Can you believe this is the 500th musing from this moose?! Really, it is. It started from a friend’s suggestion that I should impart my accumulated Fringey facts and wisdom to a wider audience (i.e. and stop boring them with it all). My first bit of nonsense was written on 25th April 2017, just a wee introduction about myself and my love of the Fringe. It was around the same time that I first heard of Logan’s Close with their release of Listen to your Mother, a pure slice of 60s pop, I was in love!
After Fringe affairs, all things LC have been my second favourite topic these last eight years; the rebirth of live local music after all the Covid restrictions was amazing, it rekindled a spark in me and has given me much to muse on. Yeah, I go on about the bands I like, I know, but they are darn good, worth spreading the word on them.
But back on Fringe stuff, June ’22 was the first time I was offered a comp ticket to review a Fringe show, I wrote about it in my 300th blog post 300 not out! Who’d have thunk it! I didn’t take up the offer, but I pondered on it aplenty. It’s the same doubts and niggles that pop up each year now, but hey, better that way than becoming blasé.
Anyhoo, it’s now ridiculously late, but I’ve had such a hard time trying to write anything these last few weeks that I determined tonight I had to get something down. Normal service should hopefully resume shortly (I say that but I’ll be away in Yorkshireland next week, so). I’ll leave you with a picture from a lovely September afternoon at Dr Neil’s Garden. Sweet dreams!
Hi peeps! It’s the first full weekend in June, so that means it’s Meadows Festival time, but this year I’m going leave off going until tomorrow. There’s heavy downpours out there, you know, already been caught in two just going to the Farmers Market, thank heavens for my oversized brolly! When I’ve finished this I’m going to pop along to Whistlebinkies where Jed Potts and Nicole Smit will be starting the afternoon set soon. There’s lots of music going on down in Leith for the Leith Jazz & Blues Festival this weekend; indeed, the Scat Rats are playing some place called The Volley at four o’clock today and tomorrow (I have no idea where it is, besides in Leith), I may pop down tomorrow, make that, most likely will pop along.
If I’d just gotten up when I first woke, around nine, I could have been home before the first deluge, but, well. So glad to get some eggs (never buy them from supermarkets these days), also some chicken thighs and honey from Brewsters, then across to Annanwater to see what they had left, oo, cutlets (exquisitely tasty) and two small frozen packs of liver (very handy as one pack is perfect for a solo meal, and it will defrost very quickly in a bowl of water). A chap behind me asked if I was queuing for a mutton pie like himself (they are exceedingly popular), oh no, I was holding off for scallops from Creelers for my lunch; as so often happens, that prompted a follow-up question of how I cook them, in butter first, then add a slosh of dry white wine, a little salt and black pepper, some frozen chopped parsley, finally double cream. Bloody marvellous if I do say so myself!
Oh, and a slice of bread of butter with a glass of the wine. He said he’d be round at twelve! Haha. Scallops in bag, last port of call was Thistle and Churn for another fine ice cream, this week’s was a Clootie Dumpling, with some actual clootie dumpling as part of the garnish!
I think partly the reason why I’m not fussed about getting to the Meadows Festival is that I’ve already had a big flea market fix just last week in Brussels, oh my god, it was so wonderful to gaze on it all! If you enjoy a good rummage and you’re ever in Brussels, head to Place du Jeu de Balle, and of course, being away means you can’t actually buy that ridiculous wotsit, ’cause how would you get it home?!
Yes, that is a pogo stick! ~~~~~ Some might call it junk ~~~~~~ I was tempted!
Similarly, I feel like my Fringe started early this year, not only did I treat myself to seeing Grubby Little Mitts performing Eyes Closed, Mouths Open when I was in London, but back four weeks ago I went to see John-Luke Roberts: It Is Better + Best Of at the Monkey Barrel. Honestly, I’m not quite sure what month it is, Meadows Fair, so it’s June. Yes, I have picked up copies of the Fringe programme, yes, I’ve done an extra quick sweep of comedy and theatre, and yes, I’ve bought my first eight tickets! I’m somewhat disgruntled that the box office has now upped the maximum booking fees for one purchase from £5 to £7.50, grrrr (yes, I know it’s not much to quibble over but it irks me). My purchases? A few previews, the new one from Batisfera, thought I should get in quick as Luke Rollason is only doing a few dates, and a ticket for Troy Hawke who is usually rather expensive but yay, he’s doing a WIP this year (been loving his stuff on Instagram).
More later, right now, there’s two rather talented musicians making sweet sounds, that I need to see. Toodle oo!
