From summer fayres to seed swaps, there’s a shed-load of outdoor stuff for you to do this weekend. Markets, open gardens, plant sales, a burn clean-up at Brunstane, a family fun day at Joppa Tennis Club…. let’s just hope someone’s told the weather to behave. smiling staffy

And if fresh air is not your favourite thing, there are plenty of other options – perhaps you’d like to try Taiko drumming at Japan Children’s Day? Or how about an afternoon of iconic jazz? Are you a dog who’s bored? – Pop along to the Cameo for the Edinburgh Dog & Cat Home’s furry fundraiser! Have an energetic weekend – and please check details of all events with the organisers before setting out.

Grassmarket Matinée of the Month: Star Wars – The Force Awakens (PG). Thirty years after the defeat of the Galactic Empire, the galaxy faces a new threat from the evil Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and the First Order. When a defector named Finn crash-lands on a desert planet, he meets Rey (Daisy Ridley), a tough scavenger whose droid contains a top-secret map. star wars the force awakens 2Together, the young duo joins forces with Hans Solo (Harrison Ford) to make sure the Resistance receives the intelligence concerning the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), the last of the Jedi Knights. 2pm, Saturday 7th May, Grassmarket Community Project, 86 Candlemaker Row. Free (donations to the charity to support future screenings and events very welcome) but please book via eventbrite here. Please note that no food or drink can be brought into this screening from outside; the Grassmarket Project’s Community Café will be open – please support it!

portobello marketportobello transition townPortobello Market: come along for a fantastic array of locally produced foods, plants, crafts, jewellery and campaign advice from Amnesty and RSPB. BG Cycles of Portobello will also be on site again to give your bicycle a free check up. 9.30am-1.30pm, Saturday 7th May, Brighton Park, Brighton Place, Portobello.

summer_fayreSt John’s Summer Fayre: teas, coffees, home baking, tombola, plant stall, face painting and lots more! 10am-1pm, Saturday 7th May, St John’s Church Hall, Brighton Place, Portobello. All welcome.

BIG at NEABIG: a new theatre clown show for children aged 3-5 . Two friends are going somewhere new, with some things that they know – and some they don’t. Everyone tells them they are big and ready, so why do they sometimes feel so small? Come and help them to be as brave as a dinosaur or a superhero, just like you! Rachel Colles and Fiona Ferrier have created Big for nursery children who are about to go through the transition to Primary One, looking at what it is like to be small in a big world and starting somewhere new. 10.30am or 12 noon, Saturday 7th May, North Edinburgh Arts, Pennywell Court, Muirhouse. Tickets £5/£3/£2 (Good Neighbours) from NEA on 0131 315 2151 or admin@northedinburgharts.co.uk.

laputaStudio Ghibli Forever: Laputa Castle In The Sky (PG) (English language version). The very first feature from Studio Ghibli, this action masterpiece gives the Indiana Jones franchise a run for its money. From the opening sequence, in which a young girl, Sheeta, floats down from the sky into the arms of apprentice miner Pazu, the film glows with adventure and magic, and we are soon off on a wild ride through the fantastical that grips and amazes. Hayao Miyazaki’s career obsession with flight is everywhere, with airships, biplanes, gliders, all manner of battle craft, and even a flying island – Laputa, Castle in the Sky. 11am, Saturday 7th May, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online.

free comic book day at forbidden planetForbidden Planet Free Comic Book Day! An all day long free comic book event with a competition for best adult and child cosplays; the winners will receive a selection of items from a bountiful table of prizes. There will also be discounts on everything around the store to all those who come along in costume – but don’t fret if you’ve not got anything to wear, there will still be 10% off all graphic novels all day. Saturday 7th May, Forbidden Planet, 40/41 South Bridge. This year marks the 15th anniversary of Free Comic Book Day, the unofficial holiday held on the first Saturday in May; participating shops give away comic books for free from a list of 50 different titles.

polwarth christian aid coffee morningChristian Aid Coffee Morning: a fundraiser for Christian Aid Week (15 – 21 May this year). Homebaking, bric-a-brac and books for sale, plus children’s activities. 10am-12 noon, Saturday 7th May, Polwarth Parish Church, Polwarth Terrace. Tickets cost £2.50 for tea/coffee and a homemade scone with jam. All welcome!

