The Jazz Bar

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!

A little bit of bonkers!

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Today is the day that many Fringe shows with full runs take off, and it’s not bad at all out there. It is rather cloudy but the winds have abated down to breezes, and it’s a nice 20°ish. Pretty good for a scottish summer! I did a proper big shop earlier, think I’m still buoyed up from last night at the Jazz Bar. I had a grand time enjoying some quality blues and rock’n’roll from The Blueswater, always a blast! A little sad though, as it reminded me how much I miss seeing Nicole and the Back-up Crew and The Buccaneers playing in Stramash, ah well, times move on. But back to the present, and the near future, there’s just two more chances to catch The Blueswater this Fringe, that’s on Thursday 14th and Sunday 24th (see the Fringe out with a bang, why not?) at eleven o’clock in the Jazz Bar.

One chap who’s not resting up at all this Fringe is the lovely Alex Farrow (in fact in the absence of Mr Goatley, Alex may be the loveliest person on the Fringe now, hmmm, I’ll have to recalibrate). He’s back with a new show Alex Farrow: New Order, as well as his two usual, hosting Stand-up Philosophy and featuring in Stand-up Science; he’s also directing a play at the Pleasance Courtyard! Busy, busy! He did tell me it’s name when I ran into him last week, but no, it’s gone (there’ll probably be an edit here later!).

Oops, just popped out a while there! I noticed one of my post-it notes had a mention of a free Fringe show starting very shortly, so I legged it up to Carbon on the Cowgate to see God’s Longest, I didn’t actually remember anything about it, but I’d written it down, so I obviously wanted to see it. Ah ha, it’s Aidan Pittman and Hudson Hughes (Dr Dolittle Kills a Man) along with Anand Sankar and Alex Berr doing improv, very surreal improv; this is improv that runs down rabbit holes with manic glee. They’re all very funny and watching them bouncing off each other, wow, pure joy, the situations and characters they conjured up were brilliantly bonkers ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

And on bonkers, (hmm, does that need re-wording?! nope, it stays) I tootled along to see Will & Noah: Too Much Time on Their Phones at the Underbelly, Bristo Square. Oh, they had me at the opening sketch of skimming stones; as someone who cannot pass by any stretch of water without looking down to find a flat stone, this was hilarious (and please can I borrow that sound effect to make myself feel better about my own attempts?). Will BF has a silly streak a mile long, and sharing a stage with Noah Geelan, well, the pair take silly to new levels, I would give the finding things on the floor of a nightclub sketch as prime evidence, it went there and beyond! Audience participation is plentiful and the day I went the audience were very game. The Where’s Wally sketch was an absolute hoot; and when they started on the final furlong, it was like a mad dash of the callbacks to reach the finish line. Just bonkers! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½

Toodle pip!

Snappy titles aren’t always obvious

bruceonthefringe 2024, Australian bands, Live bands in Edinburgh, Uncategorized, Yorkshire Tags: , , , , , , Leave a comment

Wednesday night in The Jazz Bar was a blast, the Blueswater were out to have fun and spread some joy; after a long, very wet journey it was exactly what this moose needed. Great music and fiery ginger beer, much to warm the soul!

Yes, I’d been back down in Yorkshireland for a week, dogsitting and sorting through more of mother’s things. It’s not the clearing out that’s hard, a tad sad at times, yeah; it’s the siblings later airing their views on everything I’ve done, why, where, who did I ask?! And then there’s particular items that none of us personally want to keep, but neither do we want them gone, so everyone wants another to say they’ll have it (disgruntled airs all round). Mind you, sometimes a couple of days of mulling can help, feelings assessed and resolved; all part of the process.