And he’s back!! I arrived back in Edinburgh last night, the moose matriarch will soon be back in her home, the rest of the family are all on to everything. So, the second part of my Fringe, this is weird, I would usually have lots of shows lined up, so many semi-plans, but it’s all big gaps on my calendar, not even lots of pencil scratchings. The uncertainty and worry over my mother, I didn’t want to think anything past a few weeks; it’s hard when the bedrock of your life is brought down low. So, if I’m to regale her with Fringe stories (well, she always claims to enjoy hearing all about it!) I’d best get on.
Wow, my inbox has invites to review shows! This is a new experience for me! I’ll have to go through them, reply to folk. So, if you’re reading this and have sent me an email but haven’t heard anything back from me, well, big reason see above; but also, there’s something I think I should make sure everyone is clear about, especially folk who’ve come across my musings this year. I’m not a professional critic.
This blog is just me, a moose rambling on about life on the fringe; years ago, friends kept telling me that I should do something with all my accumulated Fringe knowledge, the history, my insights, my love of Fringe (probably just to make me shut up saying it all to them). After a few years mulling it over, everything takes time to process with me, I started this blog in 2017. It’s my hobby, hell, I even pay to write this rubbish, I couldn’t bare to have crappy adverts hovering about, so I pay! Well, it’s cheaper than therapy.
So, not a professional writer, not a critic for any press (not that I’ve ever pretended or claimed to be such) just a moose who likes to share their Fringe experience (and generally my life in Edinburgh Old Town). The idea of doing whatever to get an official press thingy – see I don’t even know what it’s called, nevermind how to go about getting one. It has been suggested to me by Fringe friends but somehow I feel it would change my relationship with the Fringe, yes I know you’re thinking that’s weird, but that’s me. I’ll need another few years to mull it over.
People may enjoy my ramblings and want to take a chance that I’ll like their show and will wax lyrical about it afterwards, or I may now get second emails saying, oh I thought you were serious, consider the ticket offer rescinded. Hey ho, no worries, she’ll be right, worse things happen at sea, my cup runneth over anyway. Just thought I should set the record straight, that and I recently had an odd encounter with a performer, a misunderstanding or possibly mistaken identity, I don’t know, but it has disturbed me and I really didn’t need it, not at this time!
Well, there’s Half Price Hut offerings that I haven’t checked out yet this year. I’ll leave you with something entirely different – those beautiful boys Logan’s Close are playing on top of St James Quarter on Saturday evening, oh my heartses! I managed to grab a ticket, yay! (they’re all gone now)
And have a pic from the other evening in Yorkshireland….
Just a quickie (oo, matron)! It’s late but I feel like sharing….
The Blueswater at The Jazz Bar on Friday night were awesome, as expected. I rolled up shortly after showtime (come on, how often are these times accurate?) and was warned it was pretty busy inside – I was even given the opportunity to pop down and check out whether I wanted to commit to going in (there was a £10 entry charge), nice offer but I’d just go for it. Hell, the weather was really bad, I wasn’t going to have a wasted soaking.
It was very busy, but at least towards the back the floor is higher, allowing a better view. I could be wrong but I think there’s a grand piano on the stage, it takes up a lot of space – I was only able to see the heads and shoulders of the band (no dandruff) but I assume it’s still there, otherwise the close huddle of five of the band would just be weird. It kinda looked like they’d all ganged up against the drummer and were refusing to go anywhere near him. Okay, so that was my brain having fun, like, one scenario, Simon was letting loose some lethal gases! (Yes, that’s Simon Gibb, buccaneer and back-up crew) Haha, going along with that line, when Nicole Smit joined them for a couple of numbers, the huddle made her stand closest to him!
Plenty of classic blues was the order of the night and Felipe Schrieberg has the voice and presence to deliver them. Such a great night! Oh, and special mention for their rendition of The Wizard, wow, so, so good. And now, from a wizard to a doctor…
Oh my giddy aunt, how good was Dr Who on Saturday evening? Bloody awesomely good, that’s how good. RTD really threw everything into this episode including an old companion, a very old adversary and a Lethbridge-Stewart! Neil Patrick Harris was perfect to play the Toymaker, the man is such a great performer (apparently he was the first to play Hedwig on Boadway, god, I would love to have seen that!) With RTD back at the helm it was a great story, great script, so many digs at the state of humankind, wonderful – “the lies, the righteousness – that’s human, that’s you …… and hating each other? You’ve never needed any help with that.” He’s right, you know.
