Last night I went to see the Ghosts movie, okay so the full title is Ghosts: The Possession of Button House but unnecessary in conversations. I was very late to the tv series, but now I’ll parked myself on the sofa whenever I spot that it’s on the telly, oh, I was definitely going to see the film at some point! And I wasn’t disappointed, yay, it was more of the same, funny and charming, I loved it.
As I was leaving the cinema one of the advertising screens flicked over to show that there’s Violent Night 2 coming out soon, hello Santa!! The original Violent Night was a hoot, a very violent hoot maybe, but a hoot (definitely one to check out). There’s about another half dozen films I fancy seeing, thank goodness most films stick around awhile these days; there’s Primetime, Wicker, Wildwood, I Play Rocky, maybe Godzilla Minus Zero, and most definitely Wild Horse Nine, the latest film by the amazing Martin McDonagh. It’s Martin McDonagh so it’s a stellar cast, including Sam Rockwell and Steve Buscemi (yay, can’t remember the last film I saw him in!) Oh, and possibly the new Shaun the Sheep movie, it’s still showing on some weekend mornings – I have a soft spot for the little fellow.
The Moanin’ Bones catching Cabin Fever
Of course, that’s inbetween seeing all my favourite local musicians, November’s shaping up a pretty good month. Just since I got hone ten days ago I’ve seen Jon Mackenzie, Jed Potts, Louis Crosland and the Moanin’ Bones; the Bones were playing in Stramash and Whistlebinkies, for me the Binkies gig took the prize. The place was fairly packed but the crowd were fine, and yay, on sound and lights it was George weaving his magic. I’ve not seen the dynamic duo yet, but this Sunday sees the Scat Rats in Stramash and Binkies, sweet! The evening starts with LouisCroslandplus two in Stramash.
Come to think of it, I must ask the Rats whether there’ll be a Logan’s Close Xmas Bash this year, I haven’t heard anything yet. Hopefully there’ll be one, just not too close to Christmas as I’m Yorkshire bound this year, and also not colliding with Jed Potts’ Blue Christmas (Sunday 20th December) like last year.
Next time, back to my latest trip to Deutschland. G’night!
Yay, just booked a ticket to see From Dusk Til Dawn tomorrow night, yes, I’ve seen it number of times, but hey, back on the big screen, oh boy (might even get me some popcorn!). Just as well I had a look what was coming on, I reckon it’ll be pretty much a full house, these one-off screenings are proving very popular and it’s a wild film. It also has a killer soundtrack album, as would be expected; there’s ZZ Top in there, tracks by Stevie Ray and Jimmy Vaughan, and more from Tito & Tarantula (previously featured on the soundtrack of Desperado, another excellent album).
In other horror news, Hudson Hughes: At Your Service will be on in London next month at the Soho Theatre, well worth checking out, five stars from yours truly at the Edinburgh Fringe. It’s also in the running for a Brucie, neck and neck with Crybabies: The Scaring, exciting stuff! And should Rob Kemp: Beatlesjuice be considered in any comedy/horror category? Goodbye Horses wasn’t technically horror, but by god, it gave me the heeby-jeebies! Yes, I’ve been giving some serious thought to this year’s BOTFFAs, well, as serious as I can muster.
I did mention last post that the BruceOn The Fringe Fringe Awards would happen this weekend, but uh, I’m now booked at the cinema for tomorrow evening, and I’ll also be out Sunday evening too, it’s the Handsome House Jam at Stramash, with guest host Louis Crosland, yay! About time! I’m looking forward seeing that. Honestly, I have great intentions, not so great ideas, and too many shows crowding in my head; I’m just lacking a certain little spark (it’s still not turned up). Ho hum.
September has been quite balmy in Edinburgh, great for some late afternoon brambling in the park; well, just for idling in the park generally, making the most of the end of summer. I haven’t picked as many brambles as last year, but then I’m not going to make any wine this time, just lots of jam! Time for a terrible segue, Jed Potts was the guest host at the Handsome House Jam at Stramash on the first Sunday of the month, a fine evening of the blues. It was the second time seeing him that weekend as he and Nicole Smit were doing their thing in the Jazz Bar early Saturday evening, an interesting change from Binkies!
