Stramash

A pint and a hug, please

bruceonthefringe 2025, Edinburgh bands, Live music, Logan's Close, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Happy New Year! Oh, the ninth day of 2026 has just begun as I finally get round to writing something. So, circling back round to 22nd December 2025 as promised last post, I went over west to see Logan’s Close at The Hug and Pint in Glasgow for their usual Christmas gig. There were plenty of familiar faces in the bar by the time I arrived, grabbed a pint, a few hugs and headed downstairs to the venue where the crowd were enjoying the Raeburn Brothers, also over from Edinburgh (yes, I quite enjoyed them too). It turned out that one of them was on a double shift, as keyboard player (and occasional percussion!) for Logan’s Close. I wonder, did the guys get the gig then LC went oo, actually, while you’re there, could you, or did they get the gig with that already in mind? Anyhoo, a fine choice, the Raeburn Brothers had the crowd nicely warmed up for LC taking to the stage; I say stage, it wasn’t much higher, more a performance area.

The lads opened with a brand new song Crystal Ball, Scott and Stu looking sharp in suits, Carl had already lost his jacket (it was definitely going to get hot), Gavin was way back in the gloom (shame), while the keyboard guy took the prize for coolest shirt (sadly I didn’t get a pic of it). From there, straight into Babestation, the first of seven songs from Heart-Shaped Jacuzzi; newish songs Chillz and Costume Changes were there, both of which occasionally pop up in Scat Rats setlists, so well-known to some.

The brand new song I presumed to be called Giddy Up, Baby at Leith Arches was there and it is; a stark, sparse song, Scott put down his guitar, picked up his drink and donned a cowboy hat, plenty keyboards in the mix on this one (I have to say it was the LC sound is better with keyboards rather than Carl juggling between instruments). After some outstanding singing from the gathered, along to more Heart-Shaped Jacuzzi numbers (a grand sound!), we were treated to another brand new bouncing baby of a song, Not Love (the prospect of another album is starting to get exciting).

Carl, Scott and Stu in harmony

The guys didn’t bother to leave the stage between the “last” number and the first encore, which was, yay, Lonely This Christmas by Mud. This is one of my favourite christmas songs and have previously loved the Rats doing it, but the full LC treatment, and the crowd all singing, oh, my heartses! Only something big with grandiose could follow it, so that would be Mock Marble Linoleum then. Love that bass riff and Carl gets to have fun with his theremin to emblemish Scott’s tale of a sad loser. A class ending to the evening, well, mine. I know there were plans for where folk would continue drinking after the gig but I headed back to the subway into the centre, happily fuzzed up.

I had hoped to hear Lonely This Christmas once more by the Scat Rats the following evening in Stramash but, well, it was a solo Carl Marah instead! I’m saying nothing. Except that the crowd loved him, Carl was in fine voice (the overall sound was excellent, beautifully rich, well done, whoever was on the buttons). From where I was sitting, I could see a number of folk going over to check the poster of the month’s listing to see who he was. His penultimate song for the evening was the full version of American Pie, well, it’s been so long since I’ve heard it, I had to make that my final advent calendar clip.

It’s now very late, or early?! Time I toddled off to bed. I’ll share this on Instagram tomorrow along with videos of LC in action. I did put one up shortly after the gig but it seems the sound has gone, if it was ever there, I’m sure it was!

Goodnight, sweet dreams!

A wee catch-up

bruceonthefringe 2025, Edinburgh bands, Films, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

It’s the Sunday evening before Christmas, thought I’d tap out a quick update before I head off to see Fackham Hall, and joys, the Louis Crosland Trio are playing Whistlebinkies at midnight (one can never too sure too soon). My Christmas week starts tonight!

A bit of a departure on my advent calendar today, I reposted a montage of ice creams from Thistle & Churn, well, the track with it was Ice Cream Man by Tom Waits, a classic in my book, and so are their ice creams. Oh, and I have three precious tubs from T&C in my freezer! Two of Caledonia Cream and one of Clootie Dumpling, they should see me into the new year, yeah, should.

