Edge Festival 2010: Electric Circus
The carnival atmosphere continues at Edinburgh's most eclectic nightspot.
Formed from the ashes of the much missed Aereogramme, Glasgow's The Unwinding Hours bring their somewhat more mellow, but nonetheless assured, atmospheric and melodic pop on 6 Aug.
Edinburgh collective FOUND turn up the night after to showcase their ever-experimental approach to all things poppy and 'arty'. Rumours that their 'autonomous emotional robot band' Cybraphon will act as support are yet to be confirmed.
The Durham family, in the form of siblings Kitty, Daisy and Lewis unpack their banjos, piano, ukulele, xylophone etc., etc. on 8 Aug. Blues and Rockabilly cover versions? Don't laugh, one review equated watching them live to the notion of believing in magic again.
Carrie Mac (8 Aug) has been one to watch for a while now. The Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter fuses pop and soul, and gift-wraps them by way of that powerful voice.
Southend's Sam Duckworth crashlands on 13 Aug. His Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly alter-ego shrouds his political outspokenness in a heady melange of brass, piano and guitar. Showcasing a brand new LP, as it happens.
Another curiously monikered artist is one Colin MacIntyre. Performing as Mull Historical Society, the multi-instrumentalist is known for his experimentation, but last year's Island was an exercise in raw, stripped down emotion.
Remember when Gomez were Whippin' Picadilly? Well, they still are, or at least one of them is. Tom Gray brings his solo acoustic set to town on 16 Aug which includes a smattering from the 1998 Mercury Prize winner's back catalogue. Bring It On.
Edinburgh's Dan Willson, aka Withered Hand does a neat line in wryly humorous self-effacement. He writes accomplished melodies, but it's his wonderful turn-of-phrase that makes this a must-see on 17 Aug.
Tennessee-born ivory-tinkler Lauren Pritchard released her country-soul debut EP The Jackson Sessions earlier this year. With songs co-written by Ed Harcourt and Eg White, 18 Aug provides the perfect opportunity to see if that soaring voice justifies the hype.
Out of the demise of his former day job comes a solo career for head boy Jon Fratelli. 22 Aug marks his first solo public performance and is set to include hits from his old band, recent 'burlesque' project Codeine Velvet Club and new numbers of his own.
The pop sensibilities of hirsute Glaswegian foursome Kassidy have seen them compared to the Beach Boys. Either way, the melodic choruses and wall of acoustic riffage on 23 Aug will make for a fun night out.
Brooklyn's Bear in Heaven appear at the Circus on 23 Aug touting some of the most pleasing 'krautrock' influenced psychedelia we've heard in the modern day.
That said, Glasgow's finest The Phantom Band do a line in something similar. Watching them translate their multi-faceted recorded material into a gripping live set will no doubt prove to be one of the highlights of the festival on 24 Aug.
24 August and it's time for a good old fashioned hoe-down, courtesy of rockabilly ensemble Three Blind Wolves, hailing from Texa....eh, Glasgow.
Pearl and the Puppets' singer Katie Sutherland has been compared to The Cranberries' Dolores O'Riordan. She also wants it to be known in advance of their 28 Aug set that she was performing barefoot long before Diana Vickers ever did.
For a man who brings a DIY ethic to all aspects of his output, Edinburgh-based singer-songwriter Alex Cornish's work is pleasingly complex. Observe his talent first-hand on 30 Aug.
The festival closes not with a whimper but a General Fiasco when the Belfast boys storm the stage on 31 Aug. Take your place if you need your indie rock loud and anthemic.