The next HHJ is this Sunday evening, I haven’t seen who the guest host will be; but I do know the Scat Rats are playing after that at ten o’clock, yay! That’s the only music noted on my calendar now until the end of the month – unless something pops up soon. I had toyed with the idea of a wee Highland trip up around Inverness to coincide with Carl Marah‘s gig at the Market Bar (this Saturday), but by the time I thought about it again everywhere cheaper than very expensive was gone, Inverness is obviously going to be very busy this weekend!
Ho hum, shouldn’t grumble, last week was ridiculously great fun; Glasgow on Wednesday for some blues harmonica, the Scat Rats twice on Thursday night (early in Stramash, midnight in Whistlebinkies), they were back in Binkies on the Saturday afternoon, mid-evening spot was Louis Crosland plus two, he was back in Binkies Sunday midnight with two others, that was after he’d played the ten o’clock slot in Stramash with the Moanin‘ Bones; and I didn’t miss a thing (apart from a few opening numbers, as per usual).
Saturday night Sunday midnight
Friday evening I was in Peebles for Show Don’t Tell, an evening of five short films from the Tweed Valley, by rural filmmakers, with live music afterwards. Okay, so the live music was a short set by Logan’s Close, they also starred in one of the short films, of course I went along! It was held in the Eastgate Theatre, an arts centre in a converted church. Wow, what a great place they’ve created! The auditorium is the actual church (there’s a studio area and cafe too) with well tiered seating (with plenty of leg room!) that can all be retracted back leaving the floor cleared, stairs on both sides up to the three-sided balcony. After the films were shown there was a long break while the band set up and the seating was just taken back a few rows, so that there was room for standing and sitting. I mean, what an amazing use of space! I would definitely go back.
Logan’s Close: Live at Maryhill was up first, quite a gothic feel to it, the lads performing in an old empty theatre, flouncy shirts, and a freaky, disturbing side storyline involving Scott and a surgeon (I would tell you more about it, but it was just really odd, okay?) The songs in it were Costume Changes, Chillz and Dans Le Jardin, beautifully shot in a slightly disorientating way. It was directed by Aidan Duckworth, our host for the evening and also director of GIMP the last film shown (his party, so why not two?). The others were Antlers, Cover-up and Cernunnos; short films, they throw you in at the deep end and expect you to survive confusion, gore, drama, BDSM, old gods and antlers (not just in Antlers!). Fun, but I definitely needed a drink afterwards!
I took a stroll down the main street to the Bridge Inn, a real ale pub that I visited some years ago, yay, they had a Stewart’s ale in. Just a half for me seeing as I was driving, then the stroll back to the theatre took me to almost time to head back into the auditorium and some music. Due to the first part of the evening lasting longer than expected, it was a shorter set than planned just five songs, opening with Babestation on to Costume Changes, Hot Blondes, very new one Cuck Chair, then with the crowd yelling for one more, the lads got the nod to go ahead, so they went out with the bloody magnificent Mock Marble Linoleum, yay! Needless to say, my soundtrack for the drive back to Edinburgh was my Logan’s Close Live at LimbicTV cd. All in all, a damn fine evening!
Ha, since I started this, then paused a while for my tea, I’ve discovered that Louis Crosland (and whoever!) is playing the half nine slot at Whistlebinkies on Saturday, yay. Ha, a Binkies usual, a band was listed as playing that slot on the month’s list poster and the website, and then this week it was TBC on social media – but hey, that’s me happy! There was also confusion over last Sunday’s midnight slot; towards the end of the Scat Rats Saturday afternoon set Carl announced they’d be back the following night, a back and forth ensued between the Rats and George on sound as he was down to play bass with Louis then, I piped up that he was right, erm, they ended up playing Rock, Paper, Scissors for it, hahaha. All friendly banter, the Rats were having a great afternoon, a good, appreciative audience, they never sounded better (in part, thanks to George, he really knows his stuff), Funnel of Love was particularly exquisite 💛 Oh, and we even got an encore of two extra songs over time, sweet!
