New Year

A new year, hello

bruceonthefringe 2025, Bands, Live bands in Edinburgh, Logan's Close, Music, New Year, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Errr, Happy New Year everyone! Yes, I know, it’s appalling, ten days into the new year, sorry! I’ve kept meaning to write something, but Gotham keeps getting in the way. I reclaimed my three season boxset from a sibling at Christmas; it’s actually impossible to only watch one episode I’ve decided. No matter how determined I am, it can’t be done. So I’ll at least start something now before I stop for tea and the Scat Rats at Stramash at seven.

It’s now only a week to go until the next full Logan’s Close outing at The Caves, yay. The last update this afternoon said there’s 20 tickets left so I doubt there’ll be any left on the night, just sayin’. On ticket sales, did I mention that the talented Mr Marah has announced a small solo tour, tickets now available? Well, more like quick darts around Scotland and England, so far; if anyone has a sweet local space where he could do his thang, just let him know, help him spread the gospel according to Carlos!

It’s a solo single tour – his first single Siren Song is coming out on St Valentine’s Day, five days before the first show at Sneaky Pete’s (where else!?). You could pop along to Carl Marah on social media and pre-save it, why not? And it turns out, my Instragram reel of Carl playing in the Auld Hundred in December is the Siren Song! See, I just know a great song when I hear it.

More music news, the band previously known as Ol’Times will be back over in Edinburgh next week. Now known as Amos Moses they’ll be supporting Edinburgh band High Fade on their UK tour, but before that starts Amos Moses will be playing in Whistlebinkies on Tuesday night before the Scat Rats at midnight, sweet!! Well, at least that’s what Binkies are saying, for now, you know why I’m a little dubious.

Why the change of name? A slight change in line-up, sadly Gabriele (singer) has moved on, it looks like Colm, guitarist and occasional singer has taken over on lead vocals. But will the new sound move me like the Ol’Times did? Gabriele was charismatic with a raffish charm, exciting to watch; Amos Moses will be a very different band. AC/DC after Bon, Van Halen after Dave, Marillion after Fish; for me, once amazing bands that then barely registered in my ears. But kudos to the band for the name change, it’s a good way to underline the fresh start. Yeah, I’m quite keen to see this new band!

Anyhoo, it’s getting on (did you spot where I broke off for tea?). I could just fit in one episode of Gotham before I turn in. I’ll leave you with my customary New Year Arthur’s Seat pic, my meeting a snowbaby as I headed back down, and Carl Marah‘s tour dates.

My slightly delayed start to the New Year
Even a slight smattering of snow and they appear!!

See, there’s room to squeeze in a few more!

It’s cold, it’s dark, I’m lurgied – it’s Telly Time!

bruceonthefringe New Year, Television series, Television shows, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hello there! I’m a little hoarse still, so have taken to medicating myself with black cherry mead. It’s rather good! There’s a chap who dresses up like a monk and sells all sorts of mead at a stall in the Grassmarket on Saturdays, it’s rather fun tasting all the varieties! The black cherry mead is reminiscent of a lovely soothing medicine from childhood.

So, hands up who watched Dracula on telly at New Year, wasn’t that fun?! Claes Bang was excellent, his performance and the wit made me think of Tom Ellis as Lucifer, but with less of the camp. And surely I wasn’t the only one who thought Sister Agatha was like Delenn from Babylon 5?? Admittedly, I was a little sceptical after recovering from the wtf ending of the second episode, Moffat & Gatiss up to their tricks again! But, I thoroughly enjoyed the final episode and Mark Gatiss’ cameo as Dracula’s lawyer (well, if you can’t write in a part for yourself!) was a bit of cheeky genius. Some folk probably won’t be happy with all the liberties taken with the story, fair enough, the padding out of the voyage of the Demeter made sense to me (except the moustache they stuck on Sacha Dhawan).

Talking about Sacha Dhawan, did you see the new Doctor Who? No moustache this time (thankfully – not his best look), he’s rather good in it, one of the better parts I thought. I hate to say it, but Doctor Who is not what it was anymore. No, it’s not Jodie Whittaker, I’m fine with her take on it, it’s the writing, just not as good as previously. Oh, I’ll no doubt still watch it, but not with enthusiasm.

Oh, but, how pleased was I with His Dark Materials? Very. I finally got round to watching it all as I wallowed lurgiefied in front of the fire. Dafne Keen is such a brilliant wee actress, she makes a perfect Lyra Belacqua, and Ruth Wilson, wow, stunning as Mrs Coulter, do not mess with this lady! Just so many wonderful actors perfectly cast in a beautifully realised TV adaptation, and yay, the dulcet tones of Lin-Manuel Miranda as Lee Scoresby (one of my favourite characters from the book). Let’s not forget the bear in the room, Iorek Byrnison, he was truly magnificent, wherever did they find such a talented bear 😆 The only casting I was slightly at odds with was James McAvoy as Lord Asriel, mind, I never really got the character in the book either.

Still lying in front of the fire, I caught the original Jumanji film starring Robin Williams on the telly, which I followed up with the second on dvd. Now I’m all set for the latest instalment in the cinema. Yes, I had to spend a lot of time in front of my fire to recover from my lurgy, but needs must when the devil drives!

Nitey nite!