Hurrah, we met the latest incarnation of the good Doctor, and what’s this? David Tennant‘s Doctor is still among us, could he make further appearances along the line?! Who cheered with me when Donna stood up to the creepy dolls and bashed the mother doll against the wall? I’m shuddering again just thinking of her babbies; old dolls and puppets are always up to no good when they turn up on anything! The companion show Doctor Who: Unleashed had an interesting section on the filming of the puppet scenes, but I was amused that our guide seemed so unaware about how big puppetry is these days – okay so not huge, but there’s always puppetry of some ilk at every Edinburgh Fringe.
And on that note, yay! Boris and Sergey are back in Edinburgh Boris and Sergey’s Christmas Cabaret on at the Assembly Roxy until 21st December. Two hours of darkly delicious humour, macabre mayhem, oh yeah, I’m going. It’s been a while since I saw them at the Fringe, ah, not since 2016! The first time was in 2012, then 2013, those shows were both at the Pleasance Courtyard; in 2016 they had a new home, the perfect stage for them, the Omnitorium a wonderful, strange, unsettling little world on its own, set slightly away from George Square Garden. They have been back since then, but you know, so many shows to choose from!
Anyhoo, it’s very late now, I must off to bed. Sweet dreams!
This has been an odd week, well, a week of oddities, flashbacks, fun and not-so-much fun. It started on Monday when I got an email that Apocalypse Clown a film I had booked to see in Glasgow the following day was cancelled due to technical difficulties. Dammit! It was my only opportunity too, it only had a very limited release (yup, not a single cinema in Edinburgh was showing it!). You may be wondering what’s so special about Apocalypse Clown that I’d be prepared to trek over to Glasgow for it?
Three of the co-writers were one of my all-time favourite Fringe acts, Dead Cat Bounce, that’s Demian Fox, Shane O’Brien and James Walmsley. Sure its quite some time since they were at the Fringe but they were supertalented, very original and achingly funny; the trailer for Apocalypse Clown looks so good, they obviously haven’t lost the spark. It’s a film with clowns (obviously), vengeful human statues and a slow-motion walrus fight (so I’ve read) – what’s not to love?! A film of semi-epic proportions, I reckon.
So, I wasn’t happy at missing that, for consolation I went to see Barbie for a second time, yay. It made a good start to my evening before Nicole and the Back-up Crew in Stramash, finishing off at Whistlebinkies with The Scat Rats and a wonderful, unexpected delight – the first acoustic rendition of Heart-shaped Jacuzzi, oh my heartses!
Wednesday I decided to check what other old Fringe favourites of mine The Les Clöchards were up to these days – they only have a new album out and it’s on Spotify! Stop, Drop & Rock is a lot of fun, those hobos from a small island near Corsica have still got it – blimey Charlie, it’s ten years since they last played the Edinburgh Fringe when I bought their CD Never Don’t Not.
Interestingly there’s new versions of two songs from that previous album, Love Baby has definitely gone up a few notches but I prefer the raunchier, heavier earlier version of Girls Just Wanna Have Fun (but you will love the new version if you’ve never heard the first one, truly you will). I love what they’ve done with Material Girl a great Clöchards reworking, but my current favourite is Bunch of Assholes, delightfully lackadaisical and bouncy.
Thursday night, yay, a rare visit from over West for Baby Face and the Beltin’ Boys to Stramash. Who? Baby Face aka Julen Santamaria of Awkward Family Portraits, purveyor of Western Swing with a very distinctive voice. There was actually just one Beltin’ Boy with him on this occasion, but the two of them were more than enough for a fun time (I’ll stick a reel on Instagram later). See, this is why I pay so much attention to who’s playing where and when, to catch such gems!
Friday morning and a big downer, my throat was on fire, bloody painful. It had been threatening a while, I’d hoped nightly gargling with TCP would do the trick, nope! Nothing was going to soothe it now, it was only a matter of time before my sinuses joined in the revolt. They did and how, for about forty-eight hours and two boxes of tissues; just a few foot soldiers are left behind now, the rest have moved to my chest.
Okay, so twice I’ve missed The Scat Rats this weekend, hey, I do see them plenty, but The Buccaneers were playing The Jazz Bar after midnight on Friday and I was fully intending on going, damn. Not impressed.
Other bits of news, Logan’s Close have announced 20th October as the release date for their long-awaited debut album Heart-shaped Jacuzzi, get your order in! The loveliest man on the Fringe Aidan Goatley is writing a new show, “the show I’ve wanted to do for several years but only now feel ready for”, this will definitely be one to see next year, can’t wait. Austrian stand-up Elias Werner will be in the UK on Thursday 12th October at The Pen Theatre in London as part of their Fresh off the Fringe season; well, he did tell me he’d be back!
