Having already written the live listings for this week, I got a couple of emails about really interesting things happening as part of the Leith Festival and I think I should add a quick update here, because I reckon it’s stuff people will (or should) be interested in.

Leith is by some distance my favourite part of Edinburgh.  It has a reputation for being scummy – it is the old docks after all – but for all there are still some pretty ropey parts, that is a long, long way from being the truth these days.  Nowadays most of my favourite Edinburgh pubs and restaurants are to found either down by the Shore itself, or in the immediate vicinity of Leith Walk.

Also, for all Leith may not be all that scuzzy these days, it is still full of enough drunks, jakeys and weirdos that it feels a lot more like a proper city than the rest of Edinburgh, which can be a bit of an uptight middle class ghetto a lot of the time: very civilised, but everso slightly dull.

I also generally prefer the Leith Festival to the Edinburgh one, I must confess.  Partly because it feels a lot less deliberate, and is hence looser and more fun, and partly because I just prefer smaller, more manageable festivals in general.

Anyhow, the full music programme for the Leith Festival is here, but it can be a little overwhelming, so here are the highlights which have appeared in my inbox over the last day or so:

From Quiet Jon:

Also, The Wee Baby Jesuses (AKA Cheehi and Junior Judo from assorted Fence bands) will be playing a set of Tom Waits songs as part of The Leith Festival. Happening at The Village in Leith, Wednesday night, doors 8ish [i.e.: get moving - now!].

Should be fun.

From Liz:

On Thursday, as part of LeithLate, Elvis Shakespeare have Wounded Knee, Little Pebble, Blueflint and Withered Hand.  6pm to 8pm.

I’m not sending this email as a “plug” – I just thought you might be interested, personally, in the lineup [and you'd be right] and it has the added benefit of being free!

From Matthew from Pet:

We’re playing the Leithlate festival on thursday at the Pilrig Church supporting John Knox Sex Club, HRH and also playing are Sarah and the Snakes. Here’s the link to that bit of exciting spam…
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=202251416479280

So you see, when I do get spammed it tends to be in the politest, most apologetic manner imaginable.  And actually all three of those gigs look awesome, which is why I am passing them all on to you.

Greetings my Summery flock of Toads, how are we all doing this fine morning?  Or afternoon of course, depending on where you might be located.

I was advised once by Johnny Pictish not to put on gigs during July or August because getting people out to them was a near-impossibility.  I don’t know if this is just Edinburgh or if it applies universally, but certainly the promoters of this fair city seem to have taken it heart because there is really is sweet Fanny Adams happening in the next couple of weeks on the live circuit.

Maybe people are gearing up for the Festival.  It wouldn’t surprise me because after last year’s programme being thinner than a model’s forearms this year’s August schedule is shaping up to be extremely good indeed.  We’ve got Retreat back (only for a day this time, unfortunately) and Trampoline‘s Festival lineups are looking really rather excellent too.

It has to be said, as well, and despite my general tendency to bash corporate enterprise and side shamelessly with the DIY, the ramshackle and the home-grown, that the lineup for this year’s Edge Festival is also looking rather good.  After scrapping the generally excellent T on the Fringe, they seemed to have some pretty significant teething problems with the rebranded (but essentially identical, as far as I could tell) product last year, but there are some terrific bands booked for this year, so August promises to be utterly exhausting, but in a very good way indeed.

So what is there actually going on this week?  Well here’s about the best that I could find, but please have a scan through the comments because if I’ve missed anything then someone’s bound to point out the error of my ways.

Wednesday 22nd July 2009: Be a Familar & Tango in the Attic at the Electric Circus.

I have to confess that I am not entirely convinced by Be a Familiar, but they seem to be generating a good vibe about the place and picking up quite a lot of interest.  A pleasant evening of somewhat twee guitar-pop beckons.

Friday 24th July 2009: Found (well, Ziggy and Kev) & Dead Boy Robotics at Sneaky Pete’s.

