What we have seen
The streets are now full of Fringe artists vying for attention – perhaps none quite so flexibly as this one who literally bent over backwards to give us a flyer. The show is Baron Vordenburg’s Guide to the Paranormal at Annexe at theSpace @ Symposium Hall. Tickets here.
“We cordially invite you, monster hunter, to an unforgettable night. The world-renowned paranormal expert Baron Vordenburg and his helpers, Gothic and Grotesque, give away trade secrets and expertise on hunting the unknown. The first in a series of lectures, the Baron tackles the most cunning creatures of the night. Please RSVP as seats are limited for this most-special event. Photo and book signings will be available before and after the symposium. Your safety is our concern.”
Today’s top tip
Get on down to Bellfield Brewery in Abbeyhill where the Taproom Sessions is taking place throughout August.
Organised with support from Hidden Door Festival and Soundhouse charity, the Taproom Sessions will offer a relaxed and welcoming platform for film, music, and spoken word.
Designed to support independent artists, 100% of ticket sales go directly to the performers and Hidden Door (less Citizen Ticket fees).
Confirmed highlights so far include:
Live music and spoken word curated by Hidden Door, featuring performances from Esther Swift, Blair Coron, Gaze is Ghost, Mike McKenzie, Thundermoon, Doom Scroller, Josh Cake, RJ Hunter, Iona Lee and Katie Ailes.
Additional performances come from acclaimed artists including Adam Holmes, The Phil Bancroft Trio, Cahalen Morrison and Kate Young.
There will also be special live film score performances by Graeme Stephen, accompanying silent classics Nosferatu and The Penalty as well as free live DJ sets including DJ Dolphin Boy.
Bellfield will be offering up two fresh, full-flavoured beers brewed at its Abbeyhill brewery, served straight from the source at a fair price:
- Ace Lager (3.2% ABV) — a crisp, straw-coloured lager with light malt notes and a bright lemon-lime finish.
- Lucky Spence IPA (3.4% ABV) — a fruity, sessionable IPA brewed with Citra hops and a clean, bitter edge.
Both will be served for £5 a pint throughout August — quality, local beer at a festival-friendly price — part of a rotating line-up of 18 draught lines.
Bellfield’s Alistair Brown said, “For us, the Taproom Sessions are all about slowing things down — creating a space just outside the city centre where locals and visitors can come together over live music, fresh beer, and fantastic food. Set in a working brewery with a sunny beer garden, it’s the perfect spot to unwind with a pint before the music begins.”
“The vibe is relaxed and unpretentious, with a focus on celebrating independent artists and performers.”
“The aim is to shine a light on talent without the pressure of traditional venue overheads — in a welcoming, authentic setting. A grassroots alternative to the city centre mayhem.”
Hidden Door’s Hazel Johnson said: ”The Hidden Door team are thrilled to be partnering with our friends at Bellfield for the Taproom Sessions. Hidden Door has always been about bringing unique cultural experiences to unexpected places, and the Bellfield Taproom provides the perfect intimate setting for these special performances. It’s incredibly exciting to have the opportunity to bring diverse, creative local talent to new audiences during Edinburgh’s busiest and noisiest month.”
https://www.bellfieldbrewery.com/blogs/news/taproom-sessions
Who did we meet
We met artist and musician, Lomond Campbell, who is behind the show MUO at the French Institute.
We spoke to him here and he explained that his show is an installation as well as some live performances when his machine will interact with the cosmos…
Edinburgh news
The planning application for the Famous Spiegeltent already constructed in St Andrew Square was heard by the council’s planning department on Wednesday and given retrospective approval.
But among the papers submitted by the owners of The Famous Spiegeltent were some documents produced by UniqueAssembly at Christmas time when a different Spiegeltent was erected in the square. While planning officers and councillors mentioned the Unique Assembly tree protection plan the position is that the summer installation of the Famous Spiegeltent is nothing to do with Unique Assembly – something that the company which runs Edinburgh’s Christmas was keen to point out after the meeting.
A spokesperson for Unique Assembly said: “‘Following this morning’s Council Committee meeting regarding The Famous Spiegeltent attraction in St Andrew Square, it has been brought to our attention that documentation created and owned by Unique Assembly has been submitted as part of their planning application without our knowledge or permission. Unique Assembly are not associated in anyway with the attraction in St. Andrew Square and have asked City of Edinburgh Council to remove documents owned by Unique Assembly from this application.”
It transpires that a copy of the Unique Assembly tree protection plan from last Christmas was submitted by the company behind the Spiegeltent with an email to planning officers on 3 July.
Council officers had recommended it should be granted and it was – but by a narrow margin of 6 votes to 4. Four councillors wanted to refuse the application entirely due to the deficiencies in tree protection measures and monitoring as well as the fact that the lateness of the application was viewed by some as a cynical abuse of process.
The site has been open since the end of June hosting events in the Jazz and Blues Festival and now in the Fringe. It will be open until 12 September 2025 to allow for take down.
The committee considered the impact on the local heritage, with probably the most significant part of that being the Melville Monument in the centre of the square, but were also concerned about the trees.
The senior planning officer mentioned that the temporary nature of this development and the economic benefit to the city overrode any impact on the listed buildings surrounding the square, or the World Heritage Site more widely, especially as the buildings are of a “modest scale”.
The planning officer showed councillors some photos to illustrate the number of trees and also a diagram showing the proposed root protection areas for each – which they said were adequate although the council’s tree officer does still have some concerns – again overridden by the temporary nature of the Fringe event space and the economic benefit to the city.
What is on this week
If you have already managed to get a ticket to go and see the new Andy Goldsworthy exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy, then the next step might be to go and see the artist’s other work at Jupiter Artland.
Learn more about it in this film:
