What's On Scotland 21-28 Jul: Grayson Perry & more

Edinburgh Art Festival is just round the corner, which means some of the biggest and best exhibitions of the year are starting to converge on the city's capital. Leading the pack this week is the National Gallery's landmark exhibition on punk artist Grayson Perry. Covering an indescribable 40-year career, Grayson Perry: Smash Hits is the biggest exhibition to date of the iconic artist’s work, encompassing everything from pottery to poster-making in order to highlight the countercultural movement Perry inspired in the British arts scene.

His works tackle everything from masculinity and queerness to politics and empire, using art as a subversive medium to question existing power structures. Running alongside the exhibition are various talks and lectures - head to the National on the Mound from 22 Jul-12 Nov to discover his world for yourself.

ADVERTISEMENT | Assembly George Square Garden
The iconic Assembly George Square Garden is ready to welcome you for a fabulous summer of activities!
Before the Edinburgh Fringe kicks off, we have the crowd-pleasing Edinburgh Food Festival launching today (21-30 July)! Grab a bite, sip on a tasty tipple and check out some of the Food Fest daily events.
Don’t forget to pick up your Assembly Mini Guide and have a look at the almost 200 shows in the August Fringe programme!

TravFest
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, 27 Jul-27 Aug
It’s not quite the Fringe yet but you can get a early taste at TravFest, which runs through the Fringe and, crucially, a few days before. The season kicks off with the charming The Grand Old Opera House Hotel and sweet comedy Sean and Daro Flake It ‘Til They Make It. Image: Mihaela Bodlovic.

Plasticine
Sneaky Pete's, Edinburgh. 22 Jul, 7pm
The 90s are back baby, and what better way to truly get in the spirit of things than with a dose of 90s-inspired grunge. Don your fishnets and slip dress and head over to Sneaky's for Glasgow band Plasticine's alt rock melodies, attitude, and heavy guitar riffs. Image: Courtesy of artist.

Nubiyan Twist
George Square Spiegeltent, Edinburgh. 22 Jul, 11pm
It's the last weekend of the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival and our top pick for seeing things out are Leeds/London collective Nubiyan Twist, a dynamic live act whose rhythm-heavy sound spans everything from jazz, hip-hop and afrobeat to latin, soul and reggae. Image: Ria Moran.

Questlove + Rebecca Vasmant
Sub Club, Glasgow. 23 Jul, 11pm
In the plot twist to end all plot twists, musician, producer, and Oscar-winning filmmaker Questlove is heading to Glasgow's Sub Club this week, playing an intimate set with support from beloved local DJ and jazz aficionado Rebecca Vasmant. Image: Courtesy of artist.

ADVERTISEMENT | Adam Kay: Undoctored: This is Going to Hurt…More.
Pleasance Grand, Edinburgh. 2-28 Aug, 3:30pm, 7:30pm, 11:00pm
The nation's twelfth-favourite doctor returns for his first month at the Fringe since 2016. This is Going to Hurt was a literary sensation, selling three million copies and becoming a multi award-winning series. Undoctored continues from This is Going to Hurt, leaving audiences laughing and crying with Adam's BAFTA-winning tales of life on and off the wards. It also contains some old favourites, because people ask for refunds if they don't get the degloving story. 'Adam Kay has done it again, the talented c*nt' (Charlie Brooker). Extra dates added due to huge demand.

↪ Full Frontal: Mairi Pots (formerly Mairi B) & Jordy Joans
Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh. 27 Jul, 11pm
Full Frontal, Edinburgh's sexy, queer underground disco explosion returns, featuring sets of infectiously joyous house and pop by queer DJ Jordy Joans and Mairi Pots, formerly known as Mairi B. Image: Clarketakespics.

→ Water Machine
The Rum Shack, Glasgow. 21 Jul, 7:30pm
A Glasgow supergroup formed out of some of the local indie scene's hardest hitters (Goth Gf, Passion Pusher, Brenda and Soursob), Water Machine launch their EP this weekend, with support from Edinburgh post-punks Bikini Body.

→ Bard in the Botanics
Glasgow Botanic Gardens, Glasgow. 21-29 Jul
We can't really think of a more charming way to watch beloved Shakespeare plays than in the delightful settings of Glasgow's Botanic Gardens. Kicking off the Bard in the Botanics season this year are performances of Julius Caesar and Henry IV.