Well, that’s all my news, now I must go gargle some more TCP and get to my bed.
Hey there! It’s a hot, sunny day here in Edinburgh, someone turned the temperature dial back up! I’m inside, oh, sat beside a wide open window, net curtain blowing in the breeze; there’s five or six more days of this forecast, so I’m good. Been looking through my Fringe diary; forty-one shows, three repeats, flyering and all the sordid details in between.
I stick in the occasional tiny picture found in some Fringe publication or other, to help refresh the memory in years to come. Not that I found many pics this year, the likes of Fest and The List don’t bother much with the sorts of shows I like. Aidan Goatley does a bit about The List in his show, I am fully with him there (no, we’re not fans). The odd newspaper supplements I’ve cast an eye over, rarely mention anything of interest to me. Hey, I’m the alternative! Well, one of them, a wee niche of dark whimsy.
What categories will there be at this year’s Bruce Awards? Last year there were Sweetest, Sexiest, Silliest Fringe Things, all had pretty clear front runners then, but not this year. It seems anything I come up with, there’s always more than one choice, which is bloody stupid as, i) I’m the one making up categories, ii) now I’ve started this I cannot cheat it, really I can’t! Even something like Most Fruit Inclusive, there’s three to choose from, and now I’ve thought of them I can’t unthink them.
I’m going to let them mull things over and go enjoy the sunshine. It’s the first weekend of the month which means the Handsome House Jam are playing at Stramash this evening at seven. This week’s guest host is Austen George a local singer-songwriter, one third of the rather bloody brilliant Miracle Glass Company. I’ve not seen him playing outside of MGC before, I’m looking forward to it. Some good music, a drink or two, just what I need. Maybe I’ll return to my cave inspired!
I’ll leave you with a few pics of posters from the Fringe, just random posters. Toodle pip!
Already it’s Sunday night, the previews and first weekend almost at an end. Just three weeks and a day to go! Yes, the Fringe finishes on Monday 28th August, or more like, gasps it’s final breaths (please someone change the last day to the Sunday, there’s no good reason for the Monday ending, and after all, the official start has been brought forward to the Friday).
Tomorrow is my Underbelly day, five shows for £6 each (plus £5 booking fee), you know how much I like a good ticket offer. I’ve been taking it a bit easy today, was feeling a little Fringed out; counting today’s shows I’ve seen sixteen, which the observant will know is way more than I’ve written about. For one, my time management could be way better, and second (as I’ve mentioned in the past) my mother always said, if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all.
Yes, I know I shouldn’t feel bad about saying something negative. Hey, if someone really enjoyed every show they saw, they’re either bloody lucky or way too easily pleased (or just plain lying about it). Anyone can read what I’ve written, then put it down and go their own merry way, sometimes hearing another’s take can help clarify one’s own thoughts. As someone once said, I should publish and be damned. Sorry, mother.
I kinda snuck out there to go see Accordion Ryan’s Pop Bangers, I hadn’t yet been and next chance wouldn’t be ’til Thursday. His show is from eleven ’til midnight, it’s a great, fun way to round off an evening, or get you in the mood for partying through the night. For me it’s the former tonight, I shall get to my bed, tomorrow I’ll fit in some reviews, honest.
Well, I do try not to judge a book by the cover, but with hundreds of shows to choose from, a poster is a quickfire way to yay or nay. Some make you shudder, ye gods, no, some amuse, some bemuse. That first look counts, and if it’s a massive poster, well, call me Homer Simpson, but the influence to see or avoid is greater on this moose. I have written previously about misjudgements I have made based on the look of a poster, hey ho, usually pleasant surprises in the end.
The town by this stage, the Eve of Fringemas, is postered up to the max. Here is a multi-show poster board, anything tall, thin and stationary gets these things attached in August. Shakespeare given comedic makeovers, hmmm. For one, I already have that covered with Shakespeare For Breakfast, and second, neither poster has much moose appeal. Miss Havisham pops up most years in one form or another, such a magnificent character to get creative with; a possible possible there.
Top right and bottom left, neither yays or nays, wallpaper; as the Fringe goes on, they make more of an impression. It’s the little beauty bottom right that caught my eye, loving the artwork. Oh, and if you read my last post, no, I didn’t realise the connection before now. Yes, I’m doubly persuaded that it’ll be worth seeing!
