Ol’Times

A new year, hello

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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!

Let the music play

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Where there’s a will there’s a way for a band to play. If you read my previous post you’ll know I had a sweet evening lined up on Thursday. Those rock’n’roll larrikins Ol’Times were back in Edinburgh playing the Mash House, well they were until a power failure late afternoon! If only there was somewhere else nearby ……. like down the steps and along the alleyway?

Half six, tea demolished, I checked my phone for the latest update – the gig had been switched to Stramash, ah well, I was heading there around seven anyway (originally intending to catch the Scat Rats first set). Haha, yes, that hunk of Irish, Kai (see pic alongside) was stood by the corner of Stramash at bottom of the alley leading up to the Mash House to catch any folk unaware of the change of venue. A quick chat with him and other band members revealed that the Scat Rats had been sent up the road to Whistlebinkies, naturally I followed on.

Once in Binkies with a tasty pint of Stewart’s beer in front of me, I spotted that the sound and lighting wizz John Mackie was also up from Stramash; of course, musical chairs all round! The Rats had a new cover (or one they rarely play?) of Funnel of Love by Wanda Jackson, a beautiful understated number, another class choice by the boys. Oh, there’s a short reel of it on my Instagram if you’re wondering how it goes. A quick chat after the set, I was told the latest Logan’s Close news and oh boy, wow, it’s a real doozy, that’s all I’m saying.

Nice timing back to Stramash, another pint of Stewart’s, found a good spot to park myself, Ol’Times strolled on stage, perfect. Oh, the exhilaration of pure, timeless rock! Their sound harks back to rock bands of the late 70s and I definitely heard a nod to Thin Lizzy in one number, nothing wrong with that! Lead singer Gabriele Scarale is just brilliant, high-octane with a wink and a smile, reminds me of the likes of Bon Scott and Dave Lee Roth.

Thursday was the first night of a nine date UK tour that goes all the way down to Brighton. If you like your rock old school then join Ol’Times on a Midnight Ride – you’ll be dancing in the moonlight all the way home.

A last note on the evening, hats off to whoever chose the music selection after Ol’Times finished, I mean, Bad Company’s Rock’n’roll Fantasy!! Wow, I haven’t heard that in years and a few tracks later XTC were Making Plans for Nigel, oh my giddy aunt! Enough to wonder if we did all travel back to 1979?!

If music be the food of love I’m besotted

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It’s Good Friday tomorrow, well, it’ll be good if it doesn’t rain again!! It’s been a very soggy week here in Edinburgh with only short bursts of sunshine to tease us. Sunday is egg-rolling day, but just how far will they roll on the sodden ground? Or maybe more eggs will make it to the bottom without being smashed to smithereens? I shall report back on Monday, okay, maybe sometime later depending on the weather.

It’s been a quiet few weeks on the music front – I was away again and managed to miss my favourite dynamic duo not once, not twice but thrice! They’re playing Stramash on Sunday night but as it’s the graveyard set I’ll probably miss that too. Oo, but it will be a good Friday evening, Jed Potts and Nicole Smit (my second favourite duo) are playing Whistlebinkies at seven, sweet, haven’t seen them there in ages! And according to Binkies website Jed and Nicole will also be back there in a couple of weeks (so it says).

I’ll catch The Scat Rats next Thursday (4th April) at Stramash but only for one set, a pre-gig warm-up before I pop round to the Mash House to see Ol’Times. Yes, the boys from Galway will be back in town! Hallelujah! I’m looking forward to that big time. Hmm, is there something in the air? Two more long-time-no-sees within the following week! Nicole and the Back-up Crew and The Buccaneers are back in Stramash and at reasonable times (am I getting old?!).

It’s all go in April on Sunday evenings too; there’ll be the usual Handsome House Jam on the 7th, but l may save heading out til later for the Harry Higgs Trio in Binkies as I rather enjoyed them last month (rock with a twist of blues and a dash of funky jazz). Yay, The Scat Rats are back in Stramash the next two Sundays in April. Yup, living in the Old Town part of Edinburgh really does have it’s advantages, times like these I feel quite spoilt.

It’s still up in the air about Bremen on the 30th. What do you mean, huh? Go back and read my last post! Missing seeing Logan’s Close at the Heartbreak Hotel in Bremen wouldn’t be too much of a disappointment as I’ll have already seen them twice in April. Oh hell, yeah!! Saturday 13th sees the lads back home in Dunbar for a rare acoustic performance, oh my heartses! That is gonna so amazing. Here’s hoping for good weather so I can make a full daytrip of it.

And there’s more! On April 23rd Logan’s Close head over West to play McChuills in Glasgow, of course I’m bloody going! Then with their sweet sounds still swirling round my head I’ll leave Ol’Blighty for Österreich, before catching up with them again seven or eight days later in Bremen or Berlin. It’s all a tad exciting!

In the meantime do have a happy Easter!

So, any highlights in 2023?

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January 2024, Edinburgh is a tad cold; not that it’s stopped my walks in Holyrood Park, if anything it’s spurred me on! Early mornings up on Nethers Hill in minus degrees temperatures, biting winds. Not quite early enough to see the sunrise but hopefully I’ll make it one of these mornings, that is, if the weather stays clear, hmmm. Early mornings aren’t really my forte any more, Wednesday morning was a real challenge as I wasn’t abed until nearly three. Yes, it was a Scat Rats Late at Binkies Tuesday (generally fortnightly), I needed my fix and the interweb is only showing one more Rats outing for January (another Whistlebinkies but, well, have they actually mentioned it to the lads?!)

I just couldn’t resist a little dig there – some calendars are more reliable than others. Having said that, looking back over 2023, I saw The Scat Rats nineteen times in Whistlebinkies so I can’t really complain (twelve times in Stramash). I’ve been contemplating my highlights of 2023, funny how it starts with, errrrm, what did I get up to? to, ooo that, and, aw that was great! Let’s face it, seeing Marah & Rough on stage is always a highlight for me – a shot of their sound, bliss. I still say a live recording would be awesome!!

The fine weather in April 2023 saw a particular highlight of my year performing in the sunshine on Waverley Bridge – Ol’Times an awesome rock band from Galway. With a sound very reminiscent of 70s rock and a wiry, charismatic frontman, these guys were an absolute blast! They played to a packed out Whistlebinkies twice, I even went through to Glasgow to see them too! August saw them back again briefly, back on Waverley Bridge, back in Binkies, and in Stramash too. Hmmm, so when the summer comes, will the boys be back in town again?!

Another highlight in April was the three days of glorious weather for my road trip up to Melvaig on the West Coast. The scenery was stunning and with great tunes on the stereo, so good! It was just a shame the weather took a turn while I was at Melvaig, the drive back down was as quick as I could make it.

Checking back, I saw 36 films in 2023, erm, two of the titles I have absolutely no recall of, yup, that memorable. Top two film highlights are definitely Renfield and Barbie. Is it just that I only saw Spirited last month or it might possibly class as a highlight? It was highly entertaining – ask me about it in June.

So what about Fringe 23 highlights four months down the line? Grubby Little Mitts splashing about in little paddling pools comes immediately to mind!! Finally entering The Dark Room presided over by the magnificent and shouty John Robertson. Two brilliant impeccable performances by the Voloz Collective in one day. Seeing Aidan Goatley do 10 Films With My Dad again (one of my all-time favourite Fringe shows). More memories are popping up as I think back, but I’ll stop with those that came to mind first or I’ll end up recounting half my Fringe!

Of course, the biggest highlight my year was getting my mitts on my favourite band’s debut album, that’s Heart-Shaped Jacuzzi by Logan’s Close, in case you weren’t aware. Oh, and all the various videos, top spot to Babestation, stylish and retro, hilarious with slapstick violence, big moustaches, green screen guy, there’s a lot to love in there! LC ended 2023 with a sell-out show at the Liquid Room, an epic way to end the year!

