Our thanks are due to all the performers, sponsors, venue staff and particularly to those who bought tickets and continue to support the important work of the Edinburgh People's Festival.

If you have taken any photo's of the evening, you can always upload them to our Facebook page, simply click here.

The Edinburgh People's Festival has a unique atmosphere and energy. This festival isn't some top-down, corporate-sponsored, marketing exercise for the City of Edinburgh, but a genuine space for working-class people and radicals to come together for laughter, drinking, thinking, talking and taking Scotland forwards.

—Alan Bissett

Even though I have been living in Scotland for a few years now, this was my first Burns supper and it could not have been a better one! The atmosphere was magic, great music and Alan [Bissett] was superb!

—Paolo Caserta

Really enjoyed the Burn's night, great to catch up with old pals but at the same time looking around and seeing so many un-kent young and old faces. It felt really international as well listening to the person behind me translating the speeches into Spanish (I think) for this pals.

—Craig Maclean

The Edinburgh People's Festival Burns Night is truly unique. It offers a warm welcome and introduction to the radical side of Burns, with tributes paid to Burns by Scottish writers, historians and politicians. An inspirational mix of tradition and progressive thought ensure that the ensuing hearty haggis, neeps and tatties, followed by a rich desert of comedy and music leaving you wishing there was a Burns night every month.

—Linda Somerville

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Chair : Allan Armstrong

Vice Chair : Yvonne Dalziel

Secretary : Colin Fox

Treasurer : Barry Fowler

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So off to a false start the evening was on two fronts – firstly watching Colin Fox wrestle with the huge Edinburgh peoples Festival banner was an amusing start to the evening! After several attempts of stringing up the 15ft wide banner between 2 audio speakers of the BMC club sound system the audience wondered if he had ever done this before – but alas from Colin’s welcome introduction to the full house audience he reliably informed every one that this was in fact the 10^th anniversary of the BMC EPF comedy night! And with that as it was a momentous occasion the show was free! (normally £2). This drew rapturous applause from the comedy hungry crowd – people in Gorgie like free stuff! Especially top comedy acts from the Stand Comedy club.

So onto the compere for the evening and the second false start – the excellent Tony Jameson @tonyjameson who was thrown into this gig last minute after his stand comedy show partner and originally lined up Katie Mulgrew @katiemulg had to withdraw due to illness. Tony stepped into the role no problem, cracking gags and whipping the crowd into a frenzy for the fourth coming comedy acts…..

So onto the first act of the evening and a debut at EPF Comedy night for Silky @killforaseat. Know we would like to know the real name of this comedian but ‘Silky’ was as far we got on questioning the softly spoken chap – certainly not softly spoken and with silky comedic delivery of his gags the first act of the night went down a storm. Special mention to his guitar playing and song writing abilities on the subject of a popular dating website TV ad campaign and jokes on colours of the spectrum.

Next up on the bill after some more banter from the compere was returning for the third year  Simon Munnery @simonmunnery – always welcome to the BMC his comedy mind is sharp…and maybe just too cutting edge at times for the patrons of the BMC…or maybe it was the pints consumed by both parties! Songs on Sainsbury’s and stop the war stand out amongst several comedy jingles.  Simon admitted after the gig ‘One year I will nail this gig’ – we think you did Simon!!

Onto the headline act of the evening and another debut to the EPF BMC Comedy night – Lloyd Langford @gitshow who after some feverish discussion by the audience members of the BMC was identified as a regular panellist on the TV show ‘Ask Rhod Gilbert’. Lloyd delivered a laid back effortless comedy show  which went down a storm and fitting head line act indeed. One will never ever fancy a camel trek on holiday ever again!

Review provided courtesy of Andy Loy

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* KATIE MULGREW *
* SILKY *
* SIMON MUNNERY *
* LLOYD LANGFORD *

We’re back at the BMC for an unbelievable 8^th year.  What’s more,  to mark the People’s Festival’s 10^th anniversary, this year’s show is absolutely FREE.  Yes FREE!

FRIDAY 10 AUGUST 2012
7.30pm
BMC CLUB

Get in there early to avoid disappointment.

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Original Article Published by Edinburgh Evening News on Wednesday 25 July 2012 12:00 by iswanson@edinburghnews.com

THE debate around Scotland’s independence is one which for many people has been dragged down into the 
tedious realms of political nitpicking.

