Wow – an epic week up at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in which Basia, Jane and I managed to clock up over twelve shows in a week!

Click on the above image to hear us play ‘The Suitors Ballyhoo’ on the last Pleasance podcast of the festival.

Highlights included an amazing show at the last Golden Hour for The Forest Cafe and a lovely moment when we got to serenade a group of Maths academics in The Pleasance Courtyard who got another group of friends to watch us play via skype on their laptop.

Podcast recording and filming … L-R: Paul on camera, Robin on guitar, Basia on violin, Jane on accordion and Al on microphones.

A slightly tired Basia and Jane having a nap on the train heading north to Edinburgh.

The Pleasance Theatre in Islington have just invited me to Edinburgh during the fringe festival for a lunchtime folk residency.

Barbara and Jane will be joining me on accordion and violin; we will be playing at 1.45pm in The Pleasance Courtyard from 22nd-25th August.

You can buy tickets from here – http://www.pleasance.co.uk/edinburgh/events/robin-grey.

Other Edinburgh evening gigs to follow… if anyone has any leads do get in touch!

I love The Forest. A lot. A lot a lot.

On a number of occasions over the last ten years ago being able to go and hide there whilst freaking out in Edinburgh during the festival has kept me on the rails; and it still makes the best veggie/vegan burrito I have tasted.

It has grown a lot over the last ten years; once a small cafe tucked away off the Grassmarket, it is now occupies pretty big premises just by the student union and is a hub of all things I cherish. I have had the privilege of playing there many times as bassist with The Jonny Berliner Band, performed solo once and recently took my lovely band there.

I am truly honoured to have a track on it’s tenth birthday compilation ‘forest-records-presents-x’ and over the moon that they have chosen ‘Roses From Africa’.

More info here – http://forestrecords.org/forest-records-releases/forest-records-presents-x/ or have a listen below:

…so apparently we are the ‘robin grey band’ now… hmmmmm… better think of a rhythm section name quick sharp …any suggestions?

more gig info here – http://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=283985541395

Barbara and Amy have never been to Edinburgh before and Iain’s brother lives there so it seemed rude to turn down the chance to play a show at The Forest Cafe.

Probably my favourite place in Edinburgh, The Forest has some of the best company and food north of the border. We will be performing as a four piece as part of ‘Golden Hour’, their monthly evening of music and spoken word.

My good friend Ryan Van Winkle and his friends at The Forest Cafe in Edinburgh are releasing their second poetry and music compliation this week. I have a track on the cd which I am hoping to receive in the post soon.

Here is the link to the official website with full info – http://www.forpub.com/

If you are in the area and have some free time this friday you should head down to Blackwells for the launch. Hopefully they will do a London launch some time soon too.

THE OFFICIAL LAUNCH:
At Blackwells on South Bridge, Edinburgh
Friday – Sept. 25th – 6.30pm – 8pm
- Readings by Aiko Harman, Alan Jamieson, Alan Gillis, Julia Boll and Andrew Philip.

followed by:
THE After Party / CD Launch
8pm – Late at The Forest, Edinburgh
Featuring: Poor Edward, Black Diamond Express, Withered Hand and more more more.

I have just about recovered from my little jaunt up to Scotland – first time I have left Hackney in ages!

Above is the poster from ‘The Golden Hour’, the night I played in Edinburgh, and there was a lady called Julia Sanches in the audience who took some pretty good snaps:

you can see the full album on her flickr account here – http://www.flickr.com/photos/14221047@N07/page2/