Whilst down, I was also under instruction to not let the garden birds go hungry! (this will also be pointed out to whoever buys the house) Mother had two bird feeders in a little tree postioned in sight of the kitchen window. The view takes away the drudgery of washing up, it can also slow the job right down as one stands enchanted by the birds. There’s house sparrows, tree sparrows, dunnocks, a robin, the occasional blackbird, blue tits, coal tits, great tits, a whole gang of goldfinches (six or seven always turn up together) and a pair of nuthatches. I was leaving all the evenings washing up to do in the mornings (okay, so I often do, but this time it really made sense!).

a nuthatch, a regular guest

I had thought I’d be playing Christmas tunes on my journey back up, with it being December now – where Christmas music belongs. The inclement weather demanded something more exhilarating and brash to keep me going, so I stuck with my downward choice of Live Forever by The Screaming Jets. I’d grabbed it as something a little different as I was leaving the moose cave. It’s a 2 cd set but I mainly stuck to Part 1, let’s just say, I had all the words down by the time I arrived in the Old Town. I would recommend it as great Aussie rock, but it may be difficult to find as the band released it themselves back in 2001, then again, as it’s from a concert all the songs can be found elsewhere.

A couple of years ago I did my own take on an advent calendar, for the 24 days running up to the Logan’s Close gigs at Sneaky Pete’s, I put up pictures of Close signposts around the Old Town on my Instagram stories. This time I thought I’d have a look back at live music I’ve enjoyed through 2024 (I may make an exception of clips from previous years’ Blue Christmas shows, I reckon that’s allowed). Oh, if you want to check them out it’s @bruceonthefringe and they’ll all be in the Advent 24 highlights for later viewings.

Today’s door is yet to be opened, it is rather late but hey, that’s musicians for you! Today’s clip will be Carl Marah playing one of his own at the Auld Hundred a few weeks back; he’s just announced that there’s solo stuff on the way, so it kinda fitting. This is such a great picture of him from his post (taken by John Mackie), you really have to see it…

Carl Marah, solo

Toodle pip!

The final weekend, again

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It’s late-ish on the final Friday of the Fringe, the sounds of the traffic let me know it’s very wet out there. Yeah, I’ve no wish to go out, and I do want to be up early tomorrow (really, it will happen, it will). I’d say there’s still three more nights to go, but we all know that’s a joke! Oo, I can hear the bangs and crackles of the end of Tattoo fireworks, you know I haven’t seen them at all this year, at one time I would make tweaks to my evenings just so I would be on the Royal Mile to see them!

I was out late last night to see The Blueswater at The Jazz Bar, a mighty fine time, the joint was swinging! If you like a ginger beer, then definitely try their mix; it’s not just a ginger beer from a bottle or can, this is The Jazz Bar’s Ginger Beer, wow, it kicks! At £14 this is the most I’ve spent on a Fringe show ticket – but that is ninety minutes of the best sounds, so worth it. Indeedily ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Earlier yesterday evening I went back for more electrically distorted ukulele with John Robertson: The Human Hurricane. God, he is so much fun!! Every show is so unique as he plays around with the audience, this time there was a chap with a melodica, he kind of, em, tried to menace John with it?! Of course, it was taken up on stage where John attempted to play it and his ukulele at the same time. See, if Laughing Horse @ The Counting House continued until the final Monday, The Human Hurricane would be a great show to end my Fringe. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was also back the Delhi Belly in the Underbelly yesterday morning, my third show there (Bishops and Dr Dolittle), how would Michael Kunze: Infinity Mirror measure up? After such quintessentially British shows, Infinity Mirror is brashly American. Mind, I did wonder if I’d gone into the right show at the start, as he was on stage making sandwiches! No worries, his character Mitch Coony works in a deli, he had a story to share with us…

It’s a rise and fall tale of a young actor and his brother (who’s a horse), and trying to get into the VIP rooms at Tom Hanks’ sex parties (did I mention it’s a tad surreal and silly?) The story arc is good, sometimes overtaken by the sketches, but the payoffs are great, very nicely done. Kunze interacts well with an audience, but it was when he was shooting off one-liners that he had me in stitches. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve been think of my Fringe end, honestly, so much is over and already packing up on the Monday. I could finish with a bang on Sunday night, there’s The Human Hurricane, then I could catch Accordion Ryan’s Pop Bangers (note to self, would have to remember to queue in good time, he’s so popular he’s having to turn folk away!) Later on to the Alternative Comedy Memorial Society? It’s the final one, so awards time, very very silly awards ’til about three in the morning. Well, it’s a plan, and not too bad for making Will BF‘s final Moon Team IIIV just after noon on Monday.