And on that note I shall bid you goodnight, bonne nuit, gute Nacht, buonanotte!
I didn’t start at the very beginning, instead I decided that Music was a very good place to start, it’s the dark orange edged segment in the middle of the Edinburgh Fringe 2026 programme. Starting the cutting up possibilities stage is similar to initially figuring out scoring levels watching the Eurovision Song Contest. It would be easy to go silly and cut out every remote possibility, some years I’ve started quite harshly and had to go back through with a less critical eye. There is a balance, and once the Fringe gets under way there’s always going to be shows previously skipped over that bubble up to the surface; I just have to trust my Fringe-dar to point me right.
Of course, The Blueswater are back for just five late night shows at The Jazz Bar, while Nicole Smit and Jed Potts are in there for five midafternoon shows. I notice that two bands playing Stramash are listed, these are appreciation shows for the music of the Allman Brothers and of JJ Cale; yeah, I get why they’re in the programme. Just down the road at The Caves with a full Fringe run is Bad Santa and the Angry Elves, I’m amused and intrigued! It says musical theatre and rock, maybe I’ll wait to see some reviews.
Across the road in Bannermans Fringe stalwarts Attila theStockbroker and John Otway are reviving a show they did together back in 1991, Cheryl – A Rock Opera (I didn’t see it myself but I can think of a few old acquaintances who I’ll bet did) it’s a PBH’s Free Fringe show, I’d say its a fair possibility I’ll rock up one afternoon. Meanwhile back at The Jazz Bar on drums, guitar and electric trombone (!!) there’s Soundbone plays Led Zep, just two shows, but hey, electric trombone, I’m tempted.
I’ve cut it out, I love the name, Dancing Mice – The Truth are playing in the sweatbox that is Leith Depot. See, that’s a lesser possibility but worth cutting out, the blurb says “irresistibly weird pop, crooked grooves….full of joy”, further investigation required. Trotting back up Leith Walk to Valvona & Crolla, incredible year round Deli and each August a Fringe music venue, has Sekoya (Carl’s incredibly talented backing band) for two shows at the end of the Fringe.
Next section in the programme is Musicals and opera, it’s a short one, just two caught my eye long enough to warrant the scissors. The Bloody Ballad of Bette Davis, ha, love the title, it’s down as physical theatre and horror, it’s at Assembly Roxy, usually a good bet and it’s a full Fringe run, nice. Lastly, labeled as dark comedy and hilariously bleak is The Spy Who Came in From the Park, I liked the picture, my Fringe-dar says yay.
Of course, these are all just possibilities, but hey, not a ridiculous number. Next time, a flick through three more categories. You know, I think I’m starting to feel that Fringe buzz 😊
As promised last post a catch up on Messrs Marah and Rough, oh, they’ve been busy! There’s been the usual Tuesday midnights at Whistlebinkies, I say usual but I’d swear they’ve gotten even better recently, how? I know, right! Maybe it’s from recent activity with the rest of Logan’s Close and the anticipation of summer gigs.
At the end of March, LC played down in Norwich and then Glasgow supporting one Ghost Funk Orchestra; I did consider going over to Glasgow, but after a busy week, yeah, no. But Brucie, it was Logan’s Close?? Ah, but they’re playing two nights in Edinburgh next month, yay (got to get some money together to make the second album, you know). Just one night was announced but the lads already had plans for another gig the following night, and indeed, ticket sales were excellent, all snapped up in less than a month. I’m not sure if they realised the date or decided it would be a funny twist – the sell out and second gig were announced on 1st April, err, April Fools Day, guys!? Did anyone hang fire to make sure it was genuine, I wonder? Anyhoo, the second night is Friday 22nd May at Leith Cricket Club.
Oo, I see badge potential here
Scotty went even further than Norwich with his other band last month. Dr Salad were out playing a few gigs in Cambodia (as you do!?) That was quite a surprise when Scott told me late one night in Binkies, had I heard right? I was like, Cambodia? Huh? Yes really. A trifle bizarre, but then, it is Dr Salad, goes with the territory. When I caught up with him after his return, Scott was certainly buzzing from the whole experience, oh, he’d definitely go back for more.
Carl has also been playing his own music overseas on Mam Talent! Poland’s version of Britain’s Got Talent. He does visit Poland plenty with his Polish fiancée, and last year friends over there suggested he should enter, he did, et voilà …. he’s only gone and made it to the semi-finals!! The live show will be on Polish telly 25th April, like wow. Always busy, the date for the launch show of Carl’s debut Me, Myself and I EP has been announced as Wednesday 10th June, at the Voodoo Rooms, where else?! And it’ll be a four piece band this time – added keyboards. Tickets are available now on Carl’s website (there’s options with a signed cd or signed vinyl, nice).
He did tell me that there’ll be tour dates north and south, but that’s as much as I know, no more details were forthcoming. I wonder if he’s waiting to see how Mam Talent! goes before setting everything in stone? Meantime there’s plenty to watch on Carl’s Instagram, including some great studio diary videos. In a video last Thursday it was mentioned that Carl looks more like George Harrison than the actor in the new upcoming film; I almost choked on my IPA when an hour after I saw it, a chap sat next to me in Stramash exclaimed, “Bloody’ell, George Harrison!” pointing at Carl on stage. Actually, he does do a beautiful version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps at his solo pub gigs.
Time to crash, but I’ll leave you with a couple of pics from the day Carl was shooting a video à la Beatles on the rooftop of an Edinburgh tenement. Next time, when you’ve got the blues make sure you have good support. Toodle pip!
One day fans will flock to this spot The man himself, or George Harrison?
Yay! The tree in Gullan’s Close is back in bloom, beautiful as always. Had a wander past in today while the sun was out, almost springlike. The temperature is forecast to drop to -1° tonight, just to catch out those fooled by the sunshine, jackets will be required. I’ll be toddling up to the Jazz Bar to catch Louis Crosland, he’s the featured musician at tonight’s Blues at the Jazz Bar, a monthly do to showcase Edinburgh’s Blues scene.
Louis will be on stage at seven for an hours set, then there’s an Open Blues Jam until eleven when Louis returns plus the other two of the Trio to play the night out. Should be fun! I’ve only seen him at the Jazz Bar once before a while ago, it was after midnight, I seem to recall it was one of those bit odd nights, the feeling just wasn’t quite right, know what I mean? Ah, haha, yes, I’ve just remembered more about that evening, no, I’m not going to share.
After this evening, he’s next back playing with the Moanin’ Bones at Whistlebinkies on Saturday at seven, and then the following Saturday at midnight. That’s after supporting the Cinelli Brothers at the Voodoo Rooms, should be another great evening of blues, I have my ticket! Louis’s also supporting Giles Robson on the Scottish part of his UK tour (and playing guitar for him), eight dates from the 7th through to the 18th April, with a Louis Crosland Trio date at Stramash slipped in halfway. I’ve seen that the Inverness gig is at the Castle Tavern (14th April), a cracking pub I discovered when I was up there last year, and the food was divine. I’m almost tempted to pay Inverness another visit!!
After that busyness there’s two more midnight appearances for the Trio at Whistlebinkies in April. I know all this because the dear boy put up a list of his gigs up until the end of April, on Instagram, very handy to know. Of course, there may well be additions towards the end of April, as is often the way of things. I do know Louis is stepping into the studio in May to get some of his new material recorded (apparently twenty new songs to date), nice!
Anyhoo, I need to eat if I’m going to be in the Jazz Bar ’til the small hours. Toodle pip!
