Edinburgh EIF 2009

Edinburgh festival was fun, manic, crowds, too many shows and lots of colour! The book festival and the poetry reminds me why I do this and I met lots of fun people. Absolutely love it!

Sunday 16th August
This is my fourth trip to photograph the EIF. It changes each year and the venues move, yet the festival remains very much the same as it always has been since the forties that I grew up with. The street performers seem more colourful and professional and there is more photographers now. As I walked past some colourful graffiti I decided my trip this year would be about the colours and sounds of the festival.

Monday
I immersed myself in the flurry of sounds. A taxi driver entertained me with tales of the 14 miles of tram track from the Ocean terminal to Saughton – he was not sure what it is for and the work is over six years in the building. Edinburgh puts on a good face though. As I crossed the wide barricaded path over Princes Street to the Mound Art galleries, I noticed the rest of the street is now dug up also. At the book festival I decided to have ice-cream with a flake and sitting on the wooden bench beside the central green statues, I felt a bit like Forrest Gump as I watched a dandelion wishes float up on the breeze. I watched Iain Banks having a photo shoot. I was not entirely sure why only this one photographer is taking the shoot. I had a chat with him and visiting the book festival and reading poetry reminds me of what inspires and motivates my work.


The Broken Records Queen Hall gig Edge festival  was an upbeat dynamic fun gig. Their music makes me feel on a rollercoaster: their songs move from slow to the adrenalin rush of the ride. The are led by two hot suave guys who are brothers and their cello, violin, and trumpet lend a distinct Scottish feel.

Tuesday. I saw some shows today.  Ihayami Indian dance which was graceful. Later a Brazilian show was vibrant, energetic and fun with extremely fit guys! Book festival – Raj Persaud and Mingus Campbell. While music gigs are my favourite thing, I get energy and colour from the dance. There was a wealth of events going on and it is a good idea to visit a few venues and pick up their brochures. Edinburgh is one of the biggest festival in the world.

Wed 19th Aug
Mercy Madonna of Malawi. The Malawi actors, singers and dancers are excellent with their subtle rhythms. No easy answers here? I’m sure Madonna feels she is offering a child a chance of a better life. One answer is to improve the infrastructures and education.  Venezuela Viva! With energetic salsa flamenco… offer all the sunshine colours. If you enjoy hot babes, this show is a definite must!
The Highstreet entertainers: Sadly no Martians this year. Maybe this is a year of creativity rather than performance. Being creative is a wonderful gift and if you believe you have something to offer it’s worth it – I hope!

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*Check out my new Dance gallery and Edinburgh festival 2009 gallery.

Edinburgh International Festival 2007

Ah how does it feel – another year has passed – and the EIF is here again. I have put in my order for warm sunny days. On a dull Tuesday I ventured rather late in the day up the High Street and I met John Kielty, writer, actor, musician, leaning in the St Giles doorway. John is now shuttling between San Francisco and Edinburgh the past year. The Martians performed their cover songs and the designer and the producer of their musical the Sundowe are there. John's lyrics in a show at the Underbelly are nominated for a Lyric Fringe award. The good news is that John is doing one of his ghost tours on Thursday evening. The Martians are so much fun!

‘INTERPOL’ gig at the Corn Exchange with Macabee supporting who were also good, although they kept us waiting an hour rudely. Very hot, sweaty venue with light coloured walls ( used to be a slaughter house!) They were powerfully dynamic and full of energy with strong harmonies and interweaving rhythms, recommend them.

The sun’s here! and the Martians busking on the High Street. This is the weather I expect for my festival visits, it makes all the difference. I went to the Andy Warhol exhibition at the mound.

I took the Ghost tour to Greyfriars Bobby’s graveyard and the Covenanters Grave where there are many buried and you can feel the passage of time. The spooky dark graveyard has inspired many writers including John and he quoted from his Sundowe musical which was about the dead rising in Edinburgh. In this dark eerie place you can feel their very presence and their lost voices. 

Friday - I went to see the play - A History of Scotland in 60 Minutes. It was highly entertaining.
I spent time at the Book Festival, which is quiet after the High Street madness. Later we took one of the rickshaws down to the Traverse theatre behind the castle! Fribo gig at the Acoustic Centre who are an innovative mix of Norwegian and Scottish traditions.

Saturday - I went to the C venue where Oxford students do their shows and I saw Out of the Blue, which was an  entertaining show.  I had lunch in the café and enjoyed the young costumed artists having fun with their shows.  I read of an Irish fiddle player who did his show ‘Around the World on 80 quid’ with no advance PR or venue. Travelling the world he got involved with drugs and ended up on a beach with no violin and thought to himself, what’s the point? Then he decided he could play anything at hand.  He played a few sold out shows in Ireland and people said to him – ‘Why not play the Edinburgh Festival?’
While there are many fun things such as the Speigel tent and more, a festival needs to evolve and Edinburgh has been going since the 40s! More streets available for new musicians to perform – say blocked of streets near Princes street with a central place to buy their cds – similar to Montreal’s Blues and Jazz festival. The sun casts late rays across the High Street blinding anyone walking towards the castle. Playing any festival is a buzz, there’s that exaggerated feel to it all and the heightened senses - the odd street performers and people of every nation brought together in a melting pot- from Australian scouts to north Americana Indians. Here’s hoping for sun and fun shows next year. See you there 2008!  THE  SUNDOWE musical plays in Eden Court Inverness Nov 2007 - before touring.