The REALIST A U G U S T
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AROUND TOWN Edinburgh Festival
The naysayers might want to curtail the capital’s cultural pursuits, but for one glorious month (and a bit) most of us appreciate that life just wouldn’t be the same without the biggest arts festival on the planet being on our very doorstep. From the jazz festival in July through to the fireworks at the end of August, thousands of performances will rage across town with lovers of art, books, cabaret, comedy, dance, kids’ shows, music and theatre all having their chance to revel in the Edinburgh Festival. Various venues, Edinburgh, Jul & Aug.
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MUSIC Electric Fields
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MUSIC Summer Sessions
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FILM BlacKkKlansman
It’s not just our capital city that gets all the festival fun this summer though, as the Borders will reverberate to the blockbusting sounds of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Public Service Broadcasting, James, Young Fathers (above), Teenage Fanclub and Leftfield as well as some up-and- coming diamonds. See Highlights, page 105. Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfries & Galloway, Thu 30 Aug–Sat 1 Sep. A scorching August is guaranteed with Summer Sessions featuring Tom Jones, Rag’N’Bone Man, Paloma Faith (above) and Brian Wilson in Edinburgh, with Kendrick Lamar, Kings of Leon, Twin Atlantic and N.E.R.D doing Glasgow. See Highlights, page 105. Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh, Mon 6–Sun 19 Aug; Bellahouston Park, Glasgow, Wed 22–Wed 29 Aug.
Spike Lee’s latest cage-rattling drama is based on the bizarre true story of Ron Stallworth, a black cop who infiltrated the KKK in the early 1970s, with the director forcibly making his point that modern America has nothing to feel complacent about when it comes to ingrained and virulent racism. See review, page 84. General release from Fri 24 Aug.
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COMEDY League of Gentlemen
After a triumphant return with their Christmas TV specials, the LoG laddies take to the road with their compulsively creepy set of characters, such as the demonic shopkeepers with the upturned nostrils, Tubbs and Edward. It’s a local show for local people. See Big Picture, page 17. Clyde Auditorium, Glasgow, Tue 28 & Wed 29 Aug; Edinburgh Playhouse, Thu 30 Aug.
8 THE LIST 1 Jun–31 Aug 2018