Music: Beyond the edge picks

Alan Cumming

If your plan for a Fringe show is to stand alone on a stage for 90 minutes talking about yourself, you'd better bring some ammunition. Fortunately, Scottish actor, writer and director Alan Cumming is armed to the teeth: with a long and storied career behind him, Cumming is perfectly poised to pull off an ambitious one-man show like I Bought A Blue Car Today. Taking the form of particularly personal cabaret, Cumming's new show is pitched as a lofty blend of music, comedy and spoken-word introspection, so expect an eclectic mix of anecdotes and ruminations from the actor’s varied life thus far (from rural Perthshire to Hollywood via the West End—all in 40 years and change—isn’t bad going). But, if that sounds to you like a somewhat self-indulgent sort of hour-and-a-half, never fear: Cumming’s tales are liberally interspersed with musical interludes, as he turns his multi-talented hand to material by the likes of Frank Sinatra and Cyndi Lauper. [Marcus Kernohan]

Bert Jansch

Despite a lengthy and fruitful career (2010 marks his 50th year as a professional musician), Glaswegian folk guitarist Bert Jansch still isn’t quite a household name. That’s not to imply, however, that the 66-year-old Pentangle founder is some kind of music industry ingénue – far from it. Jansch’s influence stretches many miles beyond his own discography, with a litany of high-profile musos from Jimmy Page to Mike Oldfield all crediting him as an inspiration. Jansch’s intricate playing style and lightly-accented vocals mark him out as an enduring force in traditional folk in Britain. He’s also, thankfully, an Edinburgh Festival veteran of many years, so his two dates at The Queen’s Hall are sure to be a triumphant homecoming after several months touring the USA with Neil Young. [Marcus Kernohan]

Camille O'Sullivan

Lying somewhere in between burlesque, cabaret, and rock & roll, Camille O’Sullivan’s show is vibrancy unbound; she is vivacious, sensual, and straight-out bonkers. Of French-Irish descent, she is both sedate and rambunctious, seductive and lewd. With a fire-breathing voice, and a performance to match, she blazes through covers ranging from Nick Cave to David Bowie, Tom Waits to Radiohead, occasionally stopping to breathe, down a glass of wine and engage in some blasé flirtation with the crowd. Half-drunk, half-dressed and half-goddess, Camille O’Sullivan is utterly mesmerising. [Iman Qureshi]

Soweto Gospel Choir

Inspirational and uplifting, the Soweto Gospel Choir captures the essence of African gospel music. A two-time Grammy Award winner for Best Traditional World Music Album, the 26-strong choir is exceptionally talented. Expressly dedicated to “sharing the joy of faith through music”, the Soweto Gospel Choir also simply shares in the joy of music itself. Dazzling audiences with colour, life and heart, the Choir truly are chicken soup for the soul. [Iman Qureshi]

The Magnets

A capella, beatboxing, and a little bit of magic gives you The Magnets. Covering an eclectic mix of pop, rock and medleys, including Lady Gaga, Joy Division, and the jaw-dropping 'A-Z'—a 26-song mega-medley—The Magnets are shameless crowd-pleasers. Slicked and primed in suave little boyband outfits, complete with cheeky winks at the crowd and self-indulgent solos, it’s just as well their swagger comes backed up with an act that's close to flawless. No instruments and no tricks is the promise, and it’s a far stretch to believe they’re not lying. [Iman Qureshi]

Meow Meow: Feline Intimate

Unspeakably accomplished, albeit mildly unsettling, Meow Meow’s bizarre performance art epitomises a counterculture of sex, blood and hallucinogens. Her voice, meanwhile, claws up and down registers, strikes the shrillest of falsettos, and fiddles the most delicate of vibratos. Describing herself as Kamikaze Cabaret, Meow Meow is little short of unhinged as she struts and growls and positively exudes sex. Needless to say, her appearance in Edinburgh is likely to cause as much of a stir as that of her narcotic namesake. Both postmodern and retro, cabaret and kitsch, Meow Meow has won several awards and performed at sold-out venues all over the world. [Iman Qureshi]