What's On Scotland 9-16 Aug: Edinburgh International Book Festival

The Edinburgh International Book Festival returns this weekend, running from 11-27 August, with over 800 events taking place in The Book Festival Village in Charlotte Square Gardens and on the West End of George Street. This year's programme covers a wide range of themes, as 1000 authors, illustrators, poets and musicians are set to appear at the festival.

As part of the Babble On - Spoken Word strand, a selection of spoken word artists will team up for a series of joint events over the course of the month. Rosy Carrick & Michael Pedersen will perform works from recent collections Chokey and Oyster; BBC 6 Music's poet-in-residence Murray Lachlan Young will be joined by stand-up poet Elvis McGonagall; and Matt Abbott & Joelle Taylor join forces, among others.

In the first of two Skinny-sponsored events for this year's festival, punk legend Viv Albertine talks to Cathy Macdonald about her second book To Throw Away Unopened on Saturday night. While later in the month, UK hip-hop and Fire in the Booth royalty, poet, activist and now author, Akala brings Natives, his first book, to the festival.

Art Late with ST.MARTiiNS
Meet at The Fire Station, Edinburgh College of Art, Edinburgh. 9 Aug, 5.30pm
Another year of Edinburgh Art Festival’s Art Late evening tours get under way, where you’ll be guided round a selection of exhibitions at participating venues at night. Along the way, you’ll be treated to artist performances and talks, workshops and live music; tonight’s tour concludes at The Fruitmarket Gallery with Dundee electro-pop duo ST.MARTiiNS.

Pussy Riot: Riot Days
Summerhall, Edinburgh. 10-19 Aug, 7pm
In her 2017 memoir, Maria Alyokhina – member of Russian performance art collective Pussy Riot – details her imprisonment in 2012 alongside two fellow members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich. The accompanying piece to Alyokhina's memoir of the same name, Riot Days will be performed over ten days throughout the Fringe. Image: Alexander Sofeev

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Waiting for Godot
Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh. Until 12 Aug, times vary
Galway-based Druid Theatre Company bring their rendition of Samuel Beckett’s classic play Waiting for Godot to the Edinburgh International Festival this year, in what’s been described as its greatest production for 25 years. Said to be one of Beckett’s funniest plays, strap yourself in for an evening of humour-filled, life-affirming theatre. Image: Matthew Thompson

SOPHIE, Lanark Artefax, Spencer & Sofay
Leith Theatre, Edinburgh. 11 Aug, 10.30pm
Progressive Glasgow record label Numbers are teaming up with the Edinburgh International Festival as part of their Light on the Shore series this weekend and are putting on probably the best club night of the year. Pop super-producer SOPHIE, Björk collaborator Lanark Artefax, Numbers resident Spencer and Glasgow DJ and Subcity radio host Sofay make up the incredible bill. Un-real.

#Pianodrome
Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. Until 26 Aug
Setting up in the Botanics for the duration of the Fringe is the world's first Pianodrome, a 100-seater amphitheatre constructed entirely from over 50 upcycled pianos. The playable sculpture will be open 10am-4pm daily with free events, workshops and performances scheduled throughout the month, while in the evenings, multi-instrumentalists S!nk will host guest acts.

Sonica presents Portal
The Clyde Tunnel, Glasgow. Until 12 Aug
If you thought all the festivals had been saved for Edinburgh this month, you were wrong my friends. As part of the Sonica strand of Festival 2018, the accompanying cultural programme of the European Championships 2018, multimedia artist Robbie Thomson and composer Alex Menzies have collaborated on the sensory sensation Portal, transforming The Clyde Tunnel walkway. Image: Robbie Thomson

Glasgow Cocktail Weekend
Various venues, Glasgow. 9-12 Aug
Glasgow Cocktail Weekend is a weekend-long encouragement to explore some of the city's best bars, with a host of participating venues offering specially-created £5 cocktails to wristband holders, including the Kelvingrove Cafe, The Spanish Butcher and recent Skinny fave Bibimbap. There are also DJ sets from Rebecca Vasmant, IDA and the We Should Hang Out More crew thrown in to sweeten the deal.

Scottish Label Showcase
The Reading Rooms, Dundee. 12 Aug, 4pm
Craigie Knowes, West End Communications and Hilltown Disco host an all-day Scottish label showcase on Sunday, with 10 and a half hours of music in the garden and main room of Dundee's Reading Rooms, provided by a selection of heavy-hitting pals. Street food crew Tasteside will be at hand with the scran, while merchandise and recent releases from all labels will also be on sale. Image: Ailsa Johnson

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