After playing a stripped down set at the Toad Night on Saturday Found are at it again, this time performing with just Ziggy and Kev, and if Saturday is anything to go by it should be brilliant.  Dead Boy Robotics new stuff is apparently a bit less techno than previous, and apparently this is a good thing, so it should be very interesting to see what they’re up to.
Found – Turnstile

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Sunday 26th July 2009: The Shipping Forecast Garden Party at the Peartree with Ross Clark, Mitchell Museum, Little Pebble and Randan Discotheque.

A pleasant afternoon spent in a pub beer garden with lots of great music – if I weren’t going to be at Wickerman this weekend I’d be at this thing without a second thought because it looks brilliant – say a little prayer for good weather.  There’s a good mix of pop and acoustic and Little Pebble is one of the most underrated performers in Edinburgh if you ask me.
Mitchell Museum – Exciting But Drunk

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Funnily enough, the most interesting music events this week are being held as part of the film festival.

Not funny “ha ha”, though.

Happy Monday.

Wednesday 24th June 2009: All Tomorrow’s Parties documentary at the Picture House

This is something rather special. It’s described as a” unique 360 degree music event”. Firstly, the film sounds incredible. It’s compiled from footage contributed by both fans and artists at the festival, shot on super 8, digital and mobile phone, as well as footage from Vincent Moon (the Take-Away shows) tieing it all together. (See the rather brilliant Clockwork Orange-inspired trailer here.) It will be screened in the Picture House, followed by a live performance from the ‘secret headliners’. I’ll get in trouble if I say who that is, but, um… it’s someone really good. And really good live, too. Yes. On top of all that, the venue will be completely redecorated to resemble a Butlin’s theme park, and there will be smaller, intimate performances in different rooms and parts of the venue from Scottish acts. (Full details are still a bit sketchy, but I know that both the Second Hand Marching Band and Scrim have already confirmed). To be frank, it sounds mental. But it also sounds absolutely amazing, and a complete one-off. It’s £18.50 for the film and live music event, and £12.50 for just the live music. (The film is screening in the Filmhouse the next day too, without the whole live music shebang).
The Second Hand Marching Band – We Walk In The Room

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Thursday 25th June 2009 – Leith Tape Club, with youtakethebiggerhalf, Corn Capri meets Little Pebble, Team Turnip and McBrandy at Iso Bar

On this bill I only really recognise Little Pebble and Team Turnip, but the Tape Club is always a rather fun, intimate affair.
Little Pebble – Hold That Thought

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Thursday 25th 2009 – The Gillyflowers at the Mill (Cabaret Voltaire)

I’ve not seen the Gillyflowers live as yet, but have heard a lot of good things, and I really like the stuff on their myspace.
The Gillyflowers – Country Boy

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Friday 26th June 2009 – Playing with the Past, with eagleowl, FOUND and Meursault at the Pleasance

This is another rather special event – a screening of a series of short films lifted from the Scottish Screen Archive, with eagleowl, FOUND and Meursault providing live soundtracks. Very exciting. I hope Meursault are doing ‘Highlander’.
FOUND – You’re Really Quite The Catch

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Friday 26th June 2009 – Adam Stafford and Michael John McCarthy at the Himalaya Cafe

Adam Stafford, of Y’all Is Fantasy Island infamy, will be playing songs from Rescue Weekend (which rarely get an airing with the full band sets) as well as new material, and Michael John McCarthy will be performing tracks from the excellent Outside World Strategies, which Euan gave a glowing review of last week.
Radio Trees (Michael John McCarthy) – Little Islands

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Sunday 28th June 2009 – The Shipping Forecast Garden Party, with FOUND, Randan Discotheque, Rozi Plain at the Pear Tree
Those nice gents form the Stormy Seas are putting on a lovely little Sunday afternoon show in the Pear Tree beer garden. A fine, and rather ecletic, line-up with one still to be confirmed (though it’ll probably be Meursault, won’t it?). I saw Rozi Plain for the first time at Homegame earlier this year and was very impressed, so looking forward to her set in particular. I can’t really think of a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon. And it’s free. Gods be praised.

