thomas wanted to find evidence for a memory he had of the Miner's Strike in 1985, which had become mythologised over time, and that search forms the basis for the drama.

Recorded voices, the masks of the selected six, and audience singalongs play their part.  But mostly it's just Thomas' powerful storytelling, taking on characters, painting scenes, and indulging in some beautifully constructed ranting.  There is, naturally, plenty of socialist wisdom and illustrations of the ways in which the current government are removing our rights, plus the surprise that Greggs sausage rolls have an ethical dimension.  Oh, an there's a lot of laughter.  Thomas is still one of the sharpest comic brains in the UK.

The story itself is intriguing and moving, but there is a further dimension which asks us to look at how we spin the story of our own lives, of how we can sometimes falsify our own memories until the revised version becomes as much a part of truth as the reality.  The truth is never simple, not even when it's our own truth.

Thanks, Mark, for letting us be a part of it.

Not to be missed.

Mark Thomas : The Red Shed is on at the Traverse until 28 August.

Paul Currie : FFFFFFFMILK!, The Hive, Edinburgh Fringe

Currie is a man of extravagant facial hair, a white boiler suit, a surreal mind and a wild imagination.  This is far from being a conventional stand up show.  Indeed there are only two actual jokes all told, and both are groan inducing puns.

Because this is very much visual comedy.  Mr C's performance belongs to the traditions of mime, slapstick and clowning.  Using cheap props, a strong sense of the dramatic and the audience as his tools, he creates comedy scenarios that are just the right side of bizarre.  You'll believe a man can fly, a snake can dance and that cereal shouldn't be eaten when you're unhappy.  It's consistently hilarious and ridiculous in equal quantities.

Currie wants to free your imagination and will bring you in on the act.  He charges up and down the room and no row misses out on his attentions.  It's all done very much in fun, but you might not want to wear your best clothes....

A special mention to the sound man who is a key element in several of the routines and did a tremendous job of synchonising with the man on stage.

If you enjoy a bit of silliness, if you enjoy Buster Keaton-like antics, if you want to feel you've found an alternative universe, then this show might just be for you.  It's definitively an adult show, but with a childlike core to it, and there's something very lovely about that.

Paul Currie : FFFFFFFMILK! is on at The Hive until 28 August.

BBC Radio New Comedy Award - Final, BBC Tent, Edinburgh Fringe

With more than 700 entrants aiming to be on this show, the final six had to be good.  You can listen to the full radio show here and make your own mind up.

Warming up the audience was the job of Bristol comedian Mark Olver who did a fine job working the crowd and performing a double act with the show's host, Mark Watson. They also made sure we knew how the evening would be structured so that we felt a part of the event.

All six contestants were excellent, and made the choice for the judges a difficult one.  George Lewis' innocent-at-large persona seemed a bit too familiar.  Catherine Bohart had some good lines on the practical uses of being bisexual and Irish.  Michael Odawale was the most political of the bunch and came up with some striking observations, but playing on the rough area he came from felt like something from the past.  Lauren Pattison also made play of her roots in Byker, so it was a surprise when one of her best lines featured a moat.  Jethro Bradley had a slow, underplayed style and highlighted the need for greater understanding of autism with some sharp observations on how the condition is often perceived.  And Sindhu Vee told tales from her inter generational family life in a form that screamed sitcom.

While the judges did their thing, and Radio 4 Land listened to The Archers (much to Mark Watson's bafflement) Olver staged a live version of the Tinder dating app in which, to his amazement, the final two left standing were both from Glasgow.  And we were all left wondering if they met up after the show.  We also had brief sets from last year's winner of the award, Yuriko Kotani, and the excellent Dane Baptiste.

At 7.15 we were back on air and Watson announced the result.  My personal favourite had been Odawale, but, with hindsight, I can see that Bradley was chosen for having the most original style of the group, and several excellent and well worked punchlines.  You can hear the second programme here.

There's a lot more to these broadcast sessions than listeners get over the airwaves, and I'd definitely recommend going to one if you get the chance.

