Get Closer To The Edge Festival 2011 - Edinburgh's music festival boasts The National, James Blake, Tim Booth, Guillemots and more
Posted: 12 years agoThe Edinburgh Fringe Festival has a rival, y'know - The Edge Festival. Rather than being a gathering of U2 fans paying homage to their guitar-wielding and bin-man's hat-wearing hero, this is a month's worth of high-end and budget-priced musical entertainment, held during August and designed to satiate those who either can't laugh anymore (or just don't want to).
From 4th to 31st August, you can see some pretty big names appearing across the Scottish capital, some at smaller than usual venues (meaning that tickets will sell pretty quickly) - here are just some of the highlights:
The lead-singer from James doesn't play many dates on his tod, but new album "Love Life" might change all that. He will play the Liquid Rooms on 6th August, offering both solo work and a few classic James anthems, done in a stripped down style - tickets cost £17.50.
Recently, the band issued their long-awaited third album, "Walk The River" - long-awaited because frontman Fyfe Dangerfield had been busying himself with solo work. Impressively, this new set has cracked the Top 30, meaning that demand for this show on 7th August will be high - tickets are £15.
One of Scotland's key song-writing talent and a man with an enviable pile of albums issued via Cooking Vinyl during the past 25 years, Leven regularly sells out shows like a horse drinks water. The Cabaret Voltaire will host this Edge show on 11th August - tickets cost just £7.50
Famed for putting his bodily parts through all sorts of pain and founding the notorious Jackass brand in the '90s, Steve-O will play three shows at The Liquid Rooms from 15th to 17th. You can expect the unexpected as O recounts key moments of his career via the medium of stand-up and stunts - £17.50.
Since her previous band, Throwing Muses, imploded a while back, Hersh has quietly been carving a semi-reclusive niche in the real world, with very little in the way of live shows. This Cabaret Voltaire show on the 18th is sure to draw a keen audience of both her exemplary solo work and Muses classics - £12.50.
Last year, this US rock-band were blazing a trail with the album "High Violet", but 2011 seems to have blown cold on them - until now, that is. August will see them return to the UK for a string of dates, including this first one at Edinburgh's Corn Exchange on 23rd August - £22.50
Nearly 20 years ago, John Power from The La's and Peter Wilkinson from Shack, formed Cast in Liverpool. After years of hits, they split in 2001 - who'd have thought that their reformation in 2010 would result in several sold-out gigs? This show on 26th August at the HMV Picture House will probably join the long list - tickets are still available for £20
The Liquid Room will host a rare Scottish appearance by electronic-balladeer and producer, James Blake, on 30th August. With tickets only costing £10, you can be sure that this young man will sell out this show in double-quick time. New single "Lindisfarne" is due out soon while the self-titled debut album continues to shift.
Joan as Policewoman, The Vaccines, Newton Faulkner (double date!), Jimmy Eat World, Kitty, Daisy & Lewis, Example, Mona and many more are also confirmed to appear - see below for the full line-up and for ticket availability.