It was my first time back in the reopened Filmhouse to see Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Mind, I’m still a little confused about the scene that was meant to explain what happened in the wood, nah, kept running it through my head. Help, someone. Even better for me was The Running Man, and I went in not sure about it, but yay, Edgar Wright wove his magic again. Had a wee inward cheer to myself, when I spotted Rich Hall in a brief scene, nice one.

On a much smaller screen, Carl Marah has a video on his YouTube channel to go with his latest song Cold Cold Christmas, do give it a watch. Mind, if you want to just listen to it, I wouldn’t bother asking your smart speaker! Certainly Alexa refuses to understand the name Carl Marah, stupid, stupid !!#*?!! I was round at a friend’s, it just confirmed to me why I’ll never bother getting one.

Tonight will be the second time this week seeing Louis Crosland as I caught the band in Stramash on Thursday evening, but it wasn’t a trio, oh no, added keyboards. I did wonder beforehand, but any doubts were quickly dispelled, a part of the puzzle that we hadn’t even realised was missing. A perfect fit for Louis’ sound, especially his own songs; usually it’s all covers but on Thursday we were treated to four new originals. Sadly, it was only for the one evening so far, but hopefully, he’ll be back, that’s Guilhem Forey.

Blimey Charlie, time I shifted! More very soon. Toodle pip!

I’m beginning to feel christmassy

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It’s late on a Tuesday evening, not one of those Tuesdays, last Tuesday was meant to be, but it didn’t happen as Mr Rough was unwell, the next of those Tuesdays isn’t ’til the 30th, boo; but the Scat Rats are playing Stramash at the more reasonable time of 9.30pm on Tuesday 23rd, yay. The night before, Marah and Rough will be in Glasgow with the rest of Logan’s Close at the Hug and Pint for the band’s annual Christmas bash; I’ll be there too, of course. Just one downer (apart it being in Glasgow), sadly it’s the same night as Blue Christmas 2025, a wonderful evening of blues, r’n’b and rock’n’roll festive tunes performed by Jed Potts (curator of the event) and a bunch of his friends (honestly, the amount of talent in that one room, wow, only for LC will I miss it). It’s like a warm fuzzy hug of Christmas cheer (and it’s happening at La Belle Angele off the Cowgate, Monday 22nd).

Aw sweet, the night before again (so that’s Sunday 21st), the Louis Crosland Trio are on the midnight slot at Whistlebinkies, well, that’s what the poster says. Oh, but that would be a great three night run of great music, please Binkies, don’t screw it up! At least I know they’re definitely playing Stramash on the 18th, but not as a trio, no, there’s gonna be keyboards too! I’m looking forward to it, I’m intrigued. Up until then things are a tad quieter, no bad thing, I’m recovering from a bad cold and there’s a number of films I want to see. Oh, I may wander into Binkies on Saturday afternoon for Louis Crosland solo; I wonder if there’ll be any Bob Dylan covers. Instagram says the Moanin’ Bones are playing there this Sunday midnight, go on, I’ll believe them.

There’s four films that I want to catch before they disappear from the big screen, The Running Man is a definite, being Edgar Wright’s latest, well, I’ve loved everything else he’s done. It could be good, it could be awful, but I’m willing to give Fackham Hall a shot. The cast looks fun, but will it be funny or a tad cringey? Would I go see it if I didn’t have an Unlimited card? Probably not. Another that I’ll see just because I can is Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, I enjoyed the previous films, how will this one measure up? Annoyingly, Benoit Blanc’s latest investigation, Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is not on at Cineworld (I’m so not impressed), but it’s still a definite for me. There’s a second Five Nights at Freddy’s coming out on Friday, the first was okay, I thought about it but then I looked it up on Rotten Tomatoes, hmmm, don’t think I’ll bother. Fitting the four in will be interesting enough.

In other pre-christmas news, I’ve finally made jam from this year’s harvest of park brambles, my fridge freezer needed defrosting so it made sense. There’s also new batch of bramble wine just started fermenting! That made sense too. I’m a tad nervous about the jam but my previous attempts have always been well received, so hopefully this lot will be just as delicious. It’s the frozen plate test bit that never works for me, but afterwards the jam sets perfectly well anyway!?