I bought a new fridge freezer this week; after being extra cranky for a while, the old one chilled it’s last sometime at the weekend. I hadn’t realised quite how old it was, fifteen years! So not a bad run at all. I was filled with dread on the Saturday evening, knowing I had to get my act together very quickly, no procrastinating, no ignoring it, or no milk in my tea! Luckily, I had some herbal teabags in the cupboard (though I wouldn’t want to check their best before dates) and putting all my freezer blocks and frozen food into one compartment gave me some breathing space. Enough time to look around on the Sunday, have a good mull overnight, then buy on the Monday, arranged delivery for Thursday. Okay, some food did get chucked but I ate the best bits first, like the lamb cutlets (very very tasty, from Annanwater, oh yeah), and I’ve been pretty well-behaved regarding takeaways, so I was due a couple. Mind, I didn’t figure on having to allow the fridge freezer to stand a few hours before switching it on, then letting it get to temperature for going on a day; so, the Mosque Kitchen it was for tea on Friday!
What goes up….
Friday was a particularly sunny day, about bloody time, it deserved to be marked, so I finally got round to trying out the Alpine Coaster at the Midlothian Snowsports Centre at Hillend just outside Edinburgh. It’s not “the ride of your life” as the website says, but it is fun! A short blast of fun, a teensy bit longer if you apply the brakes on some of the corners (and you probably will at least the first time, my brain was not convinced that the cart could not go flying off the track). Tickets are generally booked (online) for three rides and many folk just went straight through to queue to go again; me, I took some minutes to just savour each time. Tickets are booked for within half hour slots through the day, so there’s time to pause (some were immediately on their phones afterwards, to book another three). And on phones, there’s big signs all around, no phones on the ride, haha, yeah; meaning, well, we did tell you not to (some people just won’t be told).
The views from Hillend back over to Edinburgh are stunning. I was reminded that I really should go walking around the Pentland Hills more (I do have a map somewhere).
Holyrood Park from a distance
Another first for me on Friday was seeing the Jon Mackenzie Band in Stramash. I’ve seen him playing with Jed Potts a number of times, so when I saw the listing in the Edinburgh Gig Guide, definitely worth a look. And how! A lively trio, all three taking turns on lead vocals (and some great acapella harmonies on Country Roads); rockabilly, americana, blues, a bit of Beatles, and the segue from Cocaine Blues to the Enter Sandman riff and back again (with some fun lighting courtesy of John Mackie), loved it!! Oh, and I could be wrong here, but I think I recognised the bass player as previously in Babyfaceand the Beltin’ Boys, another cracking band.
It’s very late now, the early hours of Sunday morning, I shall away to my bed. Next time will be movies and music, soon, promise. G’night!
It’s Friday late afternoon, another weekend of excellent sounds and a little rugby looms. Kicking off with tonight’s 7pm slot at Stramash is Louis Crosland plus trio, yes, the keyboards are back! I’m looking forward to that (not that I don’t always enjoy the band! but, you know). Louis plus two will also be rounding off the weekend in the midnight slot in Whistlebinkies; and in-between, he’s playing there at midnight on Saturday with the Moanin’ Bones. Busy guy!
Tomorrow afternoon sees Jed Potts and Nicole Smit and their assortment of blues, country, jazz, rock’n’roll numbers in Whistlebinkies. A delicious pick’n’mix of music genres, you never know what’s coming next but you do know it’ll be something great. Yeah, definitely Jed and Nicole over the first Six Nations game (England v Ireland), the later game is Scotland v Wales, much more interesting! Can Scotland play like they did last weekend?!
Last weekend Edinburgh went nuts after Scotland soundly beat England, and as Stramash shows the rugby there was a buoyed up crowd ready and waiting for the Moanin’ Bones. Bloody excellent it was to see them again!! The usual bag of great covers with the occasional original thrown in. And we’ll do it all again tomorrow night, yay. Thank goodness the matches alternate, so Scotland are away in Cardiff this time (though it’s always fun when the Welsh are up), town won’t be quite as mental. I say, not quite, but there’s still many, many out to watch in the pubs, it’s tradition!
