Edinburgh hosts largest cultural event in the world
It’s not often I find myself in Scotland at the right time—festival time that is! August is the main festival month in Edinburgh and a time when the majority of the city’s residents like to head out of town and out of the path of the thousands of descending tourists. As a previous resident, however, I loved the festive atmosphere and attended as many events as possible. Now that I find myself back in Scotland for the summer, it’s time to reconnect with both the city and festival...The name is itself a bit of a misnomer, as what we call the Edinburgh Festival is in fact a collective term for many festivals which take place in the summer. These festivals are unrelated to each other, and put together by different organizers. Yet to us visitors they are many sides of what is the largest annual cultural event in the world.
You may ask, what are these different festivals? The largest are the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. But there is also the Edinburgh International Book Festival, the Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival, the Edinburgh International Film Festival, the Edinburgh Art Festival, and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo; plus a host of smaller event that take place during the period June to September.
The ‘main’ Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe—which is sort of the scruffy little brother with affordable prices and street events, and which has over the decades become a career starting point for many performers—run from August 3 to 27. It is for these two festivals that the majority of visitors flock to Edinburgh at this time of year. The other festival, which is guaranteed to be sold out and is a huge tourist attraction, the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, runs from August 3 to 25. This year the Tattoo has the slogan ‘The Sky’s the Limit’, embracing Scotland’s Year of Young People. This is, as the name suggests, a spectacular show of military talent. Not a demonstration of military force a.k.a Pyongyang or Beijing, but a display of the talents of military bands, military animals (dogs, horses), and all things military from around the world. The sight and sounds of Scottish bagpipes and the nightly colorful fireworks displays are regular and much loved features of the Tattoo.
The Edinburgh International Festival is not a recent affair. It was first held in 1947 with the idea of providing ‘a platform for the flowering human spirit’ by bringing people and artists together from different countries. Rudolf Bing, an Austrian impresario who had fled Nazi Germany, was supported by Henry Harvey Wood of the British Council, and the Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Sir John Falconer, and thus Edinburgh became home to this unique event. During the first festival, eight uninvited theater groups turned up, which spawned the Festival Fringe, which has now in turn developed its own unique footprint and followers. The same year, the forerunner of the International Film Festival was born, followed shortly by the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Today audiences can see theater, music, comedy, acrobatics, mime, opera performances, and much, much more (in 2017 the Fringe alone saw 53,232 performances of 3,398 shows in 300 venues). Shows run from early morning to late at night. But be warned—the later the hour the more raunchy the performance. Think Pussy Riot and the like! But there is also plenty for children during the day time.
For example, free street performances have always been a major feature of the festival, adding to the carnival like atmosphere prevailing through the Old Town, Royal Mile and around university buildings. The finale of the festival is an impressive 30-minute fireworks display lightening up the imposing vista of the castle which looks down, like a custodian, on the city below. This is Edinburgh at its best. For further information https://www.eif.co.uk
Partynepal’s big and wild Grind III
After a six-year hiatus, the third edition of Partynepal’s flagship event, “The Grind” is slated this year for September 14-15 at the Tiger Palace Resort, Bhairahawa. Partynepal Outdoors announced this at a press meet at Octave Kathmandu on August 7.
Dubbed the “biggest pool party in Nepal,” the previous editions of The Grind were organized in 2011 and 2012 at Riverside Springs Resort, Kurintar. “Both the events were sold out and for the third edition, we plan to make the event bigger and better,” Shree Gurung, the Managing Director of Partynepal said.
The Grind III aims to promote internal tourism in the country. Three chartered flights will carry the party crowd from Tribhuvan International Airport to Gautam Buddha Airport, Bhairahawa and then to the five-star luxury resort with the largest swimming pool in Nepal. The event will feature prominent Nepali DJs, performers, and other recreational activities.
The tickets range from Rs 7,000 to Rs 150,000 and are available at major restaurants in Kathmandu including Calm (Tangalwood), Trisara (Lazimpat/Durbarmarg), Tamarind (Jhamsikhel), Octave Lounge (Durbarmarg), Captain’s Grill (Boudha) and Coffee Express (Sherpa Mall).
