The nights are drawing in and the mornings are fair nippy these days as well, so why not take yourself along to the Filmhouse Cinema for a bit of sunshine with the fifth Africa in Motion film festival? They’re showing over 70 films from 28 African countries, and closing the festivities on Bonfire night with a ‘Fashion Extravaganza’ at the Bongo Club – I don’t know what that is but it sounds glamorous.
Meanwhile a little closer to home, Broughton Street’s Union Gallery presents the first major solo exhibition by abstract artist Trevor Jones. Trevor’s latest paintings have been inspired by the music of contemporary Scottish bands and singers, which the viewer will be able to enjoy – in theory at least – through a personal MP3 player whilst viewing the work. Synaesthesia II – for this is what Mr Jones has called his show – runs from 4–29 November. (See AM’s online review on 5 November.)
Sticking with a musical theme, by 21 November over a hundred local bands will have been whittled down to five by a panel of thankless judges as part of the ‘Hog The Stage’ competition to play Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. This is the point at which you can head along to the HMV Picture House on Lothian Road and judge them mercilessly, you hip young thing. Who will win? Almost certainly someone you’ve never heard of. But they’ll be ever so enthusiastic.
Over on Dundas Street, November means Christmas in the Di Rollo Gallery. (‘At last!’ you will doubtless cry, ‘Tesco's have only been hinting at it since July ...’) On Saturday 6 November the Di Rollo opens its doors to the Annual Christmas Exhibition, featuring work in a variety of mediums from 25 artists currently based in Scotland.
Not to be outdone, The Playhouse presents us with Scrooge The Musical, featuring none other than Tommy ‘Finian’s Rainbow’ Steele almost every day this month. There’s no escaping the season to be jolly round here!
However, one could try softening the blow by heading over to Lyon and Turnbull on Broughton Place for a tasting organised by Villeneuve Wines. This takes place on 19 November from 6:00–10:00pm and tickets are £20. And for those humbugs tempted to spend such money on a few bottles and stay home – it’s refundable if you spend £95. What a festive bargain!