I’m doing another Advent Calendar of music from the last year on Instagram, it’s fun going back over stuff, picking out what to include has been fine so far but I know it’s gonna get harder, too many to choose from, too few days! Haha, I just can’t help going in deep with my silly notions. They’re all still available to view in my highlights, including a clip of Carl Marah singing his new Christmas tune at the Auld Hundred last week! I’m looking forward to hearing it in all it’s full glory!

Anyhoo, it’s very late, I must away to my bed. I’ll leave you with a pic….

My box of jars is now somewhat depleted

What happened to November?!

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Last post was all about Carl Marah‘s latest Voodoo Rooms gig, yeah, that post almost three weeks ago, oops; you can now see an eight minute video from said gig on his YouTube channel featuring You’re Always Right and It Takes One To Know One. Oh, and while you’re there do check out the Live at Everyman Cinema video filmed in August, see why I love Carl’s song Cat’s Eyes so much! That’s on there along with Roll the Dice, well worth a peek. You want more? Check out his latest posts on Instagram, I particularly like the ones where the camera is looking down on the piano keyboard, yes, the lad’s tickling the ivories with his tunes! Nice to see a proper old piano being played.

The dark evenings are bringing folk into the pubs earlier now, I’m used to wandering into an almost empty Stramash at the back of seven for the Scat Rats, but now it’s miserable and colder outside, all the best views are already taken by the time Babe Station lures me in (despite my determination to be in before the Rats started on Friday evening, once again I made my entrance to it, haha). They’re playing Stramash again next Friday, can I make it in earlier?!

I also caught Jed Potts and Nicole Smit both times they played at Whistlebinkies this month, always a delight, and oo, they’re back in Binkies next Saturday afternoon (two Saturdays in a row, great stuff!). Jed was back there this evening with his new band Power Denim, yeah, I gave it a miss just to catch you up, but I will be trotting up the way soon for the Louis Crosland Trio at midnight, third time this month. It has been a pretty fine month for me music-wise, I just won’t think about the rest of it.

I’m determined to get back on top of things next month, er, tomorrow. After a lull in my Park meanderings I’ll have to get back out there more, get into practice for going all the way to Arthur’s Seat for New Year’s Day, and probably Christmas Day before that; yes, I’m staying here in my moose cave this year!

Anyhoo, time to toddle off. Toodle pip, mes amis!

Yeah, I like me some live music

bruceonthefringe 2025, Bands, Edinburgh music scene, Live music venues Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Saturday evening, six o’clock and it’s already almost dark, bah. I’ll be heading out soon, the Louis Crosland Trio are on at Stramash at seven, but there’s just enough time to catch you up, well, it’s been such a great week music wise.

Wednesday evening I was in need of a pick-me-up, a quick scroll found one in the form of Jed Potts at The Jazz Bar early evening. One leisurely half and a set of Potts and I was restored! There were plenty of people in, well, all the tables had folk at them, oh, I was fine standing (swaying along) at the back, but I was also ready to swoop in when a couple left.

Thursday evening I trundled down to Leith Arches where Messrs Marah and Rough, in LC mode, were supporting Native Sun over from New York on tour. There were two more bands playing but I missed the first and just caught part of the second, they were quite psychedelic, not bad, music for an indie movie soundtrack. Hey, I was there to see Logan’s Close and the boys did not disappoint!

Babe Station started the set in style, so lush; for me, one of their best, the intertwining vocals towards the end send me every time. The newish Costume Changes was next up, a moody tune, with flits of foreboding and melancholy. After Hot Blondes we were treated to a brand new tune, they didn’t mention it’s name, so I’m calling it Giddy Up until I hear otherwise. Half and Half had a notch more echo on Scott’s vocals, oh wow, and combined with Carl’s Gretsch, chillingly atmospheric (I’m thinking an Edgar Wright film soundtrack).

Gouching On The 33 had the crowd singing and swaying along, and on into Heart-Shaped Jacuzzi too; that was meant to be the final song but of course, the crowd called out for more and from the way the guys were debating, they hadn’t planned for another, they asked for suggestions, oh my heartses, we got Merry-Go-Round!! I’ve not heard a duo version before, I’ve wondered how they’d do the long instrumental part, I think they were still wondering about that too, haha. I reckon the acoustic version should just wander off on its own track there, do it’s own thing, it’s such a different creature to the studio showpiece. Whatever, I do hope it’ll start appearing on Scat Rats set lists.