Quite a thin week by recent standards actually, but that’s no bad thing.  Homegame is approaching and a weekend that is easy on the liver and easy on the wallet will be a very good thing.  Plus we have to spend it all making up copies of the new Meursault EP, Nothing Broke.  Yes,  you heard me right.  Terribly exciting, wot.  It will mark the first offical outing for crowd favourite William Henry Miller Pt.1, albeit an acoustic version of the song, the full version of which will be available along with The Furnace, The Dirt & the Roots and William Henry Miller Pt.2 as part of a set of two 7″ vinyl releases in late Spring.

And the Maxwell Panther album is about done.  And the Inspector Tapehead album is almost there, although that’s not quite a done deal yet, so I’ll keep that under my hat for a little longer.

The reason this post is so late is because I have been galavanting about going to weddings.  It turns out an old friend of mine from uni made that crazy Sony Bravia exploding paint advert.  Who knew what a talented bunch my classmates were.  Maybe if I’d ever turned up myself I’d have known this kind of thing.

Tuesday 7th April 2009: Danananaetc… & Favours For Sailors at Cabaret Voltaire.

Dananandingdong are, in all honesty, a band about whom I am personally no more than lukewarm.  I don’t know them all that well yet though, so that might change, but for now the recommendation is a tentative one.  Favours For Sailors are newly signed to one of my favourite labels, Tough Love Records, and are garnering an awful lot of press at the moment, so I may well wander down for this.
Favours For Sailors – Our Name

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Wednesday 8th April 2009: Great Eskimo Hoax, We See Lights & Cancel the Astronauts at Sneaky Pete’s.

Great Eskimo Hoax sound rather interesting at times.  It can veer a little close to a kind of haircut-friendly indie pop at times, but there are definitely plenty of interesting things happening in their songs, so this might well be worth trying out.
Great Eskimo Hoax – Camp Beatbox

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Thursday 9th April 2009: Lovers Turn to Monsters & Little Pebble at Henry’s Cellar Bar.

Little Pebble is excellent live and Lovers Turn to Monsters also sound quite promising.  The latter plays a tense kind of awkward indie folk, of the sort that seems to be designed for Edinburgh at the moment.
Lovers Turn to Monsters – The Four O’Clock

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Sunday 12th April 2009: State Broadcasters, Benni Hemm Hemm & Jo Foster at the Bowery.

The Gentle Invasion wonderfully (and somewhat inevitably) comes out of retirement to put on some lovely indie folk pop from Glasgow at the Bowery.  Edinburgh’s most prominent Icelandic musician (I, er, think) supports, along with Fence lady Jo Foster.  I hope her arm has sufficiently recovered from the skiing accident which caused her to miss her last gig at the Bowery.
State Broadcasters – Our Favourite Park

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It’s a quiet, but hardly barren week in Edinburgh this week, although I think I may skip a fair bit of it and concentrate on getting the Pictish Trail Session up and posted.

What a shitty fucking weekend it’s been, though.  I got some really bizarre message from an old school friend of mine asking me if I was blanking him on Friday, which I haven’t been.  We haven’t exchanged messages for years, but that’s been true in both directions.  Then on Sunday, before I’d responded, he sent another saying ‘Okay, I’ll delete you from my Facebook wotsit, have a good life buddy.’  For fuck’s fucking sake.  It’s no skin off my nose one way or another, but it was really weird coming right out of the blue like that.

Then I completely forgot a friend’s stag do and failed to attend because I had managed to pile too much other stuff into the weekend.  That, believe me, does not feel like a nice thing to do.  Especially when you get the phonecall and it dawns on you what you’ve just done.  Fucking bollocksing fuck.