No more highlights spring to mind, adieu to 2023, good night to you, and may your god smile upon you in 2024 💛

I got hugs today, yay

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Well, this has been a marvellous day so far, and in a bit I’ll be heading up to Stramash for The Buccaneers, yay. I was there last night for The Scat Rats and Mr Marah will be back there again Friday night at ten o’clock on Hurricane duty. Very exciting though, is tomorrow evening in Stramash as the Ol’Times are back in town for a few days!! Needless to say, I’ll be in there for seven, and the following evening the same time in Whistlebinkies and finally Binkies midnight on Saturday (you’ve gotta get it while you can).

This afternoon I bumped into two of the loveliest people on the Fringe, both of whom I had no idea were coming to Edinburgh this year until about 24 hours ago, and both called Aidan! First up Aidan Sadler looking fabulous as ever, flyering a last minute organised show at theSpace on the Mile. Then blow me, just a minute later, only Aidan Goatley! Back up, back on the Free Fringe with that brilliant show 10 Films With My Dad this time it’s the Director’s Cut! One of my favourite all-time Fringe shows, yes it’s that good, well, he is the loveliest man on the Fringe.

And on the subject of great shows, I don’t think I’ve mentioned how brilliant Laser Kiwi: Rise of the Olive is, bloody brilliant! Their acrobatic skills combined with spot-on comic timing make for a thrillingly hilarious show. You’ll never see Jenga played like this anywhere else! ☆☆☆☆☆

Bishops at Gilded Balloon Patter Hoose is another cracking show, Chris and Noah have very strange minds, indeed, but they sure know how to subvert expectations. Honestly, they had me half gasping, half laughing at some of their sketch endings. Oh, and I bet I wasn’t the only one to google a certain fruit after I’d left! ☆☆☆☆½

Time for some buccaneering, me hearties! Toodle pip!

Only two weeks to go!

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Hurrah! At the weekend Assembly announced their Locals offer was back again. Good news for me as Laser Kiwi are back with a new show Rise of the Olive at Assembly Roxy. They were last at the Fringe in 2019, brilliantly bizarre, amazing acrobatics and soooo bendy! Also back are Mochinosha Puppet Company, last year they did an epic sci-fi adventure Space Hippo, this year it’s a fantasy adventure Shadow Kingdom. Needless to say I’ve bought tickets for both (along with three more Assembly shows).

Back for more puns and frolics are Shakespeare For Breakfast, well, of course they are! I see they’ve moved venue yet again, this year to Lauriston Halls in Lauriston Street (I’ve been to a few ceilidhs there in Fringes past). It’s back to just one performance a day (last year it was two back-to-back every morning!) at the original time, ten o’clock, the earliest show on the Fringe! Okay, there may be earlier ones, but not for me, ten is quite early enough, thank you.

Also back with a new show are the Voloz Collective. Last year’s The Man Who Thought He Knew Too Much was a total joy – great physical theatre, a great story, all very stylishly delivered. I’m almost a little nervous whether The Life Sporadic of Jess Wildgoose can match it. I’ll let you know, and I won’t have to rely on my memory to recall The Man Who… as they’ve brought that back and, well, I couldn’t resist another watch. Yes, it’s that good; I do believe they Sold Out a lot last year – you have been warned!

Two more shows that I really enjoyed last year Manbo and Yippee Ki Yay are back – if you don’t get what they’re referencing then they’re probably not for you! Both were well conceived and highly entertaining. More sombre returns are Watson:The Final Problem and …And This Is My Friend Mr Laurel, again the clues are in the titles, fans will enjoy them.

My calendar is nicely busy from 2nd ’til 8th, after that, well, the Fringe is my oyster. Stramash have been busy posting on Facebook who’s playing when in August – I’ve added particular ones to my Fringe calendar in green. You know the ones, Nicole, the Rats, the Buccaneers, and, oh joys, Ol’Times will be back in town! Oh, and for folk who’d like to give ceilidh dancing a whirl during the Fringe, Stramash has the Daily Ceilidh every afternoon.

Next time, interesting things noticed in the Fringe programme and more happy returns. Toodle pip!