David F Ross: The Last Days of Disco. The author will discuss his new novel, ‘ a eulogy to the beauty and power of the 45rpm vinyl record and the small but significant part it played in a small town Ayrshire community in 1982’ with actor and composer Bobby Bluebell. ‘Warm, funny and evocative. If you grew up in the 1980s, you’re going to love this’ (Chris Brookmyre). 6.30pm, Looking Glass Books, 36 Simpson’s Loan, Quartermile.
The Hermitage Golf Course Redevelopment Public Consultation: 12 noon-8pm, with presentations at 1.15pm and 7pm, Hermitage Golf Course Cafe, 11 Braids Drive, EH10 6GZ. The Hermitage is an Autism Initiatives Scotland social enterprise.
The Edinburgh Police Choir at Maggie’s: made up of police officers, support staff, employees of the Scottish Police Services Authority and members of the local community, the choir has been performing since 2008, in venues from Edinburgh to New York. ‘A unique mix of musicality, performance and music’. Musical Director: Ben Jones. 6pm, Maggie’s, The Stable, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road.
Your Neighbourhood: City Centre & Leith. Come along and find out more about care and support services in your area. 10am-4pm, Wester Hailes Library, 1 Westside Plaza, Wester Hailes. Also at same times at Leith Library on Wednesday 25th, Drumbrae Library Hub on 31st March and Central Library on 1st April. Organised by Edinburgh City Council and NHS Lothian.
Lunchtime Concert: The Edinburgh Quartet: Tristan Gurney (violin), Gordon Bragg (violin), Fiona Winning (violin) and Mark Bailey (cello) play Purcell Fantasias and Beethoven String Quartet Op 18 No 3. 1.10pm, Reid Concert Hall, Bristo Square. Free and unticketed.
Garden Buddies Club: a new weekly club for 5-12 year olds – come along today to find out more! Make fun felt bees and mini-insect hotels, Get Fruity – make seriously funny fruit faces, meet Community Gardener Tom who will help run the club, read some magical stories from the Granton Primary Garden Storymakers – AND share your ideas and drawings for what you think the new Awards For All funded library garden should have in it! 3-4pm (times to be confirmed, please check with library in advance), Granton Library, Wardieburn Terrace.
Dyslexia-Friendly Library Services for Adults: an informal guide to the accessible services available from Edinburgh City Libraries,with input from Dyslexia Scotland. Come and find out how the libraries are helpful and accessible to people with any level of dyslexia , see how to use the eBooks and emagazines, find out how to fine tune the text to suit you, and learn about audiobooks. The team will try to answer all your questions, or refer you to someone who can! 6.30-8pm, Oxgangs Library, 343 Oxgangs Road North. To book your free place ask at the library, or book online via eventbrite here.
Scottish Poetry Library Workshop: Jennifer Williams, poet and SPL programme manager, facilitates this writing workshop, in which poems are read, discussed and written. Please bring paper and pen or pencil, or laptop if you prefer. Please note change of venue owing to building works at SPL. 6.30-8.30pm, Golden Hare Books, St Stephen Street. Tickets cost £5/£4 and can be purchased via eventbrite here. For more information contact jennifer.williams@spl.org.uk.
Click Clack feat. Steele plays Zappa: a monthly night of live music and other performing arts of an experimental nature…’think Zorn and Ornette meet Beefheart, James Brown and Phillip Glass in a basement bar’. 7-10pm, Henry’s Cellar Bar, Morrison Street. £6/£4 on the door.
50 Square: a group of young Scottish and international writers based in Edinburgh, offering a range of styles to satisfy any palate. Humour, dark fairy tales, kitchen sink drama, abstraction and everything in between. ‘Don’t miss the next generation of ScotLit!’ 7-10pm, The Bongo Club, 66 Cowgate. Free entry! The Bongo Club is a nightclub, live venue and all-round artistic hub owned by local arts charity Out of the Blue.
La bataille de Solferino (2013): Sunday 6th May 2012. Francois Hollande is about to be elected President of the Republic. The Rue de Solferino, HQ of the French Parti Socialiste, is full of militants ready to celebrate their victory. At the same time another battle is in progress: Laetitia, a TV news reporter covering the event, and her former boyfriend Vincent are fighting each other for the custody of their children. When personal stories meet history, the situation worsens. In French with English subtitles. 6-7.30pm, Institut francais d’Ecosse, 13 Randolph Crescent. Free. Also showing at 1pm on Wednesday 25th March.
The Creative City: It’s War! (‘How to Write a History of the So-Called Creative City: History, Theory and Practice from WW2 to the Present’). A seminar led by Professor Richard Williams (Professor of Contemporary Visual Cultures, University of Edinburgh) as part of the Architectural Theory/History Seminar Series. Professor Williams writes and teaches on cities; his exceptionally wide-ranging work draws on sociology, psychology and film studies as well as the history of art and architecture. His research questions have remained constant: why do cities look the way they do? And what does it feel like to inhabit them? 5.15-6.30pm, Common Room, Minto House, University of Edinburgh, Chambers Street. Free and open to all.
Coffee Break: a new cafe for parents with children up to 18 months old – a space for parents to enjoy a hot drink and home-made treats while getting to know other local parents. 10-11.30am, Church Hall, Portobello & Joppa Parish Church, 1 Brunstane Road North. For more information contact the church’s Children and Youth Worker, Michelle Brown at childrenandyouth@stphilips.co.uk.
Blackwell’s Edinburgh Presents Helen Grant: Urban Legends – the launch of the final instalment in the Forbidden Spaces trilogy. A group of storytellers are disappearing one by one. A young woman is haunted by her past. A serial killer has one target he is desperate to hunt down, Veerle is trying to lie low, to live as ‘normal’ a life as she possibly can – but when you’ve thwarted a serial killer it’s hard to do this. Especially when he wants revenge… 6.30-8pm, Blackwell’s, South Bridge. Free tickets can be obtained from the shop’s front desk, by calling 0131 622 8218, emailing events.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk or via eventbrite here.
Love Music Community Choir: hear the world’s biggest community choir on one of its finest stages! Love Music Community Choir will inspire and entertain you with folk tunes, love songs and classic favourites. Pinao: Dave Milligan, Musical Director: Stephen Deazley. Proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the work of Love Music. There will be a collection after the concert for the charity Scottish Love in Action which cares for and supports vulnerable and destitute children in India. 7.30-8.10pm (approx), Usher Hall, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £5 (free for under-16s and other concessions – see booking site) and can be purchased from the Usher Hall Box Office in person, online here or by calling 0131 228 1155.
Cameo Silver Screen: if you are 60+ you can join the Silver Screen Club for free and enjoy a free tea or coffee and biscuits at the weekly Silver Screen shows, for which your ticket will cost only £5. (Non-members can also attend these screenings but pay normal ticket prices). Today’s films are The Tale of Princess Kaguya (U) at 12.15pm and 3.30pm and Still Alice (12A) at 3.30pm and 3.45pm. For details of how to join the Silver Screen Club ask at the Box Office, Cameo, Home Street.