G’night!

A few more notes

bruceonthefringe 2024, Cabaret and Variety, Edinburgh Fringe 2024, Music, Musicals and opera, Uncategorized Tags: , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Music. Not content with popping up a lot in Cabaret & Variety, and on occasion in Comedy, it has its own category and an extra one just for Musicals & Opera. I rarely see anything from either category but, always have a look through, just in case….

Oh my heartses, there’s two shows listed on the first two pages of Music featuring the divine Nicole Smit! On the first Sunday evening of the Fringe, she’ll be in the reopened Jazz Bar, for not just sixty but ninety minutes of jazz; I guess it needs to be that long, the show’s called “26” Songs Nicole Cassandra Smit Wants to Sing. Oh, it’s gonna be good!

Nicole is back in The Jazz Bar mid Fringe, this time with Jed Potts doing their thang with country, blues and jazz numbers; there’ll be some sweet, sad, sassy and maybe just downright silly stuff in there, depend how they’re feelin’! There’s two chances for all the out-of-towners to see Aaaah Look Who It Is: Jed Potts and Nicole Smit, Again! The Jazz Bar also sees the return of The Blueswater for five late night shows spread over the Fringe, yay! Which night to pick?! Another chance to see Jed play, and no doubt Nicole will be up for a number or two.

Much as I love all that stuff, I have other needs, heavy heavy riffs and disco (yes, I’m a moose of many musical tastes). Luckily there’s a show that covers both … in Bannermans, they’re back for two nights, Tragedy: All Metal Tribute to the Bee Gees and Beyond. It’s gonna be hot and sweaty, and gleefully, wickedly OTT!!

But have any Musicals caught my eye? Just three have tweaked my curiosity…..

It’s late, I’m pooped. A look through one of the big ones tomorrow, ooo. Sweet dreams!

Ghosts from Fringes Past

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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!

A bit about Elsie, a bit about Eileen

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Just twenty-one days to go until Logan’s Close play the Liquid Room, yay. Tonight they’re playing at Purple Weekend in León, lucky Spaniards! I’ve noticed on Instagram that former band member Alex Palmer will be on drums. Well, trying to round up five musicians all at once can be tricky! Worse than cats. The Liquid Room gig won’t have Stuart on bass but original bassist Olly is stepping in, sweet.

So will I be jigging around to any sounds tonight? Oh yes, The Blueswater are making a rare appearance at The Jazz Bar tonight at nine. If I’m not ready to head caveward after that, there’s the Moanin’ Bones at Whistlebinkies at midnight (well, so Binkies’ calendar says). Feels like ages since I was last out, three weeks is a long time without live music for me. Oh, I was out at the cinema the other night to see Eileen.

It’s an odd movie, left me feeling slightly on edge, on the disturbed side of bemused. The wonderfully ethereal Thomasin McKenzie plays the title character Eileen, a young woman stuck in small town 1960s Massachusetts; she works in a correctional facility for teenage boys and lives with her alcoholic ex-cop father. This young lady spends a lot of time fantasising, fantasies that escape on to the screen leaving the viewer unsure each time, then one day into her life comes a stunning blonde – is this ringing any alarm bells for you too? I wanted to yell, stay away from her, girly, stay away!

She doesn’t. She is utterly bewitched by Rebecca, the new psychologist at the facility. To be honest I was too, come on, Anne Hathaway with a blonde bouffant hairdo! She looked so different and clearly relished the part, enigmatic, independent 60s female, so Rebecca maybe had a screw slightly loose, quirky?! Both actresses were great as ever, there’s a real chemistry between their characters in this dark kinda noir thriller.

