Music
| 31 August 2009
Acoustic Music Centre
August 29th , 18:30
With more than a hint of the epic bard’s tales about them, Cheyenne Brown and Seylan Baxter arrived at the Acoustic Music Centre. Using Cello and Harp to full effect, the sounds produced evoke images of Hobbits trudging across snowy mountains, Ivanhoe setting off on crusade, and your reviewer battling rain and wind whilst trying to find the Fringe outpost that is the Acoustic Music Centre.
| 29 August 2009
C Chambers Street
5- 31 August 20.55
The Rat Pack: Sammy Davis Jr, Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin- men synonymous with old Hollywood, imbibing, the tuxedo, and real and far reaching talent.
| 28 August 2009
New Town Theatre
5-30 August (ex.17) 20.15
A spark of the 50s that has never faded, born a black American in Ohio in 1945, Melvin Brown can still tap, croon and swing with the best of them, bringing a feeling of old Hollywood to the New Town Theatre this Fringe.
| 28 August 2009
C Venue, Chambers Street
6-28 August, 14.50
I always thought Acappella was the refuge of nerdy middle-aged men, who enjoyed singing but weren't cool enough to be in a rock band. What a prejudiced, unthinking fool I was.
| 27 August 2009
Spaces @ The Radisson
10-29 August, 21.45
Watching Otway and Barrett feels like you have traveled back in time, and taken a deep breath of fresh air. They belong to an era of entertainment which embraced unkempt, rough around the edges amateurism over the airbrushed clones that currently dominate the music industry.
| 27 August 2009
Assembly @ Assembly Hall
11 August, 22.05
No one will ever surpass the charm and presence of Sammy, Dino and ol' Blue Eyes. People try and fail and we are just reminded of the superiority of these three legends.
| 27 August 2009
Pleasance Courtyard
7-31 August, 15.45
It was a surprisingly hot afternoon. People shuffled around the Pleasance Courtyard like cattle and were then herded into the musty Cabaret Bar, which offered no coolness in the shade. The decision (made by an astounding three people on the back row), on this sticky day, to remove sweaty shoes and perch feet on stools was the only cause for complaint I found during an hour listening to Flanders and Swann.
| 27 August 2009
Edge Festival @ HMV Picturehouse
24 August, 19.30
I’ve got to make this clear from the outset: I’ve never liked Starsailor, and though I went to the lovely venue with as open a mind as I could muster, the chances of me leaving impressed were as slim as singer/songwriter James Walsh’s book of ideas. See? I’ve already started. Oh well, press on.
| 25 August 2009
Edge Festival: HMV Playhouse
23 August, 19.20
The two acts before Bird flew on stage highlight a lot about modern music. It’s not that it’s poorly performed; rather it displays a passive-optimistic repetitiveness which varies only slightly between songs. Definitely the foothills of the musical summit which the audience would be invited to ascend with Bird.
| 25 August 2009
The Queen’s Hall
22 August, 22.00
Slippery limbed salsa with rolling hips and elbows, alongside bawdy Scottish stomps and cheers of “Aieeeeupp” were the ticket of the night. Back performing to their hometown, Salsa Celtica underlined why their albums have topped the New York and L.A. salsa charts, and European world music charts, sending the crowd into pulsing raptures that literally shook the Queen’s Hall within minutes.
| 24 August 2009
Acoustic Music Centre
18 August, 19.15
Tucked away off Dalry Road is the Acoustic Music Centre, which continues its aim of bringing the finest folk acts to the festival. Tonight was no exception as they welcomed Scottish quintet: The Poozies.
| 22 August 2009
The Lot
12-23 August (ex. 17, 18) 21.00
The sweetly soulful Dean Friedman is old-school; a country-and-western singer complete with piano, guitar, love melodies and naff album covers.
| 21 August 2009
Pleasance Beyond
17-30 August 21.40
The Tiger Lillies are back again at the Fringe, away from the famous Spiegeltent and into the Pleasance Beyond which takes some of the burlesque features away from the act (most noticeably Ophelia Bitz) and makes us concentrate solely on the twisted repertoire of front man Martyn Jacques.
| 21 August 2009
Assembly Hall @ The Mound
21 – 22 August , 00.00
It’s an inspiration to see Edwyn Collins shuffling on to stage, cane in hand to perform at the Assembly Halls. Four years ago the singer song writer suffered a stroke, which resulted in severe disability. He has clearly maintained much of his musical instincts, however, and gives a strong performance.
| 21 August 2009
The Queen’s Hall
19 August, 22.00
Blazin’ Fiddles is a group of stupendously talented musicians, and one that you should definitely see if you get the chance. Though I’ve been to my fair share of ceilidhs, I’m hardly an aficionado of traditional Celtic music, but this band of four dynamic fiddlers backed by keyboard and guitar are so tight, so expert, and yet so fun, that it seems only the dead could fail to be entertained.
| 19 August 2009
Pleasance Courtyard
5-31 August (ex. 24) 20:15
Lady Carol looks like a gothic Lana Turner with a penchant for Arabian Nights. She sings cover versions and originals tinged with darkness, accompanied by herself on ukulele, interspersing these with unexpected comedy.
| 18 August 2009
The Queen’s Hall
13–15 August, 22.00
I’m not usually one to foot-tap or sway during sit-down shows, in fact it irritates me if I’m honest when neighbours develop suddenly into strumming beat-hunters, yet Music from the Penguin Café seem to take over my feet as they played at the Queen’s Hall. Our row of seats beating in time with the queer array of instruments on stage was a visible show of how well the folk orchestra had hooked us.
| 17 August 2009
The Queen’s Hall
16 August, 22.00
The Queen’s Hall is peppered with an odd mixture of older folk fans, mostly occupying the pew-like seats that edge the main room, and bright, trendy young things who cluster in groups of four or five on the dancefloor. A typical Festival audience this: a cocktail of die-hard fans rubbing shoulders with chipper hipsters hoping to be entertained but little caring by what as long as there’s lashings of lager involved.
| 17 August 2009
Music @ 100 Princes Street
14, 20, 22 August 9.30
Bach for Breakfast is quite the preferable way to do mornings. The room is overflowing with classical music enthusiasts who are here to relax and be gently entertained over a cup of coffee.
| 16 August 2009
Acoustic Music Centre @ St. Brides
13 August 19.15
Described as having “best kept secret status” and “one of Scotland’s most prolific song-writers”, Michael Marra is not widely known but is highly regarded, with a fiercely loyal and passionate fan-base. As part of the Acoustic Music Centre at St. Brides, he performed his outstanding set in an eerie stretch of the church.
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