Monday 15 August 2016

John Robertson : Arena Spectacular!, Stand 2, Edinburgh Fringe

Robertson's show is about not having a show, not having a mainstream career, not being on TV panel shows.  And from those unpromising beginnings a show that isn't a show develops.  Loud, flashy, energetic, distinctive, manic, insulting, Australian are all applicable adjectives.  As are hilarious and nonsensical.

The act will certainly be different each day, with John swiftly bringing the varied characteristics of his audience into play, and painting his chosen few into absurd scenarios.  Underneath this improvisation, and non-show gimmick, a structure emerges leading to a climax that lives up to the show's title.  En route we take in a sex dungeon and why Michael McIntyre moves like that.

Not for the easily embarrassed, Robertson provides a high laugh count and a few thoughts on what makes for comedy.  Highly enjoyable.

John Robertson : Arena Spectacular! is in Stand 2 until 27 August.

Friday 12 August 2016

Orkestra Del Sol & The Jellyman's Daughter, Summerhall, Edinburgh Fringe

An odd mix of genres, which in the end didn't quite work.

The Jellyman's Daughter are always a pleasure to watch.  Graham Coe's cello work make him one of the most fascinating musicians on the Edinburgh scene, allied to Emily Kelly's bluesy vocals and an eclectic approach to arrangements.  It's imaginative, varied, and fell too much on the deaf ears of a section of the  audience who'd only come for the main act.  This made for a rather flat set, and less than their talents deserved.

Orkestra Del Sol are a nine piece brass band mixing jazz, latin, funk and a range of world music influences.  They are eccentric, theatrical, humourous, crazy, as much cabaret act as band, and play danceable beats throughout.  Their energy outshone the support act, their music less so.  It's certainly competent, but there's no real thrills to be had, no melodic risks being taken.  And it all begins to sound a bit the same after a while.  I even found myself - whisper it - slightly bored by it all.  Although, looking around me, I was very much in the minority.  So maybe it was just me?

Disappointing.

This was a one-off event.

A Play, a Pie and a Pint - Silence in Court, Le Monde, Edinburgh Fringe

With eleven members of the audience cast as the jury, a brief courtroom drama is played out.  Only the accused and the alleged victim will be questioned, and no further evidence is available.  Can the jury deliver a Guilty or Not Guilty verdict with any hope of getting it 'right'?

The initial courtroom scene, with judge, prosecution and defence lawyers, feels stilted and lacking in any real sense of drama. Things improve when the court usher, who gives by far the best performance, leads the jury in their deliberations, and invites the rest of the audience to join in.  He's adept at keeping things moving, deflecting some of the more ludicrous audience suggestions for questions, and getting laughs from the situation.

Finally the jury gets to question the two protagonists themselves, then must come to their verdict.  It's a mildly frustrating experience, for it feels like it should be  a part of something bigger, but time contraints deliver an over simplified version of the justice system.  It's enjoyable enough, but lacks bite.  Nice pies though.

A Play, a Pie and a Pint is on in Le Monde until 28 August.

Thursday 11 August 2016

Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show (Menu 3), Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh Fringe

The same food and drink, the same cast, the same format of five playlets in an hour as I reviewed last week, but a different feel to this performance.  Less laughter, but more depth.

An actress auditioning finds that more than just her acting ability is open to comment.  Trying to spice up your marriage with more adventurous sex doesn't always end well.  How being truly alone alters our ability to make judgements.   A ring of the doorbell that brings back the past.   And a melodramatic look at how not to run a meeting.

The biggest laughs come from Nice Try, with Annie Harris impressing as the wife who has her own ways to manage her marriage.  While in Contact we're confronted with the games the mind must play to combat the loneliness of being cut adrift from the world, a moving solo performance from Javier Rasero.  And there's much fun to be had from the outright silliness of Humble, with Billy Knowelden excellent as Jeremy, the person none of us would want in our meetings.

Changeovers between each performance are rapid, and the need to pick up on a wholly new scenario every ten minutes or so means audience interest never flags.  You might even emerge with a few new ideas to ponder on.  A great way to kick off the day.

Bite-Size Breakfast is on at Pleasance Dome until 29 August

Wednesday 10 August 2016

Mark Steel's in Toon, Assembly Hall, Edinburgh Fringe

An hour of the oddities of life in Britain.  Although the focus is largely on Scotland there are several detours to England and even the odd visit to Wales and Northern Ireland.  Steel sees the things we see, but never look at properly.  His scrutiny takes in Robert Burns, Andy Murray, graffitti and Captain Oates.  Plus a few pictures up on screen, quotes from the most obscure of books, and some poetry of dubious origins....

This quickfire tour of eccentricity is delivered from an astute comic brain and Steel is consistently funny.  And of course he can't resist a few references to recent political events, with the lies of Leave and subsequent fiasco.  His conversational style, bad accents and immediately appealing personality draw in his audience and the punchlines hit the target.   An upbeat, professional and always entertaining hour of comedy.

But I'm sorry Mark, I'll have to take issue with you on one thing.  It isn't "brown sauce" - It's "chippie sauce" we have here in Edinburgh.  These things matter.

Recommended.

Mark Steel's in Toon is on at the Assembly Hall until 28 August.

Death and the Maiden, C Too, Edinburgh fringe

A production of Ariel Dorfman's 1990 classic from the Sevenoaks School Theatre Company.  A quarter of a century on and it still retains it's power to shock and raise the questions that have been so difficult in societies moving from brutal dictatorship to democracy.  Dorfman is Chilean, but the issues raised have been the same in Spain and South Africa as much as in the Americas.  If you torture the torturers are you no better than them?  If you don't have the rule of law applied then what was the point of the change?

Once you've got over the, initially jarring, youthful looks and cut glass English accents of the performers this becomes an engrossing production.  The direction shows some sparks of imagination and although there were a few minor tech glitches they didn't detract.  The two men occasionally look out of their depth, Gerardo lacking the confused exasperation his situation demands, the Doctor needs to exude greater ambivalence.  It's Paulina who's the stand out of the trio, getting close to the cocktail of suffering, madness and revenge that drives the character.  (I was unable to find out the performers' names so I've used the characters.)

This won't be the greatest version of the play you'll ever see, but it probably won't be the worst either.  And if you want a reminder of the capacity of Dorfman's words to lead you into the hell of totalitarianism (something we all need to be aware of in the current political situation) then this will do very nicely thanks.

Death and the Maiden is in C Too until 13 August.

The Notorious Mary Bourke, Stand 5, Edinburgh Fringe

As in Notorious like the Notorious B.I.G.  A lover of 90s rap music, this is the Irish housewife's version of rappers' advice on life, but without the misogyny.  Having zero knowledge of the rap genre, and never having heard of any of the artists she mentioned, I wondered if this hour was going to be completely lost on me.  But my ignorance proved no handicap, and after a slow start Mary had the room on board.  There's a lot of good anecdotes and some quite well crafted jokes, some musical accompaniment, and possibly the most unusual cookery book you'll come across.

Bourke gets the audience involved in her routine, but in wholly non-threatening manner (which didn't stop your reviewer from making a complete arse of himself....).  She's likeable, sometimes extremely funny, and it's a well constructed and very enjoyable show.

The Notorious Mary Burke is in Stand 5 until 30 August.

Stewart Lee : Comedy provider, Stand Comedy Club, Edinburgh Fringe

Rambling, shambolic, ill-prepared.  A work in progress, copious notes ready to hand.  Building up material for the next big tour, the one that pays the mortgage, especially now his TV series is not being recommissioned.  Oh, and he says himself, plenty of "pretentious, metatextual analysis".

All of which might be unforgiveable if you've paid your money to see a top comedian.  Except that this show is, flaws notwithstanding, chest-stretchingly funny from beginning to end.  Lee is predictably sharp and scathing on the subject of the EU referendum outcome.  He dissects his own career before your eyes.  And even tells a few jokes, complete with their own deconstruction of course.  It's a routine that will no doubt vary hugely every night, but always full of memorable phrases, his trademark repetitive build ups and that unique, oblique slant on the world that can even shine a new light on urban foxes.

Watching Stewart you can understand why many people just don't get him.  It's a light year away from being a conventional Michael McIntyre style joke parade and all about asking the audience to fill in gaps for themselves.  If you're a fan, and I certainly am, then you'll find his genius undimmed.  Unmissable.