For more information log in to www.partynepal.com
Partynepal’s big and wild Grind III
After a six-year hiatus, the third edition of Partynepal’s flagship event, “The Grind” is slated this year for September 14-15 at the Tiger Palace Resort, Bhairahawa. Partynepal Outdoors announced this at a press meet at Octave Kathmandu on August 7.
Dubbed the “biggest pool party in Nepal,” the previous editions of The Grind were organized in 2011 and 2012 at Riverside Springs Resort, Kurintar. “Both the events were sold out and for the third edition, we plan to make the event bigger and better,” Shree Gurung, the Managing Director of Partynepal said.
The Grind III aims to promote internal tourism in the country. Three chartered flights will carry the party crowd from Tribhuvan International Airport to Gautam Buddha Airport, Bhairahawa and then to the five-star luxury resort with the largest swimming pool in Nepal. The event will feature prominent Nepali DJs, performers, and other recreational activities.
The tickets range from Rs 7,000 to Rs 150,000 and are available at major restaurants in Kathmandu including Calm (Tangalwood), Trisara (Lazimpat/Durbarmarg), Tamarind (Jhamsikhel), Octave Lounge (Durbarmarg), Captain’s Grill (Boudha) and Coffee Express (Sherpa Mall).
For more information log in to www.partynepal.com
Mohini Dey-loaded Underside create perfect chaos
The Purple Haze Rock Bar in Thamel was jam-packed on August 4: taking in 1,000 folks, most of them dressed in black, creating a claustrophobia-inducing atmosphere. Most of these ‘metalheads’ in their late teens and early twenties (strictly 18+ was the venue policy) were there to witness Underside, the biggest metal band in Nepal featuring the global talent Mohini Dey on bass. When it comes to the underground scene in Nepal, Underside needs no introduction. Formed in 2010, it did not take the band long to rise to the top of the domestic circuit, and create ripples around the world. The metal core band is probably the only Nepali band with an international fan following, and not just among Nepali expats. It has travelled extensively to Europe, Asia and Australia to share stage with some of the most famous international acts. It was on its last Australia tour that Underside had a chance encounter with Mohini Dey—the 22-year -old bass prodigy from India who is a regular member of AR Rahman’s troupe and has also collaborated with world renowned musicians like Steve Vai, Guthrie Govan, Louis Banks and Dave Weckl.
“Mohini came to our show in Sydney and she really liked our music,” says Bikrant Shrestha, guitarist and founding member of Underside. “We hung out after the show and she offered to collaborate.” The quartet that forms Underside—Avishek KC on vocals, Bikrant Shrestha and Bikash Bhujel on guitars and Nishant Hagjer on drums—were performing without a live bass player and instead using backing tracks of bass on stage. “We were also thinking of inviting Mohini to play with us so this collaboration was meant to happen,” Shrestha adds.
_20180810140951.jpg)
Dey’s first performance with the heavy metal giants of Nepal brought the house down at Purple Haze, leaving the audience comprising of music fans and musicians mesmerized. Dey easily inserted herself into the technically difficult music of Underside, while making the songs her own with her unique techniques and unmatched ability. With Dey completing the void in the rhythm section for Underside, the band churned out its hits like Disconnect, Animals, Right to Hate, Welcome to the Underside and All Notes Off while also performing new songs from their upcoming album including the anticipated “Gadhi Mai.”
Despite the sweltering heat and the congested space, the audience got what it came for and there was no reluctance in ‘head-banging’ and ‘mosh pitting’ to the heavy music. (Separately, Dey conducted a special workshop for Nepali bass players on August 6, offering tips and sharing her life experiences.)
When asked if Dey is to become a permanent member of Underside, Shrestha says, “We can’t exactly call her our permanent member but yes, she is now an integral part of the Underside family.” Dey will be playing with Underside on major shows and music festivals and will also be recording with the band in its upcoming album scheduled for early next year.
Underside and Dey will next perform together on August 12 at the Bloodstock Open Air concert which is considered the ‘UK’s number 1 metal festival’.
Photos credit: Dipit Raz