I also got in trouble at Proper Job for excessive Toading on Friday, which wasn’t fun.  So there will be something of a kibosh put on work-time activity around here, and fair enough.  They’ve been more than patient with my little obsession, and quite frankly they’d be more than justified in giving me a formal warning, but it’s very nice that they haven’t.  About time I was equally nice back, I think it’s fair to say.

Then there was the Biblical amount of alcohol consumed over Friday and Saturday night, leading to a general feeling of uncleanness ever since, and of course there was the jolly banter about the Shitecast this weekend.  Fucking hell, I am looking forward to football tonight and the chance to just run it all off.

Monday 9th March 2009: Come On Gang play Trade Union at Cabaret Voltaire.

I think Trade Union may be on rather late, so don’t rush down, but if you’re up for night of giddy bouncing to Edinburgh’s finest punk-pop trio then swing by from 11pm and send them on their merry way to SXSW with a cheer.
Come On Gang – Wheels

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Thursday 12th March 2009: Futuristic Retro Champions at the Caves.

This band are one I know very little about, but they’ve been talked about very favourably since I’ve been up here.  This is one of those Mill gigs – beware, nothing but that god-awful piss-water Miller to drink – so you’ll have to click here to get a ticket.  Support band Tamika’s Treehouse are a band I know nothing about whatsoever, not even rumours or whispering, so any enlightenment would be appreciated.  After no more than a single MySpace listen they do sound catchy and enjoyable though, so this should be a good night.
Futuristic Retro Champions – Speak to Me

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Thursday 12th March 2009: Unicorn Kid, Ex Lion Tamer & Sugar Crisis play Limbo at the Voodoo Rooms.

It’s all going to be rather electro-dance-pop at Limbo this week, but there’s easily enough edge to it all to keep me interested, despite being slightly outside my comfort zone with this sort of stuff. Ex Lion Tamer’s new single is out on 17 Seconds Records this week, although only on digital for the time being.  Hang about though, the vinyl will be here any moment now.
Sugar Crisis – Taking Names & Heartbeats

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Friday 13th March 2009: RBRBR & Over the Wall play This is Music at Sneaky Pete’s.

More boisterous pop fun with plenty of synths and bounce.  Sneaky bastarding Pete’s keep on deviously selling out of tickets at the moment too, so you might want to get one in advance for this.  I’m sure they’re doing it just to thwart me.
RBRBR – 27 Russian Friends

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Saturday 14th March 2009: Little Pebble, Woodenbox With a Fistful of Fivers & Sparrow & the Workshop play the Trampoline birthday party at the Wee Red Bar.

This is Trampoline’s second (I hope) birthday party, and what a lineup.  Apart from Little Pebble it’s very Americana influenced in a slightly undefinable way.  I don’t know what exact type of Americana I would describe Sparrow or Woodenbox as being, but they definitely have some sort of influence in there.  They’re both absolutely thumping as well.  Little Pebble doesn’t have a lot in common with them, but having only seen him once, I am really keen to see more because he was absolutely excellent.  This is my definite
Little Pebble – Pirate

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So actually, it’s not a quiet week at all, really, is it.

This week I will finish the live videos for Ten Tracks and eagleowl, to go with the Rob St. John ones here:

In other news, the lineup for the Fence Collective’s annual liver-bothering get together has been announced, and it’s fucking superb:

* KING CREOSOTE *  MALCOLM MIDDLETON * EAGLEOWL * ROB ST JOHN * SLOW CLUB * BURNS UNIT * THE PICTISH TRAIL * THINGS IN HERDS * CANDYTHIEF * EMMA POLLOCK * JAMES YORKSTON * DAVID THOMAS BROUGHTON * MEURSAULT * DE ROSA * FOXFACE * THE RED WELL * ROZI PLAIN * RACHAEL DADD * WIG SMITH * ICHI * FOUND * ART PEDRO * ADEM * KID CANAVERAL * SO COW * WITHERED HAND * HMS GINAFORE * LITTLE PEBBLE * MICHAEL JOHNSTON * KARINE POLWART * ADRIAN CROWLEY * PLAYER PIANO * ZIGGY CAMPBELL * STEVEN CRACKNELL (MEMORY BAND) * ANIMAL MAGIC TRICKS * HARDSPARROW * VIKING MOSES * EXPEDITION GUIDE * MELANCHOLICS ANONYMOUSE * GOLDEN GHOST * COME IN TOKYO * ONTHEFLY * LOVE.STOP.REPEAT * WIQWAR * ENGLISH BORE * EMILY SCOTT * THE PHANTOM BAND * LITTLE RAY * DOUG JOHNSTONE * WILL HODGKINSON * STRIKE THE COLOURS * GEORGE THOMAS * MARTIN JOHN HENRY * MARINA & THE DIAMONDS * OLO WORMS * VIVA STEREO * GUMMI BAKO * DJ DOMINIC * BOYWONDER * THE HAND * INSPECTOR TAPEHEAD * JAKE FLOWERS * PANDA SU * FRANÇOIS * THE CHEEK * JOHN B MCKENNA * JONNIE COMMON * DOOGIE PAUL * PETER GREENWOOD *

Any suggestions for people I should particularly make time to interview and get a bit of live footage from?  Not Found or the Pictish Trail, because of approaching Toad Sessions, and I won’t be interviewing Meursault obviously, although I will try and get some live video of them.  Tickets here – I’d recommend going if you possibly can.

Wednesday 25th February 2009: Come On Gang SXSW Fundraiser at the Wee Red Bar.

Come On Gang are one of several Scottish bands who are facing the considerable bill of dragging their arses out to SXSW this year, and will be holding a bit of a fundraiser to help cover the costs.  They are punky, poppy and brash and I haven’t seen them play for ages.  This will also be a chance to catch fellow Edinburgh indie-poppers Cancel the Astronauts.  Indie pop (which is probably not quite the right term for these bands, but bear with me) is actually a significantly neglected genre in this city, what with the recent rise of all these indie-folksters so it’s about time I went to something where they wield their guitars with a bit of bite for a change.
Come On Gang – Fortune Favours the Brave

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Thursday 26th February 2009: Withered Hand, The Travelling Band & the Set Up play Limbo at the Voodoo Rooms.

Withered Hand are, basically, fucking brilliant.  It’s confrontational punk-folk, although the punk side comes from the attitude and the delivery, rather than the instrumentation.  Nevertheless, if you want to be told that “a hard-on doesn’t mean you’re in love” with some force, then you really have to see this band.
Withered Hand – Hard On

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Thursday 26th February 2009: Little Pebble, Son of Thom, Emily Scott & Dan Haywood’s New Hawks play the inaugural Leith Tape Club, upstairs at the IsoBar.

This gig has sold out, I’m afraid, so unless you’re going already, you’re stuffed.  I thought it was worth bringing to your attention anyway, though, because Little Pebble (one of Edinburgh’s most under-rated and neglected live performers, including, embarrassingly, by myself) is going to be putting these nights on on a regular basis and they look like they’re going to be really good.
Little Pebble – Hold That Thought

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Friday 27th February 2009: Flowers of Hell, Wounded Knee & eagleowl at the Wee Red Bar.

This is a Benbecula Records night which looks like it will be showcasing their signature style of experimental, ambient music infused with sensibilities of both the folk and electronic persuasions.  Wounded Knee might be this city’s foremost loop pedal black belt, and has a new record approaching soon, so if you want to hear his new material then I would guess that this is likely to be a good chance to do so.
Flowers of Hell – The Strength of String

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Saturday 28th February 2009: Found, the Joe Acheson Quartet & Emily Scott at the Bowery.

Found will make their Bowery debut this week, in another gig that is being put on in association with Ten Tracks, as part of their fundraising efforts for their own SXSW adventure.  Come.  That is an order.  Advance tickets can be bought here.
Found – Closed Time Like Loops

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Well it’s August, it’s the much-vaunted Edinburgh Festival and there’s… well, frankly, fuck all on as far as I can tell. Honestly, if it wasn’t for the Retreat Festival I would be officially christening this the Shittest August in History in terms of Edinburgh gigs.