water of leith visitor centre 2Water of Leith Conservation Trust Plant Sale: visit the now famous annual plant sale and pick up a bargain. 10am, Water of Leith Visitor Centre, Lanark Road. Entry by suggested donation of 50p,

The Venetian Seminar: a peripatetic one-day workshop which has a long history of bringing together scholars of history, art history, literature and linguistics who study Venice and Italy. The seminar is convened on a yearly basis by Alex Bamji (Leeds), Filippo de Vivo (Birkbeck) and Mary Laven (Cambridge), and organised by The University of Edinburgh and 19th century venicethe Italian Cultural Institute; venetian seminarit brings together established scholars, early career researchers and postgraduate students in a format designed to promote awareness of the latest research in the field, and to maximise discussion. 10.30am-5pm, Saturday 7th May, Italian Cultural Institute, 82 Nicolson Street. Please register by emailing a.bamji@leeds.ac.uk. There is no registration fee.

japan children's day 2016Japan Children’s Day: a fun day out for all the family! Japanese food samples, origami, Taiko drumming, toys, art exhibition, calligraphy and lots more! 11.30am-4pm, Saturday 7th May, St Mary’s Cathedral, Palmerston Place. Free, all welcome. Organised by the Consulate General of Japan in co-operation with Japanese Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

ink and blot at far from the madding crowdStorytelling with Ink and Blot: in the Bothy with the menagerie! 11am, Saturday 7th May and every Saturday, Far From the Madding Crowd, 20 High Street, Linlithgow. Free: all welcome. For more information call the shop or email sally@maddingcrowdlinlithgow.co.uk.

Home (film)St Bride’s Family Cinema: see your favourite films for free! Adventure, excitement, fun and laughs – everyone welcome. Juice and choc ices are available to purchase in the interval at 50p each. This week’s film is Home (U). Please note that all children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult. 10.30am-12.30pm (includes interval), Saturday 7th May, St Bride’s Centre, Orwell Terrace, Dalry. Next week’s film is Planes: Fire and Rescue (PG).

may day march posterWorkers Rights are Human Rights: Edinburgh & Lothians May Day March. The annual May Day march assembles at Johnston Terrace and sets off at midday, led by Gorebridge Pipe Band in marching to a rally at the Pleasance. Speakers: Jim Slaven, Pinar Aksu, Mary Alexander and Honar Kobani, with music from Penny Stone and Calum Baird. Compèred by Susan Morrison. 11.30am, Saturday 7th May, Johnston Terrace. For more information see the event’s Facebook page here.

rachelmaclean-feed-me-still - British Art ShowBritish Art Shows: free discussion-led tours of the British Art Show. Focus and content will change weekly. 2-2.30pm, Saturday 7th May, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art ONE (meet at the main entrance), Belford Road. No booking required. Image: Rachel Maclean Feed Me 2015 − courtesy of the artist and Film and Video Umbrella, © Rachel Maclean, 2015.

tradfest family ceilidhFamily Ceilidh: come with the whole family and friends to dance well-known Scottish dances. All the dances will be called and there will be easier circles for the little ones. A fun introduction to sociable dancing with live music! 3-4.30pm, Saturday 7th May, Storytelling Court, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43 High Street. Tickets £8/£4/family ticket £16 from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here. This event is part of Tradfest 2016.

Brunstane Burn Clean Up – Take 3! Having now undertaken two clean ups along Brunstane Burn, Portobello Time Bank is keener than ever to finish this and to tackle the remaining rubbish. It would be great to have as many hands on deck as possible. Wear your wellies and old clothes – gloves, pickers and bags will be provided – as will tea & cake. 2-5pm, Saturday 7th May, Brunstane Train Station, 1 Sir Harry Lauder Road.

the tweedales at nat portrait galleryPortrait Gallery Thematic Tours: The Life and Times of the Tweeddales. Themed tours of the Portrait Gallery’s collection – this month, artist Katharine Aarrestad will consider the life and times of the Tweeddales family through the portraits and paintings in this new display. 2-2.45pm or 3-3.45pm, Saturday 7th May, Scottish National Portrait Gallery, 1 Queen Street. Free and unticketed.