Stewart Lee : Content Provider is in the Stand until 29 August.

Monday 8 August 2016

Jonathan Pie : Live, Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh Fringe

It's Children in Need night, John Barrowman has had to cancel, and standing in at short notice is Political Correspondent Jonathan Pie.  With just a few short pieces to camera to deliver, Pie's main job is to entertain his studio audience.  But what can a reporter do by way of light entertainment?

Jonathan Pie is played by, and the satirical creation of, actor Tom Walker.  Videos like this one



have gone viral on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and many people initially believed that he was a real reporter.  His off-camera rants speak the truths we want to hear, but never get, from our main stream media.  But how do you take a short-clip internet character and build a one hour show around him?

The charity appeal scenario works brilliantly, allowing Pie his trademark transformations from smooth professional to raving cynic and back again, and scope to joke with, at and for his audience whilst sounding off on a few political tirades.  Whilst his main target is the Tories, Labour and the Lib Dems don't get away with it entirely, and neither do the British public....

It's a polished, high energy performance, and a smart, pacey script, full of insights that
inspire justified anger, but also consistently hilarious.  The stage Pie takes his internet progenitor and fleshes him out, and remains just as believable.  A must see.  Even if, perhaps especially if, you're a Tory.

Jonathan Pie : Live is at Pleasance Courtyard until 28 August.

Max Dickins : My Groupon Adventure, T-Bar, Edinburgh Fringe

His girlfriend has dumped him because he's not spontaneous enough, and his life is boring.  And then Max Dickin discovered Groupon, a new world of discounted activities.  Hoping to become the impromptu, adventurous soul he thought his ex wanted, he threw himself into the varied challenges that the site offered up.  Communing with exotic animals, alternative medical treatments and narcissistic vanity purchases extended his horizons in unexpected directions.

Did it change the man within?  Did he become a creature of impulse?  And he get the girl in the end?  Dickins provides the answers through a series of anecdotes backed up by powerpoint.

It's an intriguing conceit, and one Dickins handles well.  He's always engaging and there's a bit of audience interaction.  The quality of the punchlines varies, but there are more than enough winners in there to make this an enjoyable experience.

This is a Free Fringe show so you can roll up at short notice.  If you find yourself showless on the Cowgate around six one evening then My Groupon Adventure is definitely worth a look.

Max Dickins : My Groupon Adventure is at T-Bar until 27 August.

Aidan Goatley : The Joys of Retail (and How to Escape Them), Sweet Grassmarket 3, Edinburgh Fringe



Goatley's long journey, from a degree in script writing to professional comedian, took an unexpected detour through the strange landscape of retail management.  With the scenery revealing uncaring management, bewildering customer complaints and plenty of corporate bullshit.  Most of us quickly recognise the world of petty points scoring, management incompetence, customer non sequiturs and pointless team exercises that Aidan describes.

His naturally gentle and caring manner may not meet with the full approval of his gung ho boss, nor does his flippancy, but it does provide us with some great punchlines.  Health and safety disasters, baffling sizing policies and tedious management conferences all provide material for his comic observations.

Delivered with the same joyful exuberance of his other 2016 Fringe show, Joys of Retail is a fun and funny hour of enjoyment.  Especially if your name is Sandra.

Highly recommended.

Aidan Goatley : The Joys of Retail (and How to Escape Them) is at Sweet Grassmarket until 28 August.

Saturday 6 August 2016

Aidan Goatley : Mr Blue Sky, Sweet Grassmarket 3, Edinburgh Fringe



Like a 10 year old unwrapping their Xmas presents and finding they'd got every one of the 17 Lego sets they asked for, Aidan Goatley is both astonished and delighted to be a stand up comedian.  I know because he told us so, with an infectious enthusiasm that carries you along into his world.

If you have a fear of being picked on by comics then this man might be the cure.  In a small venue like this it feels like Aidan is getting to know each one of us personally, and his self deprecating style makes for a non-threatening audience interaction.  There's a strong thread of optimism running through his meandering storytelling (only slightly tempered by the sudden sonic intervention from the castle fireworks up above) as he takes you through some of the good things in his life and the reason for choosing the show's title.  Along the way there's the one thing he (allegedly) has in common with Hitler, the awesomeness of his daughter, a drunk's impressive ability and a Jason Statham impression.  Oh, and some well crafted jokes throughout.