After that, the headliners Native Sun were good, but honestly, the evening had already peaked for me, I did enjoy them, the lead singer sure has it. I would see them again, if they’re ever back in Edinburgh.

That’s how far I got writing (and rewriting) bits of this on Friday and Saturday early evenings; the hour between six and seven is much shorter than any other hour of the day! Hence, on Friday evening the Scat Rats first set was nearing it’s end by the time I strolled into Stramash. So I was a little freaked to realise that yes, once again, it was that spell of summoning, Babe Station being played! Scotty clocked me and looked equally bemused. As Stu from Logan’s Close was in, Hot Blondes had extra harmonies, yay (like they’d have let the opportunity go to waste!).

It was back to Stramash, the back of seven, on Saturday for the Louis Crosland Trio, yes, this time they were playing! But only as mentioned on Instagram at the start of the week, the poster and website both showed Safehouse, who, incidentally, were the band that played instead of LC3 the previous Saturday (hmmm). Sorry, but it is a bugbear of mine, the poster, okay, but why not correct the website, huh?

And that’s been my week for music so far. So far – I’m tapping this out on a megabus heading to Newcastle. Turns out that pub that Carl Marah is playing in at four this afternoon has a fine selection of real ales and decent ciders! It’s Station East just over the bridge in Gateshead. Well, why not? It’s actually my first time on a megabus, not only is it cheap, the views from the top deck, travelling down the coast have been excellent!

Next week is not nearly as good as this has been. On the other hand, the week after does have Mr Marah doing his thing in the Voodoo Rooms, with a full band too! You really should go if you’re in Edinburgh, really.

Toodle pip!

Shut up you tiny fool!

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Is something I should say way more often to my monkey mind; it’s also something I was singing last night at The Stand (along with the rest of the audience, it wasn’t just me doing a musical heckle, that would be weird). Yes, John Robertson was back in Edinburgh for one evening as part of his UK tour. It was a toss-up between him and some band playing at The Hive (it popped up on my Instagram and looked intriguing), I didn’t decide til early evening. Hey, one hundred minutes of manic glee? It had to be.

The Stand was packed but it’s not too difficult to find a single seat close to showtime. Being British I felt bad plonking myself on a stool that would ruin the view of the person behind me, on the otherhand, the stool was clearly visible, if not me then someone else would have most likely sat on it as the room was very full. Being me, seeing a Fringe show outside of the Fringe initially feels slightly wrong, a shake of the head and I’m rejigged.

Fringe shows are generally an hour long, so two hours with a twenty minute break is a real treat, and that long with John Robertson was almost overload. I have to mention his hair, it looked amazing last night, so fine, so silky, sorry, but it was. The show is called John Robertson Plays With The Audience, and yeah, that’s basically it, anyone, anywhere in the room is fair game, he scans the room for anything that tickles him and then pulls it into the narrative, weaving it in amongst the other threads. There was plenty for him last night, we were all howling with laughter (and a pinch of relief), no idea where he’ll go next (I’m not sure he did either); and of course, there was the raucous, fuzzed up ukulele tunes (not sure George Formby would make of them!)

If you’ve not heard of John Robertson before, are reading this thinking, oo, I’ll pop along to one of his shows, Brucie likes him, a few points for the uninitiated …. it’s adult content, I do mean, adult content, and not a show to take your parents or maiden aunt to, unless you intend to disappoint them (on the otherhand, a disgusted walkout always delights Robertson) or are prepared to be shocked when they roar with laughter. One thing though, he maybe shouty and manic and out there, but he’s also a lovely human being who knows when to back off and does so (there was a real bunny in the headlights moment last night but a skilful swerve and the show revved away from it).

I’ll leave you now, but just one thing, totally unrelated to the above. You know how I regularly check social media so that I don’t miss any music I like …. hmmm, this Saturday evening, who to see? There’s the Louis Crosland Trio at Stramash at seven o’clock or The Moanin’ Bones at Whistlebinkies at seven o’clock. I know these details to be correct at time of writing this, maybe I’ll catch a set of each? I am very intrigued to see who’ll playing guitar with The Moanin’ Bones!! Hahaha.