I’d thought after the Saturday night madness, that Binkies wouldn’t be so busy last Sunday midnight for the Scat Rats, it wasn’t, but the ones that did come out were loons. Honestly, it was one of those times, like a very strange Fringe show when I haven’t a clue what’s happening or why, or is there nothing to comprehend, I’m meant to just appreciate the oddliness?! I ended up surmising that Valentine’s Day had been a disappointment, so each was out determined to finish the weekend, erm, with a bang?!
Oops, time to eat before heading oot. Enjoy your weekend, folks. Toodle pip!
It’s been a while, I know, miss me? I was down in the old country (Yorkshireland) for a while, to catch up with family, seeing how I stayed in Edinburgh for Christmas. Like most of the country just now, it was very wet and very cold, but it was lovely to see everyone. After a very dry summer the weather changed with a vengeance, as illustrated below…
So low for so long the banks became like meadows
Back to it’s darkest, dankest self
Anyhoo, this is merely a quick wave before I head out into the wet night. Carl Marah is playing at the Auld Hundred this evening and at midnight the Louis Crosland Trio are at Whistlebinkies, yay. It’s quite a weekend ahead, plenty good music and a Six Nations Rugby weekend too (the Scotland v England game, yikes). Louis is solo at the Canons’ Gait tomorrow evening, I may pop along, or save myself for Saturday…
There’s Chris Buckley in Binkies at two, he should be fairly buzzing as he’s got a new single out tomorrow. The Scotland v England game is late afternoon, watch at home, or in a pub? Hmmm. Seven o’clock Chris will be down at Stramash with Louis and the rest of the Moanin’ Bones, wow, it’s been ages since they last played together, or it feels like it. Midnight it’ll be back up to Binkies and the Louis Crosland Trio, yes, twice in one week!
Sunday may be quite a lazy day, get myself recovered enough for the Scat Rats to round off the weekend in Binkies midnight slot. Oh, and they’ll be back in 48 hours later, it’s one of those Tuesdays.
I do intend to write more tomorrow, honest. Now where’s my brolly? Toodle pip!
It’s evening on 20th January 2026, that’s Tuesday, one of those Tuesdays, yay. Whistlebinkies calendar shows that next Tuesday is as well, two in a row? Indeed, confirmed by Mr Marah himself. Tonight will be the fourth time I’ve seen the Scat Rats this month, then there’s Stramash at 7pm this Saturday too, yays. The Louis Crosland Trio were on the late night slot a couple of weeks ago at Stramash, that was a lot of fun!
I hadn’t been out at that late at Stramash in a while, the LC3 hadn’t played that slot before, didn’t quite know what to expect, I told them, students, lots of them, I wasn’t far wrong. As students go, they were a good crowd, enthusiastic dancing going on, I include myself in that, I couldn’t resist, being a bystander really wasn’t an option. The final number 7 NationArmy was an awesome ending to the night. Since then they’ve played Binkies twice, and they’ll be back there again on Thursday at 9.30pm. Yes, I’m having a rather fine January!
Last Tuesday was cinema time, I took myself off to see Marty Supreme. It’s a long film but it keeps up such a frenetic pace, it didn’t feel as long as it might have. I enjoyed it, fascinated by the place of table tennis in 20th century cultural history; partly because my mother and her sibling were keen players when they were young, sadly, though I was briefly keen, my abilities were seriously lacking. It is based on a real table tennis player, one Marty Reisman, I have a good dive into the facts behind the fiction and having watched clips of Reisman, yeah, Timothée Chalamet’s character wasn’t far removed from the reality.
Other bits this month, hmmm. Oo, jam on crumpets, it works! Or, at least my bramble jam does. One lucky recipient of a jar, mentioned that he spread it on crumpets. This appalled me, being a buttered crumpet fan, but, I decided later that I should at least give it a try, just a dollop so not to waste a whole crumpet if it was awful. Reader, it wasn’t, not quite a green eggs and ham moment, but certainly much better than I’d anticipated. I may even try it again sometime!