If you're looking for cutting edge, caustic comedy that will stoke up your righteous anger then this isn't your show.  But if you want to end your stressful Fringe day with a feeling of warmth, a good laugh and a smile on your face, then Goatley's gentle humour is the perfect answer.

Highly recommended.

Aidan Goatley : Mr Blue Sky is at Sweet Grassmarket until 28 August.

Friday 5 August 2016

Katherine Ryan, Stand 6, Edinburgh Fringe

TV raises expectations.  When you see a comedian on the screen it's easy to forget that you're seeing them at their best.  A short set, edited if necessary, an audience that's been asked to be responsive.

So maybe the problem is with me, and my own expectations of "TV's Katherine Ryan" (as she referred to herself, several times).  I was anticipating an hour of sharp, acerbic, political comedy.  Which, I admit, was to ignore the clue in the title of her show - "Work in Progress".  So maybe it was just me?

Not that Ms Ryan isn't funny.  She has some very clever observations sprinkled throughout the show, and I will never be able to look at a tearful Oscar Pistorious in the same way again.  There's some excellent role-reversal with a feminist slant, and a lot of honesty about her own conflicting views of life.  But there's also too much about various celebrities which is hard to appreciate if you know nothing more about them than their names.  I've honestly never wanted to know who the Kardashians are....

So maybe it's an age thing.  She lost a bit of this sixty year old when she suggested that turning 33 was 'growing old'.  Ryan is entertaining, but I left feeling she could have delivered more.

Thursday 4 August 2016

Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show (Menu 2), Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh Fringe

A civilised start to a Fringing day.  Fresh strawberries brought to you in the queue, coffee and croissant to pick up on the way to your seat.  Which would be little more than a gimmick were the show which followed were a let down, but fortunately the comestibles are just the icing on an already excellent cake.

Five playlets in one hour from a cast of seven.  The subject matter varies widely : a marriage guidance session that reverses expectations; two couples show the narrow dividing line between success and failure in relationships; a mafia hit man is presented with an unexpected request; an elderly couple discuss the new animals in their life; and policemen who more interested in tea and biscuits than doing their job.  All five are very funny, but there's some serious intent too.  Clown Therapy questions our view of what constitutes 'normal'.  The interweaving dialogues of Double Dana are smart, effective, and challenge the skills of the four actors involved.  Favour for the Boss brings an unexpected feminist twist to the underworld.  And although Suspicious Minds is the silliest of the bunch it gives Javier Rasero a chance to show off his excellent comic timing.

An enjoyable start to any Fringe day, Bite-Size Breakfast is on at the Pleasance Dome until the 29th, with three 'menus' on offer, each featuring different short pieces.  Recommended.

Tuesday 26 July 2016

Dean Owens + Kim Edgar, St Andrew Square Spiegeltent



Very much a Leither evening.

Drafted in at short notice after Yvonne Lyon was forced to call off, Edgar was in excellent form.  Her sweet voice and sparse piano accompaniment provide a framework for smart, poetic lyrics that paint pictures of sadness and hope.  The melodies aren't particularly catchy, but they're often memorable.  Pleasantly bittersweet.



Owens was accompanied by a reduced version of his Whisky Hearts band, with Craig Ross on guitar and Amy Geddes on fiddle.  With six albums to his name Owens has built up a strong back catalogue of material and the evening was a reminder of just what an excellent songwriter he is.  His subject matter is mostly personal, about family and friends and joy and loneliness.  Whether it's "A Man From Leith', a tribute to the influence of his father, or "Valentine's Day In New York", about being parted from the people at home, there are enduring phrases and infectious choruses.  It's a great voice too, from Nashville via Easter Road.

Both Ross and Geddes are superb musicians with the ability to make their solos sparkle, and Amy's vocals on the haunting "Strangers Again" were a reminder that she's a talented singer too.

Dean Owens remains one of Leith's, Edinburgh's, Scotland's finest singer/songwriters and a name that should be much better known than it is.  He's got plenty of dates still to play in 2016, so catch him if you can.