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...
Theatre | Music
Jennifer Blyth: A stockbroker in need of a heart transplant and a rock star who needs a liver transplant meet in hospital. “Sounds like the start of a fabulous ...
Fergus Weir: Opening for Scots indie heroes Frightened Rabbit is a rather daunting thought, given the sons of Selkirk’s reputation for producing exhilarating...
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...
Gillian Loney: The discerning Fringe reviewer is reluctant to give five stars to any show. This is not out of spite, or, as some might suggest, a power trip from the...
Chris McCall: Malcolm McLaren was educated at Goldsmith’s College in the late 1960s, where he failed to graduate. He managed a series of clothes shops based o...
Gillian Loney & Chris McCall: Meeting two renowned burlesque performers in an upmarket Broughton Street bar for an afternoon drink is all part of a day’s work for two writers...
Evangelos Chrysagis: Popular music can be defined equally according to commercial success or aesthetic qualities. Tonight's headlining star Calvin Harris fits neatly into ...
Jennifer Blyth: The stone-walled chill of Pleasance Two is the perfect venue for this magical Gothic pastiche. Blending surreal humour with tone poems wrought from a ...
Comedy | Music
Nick Prior: What do you do if you land a plum commission to represent Great Britain in a song and story festival celebrating the rich tapestry of European culture...
Lee Bunce: It might seem strange that in the fresh and exciting atmosphere of the Edinburgh festival season, the directors of the Edge festival should choose to ...
Rod MacNeil: Playing a show dedicated to one particular album has become something of a craze amongst bands of certain vintage, whether it be Teenage Fanclub touri...