What's On Scotland 6-13 Nov: Edinburgh's Radical Book Fair & more

Just in time for our protest issue, get inspired at Edinburgh’s Radical Book Fair and hone your revolutionary skills. Organised every year by Lighthouse Bookshop, the city’s leftist bookshop, the Radical Book Fair is five days of panels, workshops and book stalls right in the heart of the Old Town, taking place at Assembly Roxy until 9 November.

This year the festival is themed around Ecosystems of Change, exploring the structures and practices we can implement to change things from the ground up. There's a panel on sex on stage and screen with Xuanlin Tham and Alison J Carr, a literary cabaret evening with Esme Allman, Mymona Bibi, Simran Kaur Johal and Sunny Singh, and the launch of Palestine -1, the newest anthology from Comma Press. Browse the full programme here.

Grace Ndiritu: Compassionate Rebels in Action
Cooper Gallery, Dundee. 10 Oct-13 Dec
The Ignorant Art School: Five Sit-ins towards Creative Emancipation, Cooper Gallery’s five-chapter project that began in 2021, draws to a close with this exhibition, an examination of practices of radical spirituality, pedagogy, social justice, and decolonisation.

Bob Vylan
O2 Academy, Glasgow. 6 Nov, 7pm
Perhaps best known for their incredible pro-Palestinian set at this year’s Glastonbury, Bob Vylan (consisting of Bobby Vylan on vocals and guitar and Bobbie Vylan on drums) incorporate elements of punk rock, hip-hop and grime in their highly political music.

CIEL
The Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh. 10 Nov, 7:30pm
Blurring the lines between scuzzy gothic rock and dreamy pop, Brighton-based indie outfit CIEL’s musical offerings are at the perfect intersection of compellingly moody and extremely catchy. They released their debut album Call Me Silent last month following a handful of EPs. Image: Marieke Macklon.

SAY Award Ceremony
Caird Hall, Dundee. 6 Nov, 7pm
The SAY Award ceremony is in Dundee this year. On the shortlist are Hamish Hawk’s A Firmer Hand, Jacob Alon’s In Limerence, and TAAHLIAH’s Gramarye amongst others. Head to the afterparty afterwards for the debut of PONYBOY in Dundee. Image: Spit Turner.

Advertisement | Kick off Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations with the spectacular Torchlight Procession!

Join 15,000 torchbearers as they light up the city on December 29 and be part of the breathtaking river of light that will signal the start of global New Year celebrations. Soak up the carnival atmosphere with live street theatre, fire performers, and drummers that will warm everyone up before the Massed Pipes & Drums and Vikings from Shetland’s South Mainland Up Helly Aa’ Jarl Squad lead the procession from the Meadows through the capital’s historic Old Town.

↪ Samizdat Eastern European Film Festival
Filmhouse, Edinburgh. 9-10 Nov
Named after a grassroots practice of self-publishing to evade censorship under the Eastern Bloc, Samizdat Eastern European Film Festival returns to Edinburgh this month, with a small programme of classic and contemporary cinema and animation.

→ 10 Years of Loose Joints - the final party
The Berkeley Suite, Glasgow. 8 Nov, 11pm
Loose Joints, one of Glasgow's most beloved parties, is wrapping up after ten gorgeous years. To celebrate, they're throwing one last bash at their home The Berkeley Suite, with techno and house from Dilly Joints, Nurse (UK) and Suma Bac.

→ FANGS
People's Leisure Club, Edinburgh. 8 Nov, 10pm
Introducing a brand new electronic music night from the folks behind Paradise Palms Records, with non-stop, genre-spanning selections from beloved techno and electro DJ ona:v alongside Palms Records boss Jacuzzi General.