4 days, 12 events.
Day Two
Day two of our fesitval jaunt was our most varied. We began in a leisurely manner at the Book Festival listening to Richart T. Kelly talk about his new book, The Black Eden, set in Scotland over the period of discovery and early exploration for oil. I hadn’t read the book as it only came out in July. Our interest was in the subject matter but I was intrigued enough to want to buy the book too. I usually manage a couple of visits to the book festival but this year I only managed to fit in one. The festival bookshop is always a wonderful place to spend some free time and a stroll along the shelves browsing the collections. Unfortunately, I really have not taken to the new venue at Edinburgh College of Art. It feels seperated from all the other events and bustle of Edinburgh in August. I loved the old location on Charlotte Square, which felt like it was in the heart of the many festivals going on at the same time, and look forward to visiting their permanent new location in 2024 which will hopefully recapture the thrill of the festival and to continue to enjoy their varied and interesting programme.
We quickly jumped on a tram after the book event and rode all the way down to Leith on the newly opened secion of the tramway and a little adventure away from festival events. It was great to trundle down Leith Walk and to see all theeh busy little shops and cafes along the way. Our mission in Leith was to feed the body rather than the mind as we headed towards The Kitchin for some fine dining. It was our first time at Tom Kitchen’s Leith restaurant although we had in previous years eaten at The Castle Terrace which he also owned. I found Castle Terrace a little pretentious, I have to say, but I found no fault with The Kitchen. The food, the room, the setting and above all the staff were amazing. A real culinary experience!
Our relaxing lunch turned into a relaxed afternoon until a comedy show with Marc Jennings in the early evening. I have followed Jennings on social media for a couple of years and wasn not able to fit in his Edinburgh show at last year’s festival so I was really keen to see him this year. He did not disappoint. There was some poignant content matter which was handled sensitively and humourously. Less experienced comedians could have fallen into the trap of becoming maudlin but Jennings left us with a feel good warmth and a hearty laugh at the dilemma of a Celtic fan wanting to play his Mum’s favourite song – Simply The Best- at her funeral. For those unfamiliar with Scottish football, This song is associated with the fans of Rangers, the other Glasgow team and great rival of Celtic.
We had enough time for a snack and some drinks before our final show of the evening, An Audience with Tom Robinson, one of my favourite artists to emerge in the punk era. I think it was, for both of us, our favourite show. Many bands and artists of the 60s and 70s have continued to have great careers and still put on stadium tours and shows but there is something very comfortable at a certain age to sit in a small audience listening to a favourite artist, who has aged likewise – Tom hobbled on stage on crutches after his recent knee surgery, singing familiar songs, and knowing all the lyrics. Tom chatted like he was in a cozy setting with friends, retelling his career ups and downs while playing acoustic versions of his familiar songbook. It was a highlight I shall not forget.
Significantly Different 