At the Fringe, you frequently get noise bleed between venue spaces. But if there’s one show in Edinburgh that manages to bleed into virtually everyone else’s, it’s the Tattoo with its thundering cannons and fireworks. But we wouldn’t be without it. The Tattoo owes its origins to a show staged by Lieutenant Colonel George Malcolm of Poltalloch called Something About A Soldier, performed at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens during the Edinburgh International Festival in 1949. He also produced The King’s Men on Edinburgh Castle Esplanade for a standing audience of 2500, resulting in the Lord Provost Sir Andrew Murray asking him to present a military ‘show’ each year during the International Festival.

This year’s theme is A Call To Gather and answering that call from across the world will be the likes of the German Army Band Koblenz, New Zealand Army Band, Qatar Police Academy Band And Drill Team, and 154 (Scottish) Regiment Royal Logistic Corps. The full line-up is yet to be announced but, rest assured, they will all be bringing their own heritage and cultural identity to the glorious mix.

Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, 7–29 August, 9.30pm; plus 8, 15, 22, 29 August, 6.15pm.

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