No other movies or musical interludes planned for this weekend. I suppose I should get on with present buying and festooning Old Hummus with tinsel. Of course, there’s Dr Who tomorrow evening, I’m so enjoying this little trio of Tennant treats; and last week’s with Mr Cribbins ❤️ oh, my heartses! My eyes may have gotten a tad moist.

Yay, next week is a Scat Rats double, midnight Tuesday in Binkies and seven on Thursday in Stramash. Dr Salad (Scott’s other band) will also in Binkies on Tuesday, hitting the crowd with some saucy, heavy romantic vibes. That’s about it for me until after my Christmas trip to Yorkshireland. Oh no, must grab a ticket for Jed Potts’ Blue Christmas 2023 on the 20th, it was so good last year. Blues fans in Edinburgh, get yourselves in the Christmas spirit at this wonderful event – and the proceeds go to charity!

Anyhoo, time to spruce up for the Jazz Bar. Toodle pip!

The circus has left town

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And that’s it all completely over for another year. Only the larger venues show any signs that something was going on for the past month. I took myself up into the Park today, blow the old Fringe away. I didn’t make it up there for the Comedy Extravaganza, it was just too windy (extremely), I could have been blown over to Fife! Oh, and the Miracle Glass Company were playing at the same time on the corner of the Mound and Princes Street, those two factors combined, well!?

As usual the southern hordes descended upon the town for their Bank Holiday weekend. I braved going to Stramash for the Cumbiatones on Saturday evening, ye gods, it was packed! I didn’t dare take to the dance floor, choosing instead to sway and watch the undulating mass from above (and the upstairs bar wasn’t half as busy).

Sunday evening saw me flaked out on my sofa, lack of self-care had finally caught up with me. A tad annoying as I had half a mind to see the Blueswater at the Jazz Bar at midnight; or the ACMS Awards night at Monkey Barrel 1 at 5 to midnight, they were so good last year! And they inspired me to come up with my own awards, which I fully intend to consider and debate with the voices in my head, more to come on that. Nope, I only stirred to put myself to bed, bah.

Ah, but tonight I get to neatly bookend this year’s Fringe as the Scat Rats are back at Whistlebinkies at midnight, as they were four weeks ago. I shall leave you with pics of Messrs Marah and Rough. Expect roundups and moose awards soon, toodle pip!

Bands with occasional overlaps

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Today is the last day of June, it’s raining but still warm (for Edinburgh, that is); I’m often surprised how warm it is when I step outside, the moose cave is always fairly cool (in all ways, daddio). Was mid-June the best of this year’s Scottish summer? Don’t laugh, it might be! We could be in for a wet, miserable August – mind, at least Edinburgh doesn’t have midgy problems like plenty of Scotland (always look on the bright side, eh). It has been good being out late night without feeling chill. Oh, I did go along to The Jazz Bar to see Duke Duncan & the Hurricanes last Saturday, walking home going on three in the morning was rather lovely.

On my way there I glanced in the window of B Bar and noticed Nicole Smit with a couple of her Back-up Crew (Simon on drums and Ewan, this time on guitar), as I had plenty of time to hand I popped in. Not really my style (it’s quite a cocktaily place) but nice enough, the bartender was cheery, for a late Saturday night it seemed fairly quiet. Once in The Jazz Bar I noticed there were more hurricanes this time, a female backing singer and a saxophonist had blown in. Whilst I enjoyed the full band experience, I reckon I prefer the version at Binkies (harder and more intense?), yeah, sans sax for me; the backing vocals were very good (great voice), a different feel again, hmmm.

