Books
Ed Ballard: The Financial Times recession oracle Gillian Tett spoke compellingly about the causes of the credit crunch, and discussed the economy's likely directi...
David Sedaris: On his profession It helps to surround yourself with people who do stuff - fucked up stuff. My oldest sister Lisa came to visit me in France this su...
Music
Chris McCall: You can call Amanda Palmer many things; an extrovert, a talented pianist, a chronicler of female anguish and despair, a wise-cracking performer. She&r...
Gillian Loney: The Free Fringe: where performers can only dream of breaking even thanks to their reliance on donations from audiences. "At least it was free," they u...
Fergus Weir: The spirit of Retreat! can be easily summed up. According to Bart Owl, who co-founded the festival alongside Emily Roff, it’s simply “a ce...
Ed Ballard: “I just tweeted absolute nonsense to the universe” says Neil Gaiman by way of an apology. For the next sixty seconds he’s absorbed i...
Comedy
Lloyd Langford: Blues musicians lead such extraordinary and interesting lives. Take for example Blind Lemon Jefferson, guitar, storyteller and the inventor and dogged...
Theatre
Nick Prior: There’s a moment in the second half of this slick performance of contemporary dance when the 10-strong company appear to meld into a single, if ...
Sam Friedman: It’s Thursday night and an exhausted Jane Berthoud makes her way to the tiny Pleasance Attic for her sixth comedy show of the day. The comedian ...
Ed Ballard: As the International Book Festival got going on a rainy Sunday, the West Port Book Festival was just winding to a close after a successful second year...
Fergus Weir: Opening for Scots indie heroes Frightened Rabbit is a rather daunting thought, given the sons of Selkirk’s reputation for producing exhilarating...
Fern Brady: Penelope Skinner is a curious person to be around. Like a glowering, sulky child, she responds to initial questions with suspicion. And her ability to...
Lee Bunce: This was always going to be something very special. Putting the majestic Broken Records in the grand, atmospheric surroundings of the Queens Hall made...
Chris McCall: Out of all the numerous band reunions of recent years, few were as unexpected, or as widely welcomed, as Magazine. The story of Magazine is typical o...
Fergus Craig: The same reason it’s so good. The practicalities of making five 22 minute long programmes a week, every week on a small budget don’t reall...