radical song at tradfestRadical Song From 1707 to Today: from anti-Union riots and Jacobite risings through to radical calls for the reform of a corrupt political system, Scotland has raised its voice in song. This performance highlights the movements and songs that have inspired generations of egalitarian Scots and laid a basis for the new political landscape. With Stuart McHardy, Alan Dickson, Eileen Penman and John Malcolm. 4.30pm, Saturday 7th May, Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, 43 High Street. Tickets £8/£6 from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 556 9579 or online here. This event is part of Tradfest 2016.

don't include me among youIberoDocs – Scotland’s Ibero-American Documentary Film Festival: Don’t Include Me Among You/No me contéisentre vosotros (U)(In Spanish with English subtitles). Manolo doesn’t know his age. He wanders around the nursing home where he has just arrived, ignoring his surroundings.iberodocs 2016 logo His imagination is enough for him to go across to the olive groves that saw him work or raise his wheelbarrow to collect firewood. There is no difference between presence and escape, life and death, in this elusive portrait of life’s end (and also a forgotten heritage of Andalusian anarchism). The screening will be followed by a Q & A with director Isidro Sánchez. 3.35pm, Saturday 7th May, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.

no cow on the iceIberoDocs – Scotland’s Ibero-American Documentary Film Festival: No Cow On The Ice + Short (U) (In Swedish with English subtitles). Language and landscape as a gateway into a new life. A young Galician filmmaker migrates to Sweden, where he performs different part-time jobs; his learning of a new language and fascination for the Swedish landscape become a driving force against the difficult life conditions and, as he learns about the culture, society and lifestyle, he develops a new identity. Followed by short: To Be and To Come Back/Ser e voltar (U). 6.15pm, Saturday 7th May, FilmhouseLothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.

the GTsthe gts live at the dalriadaSaturday Night: Live and Unplugged. The ever popular GTs – Graham and Tudor – are back with another set of cool rock, blues, funk, soul and country covers. Guaranteed to get everyone on the dance floor! 9pm-12 midnight, Saturday 7th May, Dalraida, 77 The Promenade, Portobello.

Dead Buttons: South Korean Art Rockers, recently signed to cult Liverpool label Baltic Records, whose new single Desire is released on 28th May –dead buttons a Seoul-based rock ‘n’ roll duo comprised of Korean guitarist/vocalist Jihyun Hong and Paraguayan/Korean drummer/vocalist Kanghee Lee. ‘Influenced by the cavernous post-punk of Killing Joke, Joy Division and Gang Of Four – the saviours of Rock’n’Seoul have risen’. 7pm, Saturday 7th May, A Twisted Circus, The Mash House, Guthrie Street, Hasties Close.

nijinksy's last jumpCompany Chordelia: Nijinsky’s Last Jump. Theatre and dance combine to evoke the legendary 20th century dancer’s journey from global success to the desolate isolation of mental illness. As the passionate obsession of the young Nijinsky comes face to face with the searching inner life of the older Nijinsky, this sharp and tender show portrays a poignant intimacy of genius Brunton_Logo_Weband madness, youth and age, both the performing and private self. 7.30pm, Saturday 7th May, The Brunton, Bridge Street, Musselburgh. Tickets £12/£10 (£7.50 for under 18s) from the Box Office on 0131 665 2240 or via Hub Tickets here (booking fee applies to online purchases).

forest seed swapThe Forest Seed Swap 2016: bring seeds and garden stuff to swap. Join in making seed bombs and bee houses. 3-6pm, Saturday 7th May, Forest Café, 141 Lauriston Place.

erskine's concert at greyfriarsThe Erskine Stewart Melville’s Community Choir and Orchestra: Ola Gjeilo Sunrise Mass and Luminous Night of the Soul – conductor William More, and Shostakovich Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Minor op 35 – conductor Jason Orringe, soloist Maria Urian (ESMS Silvestri Scholar). 7.30pm, Saturday 7th May, Greyfriars Kirk, Greyfriars Place. Tickets £10/£5 on the door or in advance from the Music Department of The Mary Erskine School (tel: 0131 347 5749).

edinburgh trans women logo 2LGBT: Edinburgh Trans Women. A support group aimed at transsexual women at any stage of transition, women who are transgender and live as women full-time or part-time or for those who are questioning their gender identity. ‘We look forward to meeting you and prefer you to email us the first time you want to visit. This helps with security and helps us get ready to welcome you’. 7.30-9.30pm, Saturday 7th May, LGBT Health & Wellbeing, 9 Howe Street. For more information please contact info@edinburghtranswomen.org.uk.

10 things I hate about youPicturehouses After Dark: 10 Things I Hate About You (12A). A new kid must find a guy to date the meanest girl in school, the older sister of the girl he has a crush on, who cannot date until her older sister does. Starring Heath Ledger. 10pm, Saturday 7th May, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online here.

on footballIberoDocs – Scotland’s Ibero-American Documentary Film Festival: On Football + Short (In Portugese with English subtitles). Sergio and his father, Simáo, haven’t seen each other for over 20 years. On the eve of the 2014 World Cup, Sergio returns to his hometown, Sáo Paulo, hoping to watch the games with Simáo, as they used to when he was a kid. It seems to be a perfect plan for a father-son reunion: a whole month together, their schedule based on the World Cup calendar. But as the days go by, iberodocs 2016 logotheir relationship starts to wander into unknown territory and their pact to watch the entire tournament together turns into a dangerous ritual. Followed by short: History of Abraim /História de Abraim (unrated). 8.15pm, Saturday 7th May, FilmhouseLothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.

emily and the fedoras logoEmily & The Fedoras. With infectious energy and onstage banter, this full-on 7-piece is fronted by the dual vocals of Emily Streete and Hayley Jones, beefed up by a two-sax horn section. Expect a dancefloor-filling mix ranging from old-school funk/soul to Amy Winehouse and AC/DC. Plus DJ. 12 midnight (entry from 11.30pm, band on stage 12.45am)-3am, Saturday 7th May, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.

jerry forde's new phoenix jazz bandLinlithgow Jazz Club: Jerry Forde’s New Phoenix Jazz Band. A jazz septet formed in early 2012 from a wide range of musicians active in the serious and diverse jazz musical traditions. Focusing on the period from the late 1800s to 1970, the band, through arrangements and new compositions produced by the renowned musician, composer and arranger Dick Lee, and Phil Adams and Jerry Forde, will be performing with the specific objectives of helping to continue this rich tradition of vibrant and refined compositions of the period. The band comprises a front line of two (or more) reeds new phoenix jazz band LPDick Lee, Martin Foster, (Lauren Forde) and trumpet by Colin Steele, vocals by Christine Adams, supported in the rhythm section by Phil Adams on rhythm/solo guitar alternating with banjo, Jack Wilson on drums and Jerry Forde on double bass. 7.30pm (doors open 7pm), Saturday 7th May, St Michael’s RC Church Hall (Queen Margaret’s Hall), Blackness Road, Linlithgow. Tickets £8. The club provides tea and coffee (donations welcomed) and you are free to bring your own drinks (alcoholic or non-alcoholic), glasses and snacks. Bring your dancing feet and come prepared to quickstep, foxtrot, jive or swing or just do your own thing – or if you prefer, just relax and enjoy some great music.

joppa tennis club houseTennis Family Fun Day: a free and fun event for all at Joppa Tennis Club on Sunday 8 May. Coaching on the courts for beginners through to advanced players, plus fun simple coordination challenges and quizzes to do in pairs. Parents, friends etc can try to score as many points as possible to win a prize. Refreshments will also be available. Please see the event’s Facebook page here for full details and timetable. 1.30-5pm, Joppa Tennis Courts, EH15 2HU.

big hero 6Filmhouse Junior: films for a younger audience. This week: Big Hero 6 (PG):  an entertaining animated adventure based on a Marvel Comics series. In the futuristic city of San Fransokyo, 14-year-old genius Hiro looks up to his older brother Tadashi. Tadashi is a student at the Institute of Technology, where he has developed an inflatable robot named Baymax, with whom Hiro forms a special bond. 11am, Sunday 8th May, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets cost £4 per person, big or small.

plant sale 2RBGE Plant Sale: your chance to get your hands on an enviable collection of rare and exotic plants for your own garden, all reared in the Botanic’s Nursery. This year’s highlights will include a special stall of Chilean plants bred for UK gardens, to celebrate RBGE’s scientific connection with the country and the Friends’ recent botanical tour. In addition to unusual flora and fauna, there will be the ever-popular Home Baking Stall – just the thing to keep your energy levels up! 2-4pm, Sunday 8th May, RBGE Nursery, Royal Botanic Garden of Edinburgh, Inverleith Row. Admission £3.