See! the Old Town Pub Co calendar

A dame and a clown

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The line of giant posters down the side of the Pleasance was taken down today, there’s still a few boards fastened around streetlights and traffic signs, not noticeable unless you look directly at one. Instagram posts have shown Fringe folk leaving Edinburgh, returning home. Was it a farewell hug that left me with a sneaky little present? … my throat has been threatening me for the last three days, it may be winning. It really started niggling late Tuesday night but I wasn’t going to not see The Scat Rats at Binkies at midnight, a nice final bookend to my Fringe. Hell, I hadn’t seen them all August! It was right at the start of the Fringe when I saw them in Stramash (hence bookends).

My Fringe proper finished with two class acts, that wonderful class antipodean Dame Granny Smith followed by Mr Tuck’s sublime Scaramouche Jones. Hahaha, can’t believe I didn’t spot that before, Smith and Jones, in the same afternoon (certain age groups will put Alas and Alias before those two names to make a couple of great tv series from once upon a time). Both shows had full audiences, marvellous, fringing to the very end.

An Evening with Dame Granny Smith was so so lovely and bittersweet, almost nostalgic for something past. And David Salter, such a lovely, talented guy, a saint for putting up with her! Mind, it’s easy to get swept up in the Dame’s aura, the afternoon’s participating audience member really got into the role and I think went over and beyond what Salter was expecting (from his reaction, anyway). I’m very glad I caught the show, that early afternoon time had a lot going on that I fancied this year, too many annoying five, ten minute overlaps (oh, to have Hermione’s watch).

I managed to grab a quick pic with the Dame, before heading over to the Big Yurt (I’m not sure if she was all agog to meet me or silently screaming in fear of being eaten)

As I walked through the Potterow Underpass I heard a hearty laugh ahead, oh yay! I’d know that laugh anywhere, Will Seaward was in the queue for Scaramouche Jones; how marvellous to bump into him again! (Had to get a pic, of course) The old clown himself, Scaramouche Jones, was mingling wordlessly with the milling crowd (I fancied to ask for a quick photo with him, but time was short, and I felt a tad unworthy).

Oh, Scaramouche Jones is a most marvellous tale. Thom Tuck holds the audience in the palm of his hand, entranced, as he recounts Scaramouche’s one hundred years. Truly it could have been written for him, Tuck is so brilliant in the part, and I say this having seen him play it ten years ago, a performance that has stuck in my mind since (I look forward to seeing it again in 2035). It would be a marvellous thing if one performance had been filmed each decade passed, how wonderful to see the progression 💛

I also paid another visit to the final performance of Finlay and Joe: Pretend It’s Fine at Dovecot Studios on the Sunday afternoon. Now I could be wrong but I think one of the guys from Crybabies was in the audience; such a shame they couldn’t make it up with their new production. This time round I saw the overall arc better over the sketches; I must say, those two have amazing voice control for the length of their woahs between bits (that probably reads really weird, but if you ever get to see Finlay and Joe: Pretend It’s Fine you’ll know what I mean). Sometimes shows can seem to overally point out their own cleverness, Finlay and Joe don’t do that, the funny flows naturally and abundantly with these two – and they were lovely when I asked for a photo with them!

While I’m on a roll here (the Chilean Gewürztraminer I opened is helping somewhat!) I’ll mention The Mothman Cometh, that I saw in the final week. It was amongst my cuttings and then I noticed him on a few occasions flitting madly around the Cowgate early evening, odd and kinda sweet, and occasionally on the Half Price Hut list. I hadn’t been in The Subway in donkeys (for many years), some bits were very familiar, like the stage area (back last century it was a place to go after an evening shift in Pizza Hut, with tips enough for a couple of drinks).

I’d vaguely heard of the Mothman myth, and my sightings of this strange creature, well, I had to go find out more. It was very dark in there! A lot of the time we could just see two red circles and hear his voice, only a mere hint of his body shape in the misty darkness. He was troubled by odd glitches when pop songs would burst out of him, and a strange Void was always close by, but despite these troubles the Mothman was actually a benign, humorous creature that just wanted friends that understood him. Oh, that sounds a tad maundling, The Mothman Cometh was very funny with plenty of audience participation, you just had to be willing to embrace the surreality.

