AROUND TOWN

A celebration of diversity, collaboration and connectedness, Edinburgh’s Festival Of Migration (Friday 16 – Sunday 18 June) is a call to action. It aims to change the narrative and challenge closed minds on the subject of migration through a programme of discussions, workshops, theatre, exhibitions and more.

Raise a glass to a summer of fun at this weekend’s Glasgow Real Ale Festival (until Saturday 17 June). Featuring over 140 real ales, ciders and foreign beers, alongside mead from The Rookery and Corke & Caske’s gin and wine bar, there should be something to satisfy all tastes.

Combining the joy of Korean food with a touch of international flair, Dam Da Kitchen (Friday 16 – Sunday 18 June) is the brainchild of Chacha Moa. This weekend they’ll be expanding their horizons with a pop-up kitchen in Edinburgh, which adds a host of options to the regular menu, including creamy soybean tagliatelle and spicy beef and kimchi ragu.

MUSIC

Musical icon Elton John (Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 June) has been bidding an emotional adieu on his final series of gigs. Dubbed Farewell Yellow Brick Road, it’s already the highest grossing tour of all-time. Expect all the hits when Elton swings by Glasgow’s OVO Hydro for a pair of shows.

Also performing two back-to-back shows are Scotland’s favourite musical brothers The Proclaimers (Saturday 17 & Sunday 18 June). Preceded by performances from Hamish Hawk and Admiral Fallow, as well as an artisan food village and space for picnic blankets, let’s hope there is sunshine on Leith Links this weekend. 

If jazz is more your jam then the Glasgow Jazz Festival (until Sunday 18 June) has plenty of it. Steve Turre and Camilla George are amongst the artists appearing this year, with free late night jam sessions giving local musicians the opportunity to collaborate with legends. Read our interview with participating artist and British jazz icon Orphy Robinson. 

STAGE

Unpredictability abounds in Spontaneous Potter: The Unofficial Improvised Parody (Sunday 18 June), an entirely improvised take on Harry Potter which magically conjures a new play on the spot, based on a title suggested by the audience. Catch it at The Stand, Glasgow.

Meanwhile at The Stand in Edinburgh, try a sit-down, no-walking tour with the host of BBC Radio Scotland’s Time Travels. In Susan Morrison Is Historically Funny (Sunday 18 June) she’ll take you through some of Scotland’s seediest, skankiest and most scandalous history.

Scottish Dance Theatre will be whisking you off on an unforgettable family adventure in the company of some Pirates! (until Saturday 17 June). Playfully combining dance, theatre and storytelling, you’ll be able to onboard at Dundee Rep.

SCREEN

Fun comic book flick The Flash is finally hitting cinemas after delays and controversies knocked it off course. Scandal magnet Ezra Miller stars as the titular superhero, with Michael Shannon returning as General Zod and, in a mind-bending multiversal twist, both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton pop up as Batman.

Atmospheric British drama Inland is the feature debut of Fridtjof Ryder. The film follows a young man (played by Rory Alexander) who is readjusting to society after time in a psychiatric unit. It’s notable for its cracking cinematography and features typically outstanding work from Mark Rylance in a supporting role.

More twisted tales have just landed on Netflix with the return of Charlie Brooker’s dystopian anthology series Black Mirror. Amongst the stars featuring in this new selection of standalone stories are Salma Hayek, Zazie Beetz, Aaron Paul, Kate Mara and Paapa Essiedu.

PODCASTS

Director Adam McKay follows his basketball themed podcast Death At The Wing with the Hollywood set Death On The Lot. It takes a fascinating look at 1950s filmmaking and the tumultuous political context in which it existed.

Ellis James and John Robins’ hopeful mental health podcast How Do You Cope? is back for its fourth series. Once again, the pair will be chatting to guests (including Katie Piper) about the challenges and hurdles they’ve faced and coping strategies they’ve developed.

Reading the papers so you don’t have to, Paper Cuts is a new podcast hosted by Miranda Sawyer. It sees Sawyer and her guests talk through the top stories of each week, digging into the private mania of the UK press and reflecting on what it tells us about Britain today.

VISUAL ART

Edinburgh’s &gallery is the setting for Frances Priest: Chevron | Stripe | Asanoha (until Wednesday 28 June) which collages together the artist’s favourite motifs, giving each a new twist and creating some unexpected relationships.

Graystone Gallery, Edinburgh, is proudly presenting its Summer Exhibition (until Saturday 23 July) which showcases a selection of superb Scottish artists. Featuring stunning street scenes, impressive interiors, luscious landscapes and mysterious seas, it’s full of individual flair.

Carnoustie Library is currently playing host to the Royal Photographic Society: Scottish Annual Exhibition (until Saturday 24 June), a travelling exhibition made up of 40 examples of its members’ best photography, and representing a range of inspiring styles and subjects.

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