private investigations - quintin jardine at waterstonesQuintin Jardine: Private Investigations. Come and meet Quintin Jardine, who will be signing copies of his eagerly-awaited new Bob Skinner mystery. 1pm, Sunday 8th May, Waterstones West End, 128 Princes Street.

the cameo welcomes dogsThe Cameo Welcomes Dogs! A furry fundraiser for Edinburgh Dog & Cat Home – all dogs welcome! Tombola and other fundraising activities, a board where you can see a selection of some dogs and cats up for re-homing, staff to speak to from the Home to discuss re-homing, information on volunteering and sponsorship and lots of dogs (including one from the Home!) 1-4pm, Sunday 8th May, Cameo Bar, Cameo, Home Street.

boyhoodPicturehouses Culture Shock: the best in cult and genre films. Today: Boyhood (15). No stranger to episodic filmmaking, director Richard Linklater succeeds brilliantly in following a boy’s life from the ages of six to 18, shooting periodically over 12 years. Ellar Coltrane plays Mason, the son of Mason Snr and Olivia (Linklater regulars Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette). As his divorced parents find new partners of varying suitability, Mason Jnr faces emotional and physical uncertainties with growing maturity. 3pm, Sunday 8th May, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online.

looking from afarIberoDocs – Scotland’s Ibero-American Documentary Film Festival: Short Docs: Looking from Afar (15) – a programme of six short films in which the perception of the self and its surroundings – country, culture, landscape – seem to expand or sharpen when seen from a distance through space, time, matter or the intangible. From a young Brazilian man in his new Lisbon home facing the end of his Fortaleza adolescence in The Party and the Barking, through the savagery of voice and memory set against a teenage face in Le Boudin, to the lonely cart rolling along the obsolete Colombian railways, across the wild and the ruins in Echo Chamber, these films will take you far and wide. 1pm, Sunday 8th May, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.

run lola runPicturehouses Vintage Sundays: classic films back on the big screen. Today’s film is Run Lola Run (15): three ‘what if’ variations on the same story provide the basis for this German thriller featuring a race against the clock in which a young woman has exactly 20 minutes to save her lover from certain death. 1pm, Sunday 8th May, Cameo, Home Street. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0871 902 5723 or online.

john law meets the reidsLauriston Castle: John Law Meets The Reids – a Costumed Performance Event. In the early 18th century John Law was a famous economist, gambler and, dualist. He was one of Lauriston’s most colourful owners and he returns to the house 300 years after he last visited to find things have changed significantly. lauriston castle exteriorJoin him as he investigates the house and meets the owners, Mr and Mrs Reid, during the Edwardian period. What will he think of the changes and how will they deal with a 200 year old visitor? 2pm or 3pm, Sunday 8th May, Lauriston Castle, 2a Cramond Road South. Tickets cost £5/£3/£12.50 (family ticket) or £6.50/£4.50/£17 with afternoon tea, and must be booked in advance via the Usher Hall Box Office, Lothian Road, in person, by calling 0131 228 1155 or online.

Scotland’s Gardens: Ravenswing. This city garden of about half an acre was completely redesigned 6 years ago after renovation of the house. From a Victorian plan – rectangular paths and small hedges – it is now a wide sweep of lawn and flower beds. The garden is very colourful in late spring and has many different primulae and rhododendrons, also Himalayan poppies and Chilean bushes. Refreshments available. 2-5pm, Saturday 7th May, 30 South Oswald Road, EH9 2HG. Admission £4 of which 40% goes to Medical Aid for Palestinians and the net remaining to SG Beneficiaries.

