August is traditionally a time when the humble arts journo is pummelled with a thousand sensory experiences at the Edinburgh Festival. It makes it easy to forget that, yes, there are in fact a thousand-and-one other cultural activities taking place outside of the Scottish capital. Our writers have found a king's ransom of events in Glasgow, Dundee and further afield for you to enjoy (and some Fringe goodness, because who can avoid it?). Plus, we're delighted to welcome Scottish rapper Bemz to our cultural Hot Seat to share a few delightful gigs in Glasgow this weekend. Whatever you get up to, stay safe, apply sun cream and have a great time.

AROUND TOWN 

Author: Evie Glen 

With the capital floating in the delirious otherworld of Middlefringe, head to Glasgow for a dose of reality administered by Radical Glasgow Tours who host alternative city walking tours that recount Glasgow’s rich history of activism, protest, and political and social change. 

There are still some tickets left for this Saturday’s trek through the stories of the city’s gay bars, queer poets, cruising spots, lesbian militias and more in a tour of Queer Glasgow. You could call it an intellectual comedown from a night of riotous cabaret at Queer Theory: Govanhill Festival from season seven Drag Race UK star Sally TM at The Rum Shack on Friday night.  

Elsewhere in the central belt, the Dunfermline Food And Drinks Festival (Saturday 15– Sunday 16 August) is back for its second year with a packed line-up of 100 street food stalls alongside talks, demos and Q+As, topped off with  a pizza-eating competition hosted by the foodie-founders of Lothian-based community takeaway app What The Fork. 

MUSIC

Author: Danny Munro 

There are far too many tribute shows in the Edinburgh Fringe’s music programme for my liking but Sand, Silt, Flint (until Saturday 22 August) is not one of them. On her second album of the same name, Scottish/Burmese singer and producer Fiona Soe Paing has taken the traditional ballads of her native North East and added an electronic flare. She’ll perform these works live, accompanied by atmospheric visuals, filmed on location by artist Isla Goldie. This one is part of the excellent Made In Scotland Showcase and you can catch it bright and early on Friday and Saturday at 10.20am.

If early mornings aren’t your thing then you can have a very late night instead. Thanks to the 5am licensing in place throughout August, the Edinburgh section on Resident Advisor currently looks far healthier than usual, leaving clubgoers with plenty to choose from. My pick of the weekend comes from Sneaky Pete’s on Sunday, where two local selectors, LWS and Lara Sinclair, will be going back-to-back until the wee small hours.

STAGE 

Author: Rachel Morrell

Instead of simply glaring at tourists, I plan to welcome our international visitors with recommendations from far afield. France is first on our journey, with Bigger (until Saturday 29 August), a showcase of hip hop movement and mime from dancer and choreographer Sofiane Chalal which looks to redefine our view of bodies in a powerful way.

Next, we have an exploration of Dabkeh, a traditional folk dance by The Palestinian Circus: Step And A Half (until Sunday 29 August), which blends cultural rhythm with circus to bring a hopeful message of connection, joy and resistance in everyday life to audiences young and old.

The last stop may entirely change your identity through the magic of stand-up comedy with award winner Stefania Licari’s I Can Make You Italian In 55 Minutes (until Monday 31 August), fresh from the Adelaide Fringe, which sets expectations high with promises of achieving a sexier, happier life (presumably with unlimited pizza). Ciao for now.

SCREEN 

Author: Kevin Fullerton

There’s going to be an awful lot of Edinburgh International Film Festival coverage elsewhere in The List, so let’s reserve the next three paragraphs for filmy events happening further afield. If you need to catch up with the mumbling emo kid’s director of choice, Glasgow Film Theatre is holding a Jane Schoenbrun double bill of We're All Going To The World's Fair and I Saw The TV Glow (Sunday 16 August), both of which vividly evoke a sense of dreamlike teenage disaffection.

A more hyperlocal project is taking place on Friday 14 August at Leith Docker’s Club; Bee Asha’s documentary and performance project What A Beautiful Place To Fall Over will present a ‘community knees up’, featuring short films celebrating the small businesses that keep Leith thriving, as well as music from Bee Asha and a host of others.

For an unpredictable evening, Dundee’s Bizarro Video Club resumes at Canvas with its usual celebration of cinematic oddities (Sunday 16 August). This time round, the Bizarro team are trying a mystery night which they’ve dubbed Trash Bat. According to the club’s organisers: ‘Trash Bat promises to bring a mystery film of questionable quality and/or taste randomly selected in front of the aghast and astonished faces of the audience.’ Entry is free but donations are appreciated. 

EAT & DRINK 

Author: Ailsa Sheldon

Burnt Butter, a new cafe with a great name, has just opened on Clarence Drive in Hyndland. On the menu are filled muffins; tasty things on toast like hispi cabbage, cacio e pepe butter beans, gremolata and an egg; bacon brioche toasties; a trio of benedicts, and sides of burnt butter spuds. Also, it’s BYOB. 

Whisky Quay Bar on St Giles Street has opened just in time for the Edinburgh festival crowds. It’s a new venture by The Port Of Leith Distillery team, with a focus on curated single-cask whiskies, finished in their warehouse ready for sampling on site. Splintr have given the space a gorgeous makeover with a new curved bar perfect for sipping and schmoozing. 

Down in Leith I’m keen to try Asu, the newest resident at Brown’s Of Leith. The venture promises  Asian-style dishes from the team behind Glasgow’s Five March. The fresh and vibrant salads and noodle soups will complement the pizza and fish dishes on offer from the other brilliant vendors, and hopefully help us eat at least one vegetable in August. 

VISUAL ART 

Author: Greg Thomas

Golly gosh, it’s Edinburgh Art Festival. The high-summer spectacular kicks off on Friday, arriving half-way through the wider festival season, a period in the cultural calendar of Auld Reekie that, let’s say, divides the locals. As a Sassenach incomer I am clearly part of the problem, so I guess it will ring hollow when I say I’m looking forward to it.

I’ll be reporting on EAF shows over the next few mailouts, so forgive me for easing myself in with just one recommendation this week: Emii Alrai. I’ve been fascinated by this Scottish-Iraqi sculptor’s practice since encountering it at the Hepworth Wakefield in 2022. Alrai makes large scale, rough-hewn objects that give the impression of immense age and rarity but are in fact constructed from cheap, man-made materials such as polystyrene and air-dry clay. Her practice has a scale, swagger, and wit that makes it good Festival fayre. Check out the outdoor installation Guardian at Collective Gallery on Calton Hill.

THE HOT SEAT

He’s the king of Scottish rap, the head honcho of the M4 Festival, a SAY Award nominee, and by all accounts a pretty sound guy. So, what’s BEMZ up to this weekend? 

There’s nothing better than summer in Glasgow when the city comes alive with music, and there are so many events I’m excited for this year. One that’s definitely high on my list is Billy Ocean (Friday 14 August). He’s a true icon, and getting the chance to experience those timeless songs live in Glasgow is going to be very special. There’s something about seeing artists who have soundtracked generations perform in front of a live crowd that never gets old.

I’m also really looking forward to King Tut’s Summer Nights (until Saturday 29 August), which is always a great way to discover some of the best emerging talent while enjoying the atmosphere Glasgow does so well. The mix of established names and fresh artists makes it one of the highlights of the summer for me.

BEMZ plays Be United Presents: Rhythm and Bass, Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh, Saturday 22 August. 

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