Fiona Shepherd

John Grant’s Patsy Cline tribute at Glasgow’s Kelvingrove Bandstand offered an affectionate survey of Cline’s short but influential career. Supported by Richard Hawley and his band, Grant delivered songs including “There She Goes,” “Crazy,” “Sweet Dreams” and “Walking After Midnight,” preserving their original arrangements while bringing his own resonant baritone to the material. The concert concluded with “Blue Moon of Kentucky” and earned a four-star review for its emotional warmth and ability to win over country-music converts.

A collection of Edinburgh Fringe theatre reviews gives its strongest recommendation to Parasocial Activity, praising Briony Martha’s performance and Megan Brewer’s stealthy exploration of parasocial obsession, mental-health crisis and digitally enabled harm. We Will Hear The Angels and Temi Wilkey: Lover Girl receive mixed three-star assessments, while A Little Green Leaf, DeepFake and the interactive murder mystery A Foot is Not an Appropriate Prize for the Tombola are recognized for effective performances or inventive concepts with some limitations. How to Believe in Anything and Fragments of Self earn two stars for their handling of abuse and identity, respectively, despite notable strengths.

The Scotsman’s Fringe round-up reviews six productions. Lions is praised as a funny, humane and moving exploration of parental bereavement, while Right Before I Go handles suicide notes and related trauma with sensitivity despite risking the impression that suicide always has an identifiable explanation. Me and the D.O.G. is engaging and candid but leaves its central image insufficiently explained. Big Dog offers sharp satire of true-crime podcasts, influencer culture and broadcast ethics, though its focus and structure are unfocused. Metamorphosis confidently reworks Kafka’s story as a surreal examination of conformity and capitalism, whereas RANK is competently performed but too slight and predictable.

Alec Dalglish discusses Skerryvore’s busy Scottish festival schedule, the band’s return to more home-based performances and his home-studio recording of “Fly.” The single leads their forthcoming album Beautiful Mistakes, which was recorded live in the studio with producer Jamie Squire and explores the value of imperfection while aiming for a more mature, energetic sound. The album is due from Tyree Records on 6 November, alongside an extensive Scottish tour.

Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games opening ceremony at the Hydro combined a parade of athletes from 74 nations and territories with a garden-themed set, volunteer performers, Scottish cultural references and an eclectic lineup of musicians. Highlights included Callum Beattie’s energetic 'Yes Sir I Can Boogie', Nina Nesbitt’s rendition of '500 Miles', and finale performances by Tom Walker and KT Tunstall. The production is judged an entertaining, welcoming and energetic celebration, though the review awards it three stars.

Fiona Shepherd reviews new albums by Shania Twain, Margo Price and Robyn Hitchcock, praising Twain’s roots-oriented autobiographical approach while finding Little Miss Twain slightly overlong. Price’s Days of Unrest earns stronger approval for its protest covers, politically resonant material and original Tex-Mex-inflected songs. Hitchcock’s The Confuser is commended for its inventive blend of psychedelia, pop, punk and rockabilly. Additional reviews by Ken Walton and Jim Gilchrist praise classical duo Elena Urioste and Tom Poster’s exploration of French musical connections on Thème varié, and Joe Lovano’s versatile, exploratory quartet performance on Paramount Quartet.

James Taylor delivered a warm, humorous performance at a sold-out Edinburgh Castle concert, mixing reflections on addiction with easy listening classics supported by his accomplished All-Star Band. Strong contributions from instrumentalists and backing vocalists elevated songs including Mexico, Steamroller and Shower the People, while the crowd joined in for favourites such as You've Got a Friend and an upbeat encore of How Sweet It Is.

A mixed Kings of Leon performance at Glasgow’s Bellahouston Park delivered sporadic bursts of energy through crowd‑pleasing hits but suffered from long stretches of uninspired rock. While songs like On Call, Use Somebody and Molly’s Chambers elevated the atmosphere, much of the set lacked vitality, with several tracks criticised for plodding or dated delivery. The encore’s Knocked Up provided one of the night’s more compelling moments for the otherwise reserved band.