Roscullen at the top of Conlinton village on Bonaly Road is open on Sunday 8 May from 2:00 till 5:00pm. The admission charge is £4.00 and the proceeds will go to Brooke Hospital for Animals, Friends of the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh and SG Beneficiaries. More details here.

melissa westernOh Lady, Be Good: celebrate historic, iconic jazz, swing & blues vocals legends like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holliday, Sarah Vaughan, Bessie Smith, Eva Cassidy and many more, with songs and informative background stories from acclaimed internationally touring Brisbane-based singer/actor Melissa Western and her world-class backing trio. The_Jazz_Bar posterAn extremely popular Fringe show, Melissa’s enthusiastic delivery and panache make this an unforgettable experience: ‘Great storyteller, feisty, highly enjoyable; fantastic instrumentalists – FIVE STARS!’ (Broadway Baby). Bring the family – no under-18 licensing restrictions on afternoon gigs. 3pm (entry from 2.30pm), Sunday 8th May, The Jazz Bar,  Chambers Street. £7/£5 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.

the creator of the jungleIberoDocs – Scotland’s Ibero-American Documentary Film Festival: The Creator of the Jungle + Short (unrated) (In Catálan with English subtitles). The story of a man who created a jungle next to the highway, building with his bare hands beautiful and unbelievable works of engineering in the forest. This is also the story of how he ended up burning them to ashes to reconstruct them, time after time, over decades. He is known as ‘Garrell’, also as ‘Tarzan from Argelaguer’, and he is not driven by any apparent purpose, except one: going ‘on the go’. Followed by short: Travelling Light (unrated). 3.25pm, Sunday 8th May, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online.

richard michael - jazzmusic at st mark's logoMusic for a Summer’s Evening: Jazz Evensong with Richard Michael.  As heard on The Jazz House (BBC Scotland). 7pm, Sunday 8th May, St Mark’s Church, 287 Portobello High Street. Tickets £6 (under 16s free) on the door or in advance from the church.

Scotland’s Ibero-American Documentary Film Festival: Pepe Mujica – Lessons from the Flowerbed + Short (unrated) (In Spanish and German with English subtitles).pepe mujica iberodocs 2016 logo Pepe Mujica has become famous for being the ‘world’s poorest president’. The former guerrilla fighter and flower grower is currently considered one of the most charismatic politicians of Latin America. Old and young believe in him thanks to his humble lifestyle and his unconventional manners where political protocol is concerned. His political visions, among them his sensational regulation of the marihuana market, have created international interest. Followed by short: Nae Pasaran! (unrated). 6.05pm, Sunday 8th May, Filmhouse, Lothian Road. Tickets may be purchased from the Box Office in person, by calling 0131 228 2688 or online. This screening will be followed by the IberoDocs Closing Party; see the IberoDocs website for more details.

Quiz_imageFilmhouse Quiz: the ‘phenomenally successful (and rather tricky) monthly quiz. Free to enter, teams of up to eight to be seated in the café bar by 9pm, Sunday 8th May, Filmhouse, Lothian Road.

st giles 3St Giles At Six: George Heriot’s School Senior Chamber Choir, Brass Ensemble and Flute Ensemble. Music by Stanford, MacMillan, Victoria, Will Todd, Philip Stopford and others. 6pm, St Giles Cathedral, High Street. Free; retiring collection.

morag mccallSingers Night with Morag McCall and her Trio: well established in the North East of Scotland and a well-known face on the Edinburgh jazz scene, Aberdeen based singer Morag McCall returns to her home city for her Jazz Bar debut with some of the finest jazz musicians North of the Forth. The_Jazz_Bar posterWith influences from all the jazz vocals greats, Morag and her band bring a set full of swinging standards (with a twist!), some sixties pop, and great groovin’ funk. She’s with Alan King (keys), Colin Black (guitar), Ray Leonard (bass) and Andy James (drums). 9pm (entry from 8pm), Sunday 8th May, The Jazz Bar, Chambers Street. £5/£4 on the door: please note this venue is strictly cash only.

voodoorooms-text-no-bg-200-wideEliza Neals & The Narcotics. The award-winning, sultry, powerful blues-rock-soul vocalist and recording artist is also a composer, publisher, and producer, who has been compared to greats such as Etta James, Janis Joplin, and Ricki Lee Jones. Her work explores the musical spectrum with a combination of blues-rock, psychedelic soul and a twist of jam band with southern rock covers. As a duo, trio or full-blown eight-to-ten piece band, Eliza Neals delivers the most compelling storytelling in ages, backed by a cadre of amazing guitarists with whom she has worked over the years. Currently taking the reigns is Detroit’s international blues guitarist Howard Glazer. 7.30pm, Sunday 8th May, The Voodoo Rooms, West Register Street. Ticket price tbc.

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