Well, the CMU team is still at the Edinburgh Festival reviewing the 1500 odds shows that take place up here (so far we've seen 1100 of them, which is pretty good going if you ask me). As always, when we're a bit late in getting the Daily out in Aug, this is our standard excuse!
Meanwhile, here's some Edinburgh Festival music reviews from the ThreeWeeks team - don't forget you can read more reviews at http://www.threeweeks.co.uk and you can hear our daily festival round up through the wonder of internet radio each day at 7pm at http://www.festivalfm.net. Sorted.
Get Stoned... With The 21st Century Stones
Pheonix @ 4 Productions
I've never really seen the necessity of tribute bands. I mean, surely they can never really convey the passion, charisma or sound of the real thing? Maybe I was proved wrong tonight though because this was rip-roaring entertainment! The costumes may be overdone, the mannerisms may be taken up a notch or two, and the amplifiers might not be turned up to 11 - but there was just something about this that made it damn good fun. Maybe it's exaggerated caricatures of Mick Jagger and company, which more or less slip into parody? Perhaps it's the catalogue of shit hot rock 'n' roll they perform? Maybe you should watch it. Then you can let me know why it's so enjoyable, when really it shouldn't be. [ds]
Underbelly, 4 - 28 August (not 22), 11:30pm, prices vary, fpp 149.
tw rating 4/5
The Mark Saul Band
I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive about seeing this. Not knowing anything about the band and slightly scared by the flyer; live Celtic electronic dance music with bagpipes! I needn't have worried; this unique and eclectic mix of electronic drums, guitar, fiddle and the aforementioned bagpipes (a homemade set of electric bagpipes!) was surprisingly good. Infectious and brimming with energy I really enjoyed this unusual fusion of sound. Unfortunately this was their only show at the festival, so if you weren't there then you missed a really different and spirited performance. [hks]
Spiegel Garden, 13 Aug, 18:00pm, fpp n/a.
tw rating 4/5
Bags of Harmony
Vocal Zone
Billed as Scotland's leading quartet of a cappella singers, Vocal Zone has an audience following to be envied by all. Bags of Harmony, their first ever performance at the Fringe, and their only show this Festival, is full of popular songs such as Ain't Misbehavin, When I Fall in Love and Hello My Baby - delivered with lashes of infectious enthusiasm. The audience lapped up every minute, enjoying every note and eager for more. The linking dialogue between songs wasn't great, but it kept the audience smiling, and the quartet were always ready for a cheeky nudge and wink at their own awful jokes. An entertaining hour with an enjoyable repertoire and four women who know how to charm their audience. [rp]
St Andrew's and St George's Church, 13 Aug, 4:30pm (5:30pm), £7.00 (£5.00), fpp 88.
tw rating 4/5
Fraser Fifield Trio
Acoustic Music Centre
What starts off as sounding like the soundtrack to a mineral water advert slowly blooms into some really beautiful, heartfelt music. Although described as pretty much a hybrid of every musical genre ever conceived, the Fraser Fifield trio are essentially a jazz collective who play folk songs. After a slow start to the show, where they sounded too much as if they are playing to themselves, they decided to let go and let the rhythms flow and then they really got their feet off the ground. It was when they decided to push things forward that you felt as though you could let their shuffling jazz-folk take you down stream. [ds]
Acoustic Music Centre, 13 Aug, 8:30pm, £10.00 (£8.00), fpp 101.
tw rating 3/5