Festival Nightlife: The Highlights

August is upon us once more, and with it the attendant cultural scrimmage of the Fringe. Many Edinburgh residents prefer to keep a low profile during August, as all the bars and clubs swell to bursting with the loud-mouthed chatter of out of town thesps and their hangers-on. Others relish the cultural diversity the Fringe brings to the city, the late license times, and the influx of new people to shag. The club scene refuses to be outdone by the massive deluge of theatre and comedy shows, with corporate incomers like T on the Fringe rubbing shoulders with local promoters and venues, it is as busy as ever, if not more so. With posters covering every available inch of space, and homicidal flyer-wielding lunatics assaulting you at every turn, choosing where to go on a night out is potentially more baffling at this time of year than at any other. Fear not! The Skinny is here with a quick guide to some of the best gigs, performances and club nights on offer.

There's an installation at the Roxy Art House from August 3-28, with The Bandish Experiment mixing classic Indian music with modern electronica. The well-loved Spiegel Tent's Garden will be home to the mighty Batacuda Sound Machine on the 9th and 10th, with DJs spinning samba, afrobeat, reggae and hip-hop. Back to Cabaret Voltaire on the 16th, for more Latin fun with The Brazilian Girls. Henry's Cellar Bar are hosting their own Hot Music Festival from July 30 to August 31, with DJs and bands playing soul, funk, jazz, and various undulating rhythms. On a slightly weirder vibe, That I Guy will be in the Spiegel Garden from August 14-20 and 22-27, offering 'drum and bass and turbo-snails'. Interesting.

Club highlights are covered on page 47, but here's a few hot tips - you'd be a fool to miss Andrew Weatherall's 3-hour set at We Are Electric on August 9 entry is free all night. At the 'Cab again, the Soma night on August 18 should be great, with Slam and Vector Lovers both playing. The Plump DJs come to town for new Basstrap venture Bass Syndicate on August 19 at the Liquid Rooms. For non-locals seeking established local club nights to keep them entertained, let me whisper a hushed suggestion, go to the Bongo at least once. Check our listings for details of regular nights like 100% Dynamite and Messenger (offering ska and dub respectively), Hobo (every Sunday, with live bands and DJs) Give It Some! and Headspin (hip-hop, funk and much more), but rest assured if you find your way there at the weekend, you're in for a good time.

A few gig highlights to book in advance: gifted wordsmith Plan B is set to play the Liquid Room on August 28, meanwhile Baltimore hip-hop ingénue Spank Rock and crew bring their unique, filthy brand of digital funk and hip-hop to Cabaret Voltaire on the 30th. This will be the best gig of the month Spank is, as they say, 'On some next-type shit'. New York synth-punk outfit Shy Child also play the 'Cab on the 25th, and to finish up, some of Glasgow's brightest urban talent will be performing at City Nightclub as part of Urban Explosion on August 10, 17 and 24. Iron-lunged R&B/hip-hop songstress L-Marie will be in attendance, as will Da Blingz look out for some special guests too.

So whether you are seeking refuge from performance artists in the blind hedonism and kinetic abandon of dancefloor bound shape-throwing, or looking for a place to drunkenly end your revels after a night of Brecht and Bill Bailey, there are a plethora of treats in store. This article merely scratches the surface keep an eye on our weekly SkinnyFest guides to keep abreast of what's going down.

You can drink and dance practically 24 hours a day in Festival Edinburgh - it only happens once a year, so make the most of it. Be sure to catch as many of these events as you can before serious liver poisoning sets in, and don't forget to take home the metric tonne of flyers you will no doubt be handed as you leave. You wouldn't want to miss anything, now, would you?