AROUND TOWN

Author: Evie Glen

If you’ve been in Glasgow in the past week, you might’ve seen the pack of painted Scottie dogs that seem to have taken over the city. If the one I passed on my route home from work is anything to go by, they have been welcomed in the traditional way: with two ceremonial cones placed over its ears.

The sculptures make up a city art trail comprising forty giant Scotties and 52 wee ones, all in aid of Maggie’s cancer charity. The trail is ongoing until Sunday 16 August, after which all the dogs will be auctioned to raise money for Maggie’s.

Elsewhere, it’s Highland Games season. Head to Forres or Luss this weekend to watch some burly Scots chuck cabers alongside Highland dancers and pipe band competitions. In Luss, you can take part in the kilted dash, a self-explanatory race where modesty comes second to speed. Good viewing, I’m sure. 

MUSIC

Author: Danny Munro

It feels as though everyone I know is headed to Kelburn Garden Party this weekend, in spite of a rather ominous looking weather forecast. If you’re not headed to Ayrshire, fear not, as there’s still plenty of gigging to be done across the central belt.

Kicking things off this week is Lizabett Ruso, a Romanian-born, Scottish based singer-songwriter who leans in to her native roots when producing her innovative, airy brand of folk music. Ruso is playing the beautiful Bruntsfield Pianodrome on Friday evening.

Teenage Fanclub’s founding member Norman Blake is also appearing at a rather intimate environment in Glasgow’s The Old Hairdresser’s. For just over £20, you can see Blake rattle through his lengthy back catalogue this Saturday.

Taking place in Kelvingrove Park on Sunday is Glasgow Mela 2026. This completely free festival will be a joyous celebration of South Asian culture, with a comprehensive musical line-up across two stages. Expect Bhangra, Bharatanatyam and a great day out. 

STAGE

Author: Rachel Morrell

Whether you’re leaving Boston with a sore head or melting in the office, celebrate the end of the week by breathing in some fresh air and letting out a sigh of relief that our international reputation remains intact. Starting safe with a picnic and a classic play, Ilyria’s shores come to Glasgow Botanic Gardens with an outdoor performance of Twelfth Night (until Saturday 11th July).

And for those who crave untamed wilderness, head to Kelburn Garden Party’s Twin Peaks Tepee (Friday 3–Sunday 5 July) for chaotic cabaret acts, fire shows and a stellar line-up of comedy including Amy Matthews, Paul Black and Sophie Rose McCabe. 

But if a glass or two on the grass isn’t your thing then have an immersive intimate dinner with Scotland’s own Bard at Edinburgh’s Lyceum, where The Burns Project (Friday 3–Sunday 5 July) recreates an evening with our often controversial national icon. Whatever takes your fancy, it’s easy to get out of the house and into another dimension this weekend. 

SCREEN

Author: Kevin Fullerton

A cult hit in the making, Nirvanna: The Band - The Show - The Movie  continues a unique strain of Canada-centric comedy-drama curiosities from Matt Johnson (who also directed the inordinately stressful Blackberry). It’s an oddball piece of work about an eccentric duo who time travel to the year 2008 to perform at one of Toronto’s finest music venues (and don’t worry, it’s significantly more interesting than that sounds).  

If you fancy a late one, Taxi Driver will screen at Glasgow’s Grosvenor Cinema as part of its Midnight Movie strand (Friday 3 July). There’s arguably no better time to watch Scorsese’s grimy masterpiece than in the bleary-eyed hours when you can truly climb into the shoes of everyone’s favourite psychopath. At the very least, your post-film Uber will seem delightful by comparison. 

And one of the most powerful Scottish documentaries in recent years, Love + Trouble, is on at Glasgow’s The Nook as part of the Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival (Thursday 2 July). Charting a couple as they navigate post-traumatic stress disorder, it’s a difficult but vital watch. We loved it so much that its director, Amy Hardie, landed a respectable position in last year’s Hot 100. 

EAT & DRINK

Author: Ailsa Sheldon

In Edinburgh there's a buzz about newly-opened Tacos, Lah at Bonnie & Wild, where chef Julie Lin adds a Mexican twist to her Malaysian-Scottish cooking. Try tacos with veggie haggis, feta and lime-pickled shallots. Afterwards, head to Leith for drinks at The Keelson, a new venture by the star teams from Dogstar and Nauticus. Nearby, Campervan Brewery is having a free summer party on Saturday 4 July, with street food, live music and the crispest pints. 

If a date night is on the cards, try Nadair, the cute 20-cover restaurant in Marchmont. The seasonal lunch menu is great value, (two/three courses for £30/£35), or for a treat book the five-course tasting menu (£65), which changes constantly favouring the freshest produce. 

In Glasgow the Mela returns to Kelvingrove Park this weekend. We’re eyeing up the street food offering and hoping for pani puri and gulab jamun to keep us dancing. 

VISUAL ART

Author: Greg Thomas

With controversy swirling around plans to build a series of super-sized AI data centres across Scotland, I’ve been ruminating on the staggering environmental and cultural impacts of digital technology over the last few decades. 

What better time to pay homage to pioneering conceptual photographer Wendy McMurdo who uses a mixture of staged and computer-generated effects to explore how modern childhood has been shaped by the incursion of laptops, tablets and gadgets into play and education? Her career-spanning show The Digital Mirror is on at the National Portrait Gallery until October but locals might want to catch it before the high-summer scrums.

Glasgow International continues to drag its tendrils luxuriously across the city. If you’re after a compact and engaging show in an innovative, independent space then try the rediscovered conceptual artist Bettina’s (1927–2024) marble eggs and bleepy-bloopy video-works at Cento. Finite Structures is open weekends until Sunday 12 July.

THE HOT SEAT

Next up in our piping hot seat of cultural recommendations is a singer-songwriter of oddball indie-pop bangers who’s celebrating the release of his third album, Glue. So, what’s Gurry Wurry up to this weekend? 

Oh, it’s a decent weekend this. I’ll be at Kelburn where I wouldn’t recommend missing Indoor Foxes (Saturday 4 July). She writes sort-of angry pop bangers and her live show’s a riot.

Back in Edinburgh, the godfather of odd pop, our lord and saviour Neil Hannon is in town with The Divine Comedy at Usher Hall on Friday 3 July.

Sticking with the oddballs, there’s a mad-looking exhibition of John Bellany paintings at the Open Eye Gallery which I need to wrap my eyes around. 

Then, if it rains, I’ll probably take a trip to Umbrella Vinyl. Honestly, you’ve never seen so many original African, Bollywood, funk, soul and jazz records. It’s a proper treasure trove. 

After all that, with no money or energy left, it’s time for a stroll around Almondell Country Park, in complete denial that another Monday is coming.

Gurry Wurry’s new album Glue is out now on Bandcamp; Glue album launch show, Sneaky Pete’s, Edinburgh Friday 10 July.

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