But now organisers of this year’s Edinburgh People’s Festival are aiming to take argument to a whole new level – by reviving the Scottish tradition of “flyting”.

Described as a contest consisting of the ritual exchange of insults and abuse, it is expected the participants will not be holding back in their 
arguments on either side.

Kevin Williamson, founder of the cult publishing house Rebel Inc, which discovered Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh, and Neil Findlay, a Lothians Labour MSP, have been lined up for a “flyting-style” debate on independence as part of the festival next month.

Flyting dates back to Anglo Saxon times, but became a form of public entertainment in Scotland in the 15th and 16th centuries when makars, or poets, would engage in verbal contests of abuse. James IV and James V encouraged “court flyting”. A contest between William Dunbar and Walter Kennedy in front of James IV is said to include the earliest recorded use of the word “s***” as a personal insult.

Flytings also appear in several of Shakespeare’s plays. And while the language is often crude, flyting itself is seen as quite a skill and has been described as “the verbal equivalent of virtuoso sword-play”.

Festival director Colin Fox, a former Scottish Socialist MSP, said the flyting tradition was also important to Scottish poets such as Hamish Henderson and Hugh MacDiarmid, who were inspirational figures for the original People’s Festival in the 1950s.

Mr Fox expects next month’s clash between Messrs Williamson and Findlay to be a passionate debate with no quarter given. He said: “Both of them are passionate speakers. They will both be allowed to say what they like with no holds barred, but they will be asked to be respectful of other people,

“They will each be trying to persuade the audience of their case, but they will be encouraged to make it entertaining.”

Mr Fox claimed the event could help bring some life to the independence v union issue. “This is a debate that needs some spark,” he said. “So far it has been criticised for being all about process and technicalities and being pretty tedious. We will be focusing on the real meat of the difference between people.”

The flyting is on Thursday, August 9 at 7.30pm, at the Out of the Blue Arts Centre, Dalmeny Street, Leith.

The festival was founded in 2002 by community activists and arts enthusiasts and is marking its tenth anniversary by “recession-proofing” the event and waiving all ticket prices. Along with the flyting, other highlights this year include a Rebus tour of city locations and comedy stars in Gorgie.

Mr Fox said: “Thanks to the generosity of Edinburgh’s trade union movement all our shows will be free this year. So here’s an unbeatable opportunity to forget the recession and celebrate with the ‘festival for the people and by the people’.

Original article here

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PROUDLY PRESENTS

 EDINBURGH’S RECESSION BUSTING PEOPLE’S FESTIVAL FOR 2012

AUGUST 6TH – 10TH

 HISTORY, LITERATURE, DEBATE, COMEDY, LECTURES AND TOURS

St Leonards, Southside, Gorgie, Canongate, Grassmarket and Leith

And to celebrate our 10th anniversary we are proud to announce

all our award-winning shows are absolutely free this year!

PROGRAMME OF ATTRACTIONS

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Monday 6th – Edinburgh’s radical past

Acclaimed Local historian Allan Armstrong leads this guided tour through Edinburgh’s radical past.
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Tuesday 7th- REBUS’S Edinburgh

Actor and renowned Rebus raconteur Colin Brown introduces the Edinburgh made famous by Ian Rankins fictional detective.
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Wednesday 8th – ‘Fredom Come Alll ye’

To mark this years Henderson Memorial Lecture our special guest speaker will make the case for Scotttish Independence as Hamish Henderson saw it – a modern democratic republic.
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Thursday 9th – ‘The toughest economic times in 80 years’.

With many commentators pointing out the present economic comparisons with the hungry 30′s we host this special debate on what the future holds for the working class people of Edinburgh and beyond.
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Friday 10th – Recession proof comedy

The Edinburgh Peoples’ Festival returns to the BMC Club in Gorgie for our 10th year with 4 top comedians courtesy of The Stand Comedy Club.
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More details of venues and tickets check out our Whats On page.

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Mr. Brown will essay readings from several of Mr. McGonagall’s  poems and will venture to describe the life and times of this most tortured genius. Please attire yourself appropriately. Tea, shortbread and Dundee cake will be provided in the Library for sustenance and revival.

Minute McGonagall

Participants are encouraged to produce their own poem, in the style of Mr. McGonagall, lasting no longer than one minute, which they will be asked to read in the Library. This event is Free, but numbers are limited, therefore please avail yourself of a ticket by contacting the Library E-Mail on reception@spl.org.uk or by telephoning 557-2876.

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