What’s on in Edinburgh this week? 25th April 2011

Monday 25th April 2011

ChildLine in Scotland Silent Auction

Tuesday 26th April 2011

Election Hustings

A chance to hear and ask questions of candidates standing in the Edinburgh Southern Constituency in the election on 5th May.

If you have a question you wish to put, this must be received in writing in advance, or by 7.30pm on the evening at the latest so that questions covering major topics of interest may be selected.

Location: Liberton Northfield Church, corner of Gilmerton Road/Mount Vernon Road. More details on the SEECAT website

Wednesday 27th April 2011

MIke & Ali Vass at the Edinburgh Folk Club tonight.

A rare chance to catch Nairn’s finest musical exports…… almost as delicious as Morganti’s ice cream used to be.

“Mike (fiddle, guitar, vocals) and Ali (piano, vocals) are two of the best young exponents of traditional music in Scotland. Playing a varied mix of traditional and contemporary tunes, songs with close vocal harmonies and footstompin’ jigs and reels, Mike and Ali’s performances are bursting with energy, drive and vitality.

Their inventive arrangements are communicated with style and great technical command, seamlessly matching an empathetic feel for the genre with a contemporary, innovative approach. They display the instinctive musical understanding often found among close family members and are a real duo, not a fiddle player and an accompanist.

Hailing from Nairn in the NE of Scotland, Mike first learned the fiddle at school and was subsequently taught by Ian Hardie (also from Nairn). Mike has competed successfully throughout Scotland including winning two Mod gold medals.

Ali began learning the piano at age 6 and is self-taught. She has won ‘best instrumentalist’ competitions at the Inverness Music Festival and Strichen Folk Festival. Both Mike and Ali have been invited to adjudicate at music competitions including two at Keith Folk Festival and Mike regularly teaches fiddle throughout Scotland with the Feis movement.

Mike and Ali have been gigging regularly in Scotland for the best part of a decade, appearing at Celtic Connections, the Fringe, Eden Court Theatre Inverness, Bute Folk Festival, Albert Hall Stirling, The Tron Theatre Glasgow, Hootannany Inverness among others.”

Sadly, this duo aren’t gigging together regularly these days due to other work commitments but we’re delighted to have them back at Edinburgh Folk Club during this short tour.

Thursday 28th April 2011

Comedy Fundraiser for Waverley Care

Where: Slainte Mhath, 13-14 Melville Place, Edinburgh
Times: 8pm till late

Children and Families Worker, Lynne, has gone on a health kick this year. Next weekend she’s taking part in the Berlin Half Marathon and in May she’ll be getting her running shoes on again as part of the Waverley Care Belles Hairy Haggis Relay Team in the Edinburgh Marathon.

These are small cookies in comparison to her biggest challenge of the year – to cycle the 310 miles from London to Paris! Lynne will be donning her “padded pants”, that’s cycling shorts to you and me, and giving her all with the aim of raising £2,000 for Waverley Care.

To help her reach her fundraising target Lynne has organised a pantastic (sorry!) night of comedy at Slainte Mhath pub on Melville Place in Edinburgh’s West End. The night will be hosted by the brilliant JoJo Sutherland and feature The Sensational Alex Salmond Gastric Band and Waverley Care’s own Kasengele Brothers.

Tickets are £7 with all money going towards Lynne’s fundraising target and coming directly to Waverley Care. There will also be a raffle on the night with some amazing prizes up for grabs.

Tickets are available from Lynne at Waverley Care on 0131 558 1425 or 07846 471233 or behind the bar at Slainte Mhath.

Why not join us for a pre-(royal)wedding giggle!

Election Hustings

Over two million people – 50 per cent of voters – regularly take part in arts and crafts activities across Scotland.

Voluntary Arts Scotland has organised an early evening hustings event on Thursday 28 April, to let people find out what the political parties are promising in their support for the arts and crafts sector in the lead up to the Scottish Elections in May.

They have a confirmed attendance by George Kerevan – SNP Lothians list MSP and commitments to have a candidate attend from Scottish Labour, the Scottish Conservatives, Scottish LibDems, Scottish Socialist Party and a hopeful from the Scottish Green Party.

“We have organised this event to give people the chance to ask questions about the things they love doing! And if they can’t make it, we are asking people to get their questions to us and we’ll see if we can ask them on their behalf – particularly if no-one else asks it first!” said Fiona Campbell, Voluntary Arts Scotland’s Executive Officer.

The hustings event is on Thursday 28 April, 5.30-7.30pm at the Fruitmarket Gallery, 45 Market Street Edinburgh EH1 1DF and is FREE to attend though booking is appreciated for catering numbers, by email: info@vascotland.org.uk or tel: 0131 225 7355.

Friday 29th April 2011

Wills and Kate get married today in London, but it has been declared a National Holiday, so there are lots of things to do, but particularly in the Grassmarket, where they are holding a festival.

Running over three days:  Fri  29th, Sat 30th April, Sun 1st May the festival will be both an arts market and live music festival. Arty crafty folk selling their wares amongst a diverse mix of new and exciting live music.

The Festival will be open from 12noon to 8pm – Friday and Saturday – and to 6pm on Sunday, with entry being free. The festival is being organised by the Grassmarket Area Traders Association, in association with Avalanche Records, Red Dog Music and Dancebase.

Programme of Events:
Live Music:
Fri 29th: 7pm Ballboy, 6pm The Last Battle
Sat 30th: 7pm Burnt Island, 6pm The Gillyflowers, 5pm Star Wheel Press
Sun 1st: 7pm TV21, 6pm Second Hand Marching Band, 5pm Edinburgh School for the Deaf

Saturday: 12.30-1.15
DanceBase presents Rambos de Tango with Tango Society Members

Art Market: Open 12noon to 8pm everyday with around 35 different makers each day. The market will showcase work from many of Scotland’s leading and most innovative artists and makers. Reworked vintage clothing, furniture and ceramics sitting alongside secondhand vinyl, artist books, quilts  and other cool collectibles. A common theme running through the festival will be that of tea, handmade cakes, and of the vintage and recycled. Matched to all this will be an exciting programme of sounds from some of Scotland’s finest bands along with exciting newcomers.
Saturday 30th April 2011

At the National Museum Scotland there is a free drop-in event today from 1200-1600.

From oceans to laser beams, waves are all around us. How do they interact with objects? Get hands on and help our physicists find out! In association with the University of St Andrews, Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh. Cost: Free (drop-in) Suitable for families.

The RSA Annual Exhibition gets underway today. More details in our article here.

Last chance to see the lovely Alice in Wonderland treasures at the National Library of Scotland.

The Beltane Fire Society are holding their annual festival on Calton Hill this evening.

Celebrate the start of the summer at The Beltane Fire Festival: a unique and wild procession of fire, drumming and revelry on Calton Hill. Witness this spectacular revival of the ancient Celtic fertility festival in the heart of the Scottish capital.

The Beltane Fire Festival will take place on Calton Hill during the night of Saturday 30th April 2011.

Tickets are on sale now! They are available from the Hub, Ripping Records or the Forest Cafe on Bristo Place.

Tickets cost £6 in advance, or £8 on 30th April. Booking fee applies. If you wish to have more information before the night, keep an eye on our website or subscribe to the audience list.

Sunday 1st May 2011

Shelby Lynne plus special guests at the Queen’s Hall tonight at 7pm. For over 20 years, Shelby Lynne has been bringing humour, pathos and true Southern grit through her 11 albums and strong live performances. She broke through in 1999 with her Grammy Award winning album I Am Shelby Lynne and her flawless voice and gifted songwriting marked her out as a true American original.