The tail end of last week, with Eagleowl, Broken Records, Johnny Flynn, Sparrow & the Workshop and Noah & the Whale, was pretty much the pinnacle of the Festival calendar as far as I can tell, and my stinking hangover is largely the result of enjoying it all just a little bit too much.

So what is there for you all to enjoy this week? Not much until late in the week actually, which is enormously good news for my liver, and also pretty good for the video editing and Toad Sessions I have to get done.

Wednesday 20th August 2008: Ziggy Campbell & Little Pebble play the Retreat Festival at the Scottish Scullery.
Both of these lads are probably better know as the front men for their respective band, Found and Come In Tokyo, so I actually have little idea what to expect from their solo shows. I’ve been meaning to see Ziggy in particular for some time now, so I am rather looking forward to Wednesday.
Little Pebble – Nae Luck (Jonnie Common Remix)

Thursday 21st August 2008: Popup, Kartta & Tie For Jack at the Voodoo Rooms.
Popup are pure indie pop, and their first couple of songs were really rather good. They have a new album out on Art Goes Pop (excellent label) pretty soon, and I haven’t seen them for nearly a year, so this will be a great chance to have a listen to the new stuff, before I get stuck into the album.
Popup – A Year in a Comprehensive

Friday 22nd August 2008: Club Welto at the Voodoo Rooms, featuring Meursault, Randan Discotheque and various others.
This is a really interesting looking night actually, billed as a combination of music and spoken word. I always like it when promoters try and go beyond just slapping on some bands and getting people pished, so this kind of thing looks really promising. The bands themselves are really good, so if the rest of it is at the same level, then it should be a great night.
Randan Discotheque – I’d Like to be Alone

Saturday 23rd August 2008: My Kappa Roots & Royal Edinburgh Music play the Retreat Festival at the Scottish Scullery.
I find myself thinking that My Kappa Roots have been out of the loop for a little while, but maybe that’s just my perception. He has a new album out and about though, which indicates activity. Anyhow, this is the first time I am going to see him, despite that fact that I’ve been hearing about the guy for over a year. More fool me, I think.
My Kappa Roots – A Golden Age

Sunday 24th August 2008: Meursault & John Edgell play the Retreat Festival at the Scottish Scullery.
We should all know how brilliant Meursault combination of swirling electronics and percussive uke is by now, but I can’t even find a MySpace page for that Edgell character – mmm, intriguing!
Meursault – A Few Kind Words

I bumped into Bart of Eagleowl and Kays Lavelle fame the other day. We were both hanging out in one of the achingly cool vintage vinyl record stores where you tend to find hip cats like us…

Okay, it was Tesco’s… but anyway, I promised I’d post a reminder about the fabulous Retreat festival Bart’s involved in that’s coming up this week.

The Retreat festival has everything going for it: All the shows take place over a series of nights throughout August, and in one centrally-located venue; St. John’s Church hall on the corner of Princes’ Street and Lothian Road (The one in the photo). The festival is charging a bargain flat-rate entry fee of just £3 for each show, doors are at 8pm each night, and an irresistable array of local talent will be on display. It would be plain daft to miss out.

Monday 4th August
Rob St. John, Emily Scott

Wednesday 6th August
The Pictish Trail, Button Series, HMS Ginafore

Friday 8th August
Randan Discotheque, The Wee Rogue

Monday 11th August
Wounded Knee, Jess Bryant

Friday 15th August
Withered Hand, Jo Foster

Saturday 16th August
Eagleowl EP launch featuring Allo, Darlin’

Wednesday 20th August
Ziggy Campbell, Little Pebble

Saturday 23rd August
My Kappa Roots, Royal Edinburgh Music

Sunday 24th August
Mersault, John Egdell