It’s very late, again! Edinburgh Farmers Market in the morning, I must to sleep. Next time I’ll wrap up this year’s Fringe, oo, maybe even some awards! It will be my 499th blog post, who’d have thunk it!

Sweet dreams, toodle pip, mes amis!

Watching the sun go down on another Fringe

The possibilities seem endless

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I did intend to post about all the possibles I’ve cut out of the Theatre section of this year’s Fringe programme. Instead I’ve taken an impromptu roadtrip! Well, you only live once, unless you’re a cat, and it seemed like a good idea, still is, apart from langostines I had for tea (tasty but a very messy affair). I should be back in Auld Reekie by Friday, mainly because there’s a band in at Stramash that I fancy seeing.

So, nothing really to say yet, but I did take this picture of all my theatre possibilities…

There are some groupings in there, lefthandside is the start of the Fringe, righthandside are all the last week of the Fringe, go figure what’s in the middle top! There’s clusters for the big venues. I couldn’t resist putting Pip Utton’s Lear at the bottom right, well, he is quite the last word in Fringe theatre.

Obviously, plenty will be whittled away for one reason or another. Some more may be added to the mix, and I’ve not a proper, thorough go through of Comedy yet!!

Anyhoo, it’s very late and i need my beauty sleep. Sweet dreams!

Bad influences, good music

bruceonthefringe 2025, Films, Holyrood Park, Live bands in Edinburgh, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I’m blaming bad influences for losing my bank card last Monday. Was I feeling rebellious after an evening of high spirits and rockabilly rock’n’roll? Could be, the band were after all The Best Bad Influence back in Stramash, always a blast. I was stood near the stage, enjoying the tunes when they struck the first notes of Johnny B Good, I think I may have yayyed out loud because a lady close by looked at me, I looked at her, and that was us, two crazy dancin’ fools until the band finished; both of us thanked the other profusely for dancing, but no, no, thank you, I never usually get to dance. There was even hugging going on, the happy joyous type, she was there with her other half but he’s not the dancing type, and he was clearly delighted to watch her dancing without having to oblige her himself. Such a shame that they were only here on holiday, I wouldn’t mind bumping into them again, so great to let loose on the floor.

Anyhoo, so Monday afternoon I was in Holyrood Park, I went up Moose Ridge, then across to the rocky top of Crow Hill. Now, officially the path down from the Nether Hill to Powderhouse Corner is still closed, officially, but recently I’ve noticed plenty of folk using it in the evenings, so as it was after five, I decided to check it out. Turns out that after the initial stepped area at the top (still with large bags of rocks to be used), the rest is pretty much done. The horrible, scary, slidy bit is now a delight, they’ve done a brilliant job on it, sweet! Annoyingly, that didn’t stop my mother’s voice sounding in my head that closed means not to use it (I had way too much parental guidance as a child), I reasoned back that all was fine, then not half an hour later the cashpoint at Tesco’s accepted my card then shut down, bugger. I know it’s daft, but it felt like retribution for being naughty! Sorry, mother. Apparently, a swallowed bank card is treated as lost, so I’ve had to cancel it and order a new one, thank heavens I have another account as well. I’m now wary what might happen to me if I use that path again before it reopens!

A heron engrossed in finding some lunch in St Margaret’s Loch, Holyrood Park

Tuesday night was a Scat Rats midnight set at Whistlebinkies, so I checked out what was on at the cinema ’til late. Oo, a film that Edgar Wright recommended on Instagram, Sinners, blues music and vampires (anyone else immediately reminded of From Dusk Til Dawn?!). A voice-over at the start of Sinners tells of musicians “with the gift of making music so true, it can conjure spirits from the past, but it also can pierce the veil between life and death,” and alas, it can attract evil that wants such power for itself. The setting is 1930s Clarksdale, Mississippi, Sammie Moore is a blues guitarist with this particular gift, Remmick is an Irish vampire who wants it for himself, Smoke and Stack are Sammie’s twin cousins who are setting up a juke joint, inadvertently providing the setting for the big showdown.