I was at the cinema last night til late, popped into Whistlebinkies on my way home as Willie Dug was playing, along with two musicians I haven’t seen before (at least I don’t reckon so) – as long as the name written up let’s you know what to expect, I guess. It was fine, but no Cosmic Gents outing. I left before the end of the first set because down the road at Stramash it was time for The Buccaneers to be taking to the stage (indeed, they just started their first number as I paid for my pint of Stewart’s, perfect). No keyboards tonight, again, you never can tell who’ll actually be up there, but hey, I love both versions equally with these dudes.

Stramash was heaving, plenty of students boisterously (or, drunkenly) dancing/colliding enjoying the music as much as The Buccaneers looked to be enjoying playing it. Oh, that iconic lick on I Heard It Through The Grapevine so, so fine, and the sparseness without the keyboards shows off the tight rhythms on the drums and bass (yes, that would be Simon and Ewan again, from Saturday night). I think I grinned from ear to ear through the whole set, such an irresistible joie de vivre when these guys are playing. Black Magic Woman finished the set in style, I finished my pint and popped back to Binkies, caught the rest of Willie Dug before home. No, I was too tired to stay up any later, hey, it was going up to two!

Oh, the film? I went to see The Flash, I knew very little about the film and even less about the character, apart from snippets in The Big Bang Theory. I actually quite enjoyed it, for a DC movie it had some humour to it! Okay, so the timelines thing was a bit, huh, but seeing all the various Batmans was fun. The Flash is a long film but as it keeps up quite a pace throughout, I didn’t really notice the time; if you go to the cinema to see it just be sure to go to the bathroom beforehand!

Must go and make something to eat, I’m Hank Marvin. After that, Fringey stuff – yes, I have tickets! More later……

Newsflash: Hurricanes in Edinburgh

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I’m baaaack! Miss me? It’s lovely oot there, so a brief catchup then I’m getting me some sunshine. Yes, I could write this later but, well, that doesn’t always work out. I had peek at my last post and spotted a big error that has now been rectified, I put Duncan Duke instead of Duke Duncan & the Hurricanes . Oh, and the Amarillo was finished, in its place was Project 7 Juicy IPA and indeed it was, another hit from Stewart Brewing. Those hurricanes blowing along with the Duke, I wasn’t sure beforehand so didn’t mention it in case it had been only a one night stand (you know how musicians are), but yay, Mr Marah is now officially a force of nature (he’s gonna run out of fingers for all those pies soon!)

Duke Duncan is the drummer (and sings) with the Miracle Glass Company, here he sings centre stage, but he just can’t quite let go of those percussive instincts – he has a triangle and a tambourine close by! Some seriously psychedelic vibes going on here, music swirling from light funkiness to hard heavy blues grooves. I liked it, very much. I may well head to The Jazz Bar tonight, where DD&TH will be celebrating the release of their single High On Love. You can catch a clip of it from Binkies last week on my Instagram.

I never got to Heptonstall on my trip south but I did have a wander round Hebden Bridge, discovered a very nice new café called The Excited Goat on Crown Street. I just had to try their eponymously named The Excited Goat Hot Sandwich (their version of my favourite, bacon, brie and cranberry) with goats cheese, streaky bacon, apricot jam and spinach. By’eck, it was very tasty, I’ll have that again! I also discovered Hotcakes a fab little vintage and retro shop, which, to my shame, I’ve never noticed before – it’s only been going fourteen years apparently! On this visit roadworks made me head up a side street (Hilton Street) and there it was. Definitely worth popping in for a look!

I managed a few glances at the Fringe programme, marked up quite a number so far. The ticket prices are definitely up this year, previews are generally between £8 to £10, Mon to Thurs tickets expect to pay £10 to £15, and weekend tickets a tad more. The Pay What You Can ticket option is at some venues again, and of course, there’s plenty of Free (to enter) shows. Hey, I’ve been very busy, there’ll be much Fringeyness coming up soon, promise.

Anyhoo, I’ll be heading out now. Toodle oo!

Duke Duncan & The Hurricanes blowin’ up a storm in Whistlebinkies