It could become a spotcheck game – asking random people for immediate honest yay/nay responses to posters. Probably get rather more truthful answers than they would say to flyerers! Oo, and on that, I got flyered twice today! The Out of the Blue crew were out in numbers on the Royal Mile, actually, I got past them all without taking a flyer but not for want of their trying. Shortly after I bumped into Paul Currie, been doing the Fringe for years, I’ve never seen any of his shows, this could be the year. Yes, I accepted his flyer!
By the way, I share all my blog posts on Facebook, Bruce T Moose is the name (and no, the T doesn’t stand for what you’re thinking). There’ll also be more daily pics and vids on my Instagram, do check them out.
Just time to fit in another quick flit to the home country, then it’s back up to Auld Reekie and no sleep ’til September! I’ve noticed that The Blueswater are playing the Jazz Bar on Saturday night in advance of their Fringe shows, I may well make it back up in time for that. A couple of days to get my moose cave in order, it’s all coming together.
Yay, Accordion Ryan will be back with more Pop Bangers, this time he’s in 32 Below, next door to where he was last year, again part of the Free Festival eleven o’clock every night except Wednesdays, really, make time, go see!!
Alex Farrow is back, once again hosting Stand-up Philosophy and Stand-up Science besides his new solo show Wisdom of the Crowd, all at Laughing Horse venues. His solo show is PWYC, the other two are free, they’re more or less entertaining depending on the line-ups each day.
David Alnwick has a new show The Mystery of Dracula, expect good theatre and great magic (if you’re thinking, umm, a magic show, it will be way more than that!) in the Speakeasy at the Voodoo Rooms. It is part of PBH’s Free Fringe but be warned, Mr Alnwick is very popular, best be there in plenty of time!
Those two absurdly funny men, Neil Frost and Dan Lees are back with solo shows. I could be wrong but Neil Frost: The Door sounds very similar to his show last year, no matter, it was a wonderfully funny show. That other absurd clown Luke Rollason is back with Cheep Cheep, of course I have a ticket! Oh, it’s not mentioned in the printed version of the Fringe programme.
Anyhoo, must go, I’m being taken out for lunch! Apparently it’s by a place we used to go many, many years ago – I have no recollection of it. ……. and I’m back, I was whisked away! Even driving past Waters Meet (where we used to have picnics on Sunday afternoons I’m told) I only had the faintest of memories. It’s at Walshaw Dean, a bleak moorland area above Heptonstall (above Hebden Bridge), further on and bleaker still, you come to Pack Horse Inn; it’s stood there as a welcome shelter from the elements for just over 400 years (ok, no doubt with a few changes over time). They serve fine ales, a very good Ox Cheek Bourguignon and scrummy desserts.
More about tasty Fringe morsels next time. Toodle pip!
There’s nothing else here but bracken, more bracken and hills
Oo, it’s less than 48 hours until this year’s Fringe programme is out! This time on Thursday I’ll be perusing a copy, maybe in the Jolly Judge with a nice cider, yeah, good idea that. And as if the day couldn’t get any better, The Scat Rats are playing in Stramash at 7pm! That in itself is sweet enough, but the fun continues as Nicole & the Back-up Crew are onstage next. Mmm, a twixt sets mash-up?!
I’ve had a ganders at the online programme for this year’s Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival in case there’s anything I fancy. It’s on from Friday 14th to Sunday 23rd July with the Mardi Gras in the Grassmarket on the first Saturday afternoon. Most late evenings there’s a Jam Session in the Jazz Bar, I guess it would be potluck who’d be there any evening, do I feel lucky?
The Spiegeltent will be back up in George Square Gardens, with bands every evening and Blues Afternoons at the weekends (at three hours long, thank heavens there’s a bar!) It’s a tent that travels around, so it fits that Nicole Smit: The Travelling Tent Show is back – promising to be bigger and better! I’m tempted, but then again there’s Sister Cookie to consider, hmmm.
Naturally, Jed Potts & the Hillman Hunters will be out to play; they’re at St Bride’s Centre, a great venue hosting a lot of acts throughout the Jazz Festival. I’ve been to a number of events at St Bride’s over the years, I like it, it has a lovely ambience; it’s tucked away on a little street in Dalry, a short bus ride or taxi from the centre of town.
Completing the circle back to the Fringe programme; I have had a few sneek peeks at it online and noticed Aaaah Look Who It Is: Nicole Smit and Jed Potts! at the Jazz Bar. Just four dates and the first is 241 Tuesday! A chance for all those not fortunate enough to live in Edinburgh all year round, to see these two great talents together.
Bruce on the Fringe 