Like From Dusk Til Dawn, Sinners is a film in two halves, the first, a story of the twins returning to their home town, reconnecting with folk as they prepare a big opening night for their venture, there’s just a few hints to what lies ahead; then, there’s the expected (well, I was totally expecting something spectacular after that voice-over) awesome scene where Sammie’s music moves the assembled in euphoric, mystical ways, causing the vampire (now with two more, freshly turned) to come a-knocking, aaand that’s the second half underway, nuff said. Oh, and the coda after the first credits very neatly ties everything up in a blue bow (I knew to watch out for it thanks to Mr Wright’s Instagram).

God, there’s a lot to enjoy in this film, the performances, the music, the cinematography; I like how it starts on one morning, then goes back to twenty-four hours previous and shows how Sammie got into the state he’s in. I also like the premise that some musicians, some music can be so sublime, transcendental – you know where I’m going with this, if you’ve read much of my blog. Maybe I should start carrying a bottle of garlic water and a pointy stick when I go see certain musicians?!

It’s late. Time for bed. Sweet dreams!

A siren song to haunt you evermore

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It’s already the last Tuesday in February, whaaat! Not a late one tonight, well, not too late, no midnight rats at Binkies, a rather more reasonable half past nine at Stramash for The Scat Rats. They played that slot last week, naturally I went along, always a pleasure, but oh my, an extra treat – first track as the lads went off for a break, Siren Song! Blimey Charlie! Hearing it like that, totally filling Stramash, just intoxicating! I do hope it gets another play tonight; headphones are fine but through a powerful system in a large room is even finer.

For those unaware, new to my musings (where have you been?!) Siren Song is the debut solo single by Carl Marah co-founder member of Logan’s Close (Scottish psychedelic pop) and one half of The Scat Rats (edgy and dynamic). This is it, Carl has hung up his apron, no more frothing coffees Up The Junction (his mum’s cafe in Leith), it’s music all the way from here on in (in case there’s a biopic in some future year, can I be the first to say, it was a pivotal moment towards his destiny). He’s decided it’s high time that something be done with all his other songs (the nonelsie material), oh yay, even more Marah music, sounds fine to me!

So yeah, Siren Song was released on the usual music streams on Valentine’s Day and there’s also a cd of it available from Carl’s website – yes, of course I bought one. Besides the full studio version, the cd also has an acoustic version, an instrumental version and a wee chat about the song from the maestro himself. His inspiration came from a Roald Dahl short story The Landlady, a tale that spirals down from slight unease to sinister; the sort of thing Edgar Wright could re-visit with style, Siren Song would be the perfect motif through it.

Siren Song has a beautiful haunted quality to it, starting out sparse and eerie, it slowly builds and builds to a glorious, full-on mosh, then ends as it began leaving a feeling of melancholic despair. The production is excellent, such an atmosphere and Carl’s vocals will send a few shivers down your spine. Oh, and there’s a creepy video too, with a great narrative, do check it out.

And besides the single, the lad has a tour to promote it, already two dates in. Naturally, the first gig was in Edinburgh and where else could it be but Sneaky Pete’s, last Wednesday night. You could feel the love in the room! Carl regaled the crowd with the songs’ background stories; he really is a lovely guy, a gentle, unassuming soul with a quiet, easy confidence that’s quite charming. There’s vibes of country, some folksiness, and of course, plenty rhythm’n’blues throughout his songs, all bloody marvellous. The evening ended with Siren Song, and then the crowd called out for more, but what could possibly encore after that? Only getting Scotty out of the crowd to lend backing vocals to Babestation, hell yeah!

… And that was where I ducked out last night to see The Scat Rats, I ran out of time! Sadly no Siren Song in the break but it was a very eclectic mix from Ace of Base to AC/DC. This afternoon I’m off to Glasgow for Carl’s third show, it’s at the Red Door Club (thank heavens for Google maps). Yes, indeed, and why not? Possibly because I’ll see him again on Thursday night?! There’s a thing happening at Leith Arches with good sounds and good food; the sounds are definitely gonna be good as it’s Carl Marah, Jed Potts n Jon Mackenzie and The Moanin’ Bones for a line-up! Yay!

Must dash, more later. Well, hopefully tomorrow. Toodle pip!